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Old 12-18-2012, 12:30 AM
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Lightbulb Tyrol/Tirol bassics..(Blockless style)

A few days ago I decided to look into the history of the Tyrol once again. Memories fade in time so I needed to re-familiarize myself with some facts or learn new information. This is to help understand the culture and nationalization of various parts of the Tyrol throughout the centuries, mainly the period of time when string instruments were made there.

This is in direct relation to the basses we call Tyrolean and 'blockless wonders', a derogatory term used for basses that were made without a neck block and emanate from from the Tyrol, Germany and Bohemia.

So, first the construction which may have come from Fussen Germany, a Bavarian town that preceded most all others in Germany, forming one of the first Lute Makers Guilds, centuries before the violin was ever invented. The term 'Lute maker' is key here in the discussion of these basses. The simple and ancient construction of Lutes and Guitars used this special joinery method of tucking the Ribs into the side of the Neck which had a 'boot' under the neck heel inside the body as support for the Top and Back to connect it all together. Many old violin family instruments even into the 19th century were made without internal blocks and linings. I have seen violins made with blockless construction as well, not just basses.

The German school in the 16th and 17th centuries were still making Lute type instruments while Italy to the south were slowly replacing the Lute with variations of the Violin family instruments originating first from Brescia and Cremona as written in history.

The Tyrol was mainly a German speaking region even into the early 20th century. The southern Tyrol, now part of Italy after 1919 was then changed to Tirol. Trent was changed Trentio. Bozen was changed to Bolzano. The famous violin family known as Albani in the reference books was then called Alban, the German name of this family. The fact there is that they were really Alban from Bozen. Bolzano was the Italian translation so these were really German speaking makers and not Italian. This is what makes sense to me but in reality, I wasn't there centuries ago to have a conversation with any of them. I am just going with the history I have been reading on-line and in books. Wikipedia can be great! You just have to read all the other Wiki-pages the subjects branch off into. lol

So, back to basses. Some dealers refer to blockless basses as being Bohemian and some Tyrolean. Well, they can both be right because, in reading the 'Forward' in a book on the German school of makers, it seems that many Lute makers left Fussen and the surrounding areas and populated areas of Bohemia and Austria bringing their craft with them. This being Lute making which is also in part the building of string instruments known as blockless. Why not apply that technique to Violins and Basses and all in-between? It worked for the Lute, right? Also, besides building as they knew how to, in later centuries when they learned better from the blocked Violins now in circulation, it was just cheaper to stay to their old ways. Maybe turning a blind eye, maybe doing business as usual or, just maybe doing what the knew how to do, and never knowing what was to come a century later, implosion!

History shows that little by little, families and makers returned to Germany from Bohemia to avoid religious prosecution. The makers of Saxony seem to have had help from the Bohemians moving west into Germany. Many of them from German heritage originally.

The blockless basses we know and play were generally built like a Lute or Guitar and not a Violin at all other than the F-holes. The flatback and sloped shoulders are from the Lute and Viol family foremost. Kinda like a bass-lite in the build. We know now that without blocks, they fall apart little by little. This is why many of them after heavy use for 50-100 years are often too expensive to re-build and restore unless its one made with finer wood than normal and a sound to match. If you are lucky, you will find one that was 'blocked' some time ago to prolong its life.

I have seen quite a few variations of blockless basses. Some looking totally German in style. Some looking Bohemian but not true Czech in build like basses from Prague but rather a mix of German and Czech. Then, some of them look Italian in style but, part Germanic in flavor. These have nicer f-holes and Italian looking scrolls or rather, non-Germanic. Also, the early Yankee-American makers, some from before Prescott and most other during and after his period used this model as well on occasion. Blockless gamba or gamba with lower rounded corners. Many made without internal linings and ribs inserted into a channel in the top and back like furniture construction.

So, in researching the Tyrol to see if any of these basses can be called Italian, I have concluded that IF it is a Tyrolean Bass, it is probably not Italian in make as Italy at most over the centuries only influenced the Germans and Tyrolean makers. This region was mostly German and Austrian thru the centuries until the southern Tyrol was annexed to Italy in 1919. I am not trying to quote political history exactly here but rather how it relates to the making of these instruments.

I have two Tyrol style basses now in my possession. One might be called by some as Bohemian and I don't doubt the possibility. It is a full 3/4 when we call here a 7/8ths, originally made with a 42 1/2 - 43" String length (108-109cm). The other one just acquired looks partly Italian but part German. This one I am sure is a true Tyrolean bass and not Bohemian. This one has a block in it already, most likely added within the last 100-120 years. This one is old, c.1800, maybe older, maybe not. It has a neck graft as well so there is no way to know the original string length. Currently it's about 41 1/4" or so and in-between a D and Eb neck. This would put it between 104-105cm when made which is much shorter than my other one. The f-holes are totally different but the body is a similar size.Top also has a much higher arch, Stainer school and the Scroll looks more Tyrol style than Bohemian. I have only seen one or two other basses like this one. Most others were like the typical style with slanted Fs placed lower on the Top making the bass play longer in its mensur and Germanic/Bohemian in style.

Although we have other Blockless/Tyrol threads here on the Forum, I wanted to focus more on the history of the region as it relates to Italy. Too many of these basses have been sold and appraised as Italian basses by dealers. These basses are what they are, Tyrolean, German or Bohemian. Rarely if ever have I seen a true Italian bass that resembles one of the Blockless creations. There are exceptions with some basses made in this style made in Northern Italy but they are rare and different as well.

Please feel free to share your thoughts on the subject.
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