Viennese ??

[Adrian Levi]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

No, not at this time. I have only seen them on occasion and a few similar basses on the web.

It would be hard to say for sure if a Vienna 'style' bass is actually Viennese when it was also copied in Hungary, Prague and other surrounding areas. Perhaps the bass dealers in that part of the world would be able to ID the bass for you.

About 10 years ago I went Bass shopping and saw two basses around the same price. One was a Johann Thir bass. This was 100% typical Viennese from the 18th century. It was a big bass and was beautiful. For some reason, I had zero interest in it. I plucked a few notes on it and moved on to a smaller 3/4 Italian bass that I had my eye on. Shortly after I found the Batchelder bass that suited me better, in the wallet and in the ear as far as sound for money.

I think now if that Thir bass walked in for the same price it was 10 years ago I would snap it up. Back then it felt way too expensive being that it wasn't Italian.

The Batchelder bass looks related to my bass in cut and top arching maybe , except that mine has a scroll that IMO looks like an ugly medieval weapon !!