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How to handle a low mileage vintage

B

Bassgrowl67

Guest
Jun 5, 2017
14
19
#1
Hi all! Apologies up front if I'm bringing up something that's been dealt with, but I couldn't find a post to directly answer my questions. I have come into possession of a 1972 P bass, pretty much untouched for 40 years. My question is how much changing parts will de-value it. The jack and tone pots need to be replaced (partly due to faulty repair) and the pickguard is broken/split at the lower horn. I've ordered all the parts in, but am unhappy with the pickguard colouring and can't seem to find one quite like the original tortoise pattern. Any opinions/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Edit: The reason I'm asking is that I've owned second hand before, just nothing that was actually "vintage"
Thanks again
 
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#2
If you do anything with that guy as far as changing the parts is concerned save all of the old parts. Jacks usually aren't a big deal but keep everything. That way if whoever owned it in the past wants it back or you decide to sell it they will have all the original parts retaining most of the value of the bass.
 
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#3
Thanks for the advice. As far as I can tell, everything on it is all original. There are a couple of weird discolorations on the neck, hopefully just usage marks, but possibly defects, not sure. The bass and case were very musty smelling (enough to make me buy an ozone machine and treat it a couple of times) when I got it. I haven't touched anything on it yet, but getting ready to tear it down and go over it. As it is, the strings on it are mismatched and strung weird weird to me anyway) and the intonation is way out. I'm adding a couple of pics
IMG_2628.JPG IMG_2629.JPG IMG_2630.JPG IMG_2631.JPG IMG_2634.JPG IMG_2635.JPG IMG_2636.JPG IMG_2639.JPG IMG_2624.JPG
 
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#4
Well, way to throw open the door!

"Hey, I'm @Bassgrowl67 and this is my first post ever. Check out my vintage Fender, why doncha?"

Welcome to TalkBass!!!!!

Great advice already. Swap what you want to. Don't do anything you can't reverse. Keep all the old parts. Enjoy your bass. Now that's the "How do I keep its value" answer

To me, old basses are just that....old basses. They are not holy relics.....although I admit I am in the minority when it comes to that opinion.

If it were me I would change whatever I didn't like about it.....be it color, pickups, finish on the back of the neck.....whatever. To me, the only "value" in any instrument comes from my enjoying it......however I want to enjoy it.


Either way, sweet bass! Welcome aboard!
 
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#6
two fingers said:
Well, way to throw open the door!

"Hey, I'm @Bassgrowl67 and this is my first post ever. Check out my vintage Fender, why doncha?"

Welcome to TalkBass!!!!!

Great advice already. Swap what you want to. Don't do anything you can't reverse. Keep all the old parts. Enjoy your bass. Now that's the "How do I keep its value" answer

To me, old basses are just that....old basses. They are not holy relics.....although I admit I am in the minority when it comes to that opinion.

If it were me I would change whatever I didn't like about it.....be it color, pickups, finish on the back of the neck.....whatever. To me, the only "value" in any instrument comes from my enjoying it......however I want to enjoy it.


Either way, sweet bass! Welcome aboard!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the welcome, and I won't rub it in by saying the bass was handed to me as a "permanent loan" ( wait, yes I will). I had pretty much lost interest in the bass, hadn't picked up my old Ibanez in quite a while as I had been concentrating on guitar mostly, but this bass has definitely rekindled the old spark!
 
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#10
It all depends on what your long term goal for the bass is. If you plan to sell it, keep the original parts and baby the bass when you play, and try to find used vintage replacement parts. If you plan to use it for life, repair only what's needed for it to sound and feel right, and treat it as any other bass. Thus, giving it the worn out vintage look and feel. Nevertheless, over time, frets will wear, and pots will get worn.
 
#16
like two fingers above, Im of the "instruments are to be played, not enshrined" category....With that said, keep all the original parts if you are going to make changes (also stated before). Although Im not a P-Bass guy, one thing to be said for Precisions is that most mods that don't involve routing or extra drill holes are simple, out-patient procedures: Its pretty simple to swap pickups, pots/jack to your liking and switch them back to original if the need arises

congrats on the bass
 
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#19
Rib 13 said:
like two fingers above, Im of the "instruments are to be played, not enshrined" category....With that said, keep all the original parts if you are going to make changes (also stated before). Although Im not a P-Bass guy, one thing to be said for Precisions is that most mods that don't involve routing or extra drill holes are simple, out-patient procedures: Its pretty simple to swap pickups, pots/jack to your liking and switch them back to original if the need arises

congrats on the bass
Click to expand...
It's not really a "worship" thing, more of a respect thing. The bass belonged to my girlfriends father, who bought it new (still trying to determine whether it was 70, 71 or 72) and then died in an automobile accident in 76. She was very young and some of her most vivid memories of her father are with the bass. Since that time, it's been basically in storage. It's been given to me to do with what I want, and stays in my possession, but she is still the rightful owner, so I want to do it justice.
 
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#20
bassliner50 said:
Personally, I would leave it stock. But if you must modify, keep every original component down to the screws. Label them as such and put them somewhere ***where they will not get lost.*** BTW, take the strings off and install them properly at the bridge.
Click to expand...
The bridge and pickup covers luckily were in the case, along with the screws. The strings of course are getting changed when I do a complete setup. I hope it was my girlfriends son that put the strings on like that, and not the shop that (didn't) set it up and fix the pots and jack for her
 

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