Italian or fake (hungarian)

[Gunter Grass]

dear folks,

somebody offered me another bass. the seller told me that this is an old italian or english bass. again, i am not sure if this is a fake. very hard to tell!
to me it definetly looks old, but the back of the bass looks a little strange?
i would be thankfull for any ideas or identification-marks! my eyes are not experienced enough to really tell.

thank you in advance!

[Gunter Grass]

here is more:

[Ken Smith]

This bass has the same type of work as the other. Possibly the same guy in Hungary made both. If the bass is not close to $100k-$400k and has some history of where it has been and who played it, it is not an old Italian or English bass. Old basses don't just pop up from no where.

Now, I have seen a few, bought and sold a few and even have a few old looking recently made basses. I sell them as new basses that are made to look old but never represent them as being old. If you like the bass and it sounds good, buy it at the right price. But, don't go thinking that you might have a Busan or Goffriller for a steal at 1/10th the price.

One of the best restorers and makers in Europe is now also working in his 2nd Berlin shop as well as in Hungary, back and forth. Raez Barnabez. He is one of the guys that can tell what is fake or not because he knows the guys in Hungary that are doing this kind of work. Ask him!

[Gunter Grass]

dear ken,

thank you, very much for your opinion. even though i have seen and played quite a large number of basses, it´s still hard to tell what is fake and what not (just from looking at pics). the top looks quite old, but the back and the fakt that there are no cracks at all is very strange. anyway, thank you again.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Gunter Grass

dear ken,

thank you, very much for your opinion. even though i have seen and played quite a large number of basses, it´s still hard to tell what is fake and what not (just from looking at pics). the top looks quite old, but the back and the fakt that there are no cracks at all is very strange. anyway, thank you again.

The Top is a softer wood and cracks easier than the hardwood back. Round backs do not crack as much as flat backs. Cracks can be put into new basses and new basses can also be made with cracked and distorted wood to fake aging. A genuine old bass will show its distortion and condition over time depening on how it was cared for.

In Hungary, people there make from about $400-$600 a month in income from what I was told by Hungarians, Luthiers, Doctors, anyone, unless you have some other business on the side with the outside world. They are 100 years behind the world 'we' live in. To make a fake bass is their goal, those makers. Survival is to fake and make more money even if it takes 2-3 months to make it. Not all the Luthiers in Hungary are fakers, just some of them. They even take new basses from Romania and fake them as well to look old. I have seen them and had 2 of them here.

As for finding a good deal on a real old Italian bass, good luck. You will need it. lol

[Anselm Hauke]

hello gunther,

interesting bass. would you tell me who is the seller?
pm would be ok. thanks.

[Gunter Grass]

sorry for the late reply. the seller is private, although he sells more often basses and sends me emails if he offers one. i could ask him if its ok if i send you his contact info.

regards