DescriptionTechnical description: The lower section of the body (in plan view) is rounded, with straight sides from bridge level to the neck and column joints. The back is rounded, the straight section having seven ribs, the central rib being wider than the others, and the lower section being bent out of a single piece, butting to the ribs. The lower part is at an angle of approximately 80º to the soundboard. The middle rib is wider than the others, and the outside ribs are wider than ribs 2,3,5 and 6. Two oblong holes in the middle rib, the upper hole 63 × 12, the lower hole 71 × 18.5, both holes having rounded ends. The body is made of figured sycamore with ebony spacers, the soundboard is of spruce and the fingerboard is ebony. Five ebony knobs glued at the bottom, possibly for placing the instrument on the floor in an upright position. Two bars inside the back. The joints are covered with parchment or paper. The soundboard has one bar above the sound-hole, a bar between the sound-hole and the bridge, and a final bar below the bridge. The sound-hole is diameter 82. Ebony and mother-of-pearl rosette, the mother-of-pearl depicting a wreath and flowers. Black and white edge banding, arranged bbbwbwbbbwbwb from the outside inwards. Two fingerboards, the treble fingerboard missing its nut and frets 3 and 6. Three square-headed pin pegs at the end. The treble headstock at the tapers towards the main fingerboard, joining between frets 5 and 6. Three string hold-down buttons above the fingerboard. Semitone levers which can be pressed by the thumb from behind push up a metal bar against the string causing it to be pushed against a cross-piece which raises the pitch. Open strings 7, 9 and 10 have semitone levers, strings 8, 11, 12 and 13 have semitone hooks. Typically shaped bass string headstock and column, the column without fluting.
Overall size: 849.
Body length: 409.
Body width: 358 (widest), 199 (top of body).
Body depth: 136 (deepest), 59 (top of body at centre).
String length 1: 267 (strings 1 3), 444 (strings 4 6).
String length 2: 555, 561, 569, 598.5, 625, 642.5, 662.5, 667.
Number of frets: Nine frets on the main fingerboard.
No inscriptions.
Decorative features: Black and white edge banding, ebony and mother of pearl rosette, carved flower and leaves decoration on bass headstock, and ebonised column ends.
Repair Histoy: Treble fretboard nut is missing, four frets are missing including frets 2 and 9 on the main fingerboard, edge banding unstuck and broken at the middle of the lower section. |