Unlabeled Bass Violin
Probably Czech, built circa 1910

Top table is a two-piece plate of vertical grained spruce
Back table is a two-piece plate of quarter-sawn maple
Ribs of matching maple to that of the back table
Individual Kluson double bass tuning gears
Fully restored by Chris Threlkeld-Wiegand of the Heartland String Bass Shop in 2003. The restoration included a new bass bar, neck graft, repair of various rib cracks, varnish touch-up, new endpin, new fingerboard, new bridge, and full set-up.

Overall body length: 42 5/8 in.
Width at the upper bout: 20 1/2 in.
Width at the center bout: 14 1/2 in.
Width at the lower bout: 25 1/4 in.
Mensure (string length): 40 7/8 in.
Mooradian padded cover included with purchase

I have used this bass primarily as my recital bass. The action is very low and the fingerboard goes up to E, almost F on the G string. I have 1920's Rubner "hatbox" tuners to go with the bass. They look much better than the Kluson tuners, but the Kluson are so smooth that I can not bring myself to switch them out. I am willing to sell the Rubners with the bass if interested.

This bass crossed my path while I was teaching at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa. The college owned it and it was in disrepair. Students used it from time to time, but it spent most of its time the bottom of the campus chapel, which had been converted into a performance space. The bass had a severely cracked neck, open rib cracks, and parts of the top needed to be re-edged. Despite it's condition, the core of the sound really spoke to me. In 2003 Chris Threlkeld-Wiegand, Cornell College, a private investor, and myself arranged to have the bass restored and put up for sale. Chris did a phenomenal restoration. I bought it and have been performing on it since. We used to refer to this as the "The Cornell Bass." That slowly morphed into "The Colonel." I have to part with the Colonel to make way for new recital bass that is in restoration right now.

Asking $12,500 Contact Matt Hare with any further inquiries.