Smooth_bass88
vaxx!
- Oct 31, 2006
- 12,122
- 16,793
- Disclosures
- have been on nationally released albums, charting on the Billboard 200
Here's my 1962. Not totally original so the price was 'ok'
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Another Overpriced Pre-CBS Jazz
- Thread starter PolkaHero
- Start date
.... And look at the great way he stores his collection....
Sheesh....
True that.
The stacked guitars were more scary than the price of the bass.
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
oh my stupid stupid brain
..this would have been better if I had typed (as 1/2 my brain was thinking, but the other dopier half was typying):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 Roger Waters and tuned by John Paul Jones IMHO
Now that is a nice player bass! It didn't get that patina by being a dog to play. A well loved bass speaks for itself!
I am far more surprised by how many people here bought 60s and 70s era basses 30 or 40 years ago and still have them.
Maybe flipping instruments is a recent development, or at least made far far easier with forums and bidding sites.
I'd love to say I owned an instrument I bought even last year
Maybe flipping instruments is a recent development, or at least made far far easier with forums and bidding sites.
I'd love to say I owned an instrument I bought even last year
I certainly could buy one if I really wanted to, but, as a serious player, I just wouldn’t. I’ve played several 20k vintage Fenders at CME, but never had one grab a hold of me with something magic and make me long to own it.
Well, nobody's going to stick a gun in your ear, and make you pay that much for it. And, as I've said before; if you don't ask that much, you certainly won't get that much. This way, he's fishing for a sucker - and, who knows? One just might come along, and nibble on the hook....
You can ask anything you want; selling at that price is another thing.
Is it really so different than this board though?
There are a number of items that are listed right now for nearly full price and with no warranty.
A few like the sDrum were being sold for less than the asking price brand new a month ago.
There are more vintage basses listed here than usual though.
I don't see this board as a place to sell vintage at all; not the right buyers IMO.
Look at how many actually sell.
Is it really so different than this board though?
There are a number of items that are listed right now for nearly full price and with no warranty.
A few like the sDrum were being sold for less than the asking price brand new a month ago.
There are more vintage basses listed here than usual though.
I don't see this board as a place to sell vintage at all; not the right buyers IMO.
Look at how many actually sell.
Jim Carr
Dr. Jim
- Jan 21, 2006
- 16,223
- 7,613
- 76
- Disclosures
- fEARful Kool-Aid dispensing liberal academic card-carrying union member Musicians Local 72-147
I bought a '55 P-bass in '73 for $240 as I recall, and it was refinished before I got it. It helped me pay for College in the 70's. Pics below.
Still have it, though I had the thickly brushed on polyurethane removed and a nice original-style aged nitro refinish done by R&Sguitarworks. Yipes, I've had that old bass for nearly 47 years, and it is 64 years old! I'm even older.
I still play it when I need a single coil P-bass (yes, it happens). It looks a lot like the one Waylon played with Buddy.
Very likely true.
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.... And look at the great way he stores his collection....
Sheesh....
Right?!
WTH is anything leaning on? Just basses on basses with no cases.
....and then this happened:
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Certainly there is a case to be made that old isn't necessarily better. Are there some great old basses out there? Certainly the answer must be yes but they aren't necessarily better than good new basses.
I recorded a few years back with an artist in NYC and the studio had this 62 precision that they owned. They insisted that I play it. I did but realized right away it was no match for my walnut Warmoth P bass sound-wise. I had them do a few takes with the Warmoth and the sound was obviously so much better to everyone in the room. The Warmoth played so much better as well. That 62 was a good bass but the Warmoth I had custom picked every piece for and had assembled by someone I knew was a talented craftsman was better.
SO, I guess the moral of my tale is to not be tricked by pedigree. Provenance and age only will get you so far and they may not produce anything better than what you have already in your case.
Invalid Link Removed
Certainly there is a case to be made that old isn't necessarily better. Are there some great old basses out there? Certainly the answer must be yes but they aren't necessarily better than good new basses.
I recorded a few years back with an artist in NYC and the studio had this 62 precision that they owned. They insisted that I play it. I did but realized right away it was no match for my walnut Warmoth P bass sound-wise. I had them do a few takes with the Warmoth and the sound was obviously so much better to everyone in the room. The Warmoth played so much better as well. That 62 was a good bass but the Warmoth I had custom picked every piece for and had assembled by someone I knew was a talented craftsman was better.
SO, I guess the moral of my tale is to not be tricked by pedigree. Provenance and age only will get you so far and they may not produce anything better than what you have already in your case.
As a player, I don't feel the slightest wish to own a bass like this. I would never play a bass I can't leave unobserved for a few minutes on a stage or one that gives me a heart attack when someone stumbles upon it. I remember back in the early 90s when a '62 or '64 P or J was between 3 and 4 or 5.000,- german marks I kind of feel tempted, but didn't have the money. But today I couldn't care less.
I love the older US vintage series prior to the American Originals. Everything I ever wanted in a Fender.
For a short period in time when I was much younger I kind of believed in old breathing woods and so on. But that was long ago.
Out of the perspective of a musician, it's like buying a Levis Jeans that is 50 years old for 1.000,- and thinking all the time, it will loose its value if a drop of red whine falls onto it or I stretch it with my knees while sitting.
It is purely for collectors and museums and has nothing to do with creating music right now...
But let the collectors have fun, I don't even feel like they "steal" these instruments from musicians.
Gear does matter, but I can't even remember the times, when I thought "If only I could afford this bass or preamp or compressor, I would sound so much better!". For me the most important part of owning good professional gear is that you can not any longer blame the gear for your shortcomings and work on your shortcomings instead of dreaming about all the gear that you can't afford that would make everyone recognize immediately what a genius you are.
I love the older US vintage series prior to the American Originals. Everything I ever wanted in a Fender.
For a short period in time when I was much younger I kind of believed in old breathing woods and so on. But that was long ago.
Out of the perspective of a musician, it's like buying a Levis Jeans that is 50 years old for 1.000,- and thinking all the time, it will loose its value if a drop of red whine falls onto it or I stretch it with my knees while sitting.
It is purely for collectors and museums and has nothing to do with creating music right now...
But let the collectors have fun, I don't even feel like they "steal" these instruments from musicians.
Gear does matter, but I can't even remember the times, when I thought "If only I could afford this bass or preamp or compressor, I would sound so much better!". For me the most important part of owning good professional gear is that you can not any longer blame the gear for your shortcomings and work on your shortcomings instead of dreaming about all the gear that you can't afford that would make everyone recognize immediately what a genius you are.
This. I've played dozens of vintage Fender basses. Exactly two were "special"..... a '63 refin P bass and a '78 Jazz. Most here wouldn't even call the '78 vintage.
The rest were just basses. They didn't sound or play one bit better than one you could pluck off the shelf in ant guiyar shop today.
I have an early 70s Gibson acoustic and an 85 Stingray, nothing too crazy collectable but tonnes of mojo... and some expensive repairs! Compared to 19 years with my 2001 SR4 with one scratchy pot along the way... I love vintage mojo but I’m starting to favour plain old boring solid non-vintage instruments.
This is nice if you are a collector and if it is the genuine article. I'm a player so that vintage/retro/mojo means very little to me. I own some pretty old instruments and even though they would now be considered vintage I don't think I can command that kind of money for them.
Whilst I can understand the attraction to historical pieces it's not something I'd want to play out. I tried several 60's era basses and really they just felt like old basses, compared to their modern counterparts with better construction methods, hardware and electronics I don't think I would want to go back to the "good old days".
So for some that vintage appeal has some value and for others it means nothing at all besides a conversation piece. To each their own I say, if it's for you, great if not then that's great also. For me it's more about the music than the tools I guess.
Whilst I can understand the attraction to historical pieces it's not something I'd want to play out. I tried several 60's era basses and really they just felt like old basses, compared to their modern counterparts with better construction methods, hardware and electronics I don't think I would want to go back to the "good old days".
So for some that vintage appeal has some value and for others it means nothing at all besides a conversation piece. To each their own I say, if it's for you, great if not then that's great also. For me it's more about the music than the tools I guess.
Lowendtech
Happily trending in my own peculiar direction.
This.
if you have an instrument that inspires you to practice more and play better, then whatever it is, is good.
If you need a vintage instrument to facilitate this then it’s all good.
If you need a vintage (looking) instrument for stage presence in your art form, it’s good but there are other options including CS (buy used).
Personally, I have one “vintage” ‘73 P and a nice CS J and I love and play them both. But if the price of a vintage looking bass approaches the price of a nice Dingwall Super P or J, I’m buying the Dingwall and playing the carp out of it.
Never figured out why Fender designed that grounding strip to look nothing like the original.I guess if it sells it's not overpriced. Too bad though, pricing old basses out of reach for many of us. Reminds me of real estate prices in some places.
As for me, I would pay $1,500 for this bass if I wanted a vintage style Jazz bass.
Fender American Vintage '62 Jazz Bass Includes original HSC
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