Basses We Miss

[2cooltoolz]

I've owned basses worth...maybe 5 times as much; but I really loved this one. But I went through a phase, and was with a band, where only 5 strings seemed adequate. I put this "mutt" of a parts bass up to finance a G&L L2500 (great bass, but gone, without tears). If I could buy this back, "as was", I would, but subsequent owners have "PJed" it, with other aesthetic mods...Sorry baby. One more stupid thing in my life.

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• • • 2015 Fender Mike Dirnt Roadworn Precision / 2013-14 Fender Cabronita Parts Bass
      
      This body and neck were purchased new (other) from The Stratosphere. If you’re not familiar, Stratosphere parts out new guitars. They had a body that was less obviously mismatched (same price), but that “mutt quality” totally appealed to me. All the other parts were purchased brand new and are genuine Fender (except CTS pots and Switchcraft jack).
      
      · 2015 Fender Mike Dirnt Roadworn Precision Body (Semi-slab, Forearm contour, but no "tummy cut"). ASH, nitrocellulose finish. Hard to photo crazing looks great! Unfortunate "Roadworn" stamp on face of bass. No one has ever noticed it. Ever.
      
      · 2013-14 Fender Cabronita Neck (Stratosphere listed as 2014, has MX13xx Serial #)
      

      o Neck: Maple, C Shape (a bit fuller than a Standard “P”, but not as thick as the DIRNT “U”. A wonderful feeling neck!)
      o Neck Finish: Gloss Urethane
      o String Nut: Synthetic Bone, 1.625" (41.3mm)
      o Fingerboard: Maple Cap, 9.5" (242mm) Radius
      o Frets: 20, Medium Jumbo​

      · Fender Vintage Style Reverse Tuning Machines
      
      · Hipshot Bass Extender (“D-Tuner”)
      
      · Fender Vintage Style Bass Bridge Assembly, Part Number 0990804100.
      
      · Fender American Series pre 2008 pickups, 56003/56004 set, PN#005-6004-049 as used in Fender Classic 50s, Road Worn, Highway One Precision Basses
      
      · Fender “F” Neckplate
      
      · As mentioned, CTS pots and Switchcraft jack
      
      
      
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[2saddleslab]

I miss my early slabs, my first which was a modded '75 pawnshop find. The other, a '52 Tadeo Gomez made early P.

 

[roccobass]

No picture, but it was my maple 1972 Fender Jazz. I sold it when I was at the wee bit less experienced age of 19 in 1979 for all the wrong reasons.

 

[Clark Westfield]

I had a FSR Antigua Jazz which was pretty cool.

Wish I never sold it.

 

[Jefenator]

 

[FunkHead]

Mine would be my very 1st build from over 40 years ago.

 

[Deleted member 394181]

My first "good" Bass was this exact model. This ones on Reverb. Maybe its the one I stupidly let go of, and now can't afford.

 

[Danny O Danny]

I know it's a bit silly, but I miss this Ibanez Destroyer bass I had back in the 80's. It was a cool orange color and, if I recall, was 32" scale. Then again, maybe I just miss being young and skinny.

 

[Gervais Cote]

Black and white Peavy Fury USA 1980.
Not perfect but robust and a real pleasure to play.
Cheap but very good nonetheless.

 

[Rib 13]

I know it's a bit silly, but I miss this Ibanez Destroyer bass I had back in the 80's. It was a cool orange color and, if I recall, was 32" scale. Then again, maybe I just miss being young and skinny.
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Not only is it not silly, but its the main reason I bought my 2013 reissue. Seriously, its a fantastic instrument and I gig with it quite a bit when four string is warranted, even now that Im old, bald, and thick lol. I also did a review on it. If you ever come across the reissue, check it out

 

[Matt Liebenau]

Mine would be my very 1st build from over 40 years ago.
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I like the blue burst a lot.

 

[claudel]

I've been thru a bunch over the years.

The one I miss the most was "P" #0374, stolen from my van after New Year's gig, 1970.

Shoulda gone to see Band of Gypsys instead...

 

[newfuture]

A few -

85 or so RIC 2030. Wasn't even that nice, but I sold low and would now have to buy high to replace.

Weird pedulla bolt-on. Pawn shop find for 250, never seen another in the wild. Passive barts, really nice bass.

MIM squire series P I got for $50. Wonderful beater, albeit I never could get the E string to sound lively.

I also felt this for my first bass, Aria ZZB deluxe. Explorer shape, 32" scale, but was able to trade a friend a pedal power 2 for one that, uh, needed help. Only 1 PU, missing bridge, no cavity cover, incomplete electronics, and what I'm guessing is a jettisoned refin attempt. OG Aria pickups aren't easy to find and really don't sound that great so I went with EMG 45 size bars as they are a reasonably close fit. Hipshot d-tuner and a bridge pilfered from an RSB I had floating around.

 

[KenD]

My first "pro" bass many, many years ago was a Rickenbacker 4000. To this day I admonish myself for ever parting with it.

 

[TeeSee]

Vox White Shadow made by Matsumoku - though I didn't know at the time who Matsumoku was. It was in the early eighties, I was in a band but didn't have a bass, so I used to borrow the guitarists PB copy, it was awful.
Money was tight in those days I wasn't earning a lot but there was a small music shop in my town. Went in one day saw the bass on sale new for £120. There was no credit back then but like a savings club. You put your money down and it was guaranteed it was yours when you paid off the full price. Used to put £10 a week down on it for 11 weeks after, average wage for someone like me was £50 a week. The pride as I walked away on that last week with the bass in my hands is a feeling I'll never forget. I'd religiously paid my £10 eack week and that was my prize. Used it for 5 happy years before part chopping it for a Westone Spectrum GT. I loved the Westone, but it never had quite the same, I dunno, presence as that simple little Vox. Maybe one day I'll see whether I can get hold of another but the last one I saw was going for £900.
Like this
Vox White Shadow Bass, 1984 , Matsumoku Factory -Japan, with Hardshell Case. | Reverb UK

 

[Tim Skaggs]

‘84 Gibson Explorer bass. I probably wouldn’t play it if I had it, but I sure wish I would have kept it.

 

[nealw]

Traded away my first 2 basses in the 80s and would dearly love to have them back.
1) Fender Musicmaster
2) Rick 4001

(These aren’t the exact basses but they look just like them.)

 

[Matt Liebenau]

Vox White Shadow made by Matsumoku - though I didn't know at the time who Matsumoku was. It was in the early eighties, I was in a band but didn't have a bass, so I used to borrow the guitarists PB copy, it was awful.
Money was tight in those days I wasn't earning a lot but there was a small music shop in my town. Went in one day saw the bass on sale new for £120. There was no credit back then but like a savings club. You put your money down and it was guaranteed it was yours when you paid off the full price. Used to put £10 a week down on it for 11 weeks after, average wage for someone like me was £50 a week. The pride as I walked away on that last week with the bass in my hands is a feeling I'll never forget. I'd religiously paid my £10 eack week and that was my prize. Used it for 5 happy years before part chopping it for a Westone Spectrum GT. I loved the Westone, but it never had quite the same, I dunno, presence as that simple little Vox. Maybe one day I'll see whether I can get hold of another but the last one I saw was going for £900.
Like this
Vox White Shadow Bass, 1984 , Matsumoku Factory -Japan, with Hardshell Case. | Reverb UK

I like that. I don’t know if I’ve seen that body shape before. Over here the payment plan you were on would be called lay-away.

 

[ravelax]

I kind of regret trading my Ibanez ATK 600 for an Ibanez RB630. The ATK would be cool to have at hand, and I do miss it a bit. I did prefer the neck and tone of the RB630, though, and that one would've been a cool mod platform. I sold the RB when I bought my Fender Jazz Bass Special, which in turn I'm now starting to miss as well since it's been on long term loan with a friend of mine for a couple of months. I'm getting it back shortly though!

 

[BASSDROID]

This guy... My first good bass, a 1982 4001S. Serial VE1277. These photos were taken from an ebay auction a few years back. I would be interested in buying it back if I had the chance.