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Old 04-14-2015, 12:46 AM
Jonathan Byrne Jonathan Byrne is offline
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Default Help identifying my bass

Hello all!

The guys over at Talk Bass suggesed I post pictures of my new bass here and mybe someone will be able to help.
I've just bought a new bass and I need some help identifying its maker. It didn't come with a label on the inside. All I know is that it was made in the Czech Republic or Hungary (the seller described it as Bohemian) about 30 yrs ago and in the style of Busan. The seller knows as much about it as I do. I know it was bought from a Hungarian guy. I'm open to the idea that it's a more modern instrument and that wouldn't bother me. I bought it because it sounds good, not because it's old.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers!

Jonathan
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  #2  
Old 04-14-2015, 07:02 AM
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Ken Smith Ken Smith is offline
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Exclamation ok..

You answered you own question in your statement. I will highlight the Hints within your post.

"I've just bought a new bass and I need some help identifying its maker. It didn't come with a label on the inside. All I know is that it was made in the Czech Republic or Hungary (the seller described it as Bohemian) about 30 yrs ago and in the style of Busan. The seller knows as much about it as I do. I know it was bought from a Hungarian guy. I'm open to the idea that it's a more modern instrument and that wouldn't bother me."

Here are all the signs of a sale of a new faked antiqued Hungarian bass. By new I mean new, days, weeks, months or a year or two. Hungarians need money and they don't hold on to basses. They sell them as fast as they can.

Sometimes they even buy basses from Romania and antique them and then sell them all re-done. I have seen 2 or 3 other Busan copies like this. One was in my shop, well antiqued and the seller (famous shop) played dumb saying he wasn't sure how old or if a real Busan. BullSxxT. Ok? They are full of it.

I have bought and sold many of these faked basses but always as what they are, new Hungarian antiqued basses. Not all of them were sold to ME as such but I still sold it as what it was once I learned more.

I have dealt directly with some of the Hungarians and spoken with them as well by email. I have learned about who does what there, the names and the crimes as well. I have learned a bit as well about some of the real Hungarian basses and have had some in the 100+ year range. A 100 year old Hungarian bass was sold in London as a Viennese basses 150 years older than it was because they didn't know better.

I have had some Hungarian dealers in my shop several times and showed them basses I have had and others on the web and they would tell me what they are and which are fakes, many of them in some famous shops selling as old Italians.

Here is a sign that some of these have; No real playing wear around the upper shoulders or c bouts. No nicks from the bow tip or screw. No one can play so good as not to nick the bass and the older the bass, the more the scars. When they antique these basses, the make scratches but mostly done with the same tool all over. Too obvious. Also they might acid treat the wood inside to make it look old but they will have a smell. If you smell inside a real bass of 50 or more years, the dust will make you sick in seconds. Also, Chinese gears on Italian basses?.. lol.. Or old German gears re-used? Too obvious. And your bass has gears that were not made but a year ago give or take. I even see some where they put the gears on or just plugs from old gears to look like they were there and then put the Chinese gears on. Maybe even sloppy work to look old.

This is a new bass and the seller knows it or he is stupid not to if he is in the business. Sorry is this sound harsh but dealers are ripping people off when they can and some of them have famous reputable shops. They can't be that dumb not to know what a faked Hungarian looks like. My 1980 Pollmann has cracks and repairs and looks kind of new but with antiqued varnish. Still, it has over 30 years of playing wear and you can see that.
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Old 04-14-2015, 09:58 AM
Jonathan Byrne Jonathan Byrne is offline
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Default

Hi Ken!

Thanks for the reply. You confirmed what I thought it was. For the price I payed it couldn't have been anything else. The price range wasn't that of an older instrument. It had been sitting in the shop for a while so it was probably given an "exotic" description to try and sell it seen as it's a slightly heavier 4/4 sized bass.
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