Is this a Juzek,Wilfer,Lang or ?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by charlie whitten

I'm probably going to buy this bass if the bass shop repairs are "reasonable"..
Any help identifying it would be deeply appreciated.We believe it to be German but we're not really sure about that either.
Thank You !
Charlie in San Diego

Ok, first off, Juzek is an import brand, not a shop or maker as far as basses are concerned. second, Juzek 'brand' basses were NEVER made in Prague, which was the birth place of the Juzek brothers, 3 of them that I know about. I knew one of then, Robert, John/Jan's brother, who ran the business in NY. I knew them well since I was 15 and know/knew his son Bobby and now 'his' son, Robbie. So, I know quite a bit about this brand.

This page here on the Forum is where you want this and I can move it for you.. http://www.smithbassforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=17

This looks possibly like a pre-war bass from the German border town of Schonbach/Luby by the varnish but if it is later, then it would be from 1950-1960 made in Bubenreuth Germany IF made by Wilfer. Also, Lang in Mittenwald.

The early basses imported by Juzek came from at least two main shops, Benedict Lang I and Anton Wilfer. The Gamba shaped plainer type basses such as this one could have come from either shop or even another, folowwing the design of Juzek. Or, did Juzek just take a common shape that all the shops were making at that time? No one knows.

The condition of this bass is Poor. The old repairs are Poor. The varnish is part ruined and would be expensive to partially clean it up but the damage is done. Never re-finish an old bass. That lowers the value even more. Beareful buying an old bass. If it is available for a long time,. that is not a good sign. This bass can easily cost more to fix 'properly' tat it could be worth.

Who made this bass is less important than is it worth getting involved with.