Ken's Corner (Bass Forums Sponsored By KSB)

Go Back   Ken's Corner (Bass Forums Sponsored By KSB) > Double Basses > Double Bass Talk in General

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 02-28-2014, 12:52 PM
Pedro Rico Pedro Rico is offline
Junior Posting Member
 
Join Date: 08-26-2011
Location: Portugal
Posts: 22
Pedro Rico is on a distinguished road
Default Ludovics Kovacs Lion head bass 1963

Hi
This bass came across to me but I do not know anything about,
It seems in good condition and we'll made.
Seller says it's from this luthier Ludivic Kovacs( Hungarian)
Made in 1963.
Can you give me some help on this?
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	image.jpg
Views:	583
Size:	89.0 KB
ID:	2947  

Last edited by Pedro Rico; 02-28-2014 at 02:25 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 02-28-2014, 02:02 PM
Pedro Rico Pedro Rico is offline
Junior Posting Member
 
Join Date: 08-26-2011
Location: Portugal
Posts: 22
Pedro Rico is on a distinguished road
Default Ludovics Kovacs lion bass head 1963

More photos
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	image.jpg
Views:	586
Size:	62.1 KB
ID:	2942  
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 02-28-2014, 02:08 PM
Pedro Rico Pedro Rico is offline
Junior Posting Member
 
Join Date: 08-26-2011
Location: Portugal
Posts: 22
Pedro Rico is on a distinguished road
Default Ludovics Kovacs lion bass head

More photos
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	image.jpg
Views:	556
Size:	68.0 KB
ID:	2945  

Last edited by Pedro Rico; 02-28-2014 at 02:22 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 02-28-2014, 02:24 PM
Pedro Rico Pedro Rico is offline
Junior Posting Member
 
Join Date: 08-26-2011
Location: Portugal
Posts: 22
Pedro Rico is on a distinguished road
Default Ludovics Kovacs bass lion head 1963

More photos
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	image.jpg
Views:	526
Size:	71.4 KB
ID:	2946  
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 02-28-2014, 02:45 PM
Ken Smith's Avatar
Ken Smith Ken Smith is offline
Bassist, Luthier & Admin
 
Join Date: 01-18-2007
Location: Perkasie, PA
Posts: 4,851
Ken Smith is on a distinguished road
Exclamation No.. Not!!!!!!!!!!!

Please pay attention. I think this is a fake Copy.

The name and spelling is Lajos Kovacs.

I have a book from 1963/69(reprinted) by Raymond Elgar 'More About The Double Bass'. In that book on page 96 and 97 is the description and picture of a bass by him owned and played by Lajos Montag from Vienna who worked in Hungary as well.

The original bass is a gamba design, not violin cornered and has bat-wing f-holes and a lion head listed as a copy from a Testore.

Regardless on the head design, the bass you show is BRAND NEW and looks like the Maple is CHINESE wood, not wood from the Hungarian areas of central or eastern Europe but from the Himalayas.

That is not a 1963 bass and not Hungarian. Even the tuners are new Chinese gears that come on Chinese basses and some 'new' Hungarians as well where they buy from a local Chinese supplier in Hungary.

So, I have heard of and seen this makers bass. Also, they spelt the name wrong as well. It is a poor copy, not even similar to the original in any way and the Lion head is 100% Chinese dog-lion image.

If someone tells you they have a special bass and it looks new, it is new. Good basses get played, scratched, damaged and worn. In 50 years, it will look at least 50 years old. This looks new from last week.

It is good that I bought these books when I was still in High-school and saved them. I know that bass very well. Your bass is a poor fake with no resemblance to the original. Sorry.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 02-28-2014, 04:03 PM
Pedro Rico Pedro Rico is offline
Junior Posting Member
 
Join Date: 08-26-2011
Location: Portugal
Posts: 22
Pedro Rico is on a distinguished road
Default

Thank you, for reply, I haven't bought of course.
Looks good but I realize that could be a fake indeed.
Thanks for supporting us Mr Smith!
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 03-01-2014, 12:24 AM
Ken Smith's Avatar
Ken Smith Ken Smith is offline
Bassist, Luthier & Admin
 
Join Date: 01-18-2007
Location: Perkasie, PA
Posts: 4,851
Ken Smith is on a distinguished road
Cool fake..

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pedro Rico View Post
Thank you, for reply, I haven't bought of course.
Looks good but I realize that could be a fake indeed.
Thanks for supporting us Mr Smith!
It is a new bass and it is what it is as a bass but nothing to do with 1963 or that maker. This is very common so don't feel bad as if you missed out on something. Maybe that Chinese bass is a good bass but it is only worth what another Chinese bass is without that fake name attached to it.

This is the original by the way, Our bass community friend Bill Bentgen has it on his website with the same picture from the Elgar book.
http://www.billbentgen.com/bass/players/montag.htm

Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 03-01-2014, 05:09 AM
Pedro Rico Pedro Rico is offline
Junior Posting Member
 
Join Date: 08-26-2011
Location: Portugal
Posts: 22
Pedro Rico is on a distinguished road
Default

Not feeling bad at all, but this is a warning for every buyers out there.
Thanks for updating on this book again.
Cheers
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 03-01-2014, 03:33 PM
Ken Smith's Avatar
Ken Smith Ken Smith is offline
Bassist, Luthier & Admin
 
Join Date: 01-18-2007
Location: Perkasie, PA
Posts: 4,851
Ken Smith is on a distinguished road
Exclamation yes, a warning...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pedro Rico View Post
Not feeling bad at all, but this is a warning for every buyers out there.
Thanks for updating on this book again.
Cheers
Most basses that just pop up claiming to be something that came from no where are new made fakes. Many other old basses from 50-200 years old are also often mis-represented as something better or more valuable than what they are so it seems like a great deal. Only a trained and non biased experienced eye can pick these out easily. Some need to be studied but many are very obvious.
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 08:58 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.2
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright © 2007 - Ken Smith Basses, LTD. (All Rights Reserved)