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Oldest Bass you've played?
- Thread starter kombi
- Start date
Not mine but a neighbor of my fiancee's father had this old hohner/ bartell black widow that I plucked on a little bit.
when we went there for christmas dinner this last year.
Wouldnt take $50 for it sad to say. She ended up selling it for $60 to someone else.
when we went there for christmas dinner this last year.
Wouldnt take $50 for it sad to say. She ended up selling it for $60 to someone else.
1963 Höfner 500/1. Purchased in Berkeley, CA circa 1968. Served me well in my undergraduate years as I spent more time playing bass than I did attending class.
1966 Guild Starfire bass that I used to own. Probably my favorite stock bass I've ever played. Actually got rid of it because I wanted to play with some pickup combinations, but didn't want to cut her up and ruin the original-ness. Wish I could have held on to it, but I had to pick, I do slightly prefer my current, heavily modded jazz.
I was given an early 60's Danelectro, by some bandmates, to convince my to try playing bass. It was in pieces: neck, body, & pickguard with electronics. I put it together, gave it a look (what is that?) then went shipping for strings. Wound up giving it back (still kicking myself on that one) then picking up a Japanese generic, a few months later, to learn on. That was around 1965. I'm still playing.
1956 Precision bass with the original strings! A friend's father who was kinda of like a mentor would let me play his bass. Didn't think much about it until recently when I went back home to visit. He broke a string recently... I think we all shed a tear
I would just add . . . there was a study recently done with Stradivarius violins where several highly talented players, and I think some violin makers and sellers were asked to do a double-blind test of Strads alongside newer instruments, one of said instruments being only 3 days old at the time of the test.
They were unable to tell the difference, and in many cases chose the brand-spanking-new violin as the best of the lot.
Old is not everything . . . it may not even be anything. Except sentimental, and of historical value.
They were unable to tell the difference, and in many cases chose the brand-spanking-new violin as the best of the lot.
Old is not everything . . . it may not even be anything. Except sentimental, and of historical value.
I played a 68 jazz just the other day, it was in pretty good condition, I would rather have my new MIA jazz. It was not for sale
Not mine but a neighbor of my fiancee's father had this old hohner/ bartell black widow that I plucked on a little bit.
when we went there for christmas dinner this last year.
Wouldnt take $50 for it sad to say. She ended up selling it for $60 to someone else.
SNAP!!!
Way back when I was about 17 or 18, almost 20 years ago, my brother's best friend called me oover to come check out this bass he wanted to sell me, he was not a player, he inherited from his uncle who apparantly bought it new and put it away in a closet for years, barely played it.
The bass was a 1958 fender p-bass in absolute mint original condition, tweed case had all the paper work and all the extra goodies, like the curly phone cord still wrapped in plastic bag. Absolutely no wear on the frets, maple fretboard was still glossy and perfect, sunburst with gold pickguard, ashtray covers and original flatwounds. There were a few wear marks on the treble side of the body from the case lining after sitting all those years. he wanted to me for $1000, that was his special price just for me.
Well considering my age at the time and lack of responsibity, I couldn't come up with that kinda cash, he waited a few months, then decided to go have it appraised, then realizing it was worth over 10 times what he originally was asking, he sold it and I lost out.
To this day, I still (even as I write this) get a very queasy sick feeling every time I think about it. Biggest regret ever!
Other than that, I got to play and record on a 66 hofner beatle bass from a friend's studio, biggest, warmest ,deepest sounding bass I've ever played or heard. He also had a few 60s fenders and and really cool old fretless guild that I had the pleasure to record with.
Nowadays I own a 72 p, which I'll take to the grave with me, and a 75 jazz, which was my first "real" bass, sold a 77 gibson g3 that I loved for years, and just last year I bought a really cool gibson bass IV from around 86 that I'm really digging on right now.
The bass was a 1958 fender p-bass in absolute mint original condition, tweed case had all the paper work and all the extra goodies, like the curly phone cord still wrapped in plastic bag. Absolutely no wear on the frets, maple fretboard was still glossy and perfect, sunburst with gold pickguard, ashtray covers and original flatwounds. There were a few wear marks on the treble side of the body from the case lining after sitting all those years. he wanted to me for $1000, that was his special price just for me.
Well considering my age at the time and lack of responsibity, I couldn't come up with that kinda cash, he waited a few months, then decided to go have it appraised, then realizing it was worth over 10 times what he originally was asking, he sold it and I lost out.
To this day, I still (even as I write this) get a very queasy sick feeling every time I think about it. Biggest regret ever!
Other than that, I got to play and record on a 66 hofner beatle bass from a friend's studio, biggest, warmest ,deepest sounding bass I've ever played or heard. He also had a few 60s fenders and and really cool old fretless guild that I had the pleasure to record with.
Nowadays I own a 72 p, which I'll take to the grave with me, and a 75 jazz, which was my first "real" bass, sold a 77 gibson g3 that I loved for years, and just last year I bought a really cool gibson bass IV from around 86 that I'm really digging on right now.
