• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

JayDee on eBay?

Joshua Pickenpaugh

Joshua Pickenpaugh

Apr 16, 2001
1,526
1,886
ICT
www.joshuapickenpaugh.net
#1
Anyone seen this JayDee on the West Coast? It's for sale out of Oakland, CA., and it seems pretty rough (and the seller doesn't even know what a truss rod is, so asking the seller if the neck is cracked is out of the question).

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...144930&_trkparms=tab=Watching#ht_11891wt_1187

...the seller says that if you find a guitar repair guy in the area you can have him look at it, but for someone not in the west coast area (I'm in KS, for good grief!) is out of the question. Why the seller just doesn't let some-one that actually KNOWS anything about basses actually deal with prospective buyers is beyond my reason. Argh!

Thanks for any and all input friends....

(Sorry if this has been posted before, and I'm not even sure if I can link to an eBay sale (been a while since I actually posted on Talkbass, I usually just read and contribute!)).
 
As an eBay Associate, TalkBass may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
#5
I'm not sure about that one...

For christ sakes He cannot even string it.

Unless this was some kind of steal which it is not then I would pass on it, but that is just me.
 
#6
Joshua Pickenpaugh said:
Anyone seen this JayDee on the West Coast? It's for sale out of Oakland, CA., and it seems pretty rough (and the seller doesn't even know what a truss rod is, so asking the seller if the neck is cracked is out of the question).
Click to expand...


These were far more common in the UK, although still rare - but I have this vague memory that they were one of the very few basses with a set neck - glued-in rather than neck through or bolt-on!

This means they are very prone to warped necks and that can be a big problem..?
 
#8
Joshua Pickenpaugh said:
Thanks for any and all input friends....
Click to expand...

I would be cautious. As noted, it's missing the truss rod cover, P/U selector switch and a bridge saddle (oh and one "cord"). No biggie, but a missing truss rod cover might indicate that the former owner had to make a lot of adjustments and just left it off, see below.

Take him at his word and the standard jack input does not work. Again, probably an easy fix, but ...

Looks like it has had a poor or clumsy refret, based on the pocking either side of some of the frets.

Finish dings are big and noticeable. Pearl finishes are hard to color-match. The one on the upper bout will likely get worse with use because that's where your arm rubs. The damage by the strap button might indicate a ham fisted attempt to fit a strap lock in the past (button looks to be original though) or perhaps the button came loose.

The bigger concern for me would be that it looks to be an '87 model. Jaydee was struggling to keep up with demand around this time and had a number of staff working for him, so this bass may not have been built by the man himself. Some (many in fact) from this period are perfectly fine basses, but some are not. I have played a lot of Jaydees and ones from around this era seem to be lacking something and just don't feel as nice. I believe Jaydee changed the type of truss rod used around this time and had a lot of problems with the new shorter design. The problems weren't immediately apparent and quite a few basses went out of the shop before the problem was picked up. I think this is part of the reason why Jaydees have a (somewhat unfair) reputation for having temperamental necks. On a personal note, I prefer to avoid the mahogany/walnut/maple laminate necks and would prefer a maple/walnut neck. I find the latter to be more stable, but that's just my personal opinion.

Hope that helps.
 
#9
JDGA fan said:
Eh? What is the fact that it has a set-neck got to do with anything?
Click to expand...


Well - the vast majority of basses are either neck-through or bolt-on. This allows for easy repairs and adjustment in the bolt-on case and for natural movement of the wood in the neck-through category!

In the Jaydee - the neck is a separate piece of wood glued in place and so any movement in the wood may cause problems and after 20 years, wood does tend to "compact" or shrink as it ages - so this can cause warping problems...?

If you do a search on Jaydees - there is a thread round here on TB that details this known problem.
 
#10
As far as the present eBay listing goes, this is all moot anyway.
The auction is over and it doesnt appear that anyone bid on it. It just says the listing has ended.

At least you cant complain that the seller was hiding the flaws! He posted up-close pics of the finish problems, the missing bridge saddle (and the strangely discolored one!), the missing truss rod cover, etc.

Apparently no one else thought it was worth what he was asking so it loks like in this one case, no harm done.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back