<SYSTEM_TASK:>
Solve the following problem using Python, implementing the functions described below, one line at a time
<END_TASK>
<USER_TASK:>
Description:
 def check_basestring(item):
 """Return ``bol`` on string check item. :param item: Item to check if its a string :type item: ``str`` :returns: ``bol`` """

    try:
        return isinstance(item, (basestring, unicode))
    except NameError:
        return isinstance(item, str)