Another mystery bass?

[Ken Smith]

Yes, a read Dodd would me be cheap to anyone including a 14yr old.

Still many German basses like this sound great for jazz or orchestra. I played beside 3 of them last night and all week long in the section. I used an Italian bass.

On the 3-string theory, I don't buy it. Most Germanic Basses and almost all Bohemian Basses were made a 4-strings. The 3-string was in wider use in England, France, Spain, Italy and USA. Germany and eastward were mostly 4-string by then with some 5s as well.