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I think I found a 58 P Bass

#61
Jim Carr said:
+1

Wise words.

IMHO, this is a job for RSGuitarworks in Winchester, KY. The restoration they performed on my '55 was with a similarly compromised instrument. I might add that this instrument appears to have lived near the ocean, judging from the corrosion and stress to all the surfaces.

Never the less, I recommend stringing it up, patching the nut with some newpaper, and doing a quick fix on the wiring. Why? See if the pickups work and if the neck seems Ok as a player. BTW, the frets look OK and original.

Do you want the URL to my '55 restore? Oh heck Thor, here it is anyway, LOL!

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=325380

Save this old bass, Bro! :hyper: :hyper: :hyper:

It's not that expensive, really. Read my thread.
Click to expand...

You of all people know what the climate is like here.

It's probably premature to plan to refin, as I don't own it
yet.

At 2k, I could swing it with some dumping of gear in the
classifieds. For 4 or 5 I can't swing it and if I did my wife
would pull out her phaser and set it to 'vaporize'. :atoz:
 
#65
This is most likely a 2009 Fender Custom Shop Relic job... :p

Seriously though there is no doubt some value here, and it looks pretty darned original and as Steveinohio says appears to have had some moisture damage at one time.

Regardless if I were the owner and I wanted full value I would let a pro like Gruhn Guitars appraise it.

As a buyer there will most likely be much work needing done but it's a fine starting point.

The electronics are a bit suspect from this picture and may be need some major cleaning/reworking. I have never seen the pots in a 59 but these look like they may not be original?

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=151881&d=1262816625

Can anyone with a 59 era PBass confirm these?

It still is an excellent and exciting find! Subscribed!
 
#66
Honestly, this piece is ROUGH.

I'd make darned sure that this is at least somewhat playable before putting dollar one down on it.

The neck may have suffered water damage (i.e.possibly warped), and the E slot on the nut isn't in playable shape.

I'd think LONG AND HARD before I spent money here. Yup, some of the parts, if they still are in working order have some decent value, but you could have an expensive door stop on your hands there as well.
Be CAREFUL with this one.

That said, if it isn't toast, it would make a good candidate for a full restoration.
 
#67
I'm in agreement with the water damage folks. Stuff just doesn't add up. The neck looks like it's been to hell and back, yet there's little fret wear. Maybe that itself is possible, BUT (IMO) there's no way the pickup poles would be so rusted (big time rust) from the amount of playing time indicated by the frets. I think it took a swim, which would explain the body refin.

Does the pickup even work? (I'm doubting it)
 
#68
GlennW said:
I'm in agreement with the water damage folks. Stuff just doesn't add up. The neck looks like it's been to hell and back, yet there's little fret wear. Maybe that itself is possible, BUT (IMO) there's no way the pickup poles would be so rusted (big time rust) from the amount of playing time indicated by the frets. I think it took a swim, which would explain the body refin.

Does the pickup even work? (I'm doubting it)
Click to expand...

... or was someplace REALLY humid for a long time.
 
#69
Man honestly i would love to own an older fender but a bass has to be a player first and i just cant see that playing really smooth at all, if its actually able to be strung up and played i would be amazed cuz it looks DOA right now, dont get me wrong its not trash but it needs alot of work ,but it appears most of it is there and no extra routes in the body is a plus.
 
#72
throbgod13 said:
offer him 2K for it.. or offer partial trade on a higher offer..
Click to expand...
Let me preface this with, I'm about as big a lover as old P basses as there is.... BUT


I don't think making any kind of offer on this bass is a good idea, untill the condition of the neck in particular (and I suppose the pickup too, but that's easier to repair) has been established.

If the neck is warped beyond repair, $2k would not be any kind of reasonalbe IMO.
 
#75
adbass said:
^^^ I'm with savit260 here.

Thor, You may want to speak with Krishna at the Guitar Garage in Somerville MA. Google him, or search here on TB. He's super nice and has mucho experience in restoring old Fenders.
Click to expand...

I know Krishna personally. Met him at a Central MA gtg last year.
I agree, great guy.

The neck is as straight as an arrow and rock solid. Plenty of
adjustment left on the screw.

The pickup works. The pots are a little scratchy. One pot is
original. I think Krishna may have a period correct replacement
for the other.

There is no water damage. A pro woodworker looked at the
neck and body and concluded that someone had probably
wiped it with something like a Formby's and it settled into
the checking. Likely they stopped when they realized the neck
was sealed and it wasn't soaking in. He thought that
could be easily removed with turpentine.

It is being reassembled and restrung, I have an appt. to play
it Tuesday night. Sounds like he is looking for 4-5 for it as
he said he would let it go BIN for 5, but he was going to wait
for income tax refund time to put it on CL or the Bay.

He figures that this bass is well worth restoration and that
whoever buys it would probably enjoy doing all of that on
their own. He was not inclined to part it out, which I respect
him for. Parted out it would likely get 5k. He had someone
offer him a grand for the pup alone already.

Anyway, I can't afford it at that level, but it was a
worthwhile exercise checking it out.
 
#76
Thor said:
I know Krishna personally. Met him at a Central MA gtg last year.
I agree, great guy.

The neck is as straight as an arrow and rock solid. Plenty of
adjustment left on the screw.

The pickup works. The pots are a little scratchy. One pot is
original. I think Krishna may have a period correct replacement
for the other.

There is no water damage. A pro woodworker looked at the
neck and body and concluded that someone had probably
wiped it with something like a Formby's and it settled into
the checking. Likely they stopped when they realized the neck
was sealed and it wasn't soaking in. He thought that
could be easily removed with turpentine.

It is being reassembled and restrung, I have an appt. to play
it Tuesday night. Sounds like he is looking for 4-5 for it as
he said he would let it go BIN for 5, but he was going to wait
for income tax refund time to put it on CL or the Bay.

He figures that this bass is well worth restoration and that
whoever buys it would probably enjoy doing all of that on
their own. He was not inclined to part it out, which I respect
him for. Parted out it would likely get 5k. He had someone
offer him a grand for the pup alone already.

Anyway, I can't afford it at that level, but it was a
worthwhile exercise checking it out.
Click to expand...

Very happy to hear it's in salvageable condition.

Five large makes me scratch my head though. (required IMO)
 
#78
Yea, too much bread for the condition it's in.

FWIW, Mooradian (in Winchester MA) has two pre-CBS 60s Precision basses that he's selling for 3k each.

I played both of em. They are REALLY nice.

If I didn't own a 66 (and a Wal) I'd get one of those.
 

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