Birth Year Bass

[Bar Band Bassman]

For me, a birth year bass is a good news/bad news joke. Good news: there were only 2 choices. Bad news: a 1955 bass is going to be REALLY pricey! Like, $18K for a p-bass with original everything. Gibson's not-yet-called EB-1 but simply "Gibson Bass" may be considerably cheaper, but still crazy $, IF I could find one! '53, '54, '56, '58, yeah. '55? Nope.

BBB

 

[Apolicious]

I'm afraid I don't have the hair to pull off my birth year.

 

[GIBrat51]

Well...
if you're a lefty - an old lefty - like me? There's no such thing as a "Birth year bass" - unless I can find a left handed upright bass. In 1951? There were no left handed electric bass guitars - regardless of the price... "Birth Year Bass" is not something I think about much...

 

[57pbass]

Sadly I only have a picture of one

 

[JC BASS 91]

I stumbled across a '72 Jazz (which would nail my birth year) at our local Guitar Center a few years back, but didn't have $6000 to walk away with it. I'm perfectly fine with my '74 Ric and feel that's as close as I'm likely to get.

 

[stringthrough]

Save about $10K and get a Fender Custom Shop '55 recreation.

 

[JimmyO]

I’ve thought about it but understand that quality was kinda touch and go with a lot of US brands in the late 70s. Definitely not the kind of purchase I’d make without being able to put my hands on it first.

 

[el murdoque]

That's why you should buy your birth year bass a lot sooner!

 

[Bunk McNulty]

Leo didn't put one out until the year after I was born.

 

[SteveLo42]

I actually looked the other day, not that I can afford one at the moment, but an '87 P bass is pretty damn reasonable.

 

[2saddleslab]

I was lucky to find a '51 body [$200.00] & '55 neck [$125.00], both my senior, back in 1989 [gotta love Leo's modular design] that unbeknownst to me, would become my forever bass.

Back in those days days it was relatively easy to find some hidden gems, like this 1952 Tadeo Gomez made P bass [traded '58 P Bass, see below].

And this 1956 P Bass [$600.00, refin bought unassembled].

But even before my backwards slide down to early slab obsession, it was a 1958 P Bass [$800.00] that opened my eyes to the glory of vintage. Those were the days, as they say.

 

[H K]

I guess the trick is buying one when you're relatively young. The older you/the bass get, the harder it is to find and the more expensive it will be..

On the other hand, I havent really ever found any from my year that I think are cool, yet.

 

[dune]

A "birth year bass" has never been on my radar. If it were I'd need something from '62, and I don't see myself ever paying 5 figures for any bass.
I'm sure that some will consider it sacrilege, but I've never been convinced that vintage basses are really all that to begin with, let alone worth $20,000 or more.

 

[Pirate Captain]

gotta think outside the box on this one

 

[Tim Skaggs]

I had plenty of chances to get a birth year bass for a reasonable price, but that was a long time ago.

Now I can probably get a birth year car cheaper than a birth year bass, but neither one are "cheap".

Several years ago I had a serious craving for a stack knob Jazz bass, (NOT a birth year) and now I have a really nice one, but I built it. Had I bought an original '61 or '62, I would have needed to take out a second mortgage on my house. I love basses and playing bass, but having an old Fender or any other old bass that's close to or more than $10k never made a lot of sense to me, especially when I could buy a really nice bass for around $1k.

I guess I just don't have much museum curator in me

 

[Ostie]

A BYB means nothing to me. I would honestly rather have a BYB car.

 

[tb-player]

+1 for a Custom Shop.

I get the charm and even the bragging rights of owning a bass that is the same age as you. But to pay the maximum amount of money for the oldest and most deteriorated instrument makes little to no sense.

I wasn't born in '69 but i once had a '69 P. it was in decent shape and sounded great. But when I went to gigs, I usually grabbed my custom shop p because I didn't want to mess up such an expensive and somewhat fragile bass. I eventually sold it and bought a couple of really nice new basses that actually got played.

Just my experience. I'm sure most will disagree.

 

[PapaBearBass]

Of all the things that are not going to happen in my life, this one is is never going to happen the most. Oh well

 

[bassdude51]

Born Aug. 1951. BYB? Not likely! Nobody knows but it is assumed that less than 100 1951 P Basses were made with production starting in Oct. '51. If so, of that 100, how many are in exsistance today? Probably very, very few.

So, BYB? It ain't gonna happen for me. Couldn't afford one if there were any up for sell.

But..............I do own this (Feb. '53) and it is only one year and 3 months off from being a 1951 BYB. As good as it's gonna get for me. Bought if from Guitar Center in Denver and had it shipped to Columbus, Ohio. Bought it on the tail end of the 2008 economic mess here in the USA so it was price right for me.

GC Los Angeles had it listed for $16,000 and it sat in the store for over 5 years, no buyers. Then, GC LA reduced the price 50% and someone at the Denver GC bought it. Changed their mind and returned it.

My son accidently saw it on GC's website and told me about it. I bought it knowing I had 3 days for a full refund. GC Denver shipped it UPS Next Day Air (no extra charge), got it in less than 24 hrs. Loved it at first sight. 100% original except for the phenolic saddles. Included the original 1953 gig bag and yes, "they" had gig bags back then.

Has a ton of mileage and real deal relicing but is in excellent playability condition.

BYB? For me, a 1951 Boomer, this is as good as it'll get.

(Super loved 2saddleslab photos and bass stories!)

 

[Five or Six]

I don't think they had invented a bass on my birth year. Not sure electricity had been in vented?