E&A strings reversed..

[Anselm Hauke]

three more pics

[Matthew Tucker]

Thanks for posting those Anselme

That is one peculiar looking bass, particularly around the neck region. Kinda looks like a regular bass with a "cello" style top stuck onto it. Is all that carving (double button etc) all part of the design, or is it a result of a reconstruction somehow?

From the side, the neck heel looks rather weird ... how to be sure where your D stop is with such a wide heel curvature!

looking again at those machines, they can't be original? sure looks to me like the whole pegbox has been reworked in an "individual" way.

mt

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

Thanks for posting those Anselme

That is one peculiar looking bass, particularly around the neck region. Kinda looks like a regular bass with a "cello" style top stuck onto it. Is all that carving (double button etc) all part of the design, or is it a result of a reconstruction somehow?

From the side, the neck heel looks rather weird ... how to be sure where your D stop is with such a wide heel curvature!

looking again at those machines, they can't be original? sure looks to me like the whole pegbox has been reworked in an "individual" way.

mt

Matt, you need to get out more. That is THE typical 19th century French Bass, Violincello model. It may have originated as a design by Vuillaume but I see it on just about every French makers Violin cornered Bass from about 1850-1900.

[Matthew Tucker]

That's why I'm here.

We get to see heaps of german/bohemian-type basses over here, but not too many french ones like that one ...

hey, why doesn't my avatar roll its eyes on this forum? they roll on TB ...

[Anselm Hauke]

i added 3 pics of the vuillaume in post#18

[davidseidel]

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

That's why I'm here.

We get to see heaps of german/bohemian-type basses over here, but not too many french ones like that one ...


hey, why doesn't my avatar roll its eyes on this forum? they roll on TB ...

Actually Matthew there are some around and actually I have had 3 over the years. Each time I put one for sale in the Bass Shop and no buyers at bargain price (I think), so I sold overseas for more $s. 2 of them had that same shape - one was a Paul Claudot. Have to keep your eye out because they will disappear if no players here prepared to pay for one! ..... There are quite a few English basses here too mostly in Orchestras esp Sydney.

[Anselm Hauke]

my alfred meyer

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Anselm Hauke

my alfred meyer

The Bass Scroll I pictured above is not a Meyer Bass. It is an older instrument that was cut smaller in the early 20th century. The label inside says 'repaired by..." (not sure of the exact wording in German). Meyer cut the original Top smaller all around and made new Ribs and Back. He also installed the new Tuners which are not as well matched to the Scroll cheeks as would be if the brass plates were original.

I have seen a few basses by Meyer over the years and they all have the lower gears reversed with the E longer than the G.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Anselm Hauke

three more pics

Beautiful Bass by the way. Also, besides this Bass with the unusual Peg stringing order it was the French that in the 19th century placed the lower pitched E and A gears above the higher pitched G and D gears.

I did this to the Martini myself to lengthen the E and A string. When the Extension was put on, the inner throat area of the peg box had to be notched because of the Gear being so high up on the Scroll was touching. Now, instead of doing that, I just switch the strings between the A and E as it would happen with an Ext.

Here are some examples. The first is the Martini followed by a French Bass, then also a Pollmann, a Bass modded by Alfred Meyer and my 5er.


All of the Basses with reversed 'tuners' have the lowest string on the normal peg but one position higher. It is the Basses with normal placed tuners that this extended E stringing benefits the most as well as the French method.

As you can see in this picture or the martini, even the A is up higher with the French tuner positions. Maybe this is the best overall method!