Really need advice before buying! 71 J OMG

[ajkula66]

Ok Ok guys I get it.
Then They'll upload it to reverb asking 2500. It will get sold within a week or two by someone who will offer 2-2.3k and doesn't know any better.

I highly doubt it.

There's dozens - if not hundreds - of overpriced vintage instruments currently sitting on Reverb that have been there for months, and in some cases years. Heck, even some of the not-so-overpriced ones keep on sitting.

Vintage market has seen better days. As in "much better" days. Molested/altered/modified pieces need to be both priced right AND attract a buyer who finds these mods/imperfections acceptable. In many cases, that's a pretty high bar to reach.

 

[markjazzbassist]

Ok Ok guys I get it.
It will be interesting to see how it turns out.
Most likely my next step will be calling them and offering 1400$. They probably won't even go below 2k, most likely.
We will not agree. Then They'll upload it to reverb asking 2500. It will get sold within a week or two by someone who will offer 2-2.3k and doesn't know any better. He'll be happy with it... the end

run fast. refin is fine, my 1969 is one it cuts the value in half which is great for players and not collectors (F^ck those collectors). but you want original pickups, neck, body , electronics. bridge/tuners/knobs don't really matter, but to me neck, body, pickups, and electronics do matter the most.

 

[OhDee]

run fast. refin is fine, my 1969 is one it cuts the value in half which is great for players and not collectors (F^ck those collectors). but you want original pickups, neck, body , electronics. bridge/tuners/knobs don't really matter, but to me neck, body, pickups, and electronics do matter the most.

I'm not a huge fan of old pickups plus I can either buy original 71's on eBay or I have a friend who makes awesome hand wound boutique pups. But the DiMarzio on the bass now sound very right. I'm not against old pups just not crucial as people make it imo. I know that many great players use non original pickups on "don't you dare touch a thing" pre cbs's just cuz they don't care bout what 'should or should not' be done and they use their shagin ears...

We will see how far down they'll go.
It will be interesting to see how long it actually sits if at all. Expect it to go on Reverb soon. Some of y'all probably were urging me not to buy cuz you want to make an offer eh?

 

[markjazzbassist]

I'm not a huge fan of old pickups plus I can either buy original 71's on eBay or I have a friend who makes awesome hand wound boutique pups. But the DiMarzio on the bass now sound very right. I'm not against old pups just not crucial as people make it imo. I know that many great players use non original pickups on "don't you dare touch a thing" pre cbs's just cuz they don't care what anybody thinks...

We will see how far down they'll go.
It will be interesting to see how long it actually sits if at all. Expect it to go on Reverb soon. Some of y'all probably were urging me not to buy cuz you want to make an offer eh?

just buy a used mexican or american jazz bass then. save a bunch of money. no need for vintage if you're not even using the vintage pups. IMO

 

[OhDee]

just buy a used mexican or american jazz bass then. save a bunch of money. no need for vintage if you're not even using the vintage pups. IMO

I would but they don't look nice and they don't sound nice. From my personal experience.

 

[markjazzbassist]

I would but they don't look nice and they don't sound nice. From my personal experience.

use your own logic, replace the pickups with your buddies or dimarzios.

 

[Axstar]

I would but they don't look nice and they don't sound nice. From my personal experience.

You can swap the pickups for something boutique, and still come out with money in the bank still. By a white American Standard Jazz bass and tell me there is a fundamental difference in appearance! Beyond that, you don't see with your ears.

This bass you're entertaining here is an overpriced mutt. Stacked knobs, beyond being pretty impractical, have no business being on a '70s Jazz bass. It doesn't look right, to me. By the time you consider that all the electronics have been replaced, as well as the refinish, you are basically paying too much money for a bass that is way to messed about with. All the risks involved in an old jazz neck (warping, twisting, ski-jump etc) with none of the coolness value of an old Jazz, as it has all been blown away by a refin and an insensitive electronics replacement.

 

[DavidEdenAria]

Hey thanks for all your replies. I'm still unsure because of course to me it's worth 2 grand because I fell in love with it, simple as that.
But I'm wondering where you guys are getting your price concepts because from my searches all original 71s cost 3-6 grand. Again, inflated and unjust but that's the market right? So 2 grand for a player that sounds real good doesn't seem insane.
And to those who recommended AVRI I just returned one to GC it was horrid. Might have been a bad unit tho or poorly maintained (was used).

Curious if you have played a lot of older basses in general, with you being a newbie to bass.

It seems overpriced to me as well....now... my background is more guitars than basses but still...

I DO NOT think this bass is going anywhere in a hurry at that price, UNLESS, it truly is special in terms of tone and playability.....THAT my friend is when usual logic can fly out the window because you truly bond with the bass.

As an aside, this happened to me with a mint 2004 MIM J bass that i absolutely stole recently...unplayed it needed fret edges filed, setup, nut recut but the tone and playability even BEFORE these repairs was very good....i am low on funds (unless i sell some of my gear horde) and i dont want to see you BURIED in this bass if you need to resell.

In my case, i will easily make money on this MINT MIM J bass..... in your case you could lose a bunch if you pay over 2k and need to resell.

Go back and play it again and try to be as honest with yourself as possible.....there IS something about certain necks on guitars....some just absolutely fit in a special way. Good luck!

 

[DavidEdenAria]

You can swap the pickups for something boutique, and still come out with money in the bank still. By a white American Standard Jazz bass and tell me there is a fundamental difference in appearance! Beyond that, you don't see with your ears.

This bass you're entertaining here is an overpriced mutt. Stacked knobs, beyond being pretty impractical, have no business being on a '70s Jazz bass. It doesn't look right, to me. By the time you consider that all the electronics have been replaced, as well as the refinish, you are basically paying too much money for a bass that is way to messed about with. All the risks involved in an old jazz neck (warping, twisting, ski-jump etc) with none of the coolness value of an old Jazz, as it has all been blown away by a refin and an insensitive electronics replacement.

True.....BUT knobs and refin are not that important....what is important is the neck 1st, then the body and how they merge together.

If the neck has virtually no issues, thats one thing....if there are any issues, then WHOA...

 

[bolophonic]

Ok Ok guys I get it.
It will be interesting to see how it turns out.
Most likely my next step will be calling them and offering 1400$. They probably won't even go below 2k, most likely.
We will not agree. Then They'll upload it to reverb asking 2500. It will get sold within a week or two by someone who will offer 2-2.3k and doesn't know any better. He'll be happy with it... the end

If you are such an expert, why are you even starting a thread about this bass? Just buy it.

 

[Farseer]

No three bolt neck plate for that year?. The wear on the back looks suspiciously faked to me. I can see buckle rash, but not way up into the horn and around the top of the heel. The Refin looks more like a poly than an expected nitro lacquer. Something tells me it's not exactly what it's claimed to be. For around that kind of money you could get one of the highly acclaimed AVRI instruments.

I thought fender stopped using nitro in 1968.

Vintage Guitars Info - Fender custom color finishes on vintage Fender guitars

 

[DavidEdenAria]

run fast. refin is fine, my 1969 is one it cuts the value in half which is great for players and not collectors (F^ck those collectors). but you want original pickups, neck, body , electronics. bridge/tuners/knobs don't really matter, but to me neck, body, pickups, and electronics do matter the most.

I am not that concerned with original electronics on a players grade but the price must reflect it

Electronics CAN and DO deteriorate....to me its absolutely neck 1st....neck has to be very good or i dont want it at all unless it is just worn out frets and the price is stupid cheap.

For me, there are so many great J pickups today (especially noiseless) its a great time to buy a players grade Fender of any kind in general.

ALL about that neck and body WOOD first.

 

[Axstar]

True.....BUT knobs and refin are not that important....what is important is the neck 1st, then the body and how they merge together.

That's why this bass is sort of the worst of both worlds, really. All of the risks of a vintage instrument, without the coolness factor because it has been modded.

 

[DavidEdenAria]

I thought fender stopped using nitro in 1968.

Vintage Guitars Info - Fender custom color finishes on vintage Fender guitars

Pretty sure you are correct....on my $50 1972 MM bass that was stripped, i went back with Rustoleum pro black enamel because i have no interest in nitro and i didnt want poly and this stuff is durable and easy to redo if need be...but i was lucky, the bass was black in the first place....the hard part was getting the dings and gashes prepped.

I have no clue what i would use on an early 71 J bass.....dont like poly and dont want to mess with nitro and neither were stock in 71.

 

[Fender_Bender]

I thought fender stopped using nitro in 1968.

Vintage Guitars Info - Fender custom color finishes on vintage Fender guitars

Fender themselves stopped using nitro long ago as you mentioned, but I would have thought it likely that what looks like a 15+ year old refinish would have been nitro. Certainly the auto finish rattle cans were nitro up until about then. Not too many pony up the bucks that a pro charges.

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

I feel like $2300 is a long dollar for that.

+1 honestly ..

 

[AcridSaint]

No way. And I'm even starting to question the body. The lower horn is slightly mis-shaped. Could just be over sanded, but i'd wanna see any and all interior markings too. This is a $1200 bass MAX, and only if the body and neck are 100%. That's a reissue guard too. And these basses don't go for up to 6k. That's only what dealers are asking. They sit a verrrryyyyy long time too.

Ok Ok guys I get it.
It will be interesting to see how it turns out.
Most likely my next step will be calling them and offering 1400$. They probably won't even go below 2k, most likely.
We will not agree. Then They'll upload it to reverb asking 2500. It will get sold within a week or two by someone who will offer 2-2.3k and doesn't know any better. He'll be happy with it... the end

Offer them 1k. Seriously. Or offer @FranF a finders fee to find you a good Fender for your 2500. He knows these basses and gave you sound advice and info.

 

[OhDee]

If you are such an expert, why are you even starting a thread about this bass? Just buy it.

Well it's good I at least know now for a fact that it's overpriced that gives me confidence to look in the coming month while I'm in the US for an alternative giving them time to maybe consider going down.
What makes you think I am claiming to be an expert?
I think I know a thing or two about people more than about bass tho..
White+Tort with nice wear with proper photos taken... people will want it regardless of price.
Btw it's nice to see at least a couple of you backing up the wood 1st approach.
I compared it to a few other old and new bass they had and it was on another league in terms of sound and feel.

 

[DavidEdenAria]

Well it's good I at least know now for a fact that it's overpriced that gives me confidence to look in the coming month while I'm in the US for an alternative giving them time to maybe consider going down.
What makes you think I am claiming to be an expert?
I think I know a thing or two about people more than about bass tho..
White+Tort with nice wear with proper photos taken... people will want it regardless of price.
Btw it's nice to see at least a couple of you backing up the wood 1st approach.
I compared it to a few other old and new bass they had and it was on another league in terms of sound and feel.

Dude.....white body tort guard rocks.....I frickin stole a late 80's USA white Peavey Fury (P body with J neck) that already had a Chandler tort guard....the neck KILLS on this bass and i am a major Fender fan being old enough ive played 100's of 50's 60's 70's Fenders.

All i did was add a Duncan SPB1 vintage P pickup and set the action.....anyhow, really great necks can be very addicting....but i have enough experience with fret dress, rolling fretboard edges etc to make a good neck a very good to great neck.....i am wondering if this 71 J bass just happens to have an outstanding setup along with a great neck?

 

[DavidEdenAria]

Btw, on my $50 1972 Fender MM bass, the neck is absolutely untouched....what is the factory finish on this era of Fender basses on the neck? My 72 MM bass neck feels outstanding and the finish seems rather thin on the neck itself....is it some kind of acrylic lacquer which GM used on 70's vehicles?