Another Overpriced Pre-CBS Jazz

[PolkaHero]

Almost $28k for a '61 Jazz that "may have been refinished"?! Also note the pitting in the chrome particularly on the control plate. Typically these held up better than this over the years. Would be nice to see the date on the neck and control pots for better authenticity.

Fender Jazz Bass 1961 #62006

 

[bucephylus]

The pricing on these has been dominated by the collector market for a while. Go figure what the dynamics of that market are. Some of them are actually pretty nice players; but, there are def better options for players these days. Not worth the brainwaves, IMO.

I was fortunate to find my ‘62, just as the collector market was swinging into action. 1987. Still, it’s a refin (more or less proper), which suits me just fine.

 

[M.R. Ogle]

This article seems very appropriate:
Dave's Corner: The Case For Player Grade Vintage

 

[bucephylus]

This article seems very appropriate:
Dave's Corner: The Case For Player Grade Vintage

Ah, yup. The projects are def what you have to keep an eye out for.

 

[Ghastly]

Headstock doesn't look right to me. I'd say very likely a refinished bass. That should knock the price down considerably when revealed.

 

[arbiterusa]

They're all overpriced.

 

[micguy]

Old Fenders aren't necessarily better instruments than what's made nowadays - indeed, they're typically not very good. It's a nostalgia thing, a limited supply of instruments from that era, and an overabundance of boomers with money that want to throw it at things that remind them of their "mis-spent" youth. Once all us boomers are dead, you'll be able to buy 60's and 70's Fenders for a lot less.

I, for one, don't really care about what a 60's or 70's Fender costs. I'm playing much more (and am much better at it) now than in my youth - really good instruments nowadays are relatively cheap, so long as you go by how they work, and not when they were assembled.

 

[edencab]

I wouldn't pay almost #37, 000 CDN for any bass even if you had a pic of Leo himself scratching on the serial number while it was being held by David Gilmour and tuned by John Paul Jones IMHO

 

[Axstar]

No photos of the internals then no sale. I want to see the electronics, under the pickguard, neck heel and pocket areas if you want that much money out of me.

Im voting for refin.

 

[PolkaHero]

No photos of the internals then no sale. I want to see the electronics, under the pickguard, neck heel and pocket areas if you want that much money out of me.

Im voting for refin.

Which makes it worth around 10 grand at most.

 

[Axstar]

Which makes it worth around 10 grand at most.

Overpriced how ever you cut it.

 

[FlatThumb]

Which makes it worth around 10 grand at most.

Still way too expensive

 

[dkelley]

They're all overpriced.

I was going to post the same thing.

Now... if Leo himself built the instrument with his own hands... I can see these prices. Maybe higher even.

 

[Dluxe]

I bought my '65 Jazz in 1983 for $65 and a late 70's Big Muff Pi. It was a refin as well. I remember seeing a near mint Olympic White '66 with matching headstock at Ray's Heart Of Texas Music for $1,000 that same year. I took lessons from Rob Alexander around the same time and he had an original Sunburst '61 Stack Knob that had the best neck ever and he told me that Eric Johnson paid $1,500 for it and gifted it to him. I bought my '78 StingRay bass for $325 and '79 Sabre Bass for $250 that same year. Pawn shop scores were even better. '67 Gibson EB-3 with a replacement DiMarzio Model 1 for $140 and a Gibson Ripper for $160. Those were the days. I've never payed more than $3000 for a bass and I will only buy stuff made in the USA or Japan.

 

[DWBass]

They're all overpriced.

^^THIS^^

 

[DWBass]

Overpriced how ever you cut it.

^^THIS^^

 

[DWBass]

Still way too expensive

^^THIS^^

 

[Pilgrim]

Threads like this prompt me to momentarily consider selling my '63 P. But it's not going to drop in value much if any, during the time when I can still use it. Might as well hang on.

 

[60bass]

Appears the seller and bass are located in Germany so it will automatically demand a premium price. That said, the vintage market is WAY overpriced on any instrument. Why it that? Two words "Blues Laywers". You know, the guy who used to play in high school and now has a successful career, mucho bucks, and wants that bass he never could afford. Enter the "vintage dealer" who's more than happy to sell that guy the bass for his inflated price. I've played for over 52 years and have seen it happen. I personally know vintage dealers who bought instruments and specifically targeted older middle aged players who had the money and wanted a vintage bass to hang on the wall in their offices. Also sold off hundreds of instruments overseas to Europe and Asia at inflated prices to dealers over there. it's a sad but true fact.

But hey, kudos to them for figuring out a way to make money but they did it at the expense of any "average" player ever being able to afford a vintage instrument of any type. I'm damn glad I lucked out got a 60 Precision back in the early 70's before the "vintage craze" got into full force. Now that 60 even though it's a refin and refret is worth way way more than I paid for it. Now it's lives in the case and makes an appearance here at home a few times a year because it's worth too much to risk damaging it by gigging with it anymore.

 

[Gunga Din]

$48K is the highest asking price I've seen a '60 stackpot Jazz.