Look at this P bass....

[Iridescentone]

Here's another dreamer with his Ark Of The Covenant guitar for sale. I don't know how this seller can expect to sell this thing at all with the scant pics, regardless of what the reserve price might be.

It's also obviously not a '56. Judging by the serial number it's a '58. Is it "white"...or is it actually "blonde"? There's a difference, but can't tell by the pics. The way the finish has checked (and especially where it looks like it bubbled near the plate) appears a bit suspect to me. Looks exactly like an "original" white '59 I once bought from one of the biggest vintage dealers in the country.....which turned out to be a refin.

The Dream; "The value is 28k low, 32k high, that's if you can find them." Really? Dude, it's a '58 P bass, not a '60 stacked knob Jazz bass.

1956 Fender Precision Base Blonde 4 string - RARE!!!!

 

[secondtake]

Remember when some rich tech dude (I think) gave Flea a very collectable 60s Jazz (a stack-knob version, I think) and the first thing Flea did was cover it with stickers? I guess it was his right, but jeez. And now Flea has a signature Jazz, his 256,000th signature bass for 256,000 different companies.

 

[gsquare]

Hmm.. I would reroute the cavities, stick Ken Smith pickups, an active pre-amp with 12 pots and 6 switches, a tremolo bridge, a condom dispenser, and a Betty Boop sticker on the headstock for good measure. Oh, and I would relic it even more with a Brillo pad. Who's with me???

With the heavier pickups and extra electronics adding weight to the instrument, it would also be prudent to chamber the body, or just hack off the lower horn at least.

 

[bongostealth]

With the heavier pickups and extra electronics adding weight to the instrument, it would also be prudent to chamber the body, or just hack off the lower horn at least.

Damn right!

 

[ariwax]

I love a P-bass with some mojo. That said, that level of cosmetic damage, along with replacement tuners, Badass bridge, Dimarzio pup? They are asking four times what it's worth. If this bass could speak, it would probably say "kill me."

 

[Tommyc]

This is a classic case of virtuoso benediction. If Eric Clapton doesn't wander into a Nashville guitar shop in the early 70's and buy an armload of 50's Fender guitars that the owner was eager to get rid of for a couple of hundred dollars apiece then they're just old slab bodied bolted on neck electric guitars from a bygone era. What becomes fashionable is what becomes pricey.

 

[ianuaditis]

Funny, I found this thread by doing a search for John Kahn as I've been listening to a lot of his work and was thinking of posting an appreciation thread.

The GD connection is definitely behind the price - Garcia's guitars sold for almost 10 times what they want for this one.

As far as the mods, they were made by a busy gigging musician, who backed one of the most well-known guitarists in the world for over 20 years to what seems to be his main stage bass. I don't believe for a second that he thought of the resale value, and I'm sure something like the tuner angle was done out of practical reasons. As Garcia's bass player he would have had access to the best of the best in terms of techs and repairmen.

looked at in that light, as an historical piece and as a relatively unheralded player's long time workhorse, it's kind of cool. I wouldn't pay that kind of money for it. But I wouldn't pay whatever they want for a vintage stock instrument either.

However, I read a recent article in Guitar World about Joe Bonnamassa, who bought a nocaster at GC that had a humbucker in the neck, and I think he said he paid almost 20,000 for it, and that didn't even belong to anyone famous, so I guess if you've got the money...YMMV

 

[Dynacord]

However, I read a recent article in Guitar World about Joe Bonnamassa, who bought a nocaster at GC that had a humbucker in the neck, and I think he said he paid almost 20,000 for it, and that didn't even belong to anyone famous, so I guess if you've got the money...YMMV

That's not missing a zero?

I remember a guy finding a nocaster (with the poodle case and a tweed champ) at a San Francisco garage sale - 100% stock/original - for $80!

 

[ianuaditis]

That's not missing a zero?

I remember a guy finding a nocaster (with the poodle case and a tweed champ) at a San Francisco garage sale - 100% stock/original - for $80!

yeah, the interviewer said did you get a discount because it was modified, and he said 'usually a Nocaster goes for like 32,500-35,000 but this one was under 20,000.'

not a bad profit margin if you only paid 80 bucks!