Art Deco(?) Bass

[Craig Regan]

Has anyone ever seen a bass like this? It looks like it could be from the 1920's or 30's. Highly stylized scroll and plastic edging similar to a guitar. Needs a lot of work but, it looks really cool.

The only tag I found was for a Musical Instrument Co. in West New York, NJ.; could not make out the name.

Solid spruce top, back and sides are poplar. The scroll says "Radiofix"?

Here are some pictures:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/3557759...7622580417580/

Thanks for the help, Craig

[Joel Larsson]

Whoa, I sure wouldn't mind having that baby in the stable, were it only in better condition. If I could find a gig bag that fits... It looks totally run down, but I could easily imagine it being played in a Las Vegas show band. Maybe you can find a sponsor for the restoration?? It seems to hold some novelty value... but what can you make out about the quality of the handiwork? Wood-wise, at least it's not ply...

[Craig Regan]

My choices are, to restore it, or salvage the good parts (top, back, fingerboard). Some parts are just too far gone, or, were never made that well to begin with.

The c-bout ribs were made with stack laminations of solid wood, then cut out on a bang saw.

[Joel Larsson]

Stack laminations..? Never seen that... All right, seems to be a reason why it's in bad shape, then - maybe it simply wasn't good enough to care about. Still, the looks are cool, and maybe you could try and contact some casino or vaudeville theater or whatever place housing a show band, about having them buying and paying for it. Or is it a customer's bass?