Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Double Bass Juzek Club
- Thread starter Sam Dingle
- Start date
-
- Tags
- juzek
Quick update, Just got mine back from the shop and now I have a C extension on her! Needs a little more work done on it but my luiter said to have it settle for the weekend and then we will tweak it. The long mittle E feels better than the normal mittle e and almost the same as the stark. It fits the other 3 strings which is my only concern. Now back to the shed.
Attachments
I'd like to join the Juzek club as well. "Victoria" is my main baby, and she plays and sounds fantastic. It was appraised by Lisa Gass at LA Bass works as being made sometime in the 1920's. I had Ken Smith look into the pedigree of this bass, and he pretty much agreed with the approximate time period, although there is no date on the tag or anything. He didn't think it came from either the Wilfer or Lang factories, but that's about all I know about its origins.
It is a 7/8 size and was modified into a five-string sometime in its history, as well as some other repairs, so it's quite a monster to play. I'm 6'4", so it's a perfect fit for me though.
It is a 7/8 size and was modified into a five-string sometime in its history, as well as some other repairs, so it's quite a monster to play. I'm 6'4", so it's a perfect fit for me though.
Attachments
Beautiful! first 5 string juzek in the thread. Love the flatback.
In regards to the 1910 label, I've heard with Juzek violins the years on the label aren't always accurate. They would sometimes misrepresent the violins as being older than they really were. I don't know if that practice translated to basses or not.
My Juzek always felt a little plus-sized. I wonder if it’s a 7/8 or more likely a heavy 3/4.
I assume this in response to my bass. There is no label telling the year of the bass, David Gauge and my luither say its from around then and thats a good ball park year based on the wood etc (i dont' know how people date basses haha)
The string length on my bass is 43.5".
Upper Bout Width: 21"
Lower Bout Width: 27 3/4"
Overall height of body: 46"
Body Depth (average) 8 3/4"
I guess she qualifies as a "plus size". It is a fully carved bass, by the way.
Ken Smith knew the Juzek family, and is probably one of the best (only) sources of information on the history of Juzek basses. He had posted some very good on talkbass years ago. I'll try and find it, and post it here for those who have never read it.
Upper Bout Width: 21"
Lower Bout Width: 27 3/4"
Overall height of body: 46"
Body Depth (average) 8 3/4"
I guess she qualifies as a "plus size". It is a fully carved bass, by the way.
Ken Smith knew the Juzek family, and is probably one of the best (only) sources of information on the history of Juzek basses. He had posted some very good on talkbass years ago. I'll try and find it, and post it here for those who have never read it.
Sounds like the exact same size as my bass, though the lower bout on mine is 26.5 maybe.
The 26 lower bout is the size of a full size bass, but the 43.5 string length and the 21 upper bout is the size of a 7/8ths bass (all numbers taken off of an old talkbass sizing chart).
So you and I have 7/8ths basses with fat bottoms
From my understanding, Metropolitan Music began importing the "Juzek" basses in the 1920s. The labels were attached in NYC. Who knows how accurate the labels are? I'm sure the present day Juzek family couldn't attest to that either.
He discusses this on his Juzek Basses...(aka Lang or Wilfer or?) - Ken's Corner (Bass Forums Sponsored By KSB) thread.
Last edited:
About 3 years ago, I bought a Juzek 401 made in China, too. I really like the Bass very much. My luthier installed new Rubner Tuning Machines and a wooden end pin. I have been recording with a Condenser mic (Zoom H6) about 16" from the Belly and it really sounds great. I use Pirastro Evah Prazzi strings which are really nice for both arco and pizz. I have used Obligato strings, but the E string went pretty flabby after about 4 months.
Hi everyone,
I just started a thread somewhere else here on TalkBASS trying to see if I could get some help discovering the origins of my unlabeled bass.
One of the responses I got is that my bass looked exactly like someone's Juzek. And indeed, it did.
I've spent the last couple of hours doing some google research and found this group.
Respectfully, I'd like to post a couple of photos and ask for your opinion.
Could my bass be a Juzek...?
Thank you
I just started a thread somewhere else here on TalkBASS trying to see if I could get some help discovering the origins of my unlabeled bass.
One of the responses I got is that my bass looked exactly like someone's Juzek. And indeed, it did.
I've spent the last couple of hours doing some google research and found this group.
Respectfully, I'd like to post a couple of photos and ask for your opinion.
Could my bass be a Juzek...?
Thank you
It could be a Juzek for sure. Just bear in mind that Juzek was/is an importer only - not a maker.
It could be a Juzek, but it would likely have the import label that was attached in NY. It could also be any number of German shop basses including Wilfer (who made many of the Juzeks), Roth, Hofner. If you can find another bass with the exact same Blum, that may tell you something. I have one of these unlabeled basses and my luthier thinks it's a Roth, early 20th century by the way the purfling and curve to the edge were set.
To give you an idea of how random this can be, my other bass has a Juzek label but it doesn't look like any other "Juzek" I've seen. But it does look like a "Rauner" labelled bass I saw a pic of. Rauners were evidently imported to the west coast. I think of my bass as a Wilfer, for lack of any more specific info.
Last edited:
Thanks so much for your comment.
Really good info.
I bought this bass in Melbourne Australia (where I’m from).
I don’t know much about the history of Juzek basses over there but I’ll look into it.
