Double Bass Juzek Club

[Sam Dingle]

Can I do this? I'm starting the Juzek club on talkbass after excitingly buying one. I wanna see everyones Juzek labeled basses.

I did some research before buying my Juzek bass and the name doesn't mean much. A Juzek could be a beautiful carved bass perfect for an orchestra section, or a plywood bass perfect for the bar jam session. Any more history would be great. But show me yours!

Mine is a 4/4 sized Fully carved, round back Juzek from 1910. Yet to be named.

 

[John Chambliss]

1910 was a Halley’s Comet year!

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

There is no such thing as a 1910 Juzek. Jan didn’t start his business importing items other people made until nine or ten years later.

About

 

[Phil Rowan]

There is no such thing as a 1910 Juzek. Jan didn’t start his business importing items other people made until nine or ten years later.

About

The plot thickens!

 

[tsheldon]

Here’s mine. I don’t know what year other than I’ve been told between 50s and 70s due to the Made in Germany label.

Edit: I added label photo, this thread could become a good resource.

 

[Sam Dingle]

There is no such thing as a 1910 Juzek. Jan didn’t start his business importing items other people made until nine or ten years later.

About

Interesting!!!! David Gauge's appraisal of the bass lists it as a 1910 juzek (i know its a juzek cuz the lable is inside). Now I want to know what year it is or do some research!

 

[Sam Dingle]

There is no such thing as a 1910 Juzek. Jan didn’t start his business importing items other people made until nine or ten years later.

About

Is it possible that the bass was made in 1910 but didn’t make it over to the states/in his hands till later years?

Here is what the inside says and what David gauge said about it in 2014

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

Anything is possible. That *label* is prewar, but they say you should never trust a label unless you watch the maker apply it.

Briefly, after Hilter invaded Czechoslovakia all hell broke loose and everybody who could run for the border did, followed by all available capital.

The early Juzeks had red in the middle of their labels. The labels made after 1931 when things settled down and the Wilfers started making Juzeks under contract to the New York City public school system and other buyers, and started immigrating to New York, bore labels that said “Formerly in Prague.”

Yours is probably from the in-between period by the look of it. Nice bass. You coulda done worse for jazz.

 

[Jmilitsc]

My profile pic is a ‘50’s Juzek, according to my luthier. But there’s no label! I can’t qualify for this esteemed club?

 

[Sam Dingle]

I’ll allow it! But photos or it didn’t happen!

 

[Eric Hochberg]

This is mine. I've owned it since '78. The bass does not have some of the usual Juzek characteristics, particularly the button area. It's also labeled "Master art", but has none of the usual Master art features like violin corners, ebony neck pocket liners, or diamond in a blume. It is nicely flamed though. The 403 on the label may correspond to the Wilfer #11, as shown on their current site, although I think the older 403's may have had better wood than the current.

This goes to show (me at least) that labels may be slapped in according to the sellers (importers) wim, and may not be accurate in terms of info. This bass was not made in Czech and we all know Strad had nothing to do with it! If this was a Metropolitan Music import, they could have decided to put in the Juzek label even though it didn't look like the usual Juzek. Had to call it something, and maybe they ran out of the usual models. This bass looks more to me like a Rauner bass, also a Wilfer import, on the West Coast.

 

[statsc]

Yesterday at the pharmacy in Burlington, VT, the pharmacist’s nametag showed “Juzek” as her last name. I asked her if she was related to the Juzeks of Stowe, VT (Metropolitan Music). She said yes, she had married into the family. I bent her ear for a few minutes about Juzek basses. Probably the closest I’ll come to owning one! The Juzeks also sponsor a scholarship for musically talented students here in VT.

 

[Inky13]

Mine’s supposedly a ‘56 or ‘57 but who knows.
It’s pretty beat up but still plays OK. The top is caving in and it has the obligatory duct tape patching a seam. It won’t win any beauty contest.

 

[DrayMiles]

My profile pic is a ‘mid 40’s Juzek, according to my luthier. I bought it from Kolstein's. It was definitely in the NY school system because it's got a "1" carved in the side of the scroll!

But, the sound is what I love... I bought one from Bajo last year that is being refurbished. I've been informed it could be much older than my Juzek... Although that's not what got my attention. The neck is unbelievably comfortable. It's like nothing I've ever played... I'll post some pics later... fo' sho'...

 

[Jmilitsc]

I’ll allow it! But photos or it didn’t happen!

Ha! Well alright then, thanks!

 

[DrayMiles]

Well there ya go...

 

[Inky13]

Now I’m wondering if mines older than I thought.

 

[Don Kasper]

Can anyone hazard a guess as to the possible "vintage" of my Juzek (pronounced "Hew-Zak") bass, based upon the label shown below?

Thanks.

 

[Inky13]

^I’d be interested as well.

 

[Sam_Brown1]

Can I do this? I'm starting the Juzek club on talkbass after excitingly buying one. I wanna see everyones Juzek labeled basses.

I did some research before buying my Juzek bass and the name doesn't mean much. A Juzek could be a beautiful carved bass perfect for an orchestra section, or a plywood bass perfect for the bar jam session. Any more history would be great. But show me yours!

Mine is a 4/4 sized Fully carved, round back Juzek from 1910. Yet to be named.

I think I've got the same model bass as you, is yours a 42.25" Scale length with a Eb neck, and no back purfling and painted top purfling? I bought mine as a 1929 Juzek (not sure if thats even right, but its closer)