John Juzek

mcnaire2004 · #1 02-18-2006, 04:28 PM

I have a Juzek bass (not sure what year) and I was wondering what they usually sell for? My Juzek has a split at the bottom all the way around (actually 2 splits 1 small one longer). I put the sound post in for a few minutes (it was just laying around at the bottom of the bass until then) and it was incredibly loud. I took the strings off and put them on my "plywood" bass. When I got this Juzek bass it was already broken. I got it from my school (it was donated a long time ago) since they cut the strings program I got a few instruments (including my ply bass). What exactly could this go for? At Upton bass they sell Juzek for 4000-8000$.

reedo35 · #2 02-18-2006, 04:42 PM

How do you know it's a juzek? Is there a label with no year on it?
Maybe you have some pics? It is Impossible to do a blind assessment/ damage eval with any degree of certainty.

mcnaire2004 · #3 02-18-2006, 04:55 PM

Well, I don't have any pics. There is no lable at all that I can see. The only way I know it is a Juzek is that it is listed as one with my schools invintory before they gave it to me. When I showed my teacher the first thing he said was Juzek before I told him what it was. It als has that carving on the back at the base of the neck thats also on the Juzeks at Upton bass. I don't have a dgital camera to get pics or a picture phone.

reedo35 · #4 02-18-2006, 05:23 PM

So are you planning to sell it or use it? Why not take it to a luthier, because either way, it needs to be repaired, and he could give you a much better estimate.

mcnaire2004 · #5 02-18-2006, 05:36 PM

What exactly is a luthier? A repair guy?

jb6884 · #6 02-18-2006, 05:49 PM

Aren't you the same guy talking about spending 2k on a new bass in another thread?

Instead of spending 2 grand on that, why not spend your money on fixing the Juzek? I'm pretty certain that the Juzek would be nicer than whatever bass you are getting for 2k - especially after a good luthier makes all the repairs and sets it up properly.

Yes a luthier is a "repair guy".

mcnaire2004 · #7 02-18-2006, 06:06 PM

I have played the Juzek (aka the "good bass" in other threads) It honestly doesn't apeal to me. It seems to be built up more for jazz. A few local profesional musitions (1 violist 2 bassist) said that it is probably worth between 5-6 grand fixed. My teacher actualy said around 10 grand. I would get rid of it for around 2500$. I honestly don't realy care for fixing it up to be honest.

Cambass123 · #8 02-18-2006, 06:18 PM

I play a John Juzek bass, pre WWI, made in Czechoslovakia. True Juzeks are known to be excellent Jazz basses, however I use it for classical and believe me. That thing is a tank!!! True it is not the best bass on the market. However I was told by Andy Stetson and Chris Robertson, luthiers at the Cincinnati Bass Cellar, that I am not going to find a better instrument without coughing up $15,000-$20,000. Trust me man, you bass is definitely worth fixing up rather than buying a 5 string for $2,000...I agree you should spend that money repairing yours, it could not cost more than 2 or 3 grand.

in the long run you need to do what is in your best interest. However, if you choose to sell it someone else will benefit from your loss. so its all up to you.

dragonetti11 · #9 02-18-2006, 07:09 PM

As far as I see it you can either get your Juzek fixed and set up properly for the playing you do (school basses are rarely set up very well) or you can spend 2k and get a piece of crap. Get an estimate to see if it would be worth it. The bass will sound better when there are no cracks. I think what makes a bass good for either jazz or orchestral playing has a lot to do with the setup

Michael Case · #10 02-18-2006, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcnaire2004

I have played the Juzek (aka the "good bass" in other threads) It honestly doesn't apeal to me. It seems to be built up more for jazz. A few local profesional musitions (1 violist 2 bassist) said that it is probably worth between 5-6 grand fixed. My teacher actualy said around 10 grand. I would get rid of it for around 2500$. I honestly don't realy care for fixing it up to be honest.

Musitions, dude didn't you get spell check?

On a lighter note, if you wanna sell your Juzek for $2500.00 sounds good to me.

KSB - Ken Smith · #11 02-18-2006, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cambass123

I play a John Juzek bass, pre WWI, made in Czechoslovakia. True Juzeks are known to be excellent Jazz basses, however I use it for classical and believe me. That thing is a tank!!! True it is not the best bass on the market. However I was told by Andy Stetson and Chris Robertson, luthiers at the Cincinnati Bass Cellar, that I am not going to find a better instrument without coughing up $15,000-$20,000. Trust me man, you bass is definitely worth fixing up rather than buying a 5 string for $2,000...I agree you should spend that money repairing yours, it could not cost more than 2 or 3 grand.

in the long run you need to do what is in your best interest. However, if you choose to sell it someone else will benefit from your loss. so its all up to you.

The country Czechoslovakia did not exhist until after WW1. That is a fact of history. The earliest Juzek 'labelled' Bass I have seen was 1936 but he may of had some orders in the USA prioir to that and bough some to ship over as I have seen a few than may be older but nothing of a Bass with a Juzek Label is pre-WW1. That is also a fact. By the way, Juzek never made any Basses. The were mostly purchased from the Wilfer Family over the years.

godoze · #12 02-18-2006, 08:12 PM

I miss my JJ...

Cambass123 · #13 02-18-2006, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSB - Ken Smith

The country Czechoslovakia did not exhist until after WW1. That is a fact of history. The earliest Juzek 'labelled' Bass I have seen was 1936 but he may of had some orders in the USA prioir to that and bough some to ship over as I have seen a few than may be older but nothing of a Bass with a Juzek Label is pre-WW1. That is also a fact. By the way, Juzek never made any Basses. The were mostly purchased from the Wilfer Family over the years.

I appologize for my ignorance however I know for a fact it is older than 1936 due to the label inside that says "repaired by Z. Bacon September 1934" I am aware that Juzek himself did not make basses but the label inside says "John Juzek: volin maker (translated...actually spelled differently but i do not have the bass with me at the moment) in prague" also underneath the "John Juzek" signature it says made in Czechoslovakia.....I'm just going by what i've been told man

Cambass123 · #14 02-18-2006, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSB - Ken Smith

The country Czechoslovakia did not exhist until after WW1. That is a fact of history. The earliest Juzek 'labelled' Bass I have seen was 1936 but he may of had some orders in the USA prioir to that and bough some to ship over as I have seen a few than may be older but nothing of a Bass with a Juzek Label is pre-WW1. That is also a fact. By the way, Juzek never made any Basses. The were mostly purchased from the Wilfer Family over the years.

oh and another thing.....Juzek did make instruments IN PRAGUE pre WWI....He began making instruments in 1910.....WWI did not begin until 1914.

mcnaire2004 · #15 02-18-2006, 09:19 PM

I was told that John Juzek did make some basses but for the most part he had them inported from some one else and slapped his name on it. I belive some one mentioned he Wilfers.

Stan Haskins · #16 02-18-2006, 09:48 PM

so, you wanna sell it?

mcnaire2004 · #17 02-18-2006, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noisemaker

so, you wanna sell it?

To be honest, yes.

KSB - Ken Smith · #18 02-19-2006, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don Zebrauskas

I miss my JJ...

I lost count on how many I've owned. At least 7 or 8. All with the similar purfling design in the upper back but two were labelled Wilfer. One Anton and one Wenzel. The Wenzel I bought directly from Juzek and it seemed that they did not re-label the Master Art Models if it had the Wilfer Label in it. The Anton was the same Master Art model but from 1936 and a 7/8 with the longer pre-wwII string length from Prague. I remember making a long false nut on that Bass to get it under 43". After the war they were all made in Germany by the same family but the Varnish changed as did the string lengths.

I visited my 1966 Wenzel Wilfer about a year ago. I played it for awhile and the put it down. The tone had not improved much since 1974-'75 when I sold it. The design and the wood has its limits. It's prettier than it will ever sound in my lifetime. I don't miss any of them.

5stringDNA · #19 02-19-2006, 08:25 PM

Strange historical prediciment.. I don't know enough about Juzek to make a judgement, but if it was indeed made before WW1, it was not made in Czecheslovakia for sure, as it did not exist in that namesake, and something is fishy. If it was indeed made pre-1914 (which doesn't seem to hold much water at the moment), then what are some alternative makers to Wilfer that would have produced any instruments, Ken? SSomethign just seems odd....
It seems that having the bass repaired and then selling it would bring more profit in the end than selling it damaged, at least that is typical of the market in most regions.

SamAdams · #20 02-19-2006, 10:58 PM

So, I'm curius about markings and labels. I have a JJ Master Art labeled bass. 1930 is inked on the label as well as 'made in Czecheslovakia'. The bass does not have the common purfling design on the upper back.

I'm curious if the actual maker usually signs the label or if there is a mark elsewhere in or on the bass. Just trying to find out a bit more about my bass. :-)