Simba meets Mufasa (The Bohemian Lion)

[Ken Smith]

I will probably have a bit of set-up work to do as usual once this bass comes in. It's inflight from Europe and scheduled to arrive early next week. Then the fun begins!

[Ken Smith]

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

I will probably have a bit of set-up work to do as usual once this bass comes in. It's inflight from Europe and scheduled to arrive early next week. Then the fun begins!

Due to concerns of this possibly being a national treasure, the Customs officials 'rejected' the shipment in lieu of better paperwork and some fees if the Papers were to fly. I was informed earlier this week that the Bass was re-packed and ready for flight once again.

I have the Airway-bill now and plan on picking it up early next week from customs.

Studying this Lion-head a bit further, I realize it is most likely the Lion-head of the Bohemian coat-of-arms. There have been various coat's of arms for the Bohemian region but up until the early 20th century, it was fairly the same for about 8-9 centuries, 1198–1918 from a Wiki page I found. Perhaps it was this specific Lion carving that raised their eyebrows. The slightly forked tongue sliding out between the teeth is quite detailed as compared to other lion-head carvings I have seen. This is the 3rd Lion-head I have owned now. The 1st was early 20th century, 2nd is early 21st century and this 3rd one probably from the 19th century but once here, we will examine it closely and make sure it's not older. So, I have now owned Lions-heads from 3 different centuries.

The Bass itself looks a bit more Germanic than Czech but the German Bohemians or rather Bohemian Germans are probably responsible for this instrument. I estimate it to be from the Saxon region that neighbors the most western part of Bohemia where those two cultures have been merging since the string instrument got its bow and before.

[Ken Smith]

I just packed the bass after setting it up. It usually takes me within an hour to put the post in and bridge on that were previously fit. The Post went in fine but, that bridge was up in the sky. 16mm on the E and 11mm on the G with some solid core steel strings. The E measured. .116". As thick as my Jargar E/C but that's a relatively soft feeling string. These things were so stiff, I could barely coil them as I was taking them off.

So, the bridge was a Belgium style with that tall arch and the top was cut down close to the heart. It was only 6 5/8" high in the center so I didn't have any room to cut from the top so, I drilled it for adjusters and cut out 1/2" of wood from the tall legs and set it up with some old old adjuster wheels I had lying around.

The bass needs a new bridge, endpin unit (maybe) and tailwire as well as a fingerboard dressing. The tailpiece is this creamy brown colored wood and it's quite heavy. I think it is European boxwood. It is heavier than maple and weighs an ounce more than a similar size maple TP I have on the shelf so I think I'll keep it on the bass.

I will try to get pics up if I can by tomorrow. If not, later in the week. I got so involved mentally working on this bass that a few minutes after 10pm I realized that I had missed an Orchestra Board meeting that I wanted to attend. Well, it was worth it. The bass is covered and in my rack. It has that black/grey kevlar type rope tailwire. It kept slipping so I took all the stings off before it ran out of rope to pop and then tied it all in a knot in front of the other knot and I think it will hold. If not, keeping the bass packed up might prevent more damage if it does go in the night and stay contained in its case.

[Ken Smith]

Ok, the Page is up!

Enjoy the Pics. I'm gonna play this Bass till I get Bit!

[Eric Swanson]

Lovely bass! What strings did you put on, for this trial? For now, how is the low-end response under the bow? Upper register access? What are your first playing impressions?

[Eric Hochberg]

Wow, love it!

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Eric Swanson

Lovely bass! What strings did you put on, for this trial? For now, how is the low-end response under the bow? Upper register access? What are your first playing impressions?

Passione G,D,A, and Stark E Passione.

The E is louder than the A. The bass has a powerful deep sound. The upper register as well as the low register is smooth and silky. Close your eyes and you will swear it's a 200 year old Italian. Someone yesterday told me the F-holes remind him of Testore but I highly doubt this bass is anything Italian.

The FFs are not evenly cut from one to another. Not the nicks, the holes, the curve, the placement or the fluting at the bottom. This is a one-off hand made original. The shoulders are not symmetrical either being that the treble shoulder is slightly more curved for playing then the other side. The C bouts are not even as well. Like my Gilkes was, the upper corners are opened up for bow clearance with the lowers being squared across.

This bass was made for comfort. It was about a 43" string length before but after restoration, it's just under 42".

Speaking today with a former owner who spoke with the former owner HE got it from was told that HE, the 90+ year old German player bought it from another old player in the 1950's and that HE was told that the Shoulders were Cut down from even a larger bass. Just how and where the bass was cut I can't say and don't know but this was bigger when it was made.

So, I have some basic knowledge of the past 3 owners spanning a century or so. The bass was probably 100 years or so old before it was cut. That being said, the last previous owner who is also a dealer and player thinks the bass is much older than it's shape and model leads us to speculate at first look.

[Ken Smith]

I played it last night for the first time at an orchestra rehearsal. While sitting there and playing, I realized that this is the first time in it's estimated 200 years that it was played in USA or possibly outside of the German/Bohemian region. I have information now that for the last 100+ years or so it was used in German orchestras by just two owners, both having the bass for several decades each and only selling it when they reached retirement age or beyond. The last owner in his 90s. To them, it was a 'keeper' and I can see why while playing it last night. I didn't say a word to the other 5 guys in the section about having a new/old bass or an old Lionhead but one glance and their eyes were stuck on the bass. Each player nudging the other to look at it. It was a good feeling.