3-string Schuster bass?

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FlonFlon
Beiträge: 2
Registriert: Mi 25. Jul 2012, 14:37

3-string Schuster bass?

Beitrag von FlonFlon »

Hi,

Recently I bought a double bass in need of a thorough restoration. It is a Sachsian bass using the the clasical guitar construction instead of a neckblock: top and back are glued directly on the root of the neck whiel the sides are fit into slots in the neck. The old-style tuning plates (with copper plates) bear the stamp of "Gebruder Schuster". Age of the bass is unknown but I guess it can be early 1900`s, with teh bass bar being part of the same wood as the top is made of.

After removal of the tuning plates it appeared that the bass was originally a 3-string, now converted to 4-string. This made me wonder if the bass can be a Schuster bass after all. It seems like the Schuster tuning plates have been put on after conversion into a 4-string bass.

Does anybody know if the Gebruder Schuster also made 3-string basses or converted 3-string basses into 4-string using their own tuning plates?

I will try adding pics asap.

Thanks,
Ron

Udo Kretzschmann
Geigenbaumeister
Beiträge: 554
Registriert: Do 02. Feb 2006, 11:16
Wohnort: Markneukirchen
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Re: 3-string Schuster bass?

Beitrag von Udo Kretzschmann »

Hi Ron,

I've never heard about that "Gebrüder Schuster" made 3-string basses, but on the other hand - why not! I am only a violin maker but I will ask my son. He is working as double bass maker and restorer.

But there is another reason making I don't believe that your bass was made in Markneukirchen. You wrote about the bass bar "being part of the same wood as the top is made of". In German we call it is an "eingestoßener Baßbalken". This is typical for Bohemian work for very simple instruments. You can't find is so often in Markneukirchen. So in my opinion your double bass could be a Bohemian one and someone took the tuning plates he had and converted the 3-string bass into a 4-string. But - this is idle speculation! You should show your instrument a double bass maker with experience a lot.

"while the sides (ribs) are fit into slots in the neck". This technique, we call it here "Einschiebehals", was usual in our area until about 1840...

Best greetings

Udo
BTW: Your name is Ron, so I guess you are an American or English speaker. You wrote "Sachsian", is this an existing English word or did you your own onomatopoetic translation? :wink2:

FlonFlon
Beiträge: 2
Registriert: Mi 25. Jul 2012, 14:37

Re: 3-string Schuster bass?

Beitrag von FlonFlon »

Hi Udo,

Thanks for your reply. Nice to now more about the technical german terms for all the pecularities. I will use these from now on and stop onomatopoetic translation :pardon:

I have uploaded some pictures of the bass: http://www.flickr.com/photos/85959736@N ... 279070488/
Here you will find pics of the scroll, the body and the inside. Hope this helps. On the scroll pics you can clearly see the filling of the former 3 peg holes. I will add a pic of the Schuster-plates later.

I guess you might be right about the bass being a simple Bohemian made one. Besides the eingestoßener Baßbalken the purfling is also scretched rather than a genuine inlay, which is also a typical feature of cheaper made basses.

The Einschiebehals is well known, mainly for its stability problems on the back of the bass. I like it however, as it is very similar to the classical guitar neck-sides construction principle. But this particular bass will surely need a neckblock.

You told the eingestoßener Baßbalken was usual till the 1840`s. I guess it has been used also after the 1840`s, but wondered till what year this construction can still be found (on basses). And what about 3-string basses: till when were these still made (and used)?

I would love to hear your sons opinion on this bass.

Regards,
Ron

PS: I am not from oversea, but in fact a neighbour (from the Netherlands) :wink2:

Henrik
Beiträge: 1
Registriert: Fr 26. Okt 2012, 12:38

Re: 3-string Schuster bass?

Beitrag von Henrik »

FlonFlon hat geschrieben:Hi Udo,

Thanks for your reply. Nice to now more about the technical german terms for all the pecularities. I will use these from now on and stop onomatopoetic translation :pardon:

I have uploaded some pictures of the bass: http://www.flickr.com/photos/85959736@N07/sets/72157631279070488/
Here you will find pics of the scroll, the body and the inside. Hope this helps. On the scroll pics you can clearly see the filling of the former 3 peg holes. I will add a pic of the Schuster-plates later.

I guess you might be right about the bass being a simple Bohemian made one. Besides the eingestoßener Baßbalken the purfling is also scretched rather than a genuine inlay, which is also a typical feature of cheaper made basses.

The Einschiebehals is well known, mainly for its stability problems on the back of the bass. I like it however, as it is very similar to the classical guitar neck-sides construction principle. But this particular bass will surely need a neckblock.

You told the eingestoßener Baßbalken was usual till the 1840`s. I guess it has been used also after the 1840`s, but wondered till what year this construction can still be found (on basses). And what about 3-string basses: till when were these still made (and used)?

I would love to hear your sons opinion on this bass.

Regards,
Ron

PS: I am not from oversea, but in fact a neighbour (from the Netherlands) :wink2:
Hi neighbour! :)

You are right with the first two. I have a friend who knows basses very well and I think he might help you. I will forward your text to him and he will certainly give you some nice information.

BR

Clemens

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