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Double Bass Juzek Basses

A

a_schwartz

Nov 9, 2013
7
0
Reading, PA
#1
I have a 1950's Juzek bass that I have absolutely no idea what it is worth. It is has a large crack on the bottom, near the end pin, but is structurally sound. The crack hasn't changed since I bought the bass 5 years ago. Does anyone have a general idea what it could be worth.

Thanks!
 
#4
brianrost said:
You didn't mention if it's laminate or solid, that makes more of a difference than anything else.

General ballpark would be $2-3K for a lam, $5-10K for a solid with the biggest variable being how much work it needs.

PS the label on my lam Juzek has no date.
Click to expand...

I would raise the $10k estimate to $15k. In good condition and great sound. I've seen them go at that level. Keep in mind, the older carved are most likely Wilfer made, with better wood than today's basses, AFAIK. Some of the high end new Wilfers are around $16k.
 
#5
There is no date on the label. Three luthiers have estimated the date between the late 1930s and early 1950s. It is a fully carved instrument. As mentioned in the OP, it has a large, but stable crack in the wood near the endpin. That is really the only work that would need to be done. Even that is optional though.
Here are the measurements:

Gamba-shaped
String Length: 42"
Body Length: 44"
Upper Bout: 19.5"
Lower Bout: 25"
 
#14
The bucket photos look a lot like a Wilfer I used to own.

Now, just to add to the murkiness, there are Wilfers and then there are Wilfer's sons - an Andreas, maybe, and others, I believe, each of whom kept the last name and kept making basses.

Here's my Juzek, or at least that's how the label identifies it. It's been appraised for insurance purposes for $12,000, but my take on the market value for this (it's a 7/8 currently sporting a low B string) is somewhere between 8 and 10 G's. It bears the scars of a difficult life, but it speaks with volume and authority.

Ultimately, the beauty - and the value - is in the ear of the beholder - or you, the bow-holder.
 

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#15
This bass was most likely made in Markneukirchen Germany by one of the many small shops. They function well as a jazz bass. I think the bass is probably worth $4,000 to $9,000 depending on condition and sound. The sound is a key determinate for pricing as well as condition. If you have a crack on the lower bout it will cost $800-1,000 to take the top off to apply cleats. It may need a new bass bar while the top is off, so that crack can significantly reduce the price. Also, my experience is that Juzek's have high tension and can be stiff.
 
#16
Richard Simon said:
Here's my Juzek, or at least that's how the label identifies it. It's been appraised for insurance purposes for $12,000, but my take on the market value for this (it's a 7/8 currently sporting a low B string) is somewhere between 8 and 10 G's. It bears the scars of a difficult life, but it speaks with volume and authority.

Ultimately, the beauty - and the value - is in the ear of the beholder - or you, the bow-holder.
Click to expand...

Richard, if your bass had a 42" string length instead it's very long SL, what do you think it might be valued at? I would think quite a bit higher.
 
#17
Eric,

I agree with you:
if the string length were shorter,
and if there were 4 strings instead of 5,
and if it hadn't had a neck splice and other repairs,
this Juzek would be valued higher.

I'm told that converting it back to a 4 wouldn't cost more than $300.

As most of the posters here point out, it's all about the Sound.

That's what seduced me about this Juzek - like the girl in the dimly-lit bar with that come-hither voice. Not until you wake up next to her do you notice her true size and weight and her various unsightly scars. She weighs a good 10 lbs. more than my other bass, but hey - Ray married Ella, right?

When I hesitated at the moment of buying her, I remember thinking selfishly that I didn't want anyone else to sound this good. Now, realizing I can't handle her heft, I'm resigned to just recovering what I paid for her, knowing that she deserves a chance to sing in more capable hands.
 

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