Juzek Basses...(aka Lang or Wilfer or?)

[Ken Smith]

The purfling design on the back button according to one German shop is called 'Blume', meaning flower.

I have seen about 4 different but similar designs on basses with Juzek labels.

Some of them look exactly like Hofner's so I am confused there because I think if labeled, these could be put in by dealers and if not labeled, mis-attributed. Also, 100 years ago, both Hofner and Framus (then just Franz Wilfer) were violin shops in Schonbach. The second generation of these families I believe brought them into the Guitar business. Germans did however always make guitars as well but before the electric craze, these were just local brands. The Beatles made Hofner famous and at the same time, killed their name in as much as concerning the violin business internationally from what I see. So, a Hofner is as good as any other shop brand in my opinion.

The next and most common design is the regular Juzek Flower seen since the earliest basses that look to me like Lang basses because I have seen them on Lang's as well.

The other early design is more squashed in design and not as much upright. These might be Lang or even another shop. I have seen a similar design in a larger shape on some Bohemian basses of the period. So that one might be early Lang.

The last of them is the fancier one we see today on the E. Wilfer basses but also on the Wenzel Wilfers and the earlier Anton Wilfers. These are all the same. So, that design whether Gamba or Violin shape in plain, medium or high flame are the Wilfer family made Juzeks or just, Wilfers.

Ok, I have collected some pictures off the internet, 2 of them were mine so I borrow equally. Here are 3 designs, 2 of them are not Juzeks, Wilfers or Langs in my opinion.

1, this is a Czech flatback I had. I have seen many basses from Bohemia with similar but not exact designs.

2, this is a Hofner and I have seen people calling these Juzek's but in error. If they had a Juzek label in them, then they were probably put in there by someone other than Juzek in NY. I have no knowledge of Hofner selling to Juzek and I even once asked Hofner and they said 'no'.


3, this is the oldest design I have seen. Some basses were not labeled and some were. Dated 1933 and 1934 on the most recent basses I have seen including one I just got in;


Not a single Juzek was ever made in Prague to my knowledge. Being born or having worked in Prague is one thing. Importing high volume of instruments has to be from an area that makes them and Prague is not that area. If it were made in Prague, the label would be in Czech and say just Praha, and not "made in".

These were made in many models and sizes before and after the 2nd war. Values today do not reflect the price list from Met. Music/Juzek. They sell for what someone can get for them. Often over and under priced because there is no regulation, period. You can by an Amplifier or Watch or Computer and know the average price and get a good or at least a fair deal. When buying a bass that is famous for being sold to High Schools, you get a factory/shop made bass that was produced for export for a low price regardless of how well the have aged and/or survived.

Things that help the value are originality, condition, sound and good/neat modifications to the string length and neck overstand to make them playable if needed

Things that hurt the value are poor condition, bad repairs, long string length, low neck overstand and poor quality sound.

The mystique about the Juzek Master Art model makes me laugh and cringe as well, sometimes at the same time. I see dealers and players selling basses claiming to be a M.A. model. A Master Art model has Violin Corners, the Highest figure Flame maple, un-shaded golden or golden-brown varnish and, individual German made, french style tuning gears in Chrome. I have owned two of them, one by Anton Wilfer 1936 and one by Wenzel B' Wilfer that I knew in the shop from 1966 and bought it in 1971/72. Neither of these had Juzek labels because they were too nice to cover up. It would be like bronzing a Gold medal. The rear emblem on a M.A. model is #4 above. If you see or have a bass that you think is or is labeled as a M.A. model and does not have all of what I just described, it is NOT. I have seen many basses with that label that were put in by someone that just do not match the bass, sorry.

[Ken Smith]

Concerning the old Benedict Lang stamp, here are 2 pictures I just found on-line. One with the brand in the upper back and one stamped within the 'Blume' as used on Juzek basses. This second picture helps to 'connect the dots' between Lang and Juzek.

[Ruben E garcia]

[quote=Ken Smith;26555]The purfling design on the back button according to one German shop is called 'Blume', meaning flower.

I have seen about 4 different but similar designs on basses with Juzek labels.

Some of them look exactly like Hofner's so I am confused there because I think if labeled, these could be put in by dealers and if not labeled, mis-attributed. Also, 100 years ago, both Hofner and Framus (then just Franz Wilfer) were violin shops in Schonbach. The second generation of these families I believe brought them into the Guitar business. Germans did however always make guitars as well but before the electric craze, these were just local brands. The Beatles made Hofner famous and at the same time, killed their name in as much as concerning the violin business internationally from what I see. So, a Hofner is as good as any other shop brand in my opinion.

The next and most common design is the regular Juzek Flower seen since the earliest basses that look to me like Lang basses because I have seen them on Lang's as well.

The other early design is more squashed in design and not as much upright. These might be Lang or even another shop. I have seen a similar design in a larger shape on some Bohemian basses of the period. So that one might be early Lang.

The last of them is the fancier one we see today on the E. Wilfer basses but also on the Wenzel Wilfers and the earlier Anton Wilfers. These are all the same. So, that design whether Gamba or Violin shape in plain, medium or high flame are the Wilfer family made Juzeks or just, Wilfers.

Ok, I have collected some pictures off the internet, 2 of them were mine so I borrow equally. Here are 5 designs, 2 of them are not Juzeks, Wilfers or Langs in my opinion.

1, this is a Czech flatback I had. I have seen many basses from Bohemia with similar but not exact designs.

2, this is a Hofner and I have seen people calling these Juzek's but in error. If they had a Juzek label in them, then they were probably put in there by someone other than Juzek in NY. I have no knowledge of Hofner selling to Juzek and I even once asked Hofner and they said 'no'.


3, this is the most common type design we see and I think this is from Lang;


Hi Ken I cant help it but this last two specially the 3th looks similar to my bass:

[Ken Smith]

Basses like these were also sold under different brand names as well. The shops making them were not exclusive to one customer from what I have seen.

Sometimes the same exact models would show up with different or no labels in them and sometimes basses that look to be from the same shop but slightly different are found as well.

They all work good for most things but rarely seen in a professional orchestra.

[Ruben E garcia]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Basses like these were also sold under different brand names as well. the shops were not exclusive to one customer from what I have seen.

Sometimes the same exact models would show up with different or no labels in them and sometimes basses that look to be from the same shop but slightly different are found as well.

They all work good for most things but rarely seen in a professional orchestra.

Correct agreed with you 100% its just nice to think it could be a Juzek cousin!

[Ken Smith]

Looks a bit like a Lang or similar shop bass. About the same as the Gambas imported by Juzek.

[Adam Linz]

Looks like a Roth hybrid I had from the 60's. Almost exactly! My Roth always had some charm to it. As long as you like it that's all that matters. Get that beast playing. Very cool. Best, Adam

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Adam Linz

Looks like a Roth hybrid I had from the 60's. Almost exactly! My Roth always had some charm to it. As long as you like it that's all that matters. Get that beast playing. Very cool. Best, Adam

Roth is also brand and not the maker from what my research shows. Although there are makers named Roth and there was a shop making instruments, there is no indication that they made double basses. I don't know what shops made basses for Roth but being that I have seen some variety in those basses, it may be more than one, like with the Juzek and other USA brand names. If it doesn't say Roth, it's not, unless the label fell off.

[Ruben E garcia]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Looks a bit like a Lang or similar shop bass. About the same as the Gambas imported by Juzek.

+1 it does, thanks Ken

[Eric Hochberg]

I just picked up this '30s Wilfer? no label bass. A bit squatter blume than some. Similar to the Czech flatback, I think.