Buying a double bass...

[Jonathan Kilroy]

First, Hello to all, and thanks for the community. I am a guitar player historically but have made a change (in my head alone for now) to the double bass. I have saved enought to do this in a fairly significant way and am now ready to buy an instument. Yeah, Im a rank beginner on bass but I don't want to start on a beginner instument. I want to grow into and with something for a while... a long while. I'm looking at a 2006 Shen Rogeri 800 for 8000.00 vs a Juzek 1960 ~ 70 7/8 with a C extension and a few cracks in the ribs that seem stable for 10,000.00. The problem is without looking at them (hard to do) the Juzek has that sound you hear on a record cutting through a tight jazz run and seems to punch out the low end better. The Shen, (can't help but look at it) has a clearer more musical sound that I'm too inexperienced to know where it may be headed with my increasing abilities. 2000.00 bucks is a significant financial difference to me but I don't want to be an idiaot... How often do 7/8 Wilfers.. I mean Juzeks come around? (I'm 6-3 and have pretty big paws... so the size does not feel big)

Anything to help my late night anguish is welcome... i just want to get a bass and start playing... thanks jdk