Hello, I have an old double bass without any names or labels on it. I have also one document, where is written, that my late cousin has bought from Yleisradio a Wilfer bass on 1982. Can anybody recognize this bass: http://ruudulla.net/jkari/Wilferbasso/Wilfer.htm All info is wellcome! Juha Kari Vantaa, Finland
The Wilfer family (Anton, Wenzel & Emanuel as the are labeled) Have been making Violin family instrments since at least the 1930s. I have listed the in order of oldest first. I had a 1936 Anton Wilfer Bass & a 1966 Wenzel Wilfer. Emanuel is the newest name on the label. Wilfer makes good quality production type instruments usually imported and labeled John Juzek. Wilfer was the main supplier as far as I know for the higher quality Basses and maybe cellos. Not sure about violins or violas. I have owned and worked on many of thier Basses in the past. I knew John's brother Robert Juzek (bought my '66 Wilfer from him) and his son Bobby Juzek who still runs Metropoltian Music. Peter Eibert,Violin Maker who worked for Juzek in the late '60s had told me the Juzek story beyond what is published in thier history section. Most Wifer instruments have been labeled Juzek but a few of the higher quality models often had the Wilfer lable left inside. Here are the related links; http://www.metmusic.com/ http://www.metmusic.com/instruments/Basses.htm http://www.metmusic.com/history.htm http://www.contrabass.de/
Maybe worth mentioning... There are more Wilfers around that built basses. To my knowledge these two familys are not related They are Josef and Kurt Wilfer in Nauheim Germany. They reestabished theire firm in 1946 in Nauheim although initially founded in 1932 Schönbach.
