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Old 03-02-2011, 11:13 AM
Brian Glassman Brian Glassman is offline
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Default Is this for real?-Maggini

http://tarisio.com/wp/2011/03/the-de...o-maggini-4-2/

Hard to believe that they are trying to pass off the "head" as original. Seems obvious from pics that at best the scroll volute may be, but it was grafted onto that much newer looking pegbox that they claim was Maggini.

Comments..?
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Old 03-02-2011, 11:56 AM
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Ken Smith Ken Smith is offline
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Cool ??

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian Glassman View Post
http://tarisio.com/wp/2011/03/the-de...o-maggini-4-2/

Hard to believe that they are trying to pass off the "head" as original. Seems obvious from pics that at best the scroll volute may be, but it was grafted onto that much newer looking pegbox that they claim was Maggini.

Comments..?
The Cheeks do look new but might just be 're-faced' as my Hart was. The Bass looks small so the price is small as well for a Maggini.

This is a collectors or Solo Bass. Not an Orchestra bass. I think, as I haven't seen or played the bass.
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Old 03-02-2011, 12:00 PM
Brian Glassman Brian Glassman is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken Smith View Post
The Cheeks do look new but might just be 're-faced' as my Hart was. The Bass looks small so the price is small as well for a Maggini.

This is a collectors or Solo Bass. Not an Orchestra bass. I think, as I haven't seen or played the bass.
I don't see measurements or price?
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Old 03-02-2011, 12:05 PM
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Lightbulb Hart's copy of a Maggini/d'Salo

You can see here how Hart did his double purfling as compared to Maggini;
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Old 03-02-2011, 03:09 PM
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Anselm Hauke Anselm Hauke is offline
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great link, fantastic pictures, thank you brian!
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Old 03-02-2011, 10:22 PM
Pino Cazzaniga Pino Cazzaniga is offline
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The label is strange too, Magini for Maggini and Bressa for Brescia (the Vannes book reports two different labels with the right wording).
But anything is possible, of course, and that instrument is a work of beauty!
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Old 03-02-2011, 11:29 PM
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Cool #s

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian Glassman View Post
I don't see measurements or price?
Well, the body length is posted on the page. You can also see that the neck block area was raised most likely to increase the string length.

"LOB 101.9 cm or 104.0 cm including the button
"

The 101.9 cm is about 40.12". The String length is usually less than the Body length. Usually, but I don't see this bass being purchased by an Orchestra player. Someone mush have called them on the price because I remember seeing the estimate of $200-$300 for the Auction, hence my comment about it being low for a Maggini.

Looking at the pictures of the Scroll and Neck the graft includes that Button so that is not original. The front cheeks are 2-3 layers so some of the original cheeks are in-between the neck graft and the outer facings. These instruments often had 5 or 6 string as these were not necessarily Double Basses originally. The head and back of pegbox look to be original as the extreme distress and patina are fairly evident. The Gears are early 20th century French in case you were wondering.

The Article by Rosengard is fairly thorough. Note that the papers are from Wurlitzer and are also 'available' from Rosengard. That 'might' mean that a buyer or potential buyer can purchase papers from him for a fee. I know Duane Rosengard and he is fairly picky about what he will certify. I was thinking of calling him to discuss the bass as there are some confusions about this instrument here on the forum. I for one am not a potential buyer and I doubt that anyone else here in the membership is either, so I will not bother him on this at this time.

Looking at the wood of the top, the transparency of the varnish and wood fibers are beautiful and very similar to other d'Salo and Maggini instruments I have seen, mainly pictured but a few in person.

Hey, if I was swimming in money, I would pick this up just to have it. It's one of the earliest bass instruments ever made, period!

There was another small Maggini or attr. Maggini at the ISB in 2009. It was unlabeled but Tom Martin said he used to own that and it did once have a label. The price was $135k as a non-certified attributed Maggini. It was about a 1/2 sized instrument and had a beautiful rosette sound hole under the fingerboard. I played it briefly and heard it played. I was thinking of trading one of my English basses I had brought for it but it was a consignment sale so that wasn't a possibility. I have to tell you that when you play a 400 year old bass instrument, you fall in love with it instantly and uncontrollably. Or at least I do. In 1971 I was on tour and while at a stop over in Chicago I went in to a shop and asked if they had any old basses. The clerk replied, just one. He brought it out. It was maybe a 1/4 size looking bass. I picked it up in one hand, turned it so I could lift the back and look inside the f hole. It WAS the Dumas Maggini, about a 36" string length. They said the bass was $1,000 but needs about $1500 in repairs as the Ribs where 'shot'. It was sold shortly after to a Chamber player. A few years ago that same bass came up for sale in Chicago. The Ribs, nicely antiqued but replaced from what I remember seeing. The price, $80k as it was a small chamber bass.

So, two small Maggini's have blessed my fingers in a 40 year period and one full sized a few years ago that was once called a Maggini and now attributed to d'Salo, his master. Not everyone subscribes to either maker for that bass but it's a beautiful sounding/looking old bass. That bass will go to auction soon as well and the estimate is 200-300 G.B. Pounds. The Pound today is about 1.63 to the dollar for reference.
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Old 03-05-2011, 06:54 AM
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Thomas Erickson Thomas Erickson is offline
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I wish more people could get photos like that online, for any purposes!
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