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Fender American '57 Precision Reissue

#21
Pass.
First of all, question the wisdom of having something shipped all the way from Russia by a private seller.
Second, lack of original neckplate raises all sorts of questions, kills resale value, & THIS sale's top-dollar asking price.
Crack is probably just the finish and harmless .. but who knows. Yet regardless, this is a $ killer both for this sale and resale.
 
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#22
BooshBass said:
Sorry for the double quote, have you played an Vintera 50's basses? If so, how does it hold up to your AO 50's? I'm really squeemish about Mexican Fenders since owning a 2003 Strat that was complete garbage, I typically don't even pick them up at GC anymore. But I've heard they're a lot better now.
Click to expand...
Do not be squeamish about a new MIM bass.
 
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#23
BooshBass said:
I am thinking about buying this bass, but what does everyone think about that crack on the back:

Fender American Precision Vintage ‘57 white | Killer Guitars | Reverb

It looks like the neck plate screw was cranked too hard. I don't really care a whole lot if its cosmetic.

Also, I had always coveted a brand new white/tortoise American P Bass, but then I played my buddy's dad's mid-70s P this weekend and loved it so much I kind of shifted gears to looking at vintage reissues. If I understand correctly, this '57 reissue will have a much different feel, particularly a much thicker neck. Can anyone confirm this?
Click to expand...

i got a vintage reissue in better condition than this for $1350. Id pass. Unless you live overseas and they are hard to find.
 
#24
First off, I don’t think this a real one.

-Wrong pickup
-Wrong case (should be orange interior if memory serves)
-wrong neck plate

These Basses were finished in nitro which doesn’t crack the way shown from overtightened screws. Polyurethane finishes do.

Could be a Mexican 50s vintage body with a maybe American fender neck (no mz serial # on back of headstock) as I think these came in white but didn’t have the raised A pole pieces.

Could also be a gouge in the finish with dirt in it to make it look black/crack.

Either way the price doesn’t do it for me. If this bass was new and all original they only cost $1500 when new. I think for close to 2k you may as well just shop around for a used custom shop.
 
#25
This is all such great advice, thanks everyone! I don't like the idea of buying a more expensive bass off the internet without playing it first in the first place, especially used. I live in Chicago, there's plenty of places for me to look around for a while, we'll see where I end up.
 
#26
Nash P bass 57
nash_pb57_3tsb_hbm562_5_2048x2048.jpeg
 
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#29
That's not an American Vintage '57 (I own one and it's one of the best Fender basses I've ever played, including Custom Shop).

The neck should have a darker tint.
The pickup is wrong, it should have raised pole pieces under the A-string.
The inside of the case is the wrong color, should be orange.
The neck plate should have a serial number.

It also looks like the pickguard is clear coated which isn't correct for the Amercian Vintage '57.

And where's all the case candy + certificate of authenticity?

It MIGHT be the next generation American Vintage '58 though. But as far as I know the neck plate is still wrong and I would NEVER pay that much without a serial number. It could be stolen. Or a MIM. Or maybe not even a Fender (but it does look very much like the '58).

And then there's the crack...

Too many red flags IMO.
 
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#30
As someone who has screwed up plenty of Fenders, I would always have the neck screws strip out before I could crack the body like that. If I did a terrible repair to the neck's threads with sawdust and superglue, I could get the neck screws tight enough to crack the neck. However, I have never cracked a body.

It just makes me wonder if there has been tinkering in that joint. I would want to see photos with the neck removed, or just simpler to pass and pick up one in better condition. I had an AO 1960's P Bass that I let go for a grand, and it was completely mint, and was by far one of the best sounding Fender P's I've ever had.

Good Luck!
 
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#32
BooshBass said:
I am thinking about buying this bass, but what does everyone think about that crack on the back:

Fender American Precision Vintage ‘57 white | Killer Guitars | Reverb

It looks like the neck plate screw was cranked too hard. I don't really care a whole lot if its cosmetic.

Also, I had always coveted a brand new white/tortoise American P Bass, but then I played my buddy's dad's mid-70s P this weekend and loved it so much I kind of shifted gears to looking at vintage reissues. If I understand correctly, this '57 reissue will have a much different feel, particularly a much thicker neck. Can anyone confirm this?
Click to expand...
It is from Russia , so sending it back might be a problem . I'd pass
 
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#33
That is not the original neck plate, and CRIPES; look how tight it is! The plate is seriously bent. The neck screw holes must be in bad shape because of it too.

That is also not the original case.

No pix of neck pocket.

Description is a complete joke.

None of the original "case candy."

The lack of original neck plate and case are actually more price detracting than the crack, though.

It's easily a sub-$1,000 instrument...and it's also best not to own instruments formerly owned by idiots....and it's in Russia. Plus you will pay tax, and wait a month to get it.

I got my brand spanking new blonde AV '58 from a reputable domestic retailer for what you'd pay for that thing after tax.

USVS/AVRI '57s are common basses. They were made for decades, and were very popular. One will turn up, probably even locally.

Move on. Don't look back.

On another note, his video demo is absolutely laughable. It's actually among the worst bass playing and worst bass tone I have ever heard...and that is really saying something.
 
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#36
Hard pass.

Russia? Red flag...
Neck plate? Red flag...
Pickup? Red flag...
Case? Red flag
Top dollar asking price? Lol...

I've got a real 57' AVRI in the same color. It's the best p bass I've ever played. Light, resonant, massive sound, tone for days, and great playability.
 
#39
Son of Wobble said:
A '57 reissue is my #1.

View attachment 4234048 View attachment 4234050


The neck is 1.75" at the neck, but fairly shallow front to back. I don't think the profile is very far off the 50's style MIM Precisions they were offering as of a couple years ago. Some of those were finished in nitro, too, and should be discoverable on Ebay or elsewhere for under a grand.

The nitro lacquer does crack and chip easily, and I would be a little concerned about that crack spreading, particularly if you need to take the neck off to adjust the truss rod. Which of course is necessary with this model, unless you remove the entire guard. If you're dead set on this one, I'd investigate hacks to help stabilize the crack lest a big chunk of lacquer fall off.

Here'a new track I just made with the '57, which is a 2012 iteration, and still wearing the original dead (and grimy) nickel rounds that came factory installed.

The pickup is underwound on that model, and the factory nickel strings are lower output, so the bass is sort of tame through a smaller amp, but really blossoms through a big amp or pre-amp.



Click to expand...

Anyone know why they "A" poles are raised? I assume the original 57 had this but why, with the rest low? I have a 57 P bass reissue and I changed out the pick up because my fingers kept hitting the raise poles. I replaced it with a Lindy Fralin P bass pickup.
 

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