Reviews

One can't miss the original label on the inside back of this instrument for it measures approximately 20cm x 8xm in size. On the label the printing states ‘Wilhelm Durrschmidt, Gigen und Lautenmacher, Markneukirchen /Sa. anno 1929'. The initials DW are hand written in ink towards the left hand side and there is a decorative border. According to the volume on German and Austrian Violin Makers by Karel Jalovec (pub 1967) Wilhelm August Durrschmidt was born on 11-03-1863 and died on the 17-10-1937. In 1887 Durrschmidt founded a workshop in Markneukirchen from which he made stringed instruments, lutes and parts...

Tell me a bit about the maker of this instrument. Akos Balazs is a talented young maker from Budapest in Hungary. His work is neat and well thought out. Best of all - his instruments sound really good. What is a Bronze Series? Akos has three grades of instrument - Gold, Silver and Bronze. Just as a medal is awarded at the Olympic Games - based on performance, Akos has adopted this simple grading system to identify the quality of each instrument that he makes. How do the qualities differ in the Series? As mentioned in our first paragraph -...

Is your son or daughter a budding Garry Karr? If the answer to this question is yes you might well want to consider this rather special instrument for your young prodigy. It was commissioned in 1974-5 directly from Gunter Krahmer-Pollmann (b.1938) by the former principal bassist of the London Symphony Orchestra and professor at Guildhall School of Music and Drama - namely Thomas Martin - for his son to learn on. Built to exactly the same high standard as the large 5-string orchestral instruments that the Pollmann family is world-renowned - this is an absolute gem of an instrument. Who...

Wow - what a great looking bass. Is it old? No unfortunately the instrument isn't old - but what must be fooling you is the fine varnish that has been skilfully applied to give a patina of age that is so desirable by both musicians and connoisseurs alike. So this is imitation-old varnish? Yes - that's right. The instrument is the model L'Ancienne or antique model and the marks and wear that you may see on an older instrument have been skilfully reproduced. Where was the instrument developed? It has been developed over several years by the well-renowned American Company...