Do older basses sound significantly better?

[-Asdfgh-]

If it was a POS back in the 60's/70's, it's a POS today!

Back in the 90s the received wisdom that it was 60s good, 70s bad, JV Squiers were only good for starting a fire. It seems things become good after 30 years. Now this isn't true for music as the last good music was released in 1997 which isn't yet 30 years ago .

 

[BassyBill]

This question should have been posted as a poll. Then we would have definitely found out the real answer.

 

[Tom Bomb]

The real answer as opposed to the unreal answer?

Wood if we could but we cant.
​

 

[Pontiac Thrasher]

I have 1952 precision bass and a couple other old basses from the 70s, 90s and early 2000s.
That 52 the wood is basically petrified and it is certifiably the most resonant bass i own. When you hit a note you can really feel it and hear it.
I think it comes down to good wood that's aged well and PLAYED. I think instruments that have been vibrating for decades develop that wonderful tone

The low old production numbers may have allowed Fender at least to hand select wood by resonance. Legend has it that at one time in the 1960's Pontiac Motor Division was building the differentials for other GM divisions and that they would strike the ring and pinion gears with a hammer with the longest sustaining ones going into Pontiacs, the lifeless duds going into Chevy's, and any in between going into Olds and Buicks....

Old school sorting process.

: )

 

[-Asdfgh-]

The low old production numbers may have allowed Fender at least to hand select wood by resonance.

Fender was about producing reasonable instruments at the lowest cost on a production line using cheaply available components like last year's car paint, surgical tubing, etc. Amazingly, it was a formula that resulted in some great instruments but I find it unlikely that they were selecting based on resonant properties when they were getting ash and alder based on what was cheap.

 

[Deleted member 271037]

We could do it by sound maybe. Old recording of Fender basses that were new then, compared to a new one today might reveal something. But unless it's the same basses being compared to an old recording that won't prove the aging thing. But it could reveal how a new bass in the 50s-60s recorded sounded to a new one today. Although the recording technology has changed a lot since then...

View attachment 5316218

Yeah, that's the only possible way IN THEORY. In real life it's a severely flawed approach that wouldn't tell us anything about the effect of aging because we wouldn't know the exact signal chain, eq settings and other processing on those recordings. Even the choice of strings would affect the tone considerably more than what I would expect from the effect of aging. Which means that any comparisons made with old recordings are 100% worthless for this purpose.

 

[P. Aaron]

I have limited data, but my ‘74 Fender Jazz was a piece of junk compared to my ‘20 Am Pro 2 jazz. The ‘20 sounds better, plays better, is lighter and - I think - looks better.

I am sure some old ones are great. Mine wasnt

Regards
Mark

For myself, it became a time/resources issue. One could easily find a great 'vintage' bass and buy it. BUT, there will always be another one that comes available. Many new/used instruments are just fine. At least with new, you have a window of return.

 

[Pontiac Thrasher]

Fender was about producing reasonable instruments at the lowest cost on a production line using cheaply available components like last year's car paint, surgical tubing, etc. Amazingly, it was a formula that resulted in some great instruments but I find it unlikely that they were selecting based on resonant properties when they were getting ash and alder based on what was cheap.

I have no way of knowing what happened at Fender, but buying a brand new late 1982 build date 1957 Precision avri to play in place of my 1972 Telecaster began the parade of people that went ape over it, everyone told me that it was light and resonant for a precision at that time (1980's.) They also commented on the body lines which though to this day I love, were at the time all I knew of Precision's. I eventually sold the Telecaster having had the Precision grow on me. Due to during band rehearsal my Precision hitting the concrete floor hard after flying six feet off me and bouncing off the lead guitarist's Flying V when a cabinet walked off a loft and landed on me, the body was severely split and I eventually replaced the body with beautifully matching mint condition 1983 Precision Elite body. Sadly, it is now a whole different bass, due to the wood, though it has also grown on me. I miss having the original!

 

[DJ Bebop]

Yeah, that's the only possible way IN THEORY. In real life it's a severely flawed approach that wouldn't tell us anything about the effect of aging because we wouldn't know the exact signal chain, eq settings and other processing on those recordings. Even the choice of strings would affect the tone considerably more than what I would expect from the effect of aging. Which means that any comparisons made with old recordings are 100% worthless for this purpose.

Hence my...

 

[DJ Bebop]

I have no way of knowing what happened at Fender, but buying a brand new late 1982 build date 1957 Precision avri to play in place of my 1972 Telecaster began the parade of people that went ape over it, everyone told me that it was light and resonant for a precision at that time (1980's.) They also commented on the body lines which though to this day I love, were at the time all I knew of Precision's. I eventually sold the Telecaster having had the Precision grow on me. Due to during band rehearsal my Precision hitting the concrete floor hard after flying six feet off me and bouncing off the lead guitarist's Flying V when a cabinet walked off a loft and landed on me, the body was severely split and I eventually replaced the body with beautifully matching mint condition 1983 Precision Elite body. Sadly, it is now a whole different bass, due to the wood, though it has also grown on me. I miss having the original!
View attachment 5316720

Enjoying your case amp

 

[micguy]

No, but older bassists sound better.

There is a lot of hubbub on guitar forums about the golden age of guitars - those built in 1958-1960. My position is that it’s a great era for musicians as well. Prince, Michael Jackson, Madonna, and I were all born the same year. Madonna and I are still making music….

 

[TN WOODMAN]

I do think that in general, 50’s and 60’s Fenders tend to be lighter. It may well have to do with aged lumber. I believe there is a story about Leo Fender buying scrapped railroad cars that had old growth swamp ash and alder floors in them, which he turned into guitars……
and anyone’s welcome to correct me on this or tell the story more correctly but that’s what I recall.

That’s a Leo story I haven’t heard but I like it. I can pass it on in urban legend style when I continually brag on the genius of CLF. I have heard he made clay dot markers from old flooring from the Fullerton plant. That I think has been confirmed.

 

[TN WOODMAN]

There is a lot of hubbub on guitar forums about the golden age of guitars - those built in 1958-1960. My position is that it’s a great era for musicians as well. Prince, Michael Jackson, Madonna, and I were all born the same year. Madonna and I are still making music….

I have to agree. I’m a 1960 model myself.

 

[TN WOODMAN]

Finishes may make water bead up on them, but they do not stop water vapor from leaving. My basses all have polyurethane (not polyester) finishes, and they are lighter in the winter than in the summer. That means something is leaving the wood in winter (when it’s dry), and going back in during the summer (when it’s humid). If that isn’t water, I’m open to suggestions as to what you think is going in and out.

One other detail - most basses and guitars are not finished on the inside - control cavities and such. That means there are big “leaks” through the finish in those cases. Mine are sealed there, but they still gain and lose weight.

That’s mojo coming & going.

 

[TN WOODMAN]

And old squire isn’t gonna sound as good as a new custom shop

Even that point can be argued. I have a Korean E7 Squier Bullet p that sounds & plays pretty dang good. One of my favorite necks in my collection too. Maybe it’s the TI Jazz flats or the Torino red paint job.

 

[micguy]

That’s mojo coming & going.

If old basses have more mojo, then mojo has negative mass.

 

[DirkP]

That’s a Leo story I haven’t heard but I like it. I can pass it on in urban legend style when I continually brag on the genius of CLF. I have heard he made clay dot markers from old flooring from the Fullerton plant. That I think has been confirmed.

Don’t share our best kept secret.The Asbestos from the Fullerton floor is the hidden ingredient that lets all basses resonate with no end. Never have I heard instruments that have that vintage sound and vibe, no matter the wood, the hand-wound pickups or the Fullerplast.

 

[Canadian APII]

It is well known that playing the instrument improves the sound. There are even small vibrating units that attach to guitars that maintain a vibration through it when you are not playing it.

Tonerite.

 

[B String]

That's not how it works

Well.... That's not the only factor, but what are your thoughts?

 

[Pontiac Thrasher]

Even that point can be argued. I have a Korean E7 Squier Bullet p that sounds & plays pretty dang good. One of my favorite necks in my collection too. Maybe it’s the TI Jazz flats or the Torino red paint job.

Agreed, built what I call my "import bass" starting with a loaded Squire Jaguar body and my only beef with it is that it is mostly imported parts, just love the looks, sound, and playability.