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1955 FENDER BASS - YA GOTTA SEE THIS!!

A really good friend of mine who is a super high end dealer bought this. He's gonna rescue this. I has told directly its an insanely rare orig bass. Its actually progressing nicely and should be ready for the Philly show in weeks. Personally, I thought he was nuts but what do I know..

If there is any way at all you can get and post pics of this, please, please, please do so.

Whoa! I didn't read the whole post, but what happened to that thing? It looks like it has been under water for quite some time? Am I right?

Current theories are either Katrina, the Nashville flood or something similar. No real details though.
 
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Filling in the blanks..

* The dealer who bought this has more real Korina, Bursts, 1 of a kind Fenders, D'Angelicos, Pre War Martins then any 5 collectors I know. This is someone who is one of my rabbis and I look up to him. If you go to the Philly shows, you'll walk past his booth and your jaw will unhinge. And he'll bring MAYBE a dozen guitars. I was told he expects to bring this bass. If so I will take pix.

* Im not sure this dealer buy was about the money. I thing its purely a labor of love.
* The reality is, if this bass was 100% and 8.0 condition and issue free - I could sell this bass with a phone call for 42-50k to one of 6-8 buyers. The rarity is the color. I beleive when this bass arises, it will be Palomino or Cimmeron red. Not CAR or worst case Dakota.

* Ok what happened - the bass was literally forgotten in an attic that was warm and damp. Quite honestly I dont think it was a sauna or a swamp because the glue would have let go

* Post resurection value - I have no clue. My guess and only a SWAG at that - 8000.00 (price like an average sunburst) to 30k (and this would be on a MIRACULOUS clean up which I do not think will happen)

* Repair costs to a "civilian" and again a pure swag
- Repair cracks in neck - 400.00
- Repair truss rod, plane and refret neck - 1200.00 (its a bad one)
- Rewind pickup with original wire, re magnetize pickup and perform expected rebuild of bobbin - 700.00
- Recore pots - 250.00
- New old stock o/p jack 200.00
- Clean and unfreeze screws in hardware - 250.00
- Museum level finish preservation and stabilization (basic level) 4000.00
- Misc - 500.00

=== Total = 7300.00 ir repair costs so figure roughly 12.5k in "into it" costs but for a dealer 10k sounds right. At that level for a stupid rare, great player custom color 50s bass - after you figure out the equation, it is a bargain... hmmmmm
 
Unless a bass is the color of Jesus, you ain't gettin $42-$50k for any '55 Precision. Not anymore. Unless you know 6-8 really dim people.



Lots of dealers and collectors want to think 2008 never happened when they try to sell their gear.
 
On a common item, believe me 2008 happened. On a one off, such as this bass may be, especially if Cimmaron or Seminole - Guys with money pay, they dont hang with us on TB. And trust me, I would get that scratch on this bass, just like all the big crazy basses we get or verify for purchasers.... If a comp Telecaster went for near 80k just a few weeks ago, why wouldnt the bass be worth about 1/2?
 
700.00 is not just a rewind. Its a total rebuild. The magnets, bobbin restoration etc as stated using NOS or perfect used parts. A straight perfect rewind only would be about 100-125 or so.. The correct parts are expensive and your looking at a 3-4hr rebuild..
 
Just out of curiosity... what do y'all mean by "restore/rebuild the Potentiometers? Is this just replacing the internals with new components and keeping the stamped/dated cases, or is there actually some way to re-build those carbon tracks that I'm not aware of?

And, I'm not a collector, I always thought pots were in the jacks, strings, and frets category. Vintage or not, they're worn out, so replace 'em. Heresy, I know...
 
Current theories are either Katrina, the Nashville flood or something similar. No real details though.

The Nashville flood was only for a few days, the guitars that were pulled right out of the debris were reasonably decent. Amps were saved if they were dried out immediately and cleaned thoroughly, of course their pots and controls and speakers were toast though. The stuff that wasn't cleaned right away got mold inside real quick. Bottom line, a brief immersion in water--while not good--isn't the catastrophic decay that this particular bass shows, that to me represents years of humidity.
 

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