Josef Budil

[Nathan Levine]

Ever run into one of these basses?

Mine seems to have been made in Luby in the mid eighties. I bought it in Amsterdam about ten years ago and at the time I was told it was a Grancino copy. Maybe not a very good one.

Anyways, when it is being played regularly, it is a freaking cannon.

They seem to be somewhat rare in the states.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Nathan Levine

Ever run into one of these basses?

Mine seems to have been made in Luby in the mid eighties. I bought it in Amsterdam about ten years ago and at the time I was told it was a Grancino copy. Maybe not a very good one.

Anyways, when it is being played regularly, it is a freaking cannon.

They seem to be somewhat rare in the states.

Show us the bass, lots of detailed simple picks. Nothing artistic, just the facts.

[Nathan Levine]

Here are some pictures.

[Nathan Levine]

BAck, ribs and more angles necessary?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Nathan Levine

BAck, ribs and more angles necessary?

I think I have seen this before when you posted it on TB. Interesting looking bass. If it is holding up well then you are in good shape. If the sound is not what you expect, maybe it can be opened up by a good luther, the top graduations adjusted and a new bass bar. That can do wonders for a bass. He can use a magnetic gauge before opening the bass to check the graduations.

[Nathan Levine]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

I think I have seen this before when you posted it on TB. Interesting looking bass. If it is holding up well then you are in good shape. If the sound is not what you expect, maybe it can be opened up by a good luther, the top graduations adjusted and a new bass bar, That can do wonders for a bass. He can use a magnetic gauge before opening the bass to check the graduations.

Actually the top may have been to thin to begin with. You might notice a little caving in at the bottom of the f-hole. The bass bar had become unattached at the bottom and my luthier here in AK had to take the top off and get it re-attached properly. It seemed to give it back some of its original shape, but not quite all of it.

This was noted by Hammond Ashly when I brought it over from Amsterdam in 2003 and had them appraise it. Not to much movement in those eight years, but I figured it was time for it to get fixed so we went for it.

Have you seen any of these Budil basses here in the states? A european guy suggested that they were to be found throughout Europe and in Asia to some extent.

I love the sound of it. Wonderfully deep and rich, especially with the Genssler Jazz Quint set I am running on it. 5ths tuning on this bass has made an already lovely sound go from great to even better.

I have been thinking about something with a slightly smaller scale. 42" is fine, but whenever I play a 41.5" or a 41" is just feels a tad more comfortable. A loud chamber / solo bass with a 39-40" scale is on my GAS list.

Perhaps I can just wait patiently for Mr. Sypher to sell me his Lombardi. I was, after all, born in 1976 on the 14th of April. Or maybe save up the ducats for a Prescott. I love the look of the Gamba that Upton has. Now I just have to get up to Boston to try it out.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Nathan Levine

Actually the top may have been to thin to begin with. You might notice a little caving in at the bottom of the f-hole. The bass bar had become unattached at the bottom and my luthier here in AK had to take the top off and get it re-attached properly. It seemed to give it back some of its original shape, but not quite all of it.

This was noted by Hammond Ashly when I brought it over from Amsterdam in 2003 and had them appraise it. Not to much movement in those eight years, but I figured it was time for it to get fixed so we went for it.

Have you seen any of these Budil basses here in the states? A european guy suggested that they were to be found throughout Europe and in Asia to some extent.

I love the sound of it. Wonderfully deep and rich, especially with the Genssler Jazz Quint set I am running on it. 5ths tuning on this bass has made an already lovely sound go from great to even better.

I have been thinking about something with a slightly smaller scale. 42" is fine, but whenever I play a 41.5" or a 41" is just feels a tad more comfortable. A loud chamber / solo bass with a 39-40" scale is on my GAS list.

Perhaps I can just wait patiently for Mr. Sypher to sell me his Lombardi. I was, after all, born in 1976 on the 14th of April. Or maybe save up the ducats for a Prescott. I love the look of the Gamba that Upton has. Now I just have to get up to Boston to try it out.

First off, I don't see any 'carving' around the f-holes. The Varnish looks all original. Second, IF the Bassbar came loose then, it was probably 'sprung-in'. A HUGE NO-NO for bassbars and basses. The Top will deform, cave in, split or the bar pop loose or all of the above with a sprung bar. If he reattached the same bar, then you might have a problem waiting to happen. That bass needed a NEW Bar. Not the same one glued back in. This isn't as Kay bass. I hope you were misinformed.

I have never seen nor heard of a Budil bass before this. I don't know if such a person exists or it was a trade name for this model as many instruments have fictitious names. So, I can't give you anything past what you have heard in Europe, sorry.

On Jason's bass, that came from me. It's a nice bass. I had 2 Lombardi's. That one was a better jazz bass, the other a better Orchestra bass. They both found good homes, so happy endings for both Lombardi's.

Now, you mention smaller size and then Prescott? This is reverse thinking. Jason had a nice old bass before the Lombardi. Maybe Yankee or Austrian school as opinions were mixed but, it was HUGE. That is why he got the Lombardi. For a smaller more manageable bass.

You can also come here and try basses. I have basses of all sizes from nice comfy 3/4s to some that are considered 4/4 or 5/4 in Europe or big 7/8ths here. Regardless, don't go bigger on your next bass if you are struggling in any way with the size.