This is a shop set up bass I sold to a student when it was new, 10 years ago. I was very pleased to be able to buy it back as it’s the first and by far the best sounding carved round back spruce and maple 5/8 bass I bought from them, and I bought and sold several others which didn’t have the sound of this one afterwards. 

The student eventually stopped playing it, and the condition they kept it in is excellent. There are no cracks anywhere on the bass, and the varnish wear is almost imperceptible on the edges and other typical areas. There is a little patina on the top where the hand often contacts after E sting pizzicato notes. 

Currently the bass is set up with Pirastro Obligato strings. The string length is 39-1/2’ with an Eb heel stop.

The body of the bass is more of a compact 3/4 size, and it’s instructive to compare them to a  3/4 size Juzek labeled Lange shop bass I have here form the 1930’s that has a 41-1/8’ string length (also an eb neck)

Shen bass upper bout width; 19.76’ Juzek upper bout: 19.5”  Shen lower bout width; 25.5” Juzek Lower bout: 25-3/4” 

Shen body length; 42-1/2”  Juzek; 43-3/4” The rib depth is about an 1/8” deeper on the Juzek/Lange. 

The 3/4 size bag I obtained it with is available( included) but I would recommend either Shen’s new 5/8 bag ($145) or get a really nice one made for the bass by David Messina. 

There won’t be any more of those anytime soon coming from my shop as the list price is through the roof these days and I would need to charge  $7,000 even with a very  low mark up for a new one. (MSRP SB300: $10,025) 

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