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Guitar Center used site
- Thread starter rizzo9247
- Start date
Yeah that MIJ is A good deal that era of Japanese stuff just keeps going up. I’ve owned 10 or so and last week sold A medium scale version for $850, but I’ve sold full scale ones like that for $500 in very abused condition. If it’s clean I’d pay $600.
Yup, the serial number is on the headstock and starts with an E + six numbers...which makes it 1984-1987 Fuji Gen Gakki or the Fuji String Instrument Production Corporation (starting in 1982).
Bad price? ...or some other reason?
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I just think it's a bit pricey with tax and the shipping for a non-reissue model.
I find most used Fenders more expensive than I think they are worth, so I didn't know this MIJ was expensive.
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IMO, $599.00 isn't bad at all for an E-Series MIJ Precision. I have one virtually identical to that one, and it's probably my favorite P-Bass. I just gigged with it Thursday night. I did swap out the pickup for a Duncan SPB-1, but I just love the bass. Looks great; feels great; and sounds great. Of course with tax and shipping, it might make it borderline high. But if it's anywhere near as nice as mine, it's worth it. Again, strictly IMO...
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A 30-year-old E series MIJ Fender for $600 is a very good deal. Fender Japan made better basses than Fender USA in that era IMHO. Current MIJs, still excellent, will cost even more than that. My four or five favorite basses are MIJ Fenders. My 1986 P, courtesy of @Hubriser, is possibly the best of them all.
Oh the one that got away! Haha seriously glad you’ve still got her she needed a better home, plus if you ever decide to let her go I want the 1st option to bring her back to the east coast!
As far as that 88’ at GC it seems inline to me with what’s going on with these mij instruments, Sam ash also has a nice 88’ P with a similar price. I’d honestly probably buy one of them now but I just picked up a tele a few weeks ago....ironically it’s a mid 80s mij thinline tele, and funny enough on the price debate on 80s mij instruments I brought it back to guitar center because I panicked thinking I paid too much just because it’s 30 years old but after playing a bunch of $1500 American Professional strats and teles I left with the mij thinline feeling like I got an unbelievable deal! It’s so much easier for me to play than the new necks and it sounds every bit as good if not better. The mij stuff stands the test of time in my book and price wise seems to compare with random 90s-2000s American standards which imho they are at least on par with if not better
With GC, it’s trust but verify. Couple of years ago, I bought a “1986” MIJ A-serial, natural ash/BnB maple Jazz that they shipped to my local GC for pickup. On further research, it was actually a 1997. The neck would not set up to my liking until I had it PLEKed. Of course it needed a proper black ‘70s pickguard. And then I replaced the tone circuit due to a super-noisy pot. Which requires replacing the control plate because US pots are chunkier. After investing a couple (nay, three) hundred additional, it’s now a really nice bass but hardly a bargain.
OTOH, I still have my first bass which was a smokin’ GC deal at $300 for a pristine 1998 MIM Precision. (Yes, it now has a new Rio Grande vintage style pickup.
Gotta do it sometimes...)
Watch that 3 day return period on vintage basses. That’s not a lot of time to do a deep dive on a new acquisition while still in the honeymoon period! ...and somebody grab that E-series P. Oly white and maple—delicioso!!
OTOH, I still have my first bass which was a smokin’ GC deal at $300 for a pristine 1998 MIM Precision. (Yes, it now has a new Rio Grande vintage style pickup.
Gotta do it sometimes...)Watch that 3 day return period on vintage basses. That’s not a lot of time to do a deep dive on a new acquisition while still in the honeymoon period! ...and somebody grab that E-series P. Oly white and maple—delicioso!!
Can anyone shed light on this bass? I've played it several times in the store. It plays nice, but just leary of price and what it really is. Says it's an ESP bass.
- Body is a PJ style (could be an LTD 204/214 or something else?)
- EMG pickups, look active, and there is a battery on back, but no battery and they sound fine
- Only two knobs, both seem to be a volume for each pickup.
- Neck - seems to be dark rosewood or ebony fret board, nice finish. No writing on headstock, except "ESP" engraved on back of headstock
price started out as $849 probably back in Nov/Dec timeframe and is now $599. Comes with case, too. If it's a parts bass, not sure if it's worth it, but don't know much about ESP basses.
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- Body is a PJ style (could be an LTD 204/214 or something else?)
- EMG pickups, look active, and there is a battery on back, but no battery and they sound fine
- Only two knobs, both seem to be a volume for each pickup.
- Neck - seems to be dark rosewood or ebony fret board, nice finish. No writing on headstock, except "ESP" engraved on back of headstock
price started out as $849 probably back in Nov/Dec timeframe and is now $599. Comes with case, too. If it's a parts bass, not sure if it's worth it, but don't know much about ESP basses.
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Reminds me of the E-II Ap 4. Those If I remember had the Bab bridge and emg. They were in the LTD line, not sure if they made a higher end model.
Can you tell if there was a side jack that was plugged/covered up? Would have had 3 knobs on the PG and a side output.
$500 seems to be the avg price if the AP model.
Some stores mark stuff differently than others if you watch regularly...
Brands/models that would sell quick in my area might not sell quick in others.... That may explain some of the variations...conversely some probably is The Stupid raising its head again...
Brands/models that would sell quick in my area might not sell quick in others.... That may explain some of the variations...conversely some probably is The Stupid raising its head again...
Thanks for responding. Yes, I think it did have a sidejack - not 100% certain, but I think so. I wonder if the neck was a replacement, or they erased the LTD markings? But the headstock shape does not look like a LTD headstock...
I'm with ya. Hard to say exactly. It reminded me of the AP aside the head stock shape.
Personally, I didn't remember ever seeing an ESP with a "Fender" headstock, other then on "Tele" style (51 P style) basses.
Early 80s ESP neck perhaps? Navigator neck?
Pics in this Vintage Circa 1983 ESP Electric Bass Guitar have a couple with the fender type head stock.
Found this interesting. Reverb ad for a 1983 Fender P copy made by ESP.
TB thread
EDIT: Maybe buy it so you can pop off the neck and see what markings it may have.
Return it otherwise. Might be worth it to have a look.
Pics in this Vintage Circa 1983 ESP Electric Bass Guitar have a couple with the fender type head stock.
Found this interesting. Reverb ad for a 1983 Fender P copy made by ESP.
TB thread
EDIT: Maybe buy it so you can pop off the neck and see what markings it may have.
Return it otherwise. Might be worth it to have a look.
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Also, the neck heel pocket is different than a Fender so if it is indeed a Fender style neck, some alterations or wood work was done to make it work.
