This is as good as or better than anything Fender ever made...
Matsumoku Japan. Lawsuit.
For Sale - Univox P Bass
Matsumoku Japan. Lawsuit.
For Sale - Univox P Bass
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Over valued 70's P-bass?
- Thread starter Stefan Cartmale
- Start date
I had a natural 72 P and a natural 74 J. They were run of mill, and what was out there. TBH a mid 80s Alverez made Fender Fretless J was my favorite. I played a few in Japan and I like those much better. Hondo and Tokai also made nice Fender lookalikes too.
If you know where to find an early 70s P neck for 450 dollars that is in good and fully working condition please guide me towards them.
Looks like you missed my point.
My reply to the OP is that Fender basses of the 1970s were poor quality, and not on par with basses of today.
To your post; something of poor quality does not improve because it’s old and no longer being produced.
Again, each to his own~
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I’m certainly not here to tell you that you can’t find a better playing/sounding bass for less money but I can just say that 70’s Fenders and vintage Fenders in general look freaking badass and the good ones sound and play great as well.
Is my ‘78 J worth $4,000? Not sure, but it’s a fairly unique and very clean bass for its age that plays and sounds killer.
Is my ‘78 J worth $4,000? Not sure, but it’s a fairly unique and very clean bass for its age that plays and sounds killer.
The truth be told all P basses are basically the same...
Some are tragic, some are magic.
Some are tragic, some are magic.
In the end, everybody is free to do whatever with their money but, personally, looking at what some people are asking for certain items I'd rather paaaassss ....
I have had my share of "real" 70's P-basses over the years and they are hit or miss to say the least.
I sold all the old stuff and go for the Fuji Gen built MIJ PB-70's P-basses now and they are always really great and consistent. Prices on those are in the $1200+ range now however but to me worth it.
I sold all the old stuff and go for the Fuji Gen built MIJ PB-70's P-basses now and they are always really great and consistent. Prices on those are in the $1200+ range now however but to me worth it.
No, unfortunately I suspected you were indeed comparing Precisions to the worst cars ever made. To each his own.
And it looks like you didn't miss my point, you just thought it said something it didn't: never so much as suggested the basses improved because they were old - but the supply certainly isn't improving.
I’m not necessarily anti-Fender: I own a ‘93 Jazz that I put a 2Tek bridge into and installed Lane Poor pups. The obvious issue with this thing is the fact that it weighs nearly 11 pounds and has very low output, but it has its own very distinct sweet sound with incredibly good sustain. I just want a simpler instrument with a more Motown sound. At present, I own six basses, and there’s only two I would dare play out if I chose. I’m going to be looking more for a “beater” and hope to keep it under $2k.
I had a 70's p-bass fretless. It had a neck pocket gap so big I could store picks in it. I ended up selling it back in the 90's for $400 and never had any sellers remorse. With that said, these days any old bass with "Fender" on the head stock and "Made in the USA" is going to be (imho) over priced for what it is. But, collectors lust for these things so the prices are what they are.
I was there when they were new. In broad terms? They were terrible. For the prices you're suggesting you can do far better with a modern instrument. But that's just me. Maybe you'll dig 'em.
There are many different Fender Bass eras. ... The 70 to 74's are the more desirable than the later 70's. ... The thing to remember is they don't make them anymore so the reason for the pricing. ... And It's the necks that are most important item on any bass. Fender's were designed to be an everyman instrument you could change or swap out easily. ... You can put your favourite Jazz neck on a P-bass if you wish. ... The closest Fender factory 70's neck I've found is the Fender Nate Mendel bass. ... You should hunt one down and see how you like that. You need to spend the time to find out what you want.
I was playing bass in a band. The drummer (who doubled on lots of instruments) told me his father in law gave him his 60s P bass for a wedding present. He brings it by rehearsal. Jeebus... BadAss bridge, Dimarzio PUs (in cream, yuck). Otherwise the bass was in fair condition at best. It was awkward.
I suppose whether or not it is overpriced depends on what you want it for and how much you want it. It’s a long, dark rabbit hole that I stay away from. So much great stuff has hit the marketplace since the 70s that it’s a little hard for me to romanticize instruments from a decade that most people don’t hold in high regard. Caveat emptor. Use good judgment.
I’m not sure why you quoted me, specifically, but I don’t disagree with anything you’ve said. Quality is infinitely more consistent now than it was in the ’70s. You no longer have to rely on luck to get a good instrument.But, let's be honest, they will never be better that the most recent American Standard, American Professional and/or American Professional II; now there's better QC, better tuning machines, bridges, sculpted neck heels, better truss rod access for an easier neck relief adjustment and I believe that even the woods used today are of better quality; I can even think that the pickups are better than those used in '79 and, in any case, they can be easily and relatively cheaply replaced.
So I AM PERSONALLY TRULY HORRIFIED looking at somebody selling an old bass with no particular better features than the equivalent ones fabricated today at twice the price of the new ones, it's PURE MADNESS in my opinion.
Now start shooting if you want
Are there still duds made at Fender today? Sure. There will always be duds from every manufacturer as long as wood is a natural product but, overall, the quality control of even the lowest Squier line is light years better than it was at Fender in the ‘70s. That’s the reason Fender shut down it’s US production for a while in the early 1980s: things had gotten so inconsistent they just had to stop for a couple of years and get themselves sorted. When they started up again the quality control was much, much better.
Not literally used or new old stock from the 70s. New, made-to-order from Musikraft. Top notch quality. I have 2 P type necks from them. One is a '57/'58 type and the other is a late '59/'60/'61 type.
70s P necks are somewhat variable as far as how thin or thick C profile. Do you have a specific 70s P neck to model from?
Construction: 2 Piece
Head Shape: J/P Style Head
Scale Length: 34.0" Standard Fender
Number of Frets: 20 (Standard without FB Overhang)
Nut Width: 1.600"
Heel Width and Type: 2-1/2" (63.5mm) Fender Rounded J/P Heel Shape
Truss Rod Type: Single Acting w/ Vintage Nut adjust @ Heel
Shaft Wood: Rock Maple
Fingerboard Wood: Dark Indian Rosewood
Fingerboard Style: Veneer (Vintage Fender) 20 Fret Only
Fingerboard Radius: 7-1/4"
Fingerboard Edge Style: Semi Rolled Fingerboard Edges
Tuner Hole Size: 11/16" (Standard)
Fret Size and Type: 6230 Nickel Silver (Vintage Small)
Top Inlay Type: 1/4" Dots (Mother of Pearl)
Side Markers: (Larger) Mother of Pearl 3/32"
Back Profile Shape and Size: Med C 88 98. (Thin C .83 @ 1st and Fat C 1.00 @ 1st also available options)
Binding: None
Graphite Reinforcing Rods: None
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