Blockless or no? - Worth It or No?

[Ken Smith]

Look inside. Is there a Block or a reverse side neck heel?

oops.. pic #1&2.. Smoking gun... Blockless as they come..


Here's the problem. The Blocks hold the Bass together. Now when the Neck is pulled by tension, it pulls up on the back and pushes down on the Top. I bet if original inside, there is no bassbar either, just a chunk of wood from the Top shaped into a Bar.

Cost to fix and modify such a Bass in that condition, $10-$15k or more depending on the other repairs needed once the bass is opened. It needs a lot from what I can see and probably more from what I cant' see.

Value AFTER it's 100% normal construction in perfect professional repair? Well, depending on the overall condition and the sound afterwards, possibly LESS that spent overall.

I personally own a Blockless Bass. The sound is fantastic. One day when I have the money to burn or throw away, I will have this Bass fixed instead. Until then, I am playing it as-is.

That Bass also looks a bit small. What are 'all' the measurements? Mine is a 3/4-7/8ths depending on how you measure it. Wanna buy mine? I'll beat his price!!

He wants $4-5k with a cracked Neck, Bass bar and Sound post cracks and no neck block? Does he sell used cars as well?

Pass that one up!

A Blockless Bass even acquired for free can cost more to restore than it can ever be worth. Some or most of these basses were produced 'on the cheap'. Some are nice basses but that can be seen by the wood used and other work including the Purfling style, if purfled at all. The normal sized ones of that period would be about a 42" - 43" string length.