What do you REALLY think about Fender basses from 60s/70s?

GYang · #1 08-05-2011, 07:33 AM

Old question, but no real answer.
Let us see the numbers.

My honest opinion:
Fender Precision from late 60s early 70s (I even don't wish to touch the subject of earlier highly collectable axes) is very moderate instrument, both in terms of sonics, as well as, of overall quality (not particularly good, as well as, indeed not so bad).
Fender Jazz Bazz is step up in versatility, but again, compared to newer instruments built by some renowned luthiers nothing to die for.
I DON'T talk about HISTORICAL significance and impacts of both basses to few generations of players.
Purely in terms of their function as bass guitars, I was always amazed that I'm not excited at all about them.

Am I really alone in such reasoning?

Quickie · #2 08-05-2011, 07:35 AM

I got a fender p bass in '73 from a....wait for it....piano store. And right next to it was a brand new svt with the bluish sparkle grill. I loved that bass and then traded it in on a ric a year later, which I loved even more.

Avezzano · #3 08-05-2011, 07:54 AM

Sixties? Wood well seasoned and pickup partly de-magnetized give a good overall sound. Maybe...

Nothing that cannot be provided by a modern axes that have some features added as a better fretboard build/dressing, tighter neck joint, better hardware etc.

But they are "our ancestors", so maximum respect and if I would be full of money I would surely buy one or two '60

Seventies? I remember that at the epoch they were mostly crap, but maybe the few that survived probably sounded ok at the epoch and ok now. Plus the '70 mojo, aestethically talking (blocks&binding, different shiny colors and other). Not comparable with '60 axes, anyway.

I would not spend money on a '70 but would rather buy a '70 reissue anyway...

groooooove · #4 08-05-2011, 07:58 AM

gennerally 60's fenders are great sounding, and fairly well built. in the 70s it seems to have gotten more inconsistent, where most of them dont really sound good at all. +1 that the 70s look was sweet, though.

Spiritfield · #5 08-05-2011, 08:12 AM

The '66 P that I have is a great bass; the '72's , and the '73 P that I've had were all great. The mid to late 70's Fenders I've owned were generally not as well put together and definitely heavier. There are still gems out there from all eras.

brianrost · #6 08-05-2011, 08:21 AM

It's not "one size fits all". There are really fantastic vintage Fenders out there but also many dogs.

As someone who grew up with late 70s Fenders it took playing some nice pre-CBS basses to change my mind about the real vintage stuff

I have owned Fenders from every decade but the 1990s. My 53, 61 and 68 sound and feel the best because they are so well aged/broken in. They are all very light, dunno if that's due to the wood drying out or the wood used was just lighter, period.

The build quality since the 80s is as good as the pre-CBS stuff and more consistent from one bass to another. My AS P-5 should be really sweet in 2040....I might be too old to play it though

stingraysvt · #7 08-05-2011, 08:30 AM

You need to add a button for

Hit or miss, there were some production flops, but inevitably there were also some diamonds in the rough!

Rockmusician · #8 08-05-2011, 08:32 AM

I own several and love them.

Nobody · #9 08-05-2011, 08:44 AM

I had a 77 P bass and it was ok. In comparison to all the less expensive basses I've had since then it wasn't any better and sounded more boring. The new Squiers are generally just as good of quality as my 77 and others I've seen. I can't speak about the 60s Fenders, I've never had one because I'm not wealthy.

**bassybill** · #10 08-05-2011, 08:46 AM

I think you can pick instruments from any era and you'll find some that appeal to you when you play them, sometimes in a way that's so subtle it seems almost magical. Others, not so much.

I don't personally believe that instruments (particularly solid body electric guitars and basses) get better with age, either through the wood changing or the magnetic field of the pickups.

So, yeah, I've played some old Fenders that were every bit as good TO ME as functional instruments as more modern stuff. Not better or worse, just different. I think QC on modern instruments and components is probably better, but that wouldn't stop some of the best old instruments comparing well with anything built later (or vice versa). And some of the improvements you get with modern manufacturing and QC - tighter neck joints, for example - are just aesthetic and don't really affect the functioning of the instrument. I've played Fenders with a 1/16" gap either side of the joint that were superb, and others with tight joints that were pretty unexceptional.

One real difference between 60s and 70s Fenders, though, and it's already been mentioned - a lot of the late 70s ones were much heavier, although I'm sure there's exceptions even to this general statement.

georgestrings · #11 08-05-2011, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stingraysvt

You need to add a button for

Hit or miss, there were some production flops, but inevitably there were also some diamonds in the rough!

+1...

- georgestrings

Aspidites · #12 08-05-2011, 08:51 AM

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Chilled Carrot Soup Recipe : Michael Symon : Food Network

kcole4001 · #13 08-05-2011, 08:53 AM

Personally, they're 'worth' way too much to others for me to have any interest in them.
I can remember when the 1970s Fenders were commonly called 'junk', which of course is far too broad of a blanket statement to be true.
Some are bad, some are great, many are mediocre I'm sure.

I'll leave them to those with a collecting interest or the people after that vintage mystique.
If I want a Fender, a new one will be fine with me for what I'd be using it for.

mkandolf · #14 08-05-2011, 08:56 AM

I keep going back to my '78 Precision. Love the thing! Heavy at 10.6 pounds, but plays and sounds like a dream.

M.R. Ogle · #15 08-05-2011, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stingraysvt

You need to add a button for

Hit or miss, there were some production flops, but inevitably there were also some diamonds in the rough!

This is my vote. The change of ownership brought several well-documented "snafu"s to production, and I've seen some real dogs from the late 60s to mid 70's, but not ALL were that way.

bolophonic · #16 08-05-2011, 09:06 AM

Anyone who says that "most" Fenders from the 70's were crap should not be listened to. Every instrument has to be evaluated on it's own merits.

itchy · #17 08-05-2011, 09:08 AM

There are plenty of 70's and early 80's recordings with great Fender bass tones.
There were dogs then, there are dogs now. As long as wood is still grown on trees there will always be some dogs.

coronado3 · #18 08-05-2011, 09:13 AM

I love my '73 P Bass. A-width neck, super fat and warm! I may be buried with it! My brother bought it in a pawn shop in 1979 for 175 dollars !

Aspidites · #19 08-05-2011, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coronado3

I love my '73 P Bass. A-width neck, super fat and warm! I may be buried with it! My brother bought it in a pawn shop in 1979 for 175 dollars !

I bought my 76 in 83 for $200. Gotta love those kind of deals.

jim777 · #20 08-05-2011, 09:21 AM

I started on a late 70's P bass and it was the worst bass I've ever played. That said, EVERY single other P bass I've ever played was far, far better, so I got not only a lemon but the type of lemon that other lemons shun and make fun of. I wouldn't pay the cost of an older one now simply because I like other things better in that price range, but you can't deny the sound of an old P, or the look and sound of an old Jazz. If money were no object I'd definitely grab a few 60's J basses, no question.