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I think I need a 70's Fender :)
- Thread starter deBont Amps
- Start date
My newly acquired 75 P weighs in at 9lbs. Amazing player and tone for days.
If I were the OP, I'd look for a really beat up, worn out, trashed 70's Fender, maybe a P w/ added J route
(as long as the electronics are working, and preferably original).
You get get it for cheaper because of cosmetic issues, wear and tear, and the reason these basses are usually so beat up is because they're great players in my experiences. They don't get that way from spending their life hanging on a wall or in a case under the bed.
If I were the OP, I'd look for a really beat up, worn out, trashed 70's Fender, maybe a P w/ added J route
(as long as the electronics are working, and preferably original).You get get it for cheaper because of cosmetic issues, wear and tear, and the reason these basses are usually so beat up is because they're great players in my experiences. They don't get that way from spending their life hanging on a wall or in a case under the bed.
I had a 70s' MIM classic (is this what were are talking about) at the beginning of the week.
It looks good, sounds good and had a raised fret so i didnt keep it.
What i didn't like was the neck. It felt chunky and didn't feel comfortable, although i could have lived with it, and i was a bit disappointed with the way the binding goes up at the side of the frets. That looked and felt a bit cheap to me.
So i sent it back.
I spent a whole evening playing both my CV Jazz and the MIM and in the end i didnt feel the MIM was worth over twice what the CVJ cost. It was a better made instrument though, and had it not been for the fret and the fact the E didnt sit over the pole pieces i probably would have kept it.
And yes, it did feel heavy although that wasnt a problem for me.
I have now got a MIA to replace my CVJ, and yes, i do think they are worth the extra. Others will not agree but thats cool.
It looks good, sounds good and had a raised fret so i didnt keep it.
What i didn't like was the neck. It felt chunky and didn't feel comfortable, although i could have lived with it, and i was a bit disappointed with the way the binding goes up at the side of the frets. That looked and felt a bit cheap to me.
So i sent it back.
I spent a whole evening playing both my CV Jazz and the MIM and in the end i didnt feel the MIM was worth over twice what the CVJ cost. It was a better made instrument though, and had it not been for the fret and the fact the E didnt sit over the pole pieces i probably would have kept it.
And yes, it did feel heavy although that wasnt a problem for me.
I have now got a MIA to replace my CVJ, and yes, i do think they are worth the extra. Others will not agree but thats cool.
I'm going to a bass-specialist in about a week who has both new and vintage instruments in stock. I'll keep you guys posted on how that went.
I have to admit I have GAS for a real mid-seventees J, so I'm a bit biased
. I don't mind the weight and believe it might contribute to the tone, skunk stripe, block inlays...
I have to admit I have GAS for a real mid-seventees J, so I'm a bit biased
. I don't mind the weight and believe it might contribute to the tone, skunk stripe, block inlays...
Fender Jaguar bass has 70´s placing of the bridge pickup. It´s a good option if you want a good quality bass with the right sound.
Start working out those back muscles...
One more time, I'll say it: The 1970's were the absolute dark ages for ALL us manufacturing. Cars, amps, guitars and basses were at a low point. Today's Fenders are an order of magnitude better. 1970's <> "Vintage". You want a "Vintage" Fender? Pre-CBS. Pre 1966. THOSE are vintage. '70s? You like the '70s so much, get an AMC Gremlin.
One more time, I'll say it: The 1970's were the absolute dark ages for ALL us manufacturing. Cars, amps, guitars and basses were at a low point. Today's Fenders are an order of magnitude better. 1970's <> "Vintage". You want a "Vintage" Fender? Pre-CBS. Pre 1966. THOSE are vintage. '70s? You like the '70s so much, get an AMC Gremlin.
waynobass said:
False. I had two early 70's J's here over the winter time, a '73 and a '72, and both weighed 8 to 8.5 lbs.
And I sold by beloved '72 P which weight 7.6 lbs!
I've played alot of them, while a few are tanks, as a whole they are not.
Also remember what AMF did for Harley Davidson mortorcycles in the seventies, similar to the Fender-CBS story.
*EXCELLENT* example of the nightmare of the 1970s. Folks who didn't live though that period seem to think it was somehow great... Well let me tell you, it wasn't! 20% interest rates, bad cars, bad... Heck, bad EVERYTHING.
Okay, weed was easier to get... and there was always parking at the beach back then... BUT ASIDE FROM THAT!!!
Oh... And get offa my lawn, you kids! And turn that music down!
Finally a voice of reason! There was a nice chart floating around over and the Fender forum with a good sampling of 70s Fender basses: most weighed 10 pounds or less. I had an 8 pound mid 70s Jazz that I had to sell last year, and I have a 9 pound 76 Jazz right now. I also have an 8.8 pound 74 Precision. But actual facts and empirical evidence will never stop the cliches about 70s Fender here on TB!
btw, Harry, PreCBS is pre 1965, not 1966. Fender sold to CBS in January of 1965.
My '74 Jazz is around 8.5 lbs, and a beauty. Quality is VERY variable however, so don't buy before playing.
Also remember to play before you buy. 70's Fenders are "hit or miss."
I have played a number of them. Some are great and some are not (crooked neck pockets, excessively deep neck pockets, warped necks, dead pickups).
All are a good investment though. If you get a decent deal, you can always sell it for more than you paid.
I have played a number of them. Some are great and some are not (crooked neck pockets, excessively deep neck pockets, warped necks, dead pickups).
All are a good investment though. If you get a decent deal, you can always sell it for more than you paid.
king_biscuit said:
The '73 Jazz (alder with maple board/black blocks) still haunts me. That is one of the best J's I've ever laid hands on.
Nothing, and I mean nothing new sounds like that.
I hate to say, but it seriously gave my '69 J a run for it's money.
I've had quite a few Jazz basses, and my current 76 is not only the best sounding Jazz Bass I've ever had, but the best sounding bass I've ever had period. It is so resonant, harmonics jump off the neck and just scream. It's not overly bright and compressed like a modern bass, but it has that think chunky tone that only some old Fenders seem to have.
I love this, and it is so true. I have the Classic 70s jazz and find it to be impeccably crafted. I do not find the neck to be chunky, and have compared it with my MIM fretless and MIA and can't really feel a difference. The shape of the back is a bit different, and the binding makes it look thicker, but the overall impression is one of sturdiness; the sound is very strong. I had a '78 that I sold in the 80s, and it was not considered much at the time; think I got $400 for it.
if one of you light lovers is looking for a bass, tb'r jabassman might end up selling his sunburst 9 pound 78 jazz. he's looking to replace it with..........wait..........gasp......a heavy one
I think so toIME the real deal '70s has a certain charm that just isn't quite there with the new stuff. Unfortunately, major, deal-killing flaws do abound. That, along with hyped-up pricing makes it kind of tricky to find a total gem & spend less than you would on a decent car.
Happy hunting.
I hear ya. My 74 Jazz has got to be damn'er 13 lbs,but it has tone for daysforget a light weight 70's jazz imo. those had the worst tone. again imoi love every one of the 11 pounds of my dense ash 78 jazz. i also love my 9 pound slab board 62 jazz but it does something entirely different and i wouldnt trade one for the other.
I have found that the heavier basses tend to have more attack and sustain, and are a bit brighter and compressed. The light 70s Fenders have a more open chunky tone with more bloom to the attack and more pillow to the bottom. It's really a matter of personal taste.
Ah, but when was this "Class '70s bass" made? I'm guessing NOT in the '70s. Fender isn't dumb - they aren't going to produce basses that suck on purpose, even of the year/model might have kinda sucked to begin with. In fact, thinking on it, a modern reissue of some '70s models might be a great idea - you could fix the things that made '70s instruments suck (bad fit/finish, electronics, weight) while keeping some of the cool character (whatever that is...).
But I have to say - that old 3-bolt neck on the 70's J basses -- BLECH -- whoever thought that up should have been flogged.
