Whose Main Bass Is A Vintage (Over 30)

[PatQ]

1982 Squier JV Precision, just turned 30 this year and is about 6 months older than me. It's not my main bass because I love the handling of my Thunderbird, but I absolutely love it's tone.

[blindeddie]

my main electric, my only electric. RD Standard. the second one made on May 30, 1977. sounds absolutely AMAZING! best bass i've ever played or heard, without a doubt. so much mojo... the back of the neck has all the finish worn off, buckle rash on the back of the body. finish worn thru in a bunch of places, tons of little dings, but no chips or cracks anywhere. screw all that fake a$$, "road-worn, relic" poser BS. this is the real deal. old and well worn but solid as a rock. and super heavy... but it SOUNDS super heavy too! LOVE IT! will never play anything else.

[baileyboy]

My '75 Precision is my main gigging bass. It weighs 8.6 lbs and has phenomenal tone. I feel very fortunate to have this bass.

[bassdude51]

Originally Posted by Easy8

MY GOD! Best looking pre-CBS Fender Precision Bass......EVER!

Thank-you for sharing!

[kurosawa]

Originally Posted by alfred88

I gig my '84 Squier SQ series precision bass all the time.

Will be 30 years old in 20 months. Almost there!

The pre-CBS thing began as BS. There were great planks through 1972. It was just a snot thing for folks without ears. When my friends and I first noticed there was something substantial to the pre-CBS thing, really that was after they were all 10 or 12 years old. I don't think it takes any longer for a good plank to make itself known. Yeah it'll get better, but at a decade it's say 95% of all it can be. So now you have these 2000s MIJ bases coming on, and AVRIs hitting completion. And Fender isn't through making great basses. But we have to persevere in listening well. I have a SQ that I bought from the Swami over a decade ago and already it had earned his rating as The One. But I bought a second SQ, and when I put its neck on the old one, whoa.

[chef wong]

My Alembic turns 30 this year. I've had it for 5 months now and have come to a conclusion or two:

Alembic basses sound better than the production stuff..and vintage boutique is a whole 'nuther level of feel and tone.

[bassbully]

Originally Posted by kurosawa

The pre-CBS thing began as BS. There were great planks through 1972. It was just a snot thing for folks without ears. When my friends and I first noticed there was something substantial to the pre-CBS thing, really that was after they were all 10 or 12 years old. I don't think it takes any longer for a good plank to make itself known. Yeah it'll get better, but at a decade it's say 95% of all it can be. So now you have these 2000s MIJ bases coming on, and AVRIs hitting completion. And Fender isn't through making great basses. But we have to persevere in listening well. I have a SQ that I bought from the Swami over a decade ago and already it had earned his rating as The One. But I bought a second SQ, and when I put its neck on the old one, whoa.

Shhhhhhhh...We are talking to much about the SQ's

[Din Of Win]

Until recently, a 1982 Peavey T-20 was my main bass.

But the neck broke and i parted with the body.

I miss it a ton, and I'd love to find a working T-20 (or T-20 styled Fury) at some point.

[thisSNsucks]

All of these are pre 1980 and continue to get played:



This one was restored; 1966 Fender Jazz:



but the rest have some nice wear and tear:











and this one was borderline abused, but I love it:

[bkbirge]

'78 fretless P, had it since '84.

[godofthunder59]

A few more vintage basses that are in regular rotation.

[Loel]

Originally Posted by alfred88

I gig my '84 Squier SQ series precision bass all the time.

Will be 30 years old in 20 months. Almost there!

Also 1984 Squier E series 32" P.Almost there!

[brian579]

My 72 fender, hammered but awesome. Bought it from cowtown guitars in vegas, it's my closest and oldest friend!

[Jebberz]

Except for bar gigs (never knows what could happen in a bar gig so I take no chance), I use a 1964 P-Bass.

[BassSurfer]

76/77 Gibson Ripper and a 83' (almost thirty) Fender P Bass

[johng999]

My 78 Pbass goes with me often, and until recently I was continuing to use my 69 Jazz. I've "retired" the jazz and bought a 64 custom shop to perform with. I've had the jazz since new and it just has too much sentimental value to me to continue to risk it being stolen or damaged.
I just purchased as 69 Tele bass and I am sure it will get into my gigging rotation. We have played over 120 shows this year, so all of these basses get used pretty regularly. I switch them up a bit just to keep in interesting.

[Mastermold]

I've got a '72 Ric 4001 and '83 Fender P Elite II. I'll find some pics to post.

[BassAgent]

Originally Posted by thisSNsucks

and this one was borderline abused, but I love it:

That has to be one of the best looking Stingrays I've ever seen. Well done, sir

[bh2]

Mine was 50 on Sunday... pic previous page.

[garmenteros]

All my main gigging basses are ibanez lawsuit era copies, well over 30 years old... a black sabbath tribute band, a led zeppelin tribute band and punk ska band.

The fender copies:

Fretless Precision Bass



Jazz Bass







Precision Bass





Rickenbacker





The Gibson copies:

Ripper







Thunderbird







and a live pic of one of the p