Quote:
Originally Posted by Gregory Dale Beasley
Hi all.
I recently purchased an Emanuel Wilfer made in 1984. This Bass is a Hybrid (carved top).
It had some issues when I purchased it but after getting it repaired set up it is doing fine. I had to get a new fingerboard installed but I think it was worth it.
Can anyone tell me more about these Basses especially regarding the history of the company?
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the Wilfer basses.
There have been several Wilfer's that have made Basses since just after the first war. The Juzek family contracted them as early as the 1920s to make basses for their import brand 'John Juzek'. Robert Juzek ran the company in NY using the name of his brother John who was an actual maker but not THE maker of the Basses or of 99.99999% of the violins that came over either. In recent years Bobby Juzek, the son of Robert and nephew of John stopped using the Juzek label in the basses made by Emmanuel. In the beginning the name I saw on the top line models was Anton Wilfer. Basses made after the 2nd war were from Wenzel Wilfer whose labels were in only the top models and left that way when sold. I have owned one of each from Anton (1936) and one from Wenzel (1966 or earlier).
Emmanuel seems to be the 3rd and final Wilfer name associated with their imported basses but are usually branded in the back. Bobby Juzek told me personally that because John Juzek NEVER made a Bass, he decided to sell the basses as Wilfer's from now on and NOT re-label them anymore as Juzek's. I don't exactly know when this started but if branded Emmanuel Wilfer in the back or labeled inside, why rock the boat. It may have been a mutual decision because of the branding.
Now, as far as what your bass needed, I have seen many modern German basses with what I would call 'bad shallow neck sets' and thinner than desired fingerboards. It's either just their style or they don't know any better.