1870s Kulik-branded Czech 3/4 Double Bass


This has a Johannes Kulik (Prague) label in the soundhole with a date of 1876. The problem is that Mr. Kulik had already passed away 4 years previous to this date, which makes this either from his workshop or an in the style-of copycat bass. It's a flatback, Czech-made instrument, for sure, though, and I think safe money would place it around 1900 but I've given it the benefit of the doubt in my post title.

So, it's a "fully-solid" instrument with an elegantly, lightly-carved top and rugged, canted-upper-bout, flat back. It's definitely been around the block but after a fair amount of head-scratching TLC, I've got it humming as happily as it can without a serious amount of investment and a fresh fingerboard. It sounds absolutely gorgeous, has good volume, and plays swell to boot -- so I can't complain!

The usual "bass stuff" applies -- it has a gamba-style shape, spruce top, and maple back and sides. The fingerboard and tailpiece are ebony and it has those neat, ebony-peg, mechanized tuners.

I worked on this for a customer and if it sticks around for a bit before pickup I will record another video that isn't woofing the mic too much. Sorry for the over-bassiness of the recording. I didn't notice it until I'd gotten it on the computer for playback.










Comments