Pollmann Busseto.. (SOLD)

[Anselm Hauke]

Originally Posted by Eric Swanson

Do you reckon that the carving was done by hand, all done by CNC router, or roughed with a CNC and detailed by hand?

what do you think of honest bavarian craftsmen?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Anselm Hauke

what do you think of honest bavarian craftsmen?

In speaking with Arnold Schnitzer recently he told me about his trip a few years ago to visit the Pollmann shop and met with Ralph & Michael Krahmer the makers. The man that has been doing the 'Ornate Carvings' on these Basses for the last 30+ years is getting very old now and it may not be going on much longer.

I borrowed a 5-string of this same model a few years ago but made by the father Gunter Krahmer in 1977. Tonally, it was not as good as this Bass. It was carved the same way. I don't know what type of tools he/they use for this but I have been told it's done by hand.

For educational purposes, email Pollmann and ask them about this special 'Carved' model and maybe they will explain it better. Report back with your findings, please!

[Eric Swanson]

I dig the lightweight tuners, hard. The obvious benefit of steel/brass, and a fine gear ratio without the dampening mass or weight to lug around. Reminds me of drilled-out bicycle components.

My creaky hat peg tuners are light and relatively non-dampening, but what a coarse, hateful, jerky, creaky action they have - ugh.

I love seeing such clever solutions!

Regarding the carving, it may well be a hand job if they have one guy who does it all day. In my business, high-end architectural woodwork and furniture, when I apprenticed, larger shops usually had one or more carvers, who did nothing but that. These folks were fast AND good...take a talented person and have them do something endlessly and they are bound to get good (or go nuts, or both).

I'll email the firm and see what they say, sharing what I learn, if anything.

[Anselm Hauke]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

For educational purposes, email Pollmann and ask them about this special 'Carved' model and maybe they will explain it better. Report back with your findings, please!

ken, if you mean me to do this: sorry, no.
i did the same for david powell some time ago, and it seems to me that emailing and providing information is not the favorite activity of the kramers...

maybe you have more sucsess than me

[Arnold Schnitzer]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

I borrowed a 5-string of this same model a few years ago but made by the father Ralph Krahmer in 1977.

Gunter, not Ralph

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Arnold Schnitzer

Gunter (father), not Ralph

Yes, I fixed that with a quick edit. I posted Ralph as the father when it's Gunter.

Anything else to comment on in regards to the Carving work maestro?

[Eric Swanson]

Emailed Pollmann about the carving. If they respond, I'll share it...

[Arnold Schnitzer]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Yes, I fixed that with a quick edit. I posted Ralph as the father when it's Gunter.

Anything else to comment on in regards to the Carving work maestro?

It's all chip carving done with knives and gouges. Quite skillful but gaudy, IMHO.

[Eric Swanson]

Here's the response from Poellmann, confirming our assumptions:

"Hi Eric

Thanx for your mail.

We are a small Bassmaker Family and we do all our work by hand.
There is a special technique in this carving work.
If you have the possibility to see one of our ornamentation basses,
you can see in the details (and if you have a eye for thinks like this)
that the cutting are not equal and even. It's handwork....


Best regards
Poellmann Bassmaker
Ralph"


As a mechanic, I will leave my opinions on taste and the "assumed irregularity of handwork" out of the mix. I am grateful that they took the time to respond!

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Eric Swanson

Here's the response from Poellmann, confirming our assumptions:

"Hi Eric

Thanx for your mail.

We are a small Bassmaker Family and we do all our work by hand.
There is a special technique in this carving work.
If you have the possibility to see one of our ornamentation basses,
you can see in the details (and if you have a eye for thinks like this)
that the cutting are not equal and even. It's handwork....


Best regards
Poellmann Bassmaker
Ralph"


As a mechanic, I will leave my opinions on taste and the "assumed irregularity of handwork" out of the mix. I am grateful that they took the time to respond!

I think they are beautiful. I almost bought the '77 5er a few years ago but I had some issues with that Bass personally. The Carvings is what got me excited. This one I have now is the best Pollmann I have played for a model this size. Actually, it is the best I have had my hands on. Maybe some of the bigger Italian models are even better but for this German model and the other smaller Italian models they have made since the '70s, this is the best thus far.

I guess I just like fancy stuff. It's not for everyone.