Buying a cracked American P Bass

I would want to be certain there was really hardened epoxy in there.

Then, I would buy it.

If there's epoxy in there, it ought to be stable. At which point your options are to leave it or fill it. I'd fill it, probably with more epoxy; I wouldn't mind that particular crack looking like a crack, if you know what I mean. That's mojo.

You could fill with something opaque, sand it down, and try to make it look like it's not there, but you're unlikely to succeed 100%.

 

Yeah. It's a wide enough crack that if you shine a strong light into it, you might well see the repair and be able to assess it.

Good luck. Even if there's no epoxy in there, there's no reason you can't be the one who puts some in.

 

Epoxy isn't the way to go with a repair like that, Tite Bond and padded camps. The bass is certainly playable if it's a great deal rock it.

 

That aint nothin, I'd buy it.

 

Ask yourself "am I willing to eat the cost of this bass". I see any risky purchase like investing in stocks.

Earlier this year I invested in a company who's product I enjoy, and who's future Im optimistic about given this year's successful new product launch. But this company has had a recently rocky past, despite a distant past that was very good.

I wanted to finally learn a little about the stock market, but also not get in over my head. So I asked others for some advice and was told to ask myself "how much money am I willing to completely lose?" That answer was only a few hundred bucks. And Ive watched that investment flux between profit and loss through the year.

TL;DR - Buy it if you would be totally fine with the thing snapping in half four months down the round, without being too upset about it.

 

Depends on the price. If the price is right buy it. But if it is close to a non damaged one, don't buy it. You will always see the spot & make excuses for it.

 

I don't think that is a "Death" crack.

If price is right---go for it if it plays as you like.

I'd strip the back arc of the bass bottom, assess, fill/clamp, then paint to some artistic effect (you know, like a round cookie has a chocolate rim sort of thing or whatever works for you). Make it your own!

Or rim the back arc with tort.

 

What's the price, what year and what's the rest of it look like?

I wouldn't let that crack stop me from buying it if the price was right and it was playable.

 

How did it get the crack? My concern would be the neck joint, not the crack itself.

 

Automotive Bondo and a modicum of painting skills would fix that right up, or just leave it as-is and enjoy the well-played vibe.

 

That crack looks like a strap lock failure. I had a strap lock fail on me and had an Ibanez Roadstar fall eight feet onto a concrete floor a bazillion years ago. the entire body cracked. I glued and clamped it and played it endlessly on the road. That was the late 1980's. That bass still plays like a champ today. If it plays well, jump on it.

 

The seller assures the bass was properly repaired (said the hole is filled with epoxy) but didn't know enough to clamp the repair.

Consider the source...

 

Could be, but the crack doesn't look completely filled in the picture. I"ve fixed instruments (and other stuff) a LOT more smashed than this. I'd get it in an instant if the price is right. First you'd need to get a needle or long stiff wire to probe that crack to see if there actually is epoxy in it. If not that is great because then YOU can put it in and clamp it. If is is but is only filled partway, that is OK too, you just finish the fill job. You want long-time setting epoxy because you need to heat it with a hair dryer so it's really runny and goes in the crack Quick set will start to set up from heat so you don't want that. Usually I just poke the glue down the crack with a stiff wire. I'd fill the whole area right up to the paint level and then sand it smooth and rounded (even fill a couple times if necessary). Since this looks like an impact damage epoxy will permanently lock the wood solid and will never come loose (be sure you do an EXACT mix on epoxy parts using NEW glue... a non-setting bad mix is a nightmare on a repairs like this) Since this is not a joint where strength is needed (like a broken neck) where you want wood parts clean and exactly matched and clamped for max strength. so long as this does not buzz you'll be home free.
Good luck!

 

How much are we talkin here?

 

This is too damaged. I wouldn't touch it. Never mind how much this costs. . . . you can find a better bass.

 

$970 = no ! you can do better here in the classifieds.

 

Unless it's the steal of a century I'd pass. No way in heck I'd spend $970 on a used American Standard that WASN'T cracked! There are scads of USA made Fender basses out there, and you can get a great deal on one that isn't cracked with a hack-job repair if you're patient. I'd probably rather spend my hard-earned money on a nice, used MIM P Bass than a busted up USA made P Bass.