Bass swap

[gln1955]

I was working at a guitar store when I saw that they had "re-issued" a bass nearly identical to the one I owned in high-school - my dreaded '77 J. 3 bold, heavy, too much finish - just bad. Of course, the re-issue was actually *much better* than the original because even Fender couldn't bring themselves to make a bass that bad on purpose!.

Yes, that is Fender's way of saying "Sorry, we really screwed the pooch on these back in the 70's. This is what we should have been making"

 

[MEKer]

The cat was already dead right? You didn't kill a cat just for this experiment did you?

No biggie. There are worse ways to go and...its only a cat vs a BASS!

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

Yes, that is Fender's way of saying "Sorry, we really screwed the pooch on these back in the 70's. This is what we should have been making"

Well, they could have put on a faux 3-bolt neck to really fix that!

 

[mp40smg]

I was working at a guitar store when I saw that they had "re-issued" a bass nearly identical to the one I owned in high-school - my dreaded '77 J. 3 bold, heavy, too much finish - just bad. Of course, the re-issue was actually *much better* than the original because even Fender couldn't bring themselves to make a bass that bad on purpose!.

I can't imagine they would actually make a "real" 70s again. The stuff fender puts out now is light years better than what we dealt with. I would suspect it's much more of that idealized "what it should have been" rather than the ugly, silly heavy, wildly inconsistent truth variety we grew up with.

 

[mp40smg]

Being the proud owner of an exquisite example the question I ask is "What took them so long?" The pearl block bound neck alone made it reissue worthy!

As I mentioned if they put out an idealized "what it should have been" I think the bound neck and blocks were very cool. No so much was the 24lb. The neck pup is too loud and muddy and all the rear does is buzz and harmonize with the overhead lighting.

Then there was that whole "my head stock is bigger than yours" macho "hai-karate" vs "jovan musk" thing going on which is best not spoken of again in polite company.. Fender's nod to the cod piece..

 

[alack]

No so much was the 24lb. The neck pup is too loud and muddy and all the rear does is buzz and harmonize with the overhead lighting.

That doesn't accurately describe my 75 Jazz. But your experience must be very different from mine. To each his own.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

I can't imagine they would actually make a "real" 70s again. The stuff fender puts out now is light years better than what we dealt with. I would suspect it's much more of that idealized "what it should have been" rather than the ugly, silly heavy, wildly inconsistent truth variety we grew up with.

Yup. But it was still heavy and had the 3 bolt neck (but I guess the "heavy" thing is part of the "charm")

I've often wanted to check out one of those re-issue '62 J basses. It'd be cool to have, I think... but I don't really have a need. Put me in a motown band, however...

 

[Malak the Mad]

Yup. But it was still heavy and had the 3 bolt neck (but I guess the "heavy" thing is part of the "charm")