Mittenwald Double Bass anno 1971 - #2785 |
||||||||||||||||
How do you know where this instrument comes from? The tidy workmanship and presentation strongly indicate that the instrument was made in Mittenwald, Germany. What sort of period are we talking about? The instrument has characteristics and a quality typical of a huge number of instruments that were produced in the years that followed the end of the Second World War. Can you tell me some of the features that are typical of the Mittenwald School around that period? Yes - all the following features are quite typical: So where exactly is Mittenwald? Mittenwald is located at the foot of the Bavarian Alps in the very south of Germany. Between the end of the 15th and the 17th century Mittenwald prospered as it lay directly on the lower trade route between Augsberg and Venice. Isn't Mittenwald famed for its violin making? Yes it is. Mathias Klotz (1653-1743) returned to Mittenwald in ca. 1685 and can be considered the founder of violin making in Mittenwald. He ran a large workshop in which he trained his three sons as well as many other violin makers from the area. Today the town still has a violin making school and there is a museum devoted to the evolution of stringed instruments and to old Mittenwald. Thanks for the very brief history of Mittenwald. I’d like to know some more about the instrument. Are there any labels at all? There is nothing present on the back in the normal position. On the inside middle-rib - bass-side - there is however the remnants of a printed label. The letters "ZE" in capitals can clearly be read. Unfortunately it is not possible to deduce anything from these letters. How can you be so sure that the bass was made in 1971? Well - because we purchased it from a retired player called B.S. Baker and he told us that he had purchased it from a shop in Mittenwald in that year. How is Mr Baker so sure of his facts? Mr Baker is so sure - because he was based in Dortmund, Germany for five months from May 2nd 1971 as a member of the Royal Artillery Band. Mr Baker's military number - G1994 - is etched into the rear of the peg-box. Have you done much to the instrument at all? No - hardly anything. The instrument is pretty much in the same condition that Mr Baker purchased it in all those years ago. Have you just set the bass up then? Yes. It was only necessary to "shoot" the fingerboard and fit a new soundpost. We have also fitted some aluminium bridge adjusters, a new tailpiece, a new endpin unit and a new set of strings. The bass looks almost like new. Yes - the instrument is in very-near mint condition. Is there anything that I should consider? Yes - the instrument still retains its original neck. Like many instruments made on the Continent the neck is what we call an E-flat neck. This means that your first finger will produce an E-flat when you rest your thumb at the bass of the neck. Some players will be quite happy with this. For others it might take them a little bit of getting use to. I've only got small hands. What about the string length? At 105.0cm the string length is particularly advantageous. How does the instrument sound? The sound is sweet. The volume - although not massive is very well balanced and even. Do you think that the instrument will play well through an amp? Yes - it would be an excellent choice for any touring jazz player. Do you think that it would make a good student instrument? Yes - indeed. The instrument should be able to get you right the
way through music college. Although the sound is somewhat limited - this is a very honest instrument in near-mint condition. What is more - it is backed up by exactly the right amount of history and a price that is very, very fair. Stats:
Price: £5 500-00 - Convert price with XE.com Personal Currency Assistant
|
