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HELP! Evaluate this trade - AVRI for Custom Shop
- Thread starter neilshane
- Start date
Congratulations! Its a killer bass.
Can't imagine why. It is no more a passing fashion than gold or nickel hardware. Fender has been offering relic finishes as a 'finish option' to their artists for nearly 40 years when they saw the demand and in the mainstream for 25 years. More players enjoy them than those who don't. But what I observe is that the ones who do enjoy them, simply enjoy them and the ones who don't can't help themselves from complaining very loudly, even when not invited to the conversation.
So you’d say the Fullerton would be the next best thing if you can’t get your hands on a, let’s say, on an actual 62’ precision bass?
Enjoy it! Freaking play what gets you pumped 
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Just snagged my first AVRI (1992 '62) yesterday on ebay so I'm excited to see what all this AVRI hoopla is all about!
. Just snagged my first AVRI (1992 '62) yesterday on ebay so I'm excited to see what all this AVRI hoopla is all about!
Never ever sell that P bass. If it's a good one and you like the playability and tone you'll be sorry if you get rid of it.
Good timing ! I am looking for a new p-bass these days. I have tried this CS (the exact same) at the LM store yesterday. I did a/b comparison with the 75th anniversary commemorative p-bass. I can tell that the neck of the 75th anniversary (and same for that of the Am Pro 2) is a dream (IMHO). It is the best Fender p-bass neck I have never tried before. The beefy neck of the CS is not what I’d like when playing all night long in a gig. I’d say that it very depends on what you’re looking for and for which application (case queen or main player, for instance). YMMV.
I'm typically a Jazz bass guy when I play but I also have a special interest in Precision basses as well (hence my avatar) which would make this a HUGE dilemma if it were me. I would ultimately keep the Fullerton AV I think, it just looks (and I'm sure sounds) super sweet. Good luck with your decision.
you'd be coming out ahead.
I'm not into the heavy relic thing, but I do have a 62 FCS "light" relic and it's hands down the best sound and feeling jazz I've played, and thats after owning a 72 and a 64 jazz.
No dig intended to those that like them, but just saying, my mother loved her Formica. Just like there were those that liked the glitzed up Fenders, of which I wasn’t BTW. Speaking of those glitz up Fenders, are seeing people paying an alpha to get one these days?
You missed the salient point of the original post which about an investment as much as the bass itself. I was just pointing out that what may be acceptable even desirable now may not be the case in the future. From an investment standpoint this is critical.
Cheers, I understood clearly. Reading through the entirety of the post, the salient point in this thread was a moving target with many responders contributing their own auto-biographical value hierarchy to the question of 'good move' or bad move' 'what would you do'?... That type of response is expected, appropriate and predictable as the question itself supports it. The 'right' answer does not exist as its purely personal. I was only speaking to the 'relics will go out of fashion' statement. They have sustained (and only grown) in popularity for almost 4 decades and through many 'fads'. They are produced by more companies now than ever. That market is expanding. That said, if you are investor minded vs player minded, I agree. The Fullerton will hold its value. But as it turns out, the OP just wanted a cool J-bass and I think following your happiness is always a good choice.
There were glitzed up Fenders? What is that? Would my ‘81 Precision Special be one?
Just wondering if I bought something distasteful 40 years ago lol. At the time it was the best, and most expensive, bass in the shop. I was coming from owning a ‘72 Pre and EB 2 instruments, and the Special seemed, …special.
Although they were on the heavy side they’re still great basses , the later 1982 Dan Smith Precision Specials also had the bonus of extra contouring + Fullerton reissue tweed cases .
True they were heavy compared to basses today but when new 11lbs was the norm. I used to lift mine up between tunes to get weight off my shoulder. The finish is worn off where my hands did this.
A great bass and some can consider them ‘glitzy’, that’s ok. We all like different stuff. When I gigged this bass my car was a ‘66 Corvette. Many would consider it distasteful. Me, I was smiling.
I have the same Special in blue that I bought new in the 80s. I did gig a lot with it. I played active circuit on at each time. The action is very low. It is a high quality instrument by Fender. I agree that it is somewhat heavy (10-11lbs) with the brass hardware. (BTW I have tried the new gold plated 75th anniversary commemorative p-bass that is also much heavy than the Am Pro 2, eventhough the 75th is made of Ash). YMMV.
It’s hard to compare these to the originals - they are their own animal, they definitely are the best reissue out there and comparable to a Custom Shop
Me personally, I'll take any of the old AVRI line. My '06, and my previous '06 that was stolen, are still the best basses I've picked up, and I'll take any day over a CS. The Fullertons, as others have mentioned, were made on the original machines that built the 60s ones, and that has a certain appeal that ranks them higher, though to me there was no really significant difference between the Fullerton I played and the later AVRIs I've owned. I've asked some folks I know at Fender if they'd ever ditch the American Original line to go back to the more accurately spec'd AVRI line, but as of the last time, there were no plans to, which is a drag as the AVRI line, no matter Fullerton or later, I still think are the best production line Fenders they've built since the 60s. And honestly, I think you could argue possibly the best production line basses they've ever built, given the increase in QC and manufacturing processes since the 60s, or at least certainly the most consistent.
Great post and really well said. I don’t agree with you about relics staying in Vogue. When you been around as long as I have, my gosh, I used Formica as just an example. How about things like Tang, Pet Rocks, Poodle skirts, fender skirts, gigging with ‘Hammond B3s, Marshall stacks, I could go one and on.
One other thing, 40 years ago, I assure you very few people were buying artificially relic’d basses, and most had sense enough not to buy one that was obviously legitimately abused.
But to settle this, let hook up in 25 years and resume the conversation. Deal?
Have a good one Bonafied.
And
And your point is? BTW, I had two EB3s. If you bought that bass 40 year ago and still have it, IMO that is awesome. I don’t care what it was made of, your partnership lasted longer than most marriages. If you put that wear and tear yourself on that bass using it as a bass, it deserves to look like that and that is awesome too.
And your point is? BTW, I had two EB3s. If you bought that bass 40 year ago and still have it, IMO that is awesome. I don’t care what it was made of, your partnership lasted longer than most marriages. If you put that wear and tear yourself on that bass using it as a bass, it deserves to look like that and that is awesome too.
Relicing will never go away because the root motivation in developing techniques was from restoring old instruments
- Ok, if you say so. Like I said on another post, let’s pick up this conversation in another 25 years. In the meanwhile, if you can avoid concentrating on the bass part, give a good listen to the lyrics of “What is Hip”.
- BTW, anybody under age 40 using the term “hip” other than when discussing anatomy these days? That used to be the best word to describe something far out and groovy.
