Crown Hollow Body violin Bass? Any info? Age? Maker?

[Steve]

This is a Crown Professional Hollow Body Violin Bass guitar. It can be an electric stand up bass as well. There is a nice scroll top on the peg head as well an emblem that says Crown Professional. The neck plate on the back says Japan. Bass is arch top and back. Anybody know the vintage and where Crown Instruments came from? Thanks

[VintAxe]

Hey Steve,

This one is tough since virtually all Japanese guitar companies of the late 1960's had their own version of the violin bass. However, turns out the Crown logo was very useful in this case. Most logos on late 60's Japanese guitars were put on by the distributors, not the producers. However, in your case, Crown was a Japanese manufacturer that produced instruments for the domestic Japanese market.

Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of your bass. However, I do have a picture of it's 12 string guitar cousin. Also note the similarity between the Minister bass at the top of the photo and your instrument. I don't know the relationship between Minister and Crown but judging from these two instruments, they were produced in the same factory. Both of these guitars are from 1968. The main difference I see between these instruments and your bass is that your bass appears to have more rounded shoulders. I still think we are fishin' in the right pond.

[DeMontGuitars.com]