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Fender Telecaster Bass

P

pretendKILLA

Mar 16, 2011
8
0
#1
Greetings,

Today I am a very happy camper.
My brother had an old Gretsch (76 I believe) that he didn't really play and we found someone who was interested and ended up trading it for a 73 Telecaster bass. This bass is in really good condition considering it's almost 40 years old. It has a crack on the pick-guard and a couple dings but nothing major.
The owner said it was all original, which I believe.
Still haven't plugged it in because the strings are super dull, but I just wanted to get some input and maybe get some more information from you experts out there.

One thing that drew us to this bass is that me and my brother were talking to Larry Cragg and he has a 72 telebass and said it has the old school Crazy Horse bass tone.
Thanks for any help!
 

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#2
I've played one (not mine, though), but it was in the '70s, so I don't remember much, only that it felt and sounded good, I thought. I suppose that is a humbucking pickup. It looks similar to the one that was on a Tele Custom guitar I had for awhile. Hope you like it.
 
#5
StrangerDanger said:
I always wonder why some people put the birdge covers on in that direction and not the other way?
Click to expand...

There's a common photo of Duck Dunn holding Louis Steinberg's pre-1957 Precision and the bridge cover is mounted that way too. I suspect it's because by reversing the cover you moved the foam mute away from the strings.

StrangerDanger said:
It is going to be pretty muddy so you may need some eq adjustment to compensate...
Click to expand...
Yep, there's a reason the common nicknames for that pickup include "Mudbucker".

John
 
#6
The bridge cover is on backwards because there is (or was) a felt mute stuck to the underside of the narrow end. By putting the cover on backward the mute is moved below the saddles and does not make contact with the strings.

Cool bass, pretend. The Seth Lover-designed mudbucker in your bass will sound super-deep. Some folks make that sound work by radically cutting lows on their preamp and using light-gauge rounds. A very unique tone.
 
#8
Those are VERY cool looking basses.

The tone leaves something to be desired to most...you'll find out when you play it in a band mix, it can be muddy and somewhat undefined. I'd throw some nickel or even steel roundwounds on it and let it rip.

Also, I agree with the above comment that the right EQ from your amp will be important when dialing in your tone.

Great bass though! And great color, don't see too many black ones
 
#15
I had a 73' for about 3 years. Its a great bass with a sick neck. The mudbucker is a chore to EQ and my only issue is that bass is loud, as loud as a active bass and for me and the music I do was kind of hard to tame. I got rid of it and picked up a 78' P bass which is home for me.
 
#16
Don't get your hopes high expecting to dial in a great tone on that humbucker Tele. As mentioned before, it's muddy and undefined, and there's not much you can do about that.



On the other hand, black Tele basses are rare, so you have a bass that's worth good dough.
 
#17
Let's not get the poor guy pre- discouraged about his bass before he even plugs it in! Some people really like boomy, powerful basses- Nick Lowe got some great tones out of a 70's tele bass (although Jim Keltner told me it was always way too loud on stage...name drop). I have always wanted one. Personally, I'd put some Labellas on there and let people feel the full wrath of the bass.

Anyway, it sure does look nice- seems like it has a hardly a scratch on it for being 40 years old.
 
#18
lol thanks for the defense corinpills.

i havent checked this forum in a while so i missed some of the comments.

i've been messing with it here and there but unfortunately my amp is real crap right now. I plan on getting a tube amp within the next month or two.
I am actually recording a few songs this weekend at this analog studio and they have a house Ampeg tube rig. I will bring the bass and see if I can get a tone im looking for.

very excited.
thanks again for info everyone!
 
#20
pretendKILLA and Vellu, you both are welcome to post your basses on the one and only...

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/official-telecaster-bass-club-620972/.

FWIW, I have a 1974 and once I brought that one to band practice the guys said: "Lose all your other basses and just play THIS one!"

My 1978 also sounds pretty good with my Aguilar gear. I have that one set up with Pyramid Gold flats. That one also works like magic with synth pedals, if you are into that sort of thing.
 

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