What is my bass?

[Anselm Hauke]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

...... Please tell him he owes me $500 for this lesson........

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

......... North German, Markneukirchin-Berlin area. Not down south near Mittenwald.........

ken, send me 500$, and i give you a lesson in german geography

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Anselm Hauke

ken, send me 500$, and i give you a lesson in german geography

Where did I go wrong? In general I mean!

Ok, Markneukirchin is central east near the Czech border, got that but above Bavaria. Maybe I should have said central east to north or just what I did but said North OF Mittenwald/Bavaria. Close?

A map can tell you that but can't tell you what I just did as far as matching the bass to an area, right? Maybe?

[Brian Gencarelli]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Where did I go wrong? In general I mean!

Ok, Markneukirchin is central east near the Czech border, got that but above Bavaria. Maybe I should have said central east to north or just what I did but said North OF Mittenwald/Bavaria. Close?

A map can tell you that but can't tell you what I just did as far as matching the bass to an area, right? Maybe?

Hey Maestro,

Everyone is entitled...

Can you do one of your magic tricks and put Bill and my bass pics/scroll pics side by side?

Thanks,
Brian

[Bill Sallee]

Originally Posted by Brian Gencarelli

Hey Maestro,

Everyone is entitled...

Can you do one of your magic tricks and put Bill and my bass pics/scroll pics side by side?

Thanks,
Brian

Wow, that does look very much like mine. Our basses also look very much like Drew Phelps bass which he was told was French and is why David Graham probably said mine is.

[Bill Sallee]

Originally Posted by Brian Gencarelli

Hey Maestro,

Everyone is entitled...

Can you do one of your magic tricks and put Bill and my bass pics/scroll pics side by side?

Thanks,
Brian

I'll try it.

[Brian Gencarelli]

Good try, but Ken can blow them up so we can see detail. I couldn't get to your pics.

I would be interested to see what they sound like side by side! Just curious, what is your neck overstand like and is it the original neck/setting. Mine is and the overstand is low.

BG

[Bill Sallee]

Originally Posted by Brian Gencarelli

Good try, but Ken can blow them up so we can see detail. I couldn't get to your pics.

I would be interested to see what they sound like side by side! Just curious, what is your neck overstand like and is it the original neck/setting. Mine is and the overstand is low.

BG

Yes the overstand is fairly low. I can't measure now because I'm having
a setup adjustment made. I will have it back tommorrow.

If you are ever in the Dallas area you can certainly come play it.

[Bill Sallee]

Originally Posted by Bill Sallee

Three luthiers have looked at my bass and have offered the following opinions:
1. Italian ~1920-1940
2. German ~1920
3. French Mid 1800s
...

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Ok, the ones that said French or Italian, stay away from. Especially the one who said French.

The one who guessed German 1920 is the only one with a clue.

Where are the pictures of the Back? Hiding something?

I don't think anyone is trying to be dishonest here. I'll name names and circumstances including everything I know so far. I am still curious about its origins but the main thing is how it plays and sounds.

Absolutely Known by direct and email contact with the previous two owners:

owner 1. luthier 1. Wayne Holmes - Who sold me the bass and told me about this forum.
He advertised on the web as Italian. His reason for calling it Italian, I presume is because he has an appraisal from Bruce Wallace which says that it of Italian workmanship or construction or somesuch. He bought it along with the rest of the tools and inventory of Bruce Wallace's shop (Pittsburgh)

Three days and 1000 miles later-

Luthier 2. Arnold Schnitzer - I went by his shop and showed him the bass.
He played Au Privave and fixed a sharp edge on the underside of the fingerboard and gave his Germanic origins opinion.

Owner 2. Bruce Wallace - I contacted him for info on the bass. He
did not defend the Italian pedigree just stating I should worry about the sound and not the history of the bass.

Early this week:

Luthier 3. David Graham - He works on lots of DFW top player's basses. He currently has the bass and is fitting a new bridge. He said it looks very much like Drew Phelps bass (confirmed by web photos from the grand ole opry and elsewhere) which was said, by someone, to be French.


Second Hand Info: according to Bruce Wallace

Owner 3. Dr. Mike Taylor (deceased) of Pittsburgh. I have tried to find info or photos on the web but not much success. I'll I can find is that he is a member of the Pittsburgh Jazz Hall of Fame and a number of people list him as a inspiration and teacher. Does anyone here know of him?

[Brian Gencarelli]

Hey Bill,

We have similar lumber. I have been told the same things about my bass by different sources. Part of the problem is that basses are so different that violin specialist luthiers are used to seeing patterns and get confused by our strange instrument. Not their fault necessarily, but just too much stuff to learn. Ken has a good eye, and I respect his opinion.

My bass measurements:
Overall Height- 74.5"
Back table- 47.5"
Top table- 46.5"
Bottom Bout- 26.5"
C- Bout- 15"
Top Bout- 20.25"

Ribs- Bottom Bout- 8"
Upper Bout- 7.75"

Mensure- 43.25"

Pics- Your tuners are the most similar to mine that I have seen, minus the "mini hatpegs".

Front Shot:


Also, Arnold has referred me to Bill Crow's bass, which is very similar in appearance. (and Arnold works on it...) It was told to Bill that the bass is French... so much misinformation over the years has led to multiple provenance of basses.

Cheers,
Brian