Philosophical question about birth year basses

[Chef]

"Birth year bass?"
This is "a thing?"

Never heard of it, don't care, and if I did, I can't imagine a 1961 Precision being crazy expensive. But I surely wouldn't spend $6,000 on one as I've never spent that much on ANY bass; and I have some pretty nice basses...

 

[Joybass]

Just found one. Glad I don't have the urge. Phew.

 

[Prog Fan]

No. A reissue is not the same.
I want a 1966 Jazz bass!

1966 was a good year for Jazz basses, based on the one I've had since 1972.

 

[macmanlou]

I guarantee you could buy a bass that was made in your birth year for under $200 if all you cared about was the year of manufacture.

Condition, name brands, etc would have to be sacrificed, but you could get it done by the end of the week if you wanted to.

I don't know about the OP, but I was born in '51. Maybe I could find a '51 case, but not any bass, in any condition, for under $200.

 

[JMacBass65]

But, throw in the fact that I'm a lefty? My house ain't worth the asking price for one of the tiny handful of those...

Wut?

 

[macmanlou]

IIRC the first Jaguar was 1962...but that appears to be, I dunno, a 55? I'm confused by the universe now. Maybe it's because the British call fenders wings...but Macca played a Hofner and a Rick and...heck, is it beer time yet?

1936 SS Jaguar 100 - The company later dropped "SS" from their name because of it's association with Nazis.

 

[micguy]

If you're a Christian, you could go with the year you were born again. In my case, since I didn't play bass when I was born, I could buy one from the year I started playing bass - the year I was born as a bassist. Either of these strategies opens up the number of basses available significantly, raises the overall quality of what's available, and lowers the price a whole lot.

Then again, I'm not sentimental.

 

[dorkyone255]

My emperor and I are both made in 83', but that's just kind of a coincidence...

 

[Fat Freddy]

1936 SS Jaguar 100 - The company later dropped "SS" from their name because of it's association with Nazis.

View attachment 2855176

Yep.....The company actually started as "Swift Sidecars" and they, obviously, built custom sidecars for motorbikes before moving on to car manufacture....

 

[HeavyJazz]

Fortunately for me, a '77 Jazz bass generally goes for a reasonable sum. Don't have one yet though.

 

[Snibborwocky]

I am old AF. If I want a birth year bass, I can get one, but it would cost as much as a driveable C4 Corvette. Now, I can also buy a reproduction birth year bass, and I'm sure it's a good instrument...but if I do that, do I need to include "Substitute" by the Who in my set?

Srsly, do you think AVRI will satisfy my itch? I'm kinda dubious (doobie-us?) because I already have many fine instruments so maybe if I'm going to do it, I really have to do it. Let's just say that it really would be $6K or more for a decentish example. What would you do?

Not looking for an overly serious conversation, just shooting the sh with some folks who I respect. Thoughts appreciated, and as always, thanks all.

You've already implanted the thought in your mind that it is a "reissue" and not the actual authentic "birth year" so... Yeah, you just need to go full out and get the real deal. It will gnaw and nag at you if you don't. That's just the way things are... Good luck. lol

 

[klejst]

Generally speaking on the subject, I had a Fender Precision bass that was from my birth year...however there was nothing special about it other then the personal sentimental factor it was created the same year I was. I guess it depends on what bass exactly and what year.

 

[57pbass]

I was born in 1958.
I have a 1957 Precision, a 1959 Precision and a Sadowsky with Serial #1956
1958 basses have eluded me.. I rarely see them listed..

 

[Chrome Dome]

Instead of birth year,I settled for birth month! Lot easier to find? The fact which I don't mind telling,1946. I was able to come across this Music Man USA SUB. I don't think Music Man SUB's were around in 1946?

 

[stringthrough]

There is something to be said about owning and using something that's been on this planet as long as you have... If you can afford it, buy yourself such a bass.

 

[Chrisk-K]

Why stop at a birth year bass? Wedding year bass, first child birth bass, record deal signing date bass, divorce year bass, parents wedding year bass....

 

[PaulPriest76]

Here's my birth year bass. He's a 1976 Fender P-bass, and he's haunted. He was owned by a late Southern rocker, and came to live with me almost four years ago.
If you CAN buy a birth year bass, do it!

 

[nonohmic]

Def keen on an 82 fullerton avri 57!

 

[Timmy-Watts]

I'd love to have a 76 P bass, but that era is know for being inconsistent, and they tend to be HEAVY. A friend who collects old fenders, I played all his old ones and they all played and sounded worse than modern ones I have owned. So that kind of deflated my GAS and saved me lots of money.

 

[PaulPriest76]

I'd love to have a 76 P bass, but that era is know for being inconsistent, and they tend to be HEAVY. A friend who collects old fenders, I played all his old ones and they all played and sounded worse than modern ones I have owned. So that kind of deflated my GAS and saved me lots of money.

I just posted my 76 above, and I love it. Yeah, it's heavy...but it sounds pretty good! But really, I only bought it because it's a 76 and it's got some weird mojo.