What is my bass?

[Bill Sallee]

Three luthiers have looked at my bass and have offered the following opinions:
1. Italian ~1920-1940
2. German ~1920
3. French Mid 1800s

There is no label. 42 inch mensure. 19.5" upper bout. 25.5" lower.

Opinions please.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Bill Sallee

Three luthiers have looked at my bass and have offered the following opinions:
1. Italian ~1920-1940
2. German ~1920
3. French Mid 1800s

There is no label. 42 inch mensure. 19.5" upper bout. 25.5" lower.

Opinions please.

Ok, the ones that said French or Italian, stay away from. Especially the one who said French.

The one who guessed German 1920 is the only one with a clue.

Where are the pictures of the Back? Hiding something?

[Bill Sallee]

I'll send some pics of the back later this week. The back is all original not repaired.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Bill Sallee

I'll send some pics of the back later this week. The back is all original not repaired.

I will make a blind guess that the Back is Round/carved. That is typical for a bass like this. North German, Markneukirchin-Berlin area. Not down south near Mittenwald.

[Bill Sallee]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

I will make a blind guess that the Back is Round/carved. That is typical for a bass like this. North German, Markneukirchin-Berlin area. Not down south near Mittenwald.

Great Guess. It has a round carved back.

[Ken Smith]

I have moved this to the German School section. It can just as easily be in the German Shop bass section being the style and the period but being one of the nicer grade basses from its time, this is the best section for it.

Why was it guessed French besides him not knowing what is NEVER on a French Bass? Because it is a Violin shaped bass with slightly sloped shoulders.

The string length for this bass is of the period guessed as German. The Bout widths are also what you find on German basses, especially the lower bouts. The Gears are German and the Outer Linings are German, NEVER French. Please tell him he owes me $500 for this lesson. I hope this guy doesn't write and charge for appraisals!

Mid 1800's?.. lol.. Who is this guy? I hope not the one who sold you the bass.

Italian? Well it is Violin shaped and many German basses are copies of the Italian School. Just the basic outline mainly. Almost never the graduations and NEVER the sound as for as basses like this go. Just a look-a-like bass.

The Gears fit the period of the bass and I am guessing original to the bass.

The Bass is also over-varnished quite a bit with some darker stuff from all of the repairs. They seem like they were trying to cover up the work rather than match up the varnish after the repairs. That makes it look older to the untrained eye.

[Bill Sallee]

Yes, Because of the sloped shoulders and because it looks like a brother to another bass he works on. He does not sell basses, but works on many Dallas bass players basses including John Adams and Drew Phelps.

By the way, did you play on a Music Minus One LP back in the late
60's / early 70's. I had this record when I was younger and seems like the bassist's name was Ken Smith.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Bill Sallee

Yes, Because of the sloped shoulders and because it looks like a brother to another bass he works on. He does not sell basses, but works on many Dallas bass players basses including John Adams and Drew Phelps.

By the way, did you play on a Music Minus One LP back in the late
60's / early 70's. I had this record when I was younger and seems like the bassist's name was Ken Smith.

http://www.kensmithbasses.com/news/ .. scroll down..

http://www.kensmithbasses.com/MMO/lost_treasures.htm

I was thinner than. Yes, it's me and I did several records for them for other Artists as well. I am still collecting royalties for them.

On the French ID for a similar bass, that one might be German as well. I cannot tell you how many German Basses I have seen that owners and dealers thought they were French. In many cases to me eye. it's no contest.

[Anselm Hauke]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

...... Please tell him he owes me $500 for this lesson........

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

......... North German, Markneukirchin-Berlin area. Not down south near Mittenwald.........

ken, send me 500$, and i give you a lesson in german geography

[Bill Sallee]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Where are the pictures of the Back? Hiding something?

Finally got around to taking pictures of the back.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Bill Sallee

Finally got around to taking pictures of the back.

Nice pics. German Saxon region bass as I said before (my opinion). Enjoy it..

[Thomas Erickson]

you photographed your bass while waiting for a checkup? ok though, cool photos!

[Bill Sallee]

Originally Posted by Thomas Erickson

you photographed your bass while waiting for a checkup? ok though, cool photos!

Checkup???? No, the bass is in the study of my house.
Where in the Pac NW are you? I visit Portland/Vancouver WA
from time to time.

[Elisabeth Steves]

Nice! We are looking over a virtual "twin" to this bass in the shop and working to help the owner to ID it. Ken's info on this bass, as always, is very helpful. Ours has the same light brown varnish - it looks a lot like that on a Hornsteiner we worked on a while back, though I understand that workshop was not in the same region. We also have a Markneukirchen bass with the similar plain purfling under the button, but the varnish is much more amber with none of the brown which almost looks greenish in some light. I'm trying to post pics of the one that's like Mr. Sallee's, but my browser (or something) is not playing nice. Will try again later on a different computer.