Help identify this unnamed Double-Bass

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Anton Johannes Hejl

This is my first post as a new member of this forum. All suggestions about the origins and year of this bass are welcome.

Link to pictures of my 4/4 roundback which has been expertly restored by Erik Hoffmann in Copenhagen: http://imgur.com/a/MwlQ1/embed#8

Dimensions:
D - 111,5
49 - 35 - 68 - 22

Would be interesting if anybody recognizes details on the bass - like the interesting "smiling frog" design of the plates on the headstock.

Cheers,
Johs

Ok, it is a German bass for sure from around 1900 or so, give or take (1890-1930?).

I think it is a Saxon bass more so than a Mittenwald bass. I have seen that design from both schools of making but by 1900 or so, the styles are closer between the two areas.

After WWII, many of the Saxon and western Bohemian makers had already moved to Bavaria in and around Mittenwald and Bubenreuth and then we find Saxon/Bohemian style basses made in The Mittenwald area. I have seen a J.Zimmerman bass like that not long ago.

The tuner plate design I have seen on some older Mittenwald basses but the Mittenwald tuners are different as are the outer linings. So, my money is on Markneukirchen in Saxony. Without a lable or an exact bass with a label, it is hard to identify as many makers made similar looking bass.

Oh, and don't say headstock or someone might give that bass a fret job!

Scroll, Fingerboard.. These are some of Double Bass names for some of the parts.

Also, what is the 'mensur' of the bass, String length. Vibrating string length and please do not use the term scale length either..