My 'New' Juzek / "nay, I know not seems"

[Standalone]

It had been sitting for some time (a year or two) before I got a hold of it-- this girl had given it up once she started college and I bought it from her mother. Former Kolstein shop rental. Some repairs clearly done there. Nice dark wood adjusters on the Kolstein bridge. It's fitted nicely, but is a little warped in an even flat curve away from the fingerboard.

I bought it first thing on Saturday morning, and went right to a rehearsal for an outdoor church picnic gig (which the keyboard player insisted on having _outside_ ). The day was humid as hell, and from there I went to my regular band's piano player's beachfront house and played for a few more hours in front of an open door. It started to buzz...

Two split seams. Bummer. G-string side back, both upper and lower. Actually, It was already apart at the top, but I wasn't worried as my Kay was never exactly airtight all the way around, and sounded okay.

My thought is that the bass had gotten a little dry and unhappy sitting unplayed, and I shouldn't worry too much.

The sound is loud and clear and complex when compared with my Kay. I really didn't think I would find a bass that was as big and boomy as the Kay, but this one is loud and far less muddy in its tone.

I know I shoud take some photos to post. I will. but does anyone have any thoughts-- anything I should look for / be aware of before taking it in to the shop? I really want to leave the bridge as is if I can. I'm afraid of diminishing the sound of the bass.

Thanks.

[Ben Rolston]

I think it will only sound better if it's set up and fixed up!

[Phil Rowan]

If those cracks are fixed properly they shouldn't open up again for as long as the bass is played. My old Lang has 3 or 4 nice long cracks, and I knew I had nothing to worry about after I saw the repairs from the inside.
It sounds like this is a good sounding bass and that what needs repair isn't all that bad, so I would say go for it.

[Standalone]

Oh, I'm definitely having the seams done-- there are no cracks in the top back or sides-- some small old repairs, and a few spots of delamination at the edges (similar to ones I had repaired at Upton on my Kay.) Once the little ones are definitely asleep I'll try to take a few photos out in the studio.

[mjt0229]

Originally Posted by Standalone

Oh, I'm definitely having the seams done-- there are no cracks in the top back or sides-- some small old repairs, and a few spots of delamination at the edges (similar to ones I had repaired at Upton on my Kay.) Once the little ones are definitely asleep I'll try to take a few photos out in the studio.

Repairing seams isn't expensive; you should definitely do it before it gets worse. Repairing cracks in the top, ribs, or back is a bit more problematic, but if this is a nice Juzek, it's probably worth the attention.

[Phil Rowan]

Is this a plywood bass? I thought only plywoods got delaminated...or am I wrong?

[Standalone]

Phil, yes. plywood. my comment about "no cracks" was in response to your post-- lammys don't crack like the carved basses.

But as I learned on Saturday, they sure can be affected by extremes in humidity and temperature. She'd just not been played in a long time, and the warm extra-humid day just made the seam pop.

Hence the Hamlet quote. 'Cept I'm not as bummed out as he was.

I know I said that it had a complex tone, and probably got you thinking that it was carved. But it really does bow quite differently from the Kay.

I'm sure it's worth repairing and getting into tip top shape-- the tone is very "me," methinks. I just wanted to know if there were any stories about losing something in the tone by changing something. You know, some "ain't broke" story. I shouldn't worry I guess, and let the pros do their thing. Let me go snap some shots of it for this thread.

[Phil Rowan]

Yeah, my old Kay had the same delamination thing happen, and since I like the sound of it so much, I went right ahead and got it fixed. It's not a huge deal and it was very much worth it.

[tbassist4]

As far as the bridge goes, I'd say take a look into getting a new one. I have a Chinese plywood and the bridge was made out of wood that wasn't the greatest, and so it was bending backwards (yes, the wood and not the adjusters, haha). I got a new bridge installed, aligned, etc. by a luthier and I must say, what a difference! The E and A are loud now and have sustain! The G was improved as well, but I think the D stayed where it was, because it is the quietest string now when it used to be the loudest (It is still very loud now, and it is not a lot quieter than the other strings. It's just...well, quieter than the rest, haha). Overall the sound was greatly improved.

Ask the luthier's opinion of the bridge, they usually know what they're doing.

Anyone else have anything to say? I've only had one bridge experience on one bass, so I wouldn't go by my advice and results alone. It could diminish the sound, I suppose, but a properly aligned bridge and soundpost will do wonders for a bass's sound. Just my experience...

[Standalone]

The bass went into Upton today (sorry, no photos... my wife often leaves the Camera with a depleted charge... but she's the one taking all the cute kiddie shots)

I arranged to have them just take care of the seams and I think they'll knife in a little hide glue into the delaminations for me while they're at it. One of the seams-- the recentls opened one-- looks like it will just go right back together. The one on top that looks like it opened some time ago will take some cleaning. I came in thinking two hours, and sure enough, that's what they estimated.

Josh, who seems to work the front desk there, recommended a new bridge, as anyone would. But the feet are still seated well, and the tone is nice and thumpy the way I tend to like it, so I elected to leave it for now, and have it replaced later with October gig money. I'll probably hold off and bring it in after the New Year when our pianist is in Florida.

BTW, the current bridge is (well, was) a good one-- Kolstein shop with nice looking ebony or rosewood adjusters. I suppose the A is a bit weaker than the other strings, but it really is overall pretty even and loud all around as far as my big bad novice/intermediate self can detect. This is why I hesitate to replace it, even with the noticeable warp, but everyone advises me to do it, so I'm sure I will. I don't really think that replacing it will kill the sound, but just wanted to hear if anyone had had any kind of experience where replacing an old bridge hurt anything in the sound. Not really looking for any kind of luthier-specific flame thread du-jour....

[Standalone]

I'll post some pics tonight