Are basses like wine?

[SanDiegoHarry]

Confession. I am like a thousand years old. Whatever. But this means that I remember when "vintage" instruments were first starting to be a thing back in the late 1970s. Of course, the most important thing for a Fender was to be "pre-CBS" because everyone knew that when CBS bought them, everything went to hell.

Now, all of the then-reviled 1970s basses (from any major maker, really, but of course Fender is always prominent) are vintage instruments and command top dollar. And cheap beginner instruments from those days are being sold as amazing tone and mojo machines. Even instruments from the 1980s are being sold as "vintage."

Do we all now simply think that old instruments are better, regardless of their origin or craftsmanship? IMO we are in a golden age of instrument quality, and while I agree that there are some old gems out there, there are also plenty of old pieces of sh and much of what people hear (or see) in them is a product of imagination and silliness.

Now get off my damn lawn.

no no no no no no no no NO

 

[ThePresident777]

 

[Doctor J]

Maybe the fashion/placebo factor goes the other way, too. In other words, maybe Fender et al actually made some decent instruments in the 70's, but because they were considered inferior to the pre-CBS gear by the cognoscenti, they all got dismissed as junk at the time.

The other factor is what our ears have been conditioned to like as a bass tone. I have listened to a lot of what is now called 'first generation' classic rock over my lifetime, much of which was recorded with pre-CBS Fenders and 60's Gibsons (EB-3 and Thunderbird). To my ears, that's what a bass should sound like. Now, music from the late 70's and 80's is considered 'second generation' classic rock, and others are buying those instruments to chase that tone.

Lastly, I do think there might be a mellow quality that old pickups and magnets take on as they age that could actually improve an instrument with time. The bass department manager at my local shop also swears that an old instrument that has been played regularly develops a character to the wood on a cellular level from years of vibration at specific frequencies. I'm not sold on the idea, but definitely think that pickups do change with time as the magnets age. Maybe even a bit like wine...

Are you saying old basses don't sound like they used to when they were used on those great recordings and, therefore, if you really want the classic tone your ears are conditioned to, buy new?

 

[/\/\3phist0]

Maybe the fashion/placebo factor goes the other way, too. In other words, maybe Fender et al actually made some decent instruments in the 70's, but because they were considered inferior to the pre-CBS gear by the cognoscenti, they all got dismissed as junk at the time.

The other factor is what our ears have been conditioned to like as a bass tone. I have listened to a lot of what is now called 'first generation' classic rock over my lifetime, much of which was recorded with pre-CBS Fenders and 60's Gibsons (EB-3 and Thunderbird). To my ears, that's what a bass should sound like. Now, music from the late 70's and 80's is considered 'second generation' classic rock, and others are buying those instruments to chase that tone.

Lastly, I do think there might be a mellow quality that old pickups and magnets take on as they age that could actually improve an instrument with time. The bass department manager at my local shop also swears that an old instrument that has been played regularly develops a character to the wood on a cellular level from years of vibration at specific frequencies. I'm not sold on the idea, but definitely think that pickups do change with time as the magnets age. Maybe even a bit like wine...

Alnico definitely degausses a bit over time, oxidation and the tone caps age/weaken.
Environmental effects change the wood. ALL subtle but tangible. And the lumber was estranged from older growth wood with different densities, the necks and finger boards were different (slab vs radiused) in the case of rosewood or Pau Ferro sourced from different countries. Fretwork was different etc.. all drops if water in the ocean but perhaps minor factors that when added up make discernable differences.

 

[Josh Thatguy]

Not all vintage basses are wine...
But I keep reading several vintage Talkbassists who whine.

 

[Rib 13]

Do we all now simply think that old instruments are better, regardless of their origin or craftsmanship?

depends who you ask....


If you ask me (so, yes, this is subjective), I don't think older bass guitar instruments are better and i never have (if anything, I think they are worse) - The overall design and function of the bass guitar has been greatly improved over the years thanks to having a history of collective learned experiences to build upon (especially as newer techniques - such as two-handed tapping or slap bass/double-thumping - having been developed along the way)

For myself, the creations of Leo Fender over the decades is a great example: 1958 P-Pass* (or any archaic design standard single PU P-Bass )? No thank you -- I'll take a brand new G&L ASAT/L-2000 any day of the week

*Actually, Ill take the '58 P-Bass, sell it, and buy 5 or 6 G&L L2Ks with the ca$h

 

[wmhill]

some age like a fine wine, most age like expired milk........

 

[ChefKen]

Keep in mind that 99.9% of wine is meant to be consumed right away. Only the most sturdy wines age.......and only some of those age well.

 

[AshInAmsterdam]

Apparently I am like wine. I bought this bottle this morning to put towards a beef stew.... And it's quite fitting as I sit here at 23 stone (and falling).

 

[bench]

Confession. I am like a thousand years old. Whatever. But this means that I remember when "vintage" instruments were first starting to be a thing back in the late 1970s. Of course, the most important thing for a Fender was to be "pre-CBS" because everyone knew that when CBS bought them, everything went to hell.

Now, all of the then-reviled 1970s basses (from any major maker, really, but of course Fender is always prominent) are vintage instruments and command top dollar. And cheap beginner instruments from those days are being sold as amazing tone and mojo machines. Even instruments from the 1980s are being sold as "vintage."

Do we all now simply think that old instruments are better, regardless of their origin or craftsmanship? IMO we are in a golden age of instrument quality, and while I agree that there are some old gems out there, there are also plenty of old pieces of sh and much of what people hear (or see) in them is a product of imagination and silliness.

Now get off my damn lawn.

are basses like wine? no! basses are cool, wine sucks... imho...

 

[lfmn16]

Do we all now simply think that old instruments are better, regardless of their origin or craftsmanship?

I don't think I've ever seen anyone post this. To think an instrument is better just based on its age is just as stupid as hating an instrument just because of its age. The rules don't change because of the age of an instrument - you have to play every instrument to determine if it is good. There is no other way.

 

[NoiseNinja]

I would have to say no.

They are not suited for drinking and if you try to ingest one anyway you won't get drunk, all you'll get is splinters in your esophagus.

Wouldn't recommend it.

 

[Nev375]

some age like a fine wine, most age like expired milk........

Beat me to it.

I have a Gibson EB-0 that aged like fine milk. 44 year old milk.

 

[Logic_11]

I sometimes put a straw in the input jack and take a sip

 

[InhumanResource]

I'm not buying the hype, either. Quality control and technology have come such a long way that modern manufacturing is far, far more reliable than what was being done forty or fifty years ago. Pre-CBS Fender of course has that collector appeal and some truly great instruments if you can get your hands on one, but those are factors outside of "hey it's old!"

Old on its own doesn't cut it for me, but old + great instrument does.

 

[Kukulkan61]

All my Basses are like wine made from Carrots...

 

[Ewo]

Are basses like wine...hmn...

Well, yeah--in the sense that, for some people, one is too many and a million aren't enough.

 

[wmhill]

All my Basses are like wine made from Carrots...

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Old is good IMHO, because the neck wood is done with it's adjustment period.
The only new instrument I ever bought had a creeping neck. I had to tune it every 2nd day & had to adjust the truss rod after two weeks.

I prefer stuff that's older, but not quite vintage. I did have a 20 year old bass that was rock solid, but I sold it, like an idiot.

 

[Iamthelampshade]

I feel like Basses age like cars. They're nice depending on how the original owner and the ones after it had treated it.