So 70's Fender are desirable now?!

[Dluxe]

Nothing more cool than the TV logo. My '76 Jazz is 9 pounds 1 ounce and my '74 Precision Bass is 8 pounds 2 ounces. Even my '73 Precision Bass is 8 pounds 6 ounces. Not all are boat anchors.

 

[Dluxe]

 

[Dluxe]

 

[Brad Johnson]

This will get some blood boiling!

CBS Fenders are a lot like AMF Harleys.

flame on.

Why should a silly statement make someone angry?
; )

The only reason I can think of would be because deep down you believe it. I know it's a crock so...

 

[Vinnie Boombatz]

As I wrote:

It is not Fenders fault that none of the instruments they sell today will ever become vintage.

Another reason I disagree with this statement is because we are already seeing certain types of wood becoming more and more scarce, like rosewood. Eventually it will be all but nonexistent except for custom builds and will fetch premiums. I'm guessing those 80's, 90's and 2000's Fenders with Rosewood boards will become more desirable. The 60's instruments will be even less obtainable, 70's as well, so there will be a market created for those 80's and newer basses. People will rave about them and how great they were a few decades ago when rosewood was so common. Pro Ferro is already getting the stink eye from the Fender die hards who are very resistant to change.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Correct.

Most everything from the 70s was considered pure crap and was hanging on pawn shop walls for $30-50 bucks for decades. Much of it was bought up by the punk movement of the 70s/80s because they couldn't afford any better and were intentionally trying to suck anyway. All that buzzy, scratchy, and squeely garbage was cool to them, especially on stage. Worthless crap was part of the "ghetto" image that punk was all about.

Bottom line is that Fender, Gibson, and all the other old schoolers have figured out that the millennials hold the belief that "vintage" is somehow "superior", and that technical advancement never happened in the music industry (never mind the fact that none of these millennials are driving Model-T's or listening to cassette tapes on Sony Walkmans). In fact, today's $150 bargain guitars are as good or better than the $900 guitars of the 80s and 90s.

What you're seeing is a cash crop windfall of brilliant marketing to ignorant kids who have no idea that we unloaded all that junk in the pawn shops before they were born.

So much packed into such a tight post.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Correct.

Most everything from the 70s was considered pure crap and was hanging on pawn shop walls for $30-50 bucks for decades. Much of it was bought up by the punk movement of the 70s/80s because they couldn't afford any better and were intentionally trying to suck anyway. All that buzzy, scratchy, and squeely garbage was cool to them, especially on stage. Worthless crap was part of the "ghetto" image that punk was all about.

Bottom line is that Fender, Gibson, and all the other old schoolers have figured out that the millennials hold the belief that "vintage" is somehow "superior", and that technical advancement never happened in the music industry (never mind the fact that none of these millennials are driving Model-T's or listening to cassette tapes on Sony Walkmans). In fact, today's $150 bargain guitars are as good or better than the $900 guitars of the 80s and 90s.

What you're seeing is a cash crop windfall of brilliant marketing to ignorant kids who have no idea that we unloaded all that junk in the pawn shops before they were born.

They weren't universally considered crap. Plenty of players who didn't buy into what alot of frankly questionable naysayers spread were and are fine with 70's Fenders. But people keep saying they were crap as if it were fact. Nothing new about that... it's been said for forty years.

 

[Vinnie Boombatz]

They weren't universally considered crap. Plenty of players who didn't buy into what alot of frankly questionable naysayers spread were and are fine with 70's Fenders. But people keep saying they were crap as if it were fact. Nothing new about that... it's been said for forty years.

Hardly anyone in the thread have said they are crap.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Hardly anyone in the thread have said they are crap.

Did you not see what I quoted? It's relevant.

 

[Vinnie Boombatz]

Did you not see what I quoted? It's relevant.

Yeah, you contradicted yourself. Your first sentence said, "They weren't universally considered (to be) crap." Then your second-to-last sentence was, "But people keep saying they were crap as if it were fact.", followed by "Nothing new about that... it's been said for forty years."

 

[Brad Johnson]

Yeah, you contracted yourself. Your first sentence said, "They weren't universally considered (to be) crap." Then your second-to-last sentence was, "But people keep saying they were crap as if it were fact.", followed by "Nothing new about that... it's been said for forty years."

No, seriously...

I didn't contract anything, I wrote what I did in response to what was quoted. The other poster did not say they were considered to be crap so I didn't either. Context.

And I did write the rest of what I wrote. Thanks for pointing that out.


Was there a point?


BTW people have talked about things outside of TB for centuries. ijs

 

[Vinnie Boombatz]

No, seriously...

I didn't contract anything, I wrote what I did in response to what was quoted. The other poster did not say they were considered to be crap so I didn't either. Context.

And I did write the rest of what I wrote. Thanks for pointing that out.


Was there a point?


BTW people have talked about things outside of TB for centuries. ijs

Fake news!

 

[DavidBassista]

I wanted to say that people don't care 'cause it is more about the '70s being the last decade with the exception of maybe some instruments during the early '80s (the Precision Special for example) when Fender produced instruments with iconic looks that defined the decade. Maybe history will prove me wrong, but '90s and later Fenders will never become vintage. There will never be a reissue of the ugly mindless longhorn Jazz etc. Those block inlays, bounded necks, natural finished ash bodies were the last time when Fender reflected and defined an era in music.

On edit: this isn't Fenders fault, it is about the culture we live in.

I agree with this 100%. Everything we have now is post-modern pastiche.

 

[aureliab20gt]

I just find this kind of funny how people now seem to be really into 70's Fenders. Up until the last few years they were touted as the low point in Fender's history. Corners cut, poor fit and finish, heavy as a boat anchor, and kind of like a black eye for the company. Of course there are exceptions to every rule and stereotype, and I'm sure a bit of that stigma was exaggerated, and I myself even had a near mint '76 3TSB P bass that was all original, no mods, fret wear, and hardly a scratch on the thing aside from the pickup which wasn't original.

I put it up for sale here several years ago for way less than what people are asking and getting for their 70's Fenders, and in some cases in way worse shape than mine. I ended up trading the bass for a Gibson acoustic guitar that worked out in my favor since I only paid $250 for the bass (was found in someone's garage and the guy hadn't played it since playing in a band back in the 80's.

I in no way regret parting with that bass since the acoustic I traded it for is my absolute favorite guitar, and in theme since I've had a few great newer basses including a couple Classic 50's Precisions, an MIJ PB70 Precision and an American Standard Precision that are are as good as if not better than that '76. All the newer ones are lighter, as playable or better, with exceptional fit and finishes and sounded just as good, for a fraction of the cost.

So what is it with the desire for these 70's basses to the point that Fender is making 70's RI's and 70's inspired models? Kind of cracks me up!

I just find this kind of funny how people now seem to be really into 70's Fenders. Up until the last few years they were touted as the low point in Fender's history. Corners cut, poor fit and finish, heavy as a boat anchor, and kind of like a black eye for the company. Of course there are exceptions to every rule and stereotype, and I'm sure a bit of that stigma was exaggerated, and I myself even had a near mint '76 3TSB P bass that was all original, no mods, fret wear, and hardly a scratch on the thing aside from the pickup which wasn't original.

I put it up for sale here several years ago for way less than what people are asking and getting for their 70's Fenders, and in some cases in way worse shape than mine. I ended up trading the bass for a Gibson acoustic guitar that worked out in my favor since I only paid $250 for the bass (was found in someone's garage and the guy hadn't played it since playing in a band back in the 80's.

I in no way regret parting with that bass since the acoustic I traded it for is my absolute favorite guitar, and in theme since I've had a few great newer basses including a couple Classic 50's Precisions, an MIJ PB70 Precision and an American Standard Precision that are are as good as if not better than that '76. All the newer ones are lighter, as playable or better, with exceptional fit and finishes and sounded just as good, for a fraction of the cost.

So what is it with the desire for these 70's basses to the point that Fender is making 70's RI's and 70's inspired models? Kind of cracks me up!

As I'm nearly 200 years old, I have accrued about 18 basses over the years, mostly Fenders............I made the decision years ago after swapping a 73 Jazz for a pair of RCF 15" speakers (no cab!!) never to sell a bass again, so maybe I am qualified to say something here.
Early 70s basses are all pretty good, I haven't come across a badly made one or a heavy one yet................the period I'm thinking about is 69-74. I have 4 early 70s P basses, all with 'A' profile necks and they are great players......however, it has to be said that my 76 P and 77 Telecaster both weigh about the same as a VW Golf and as a result are seldom used, but both play and sound great and have good neck fits.
Fender's really ropey period seems to be from 78 on. I've played some real hounds!!

 

[graphics1988]

My all original 1970... i played a 63, a 64, a 72 (second nicest btw), a flurry of mid-late 70's. One of the late 70's was heavy, but sounded great, ALL the others were in the 8lb range... This 1970 is prob my fav "feeling" neck - wished it was a maple FB but beggers cant be choosers.... I even tried a mid/late 50's(?) - the ones with the tele headstock and the reverse pickguard near the top horn (sorry im not a Fender Historian so i dont know what year that was - i DID however notice the $18,000 price tag though)... oh, i also had a 63RI a couple years ago (which i returned to the dealer)...this 1970 was/is the nicest of all the Fender P's i tried - even nicer than the $18K one. Any bass i custom order from here on - will have this 1970 neck as THE spec...
So to ME, its not overly relevant about the "60's or 70's or hell, even 80's" about what is worth what etc etc, I think playing as many as you can will dictate WHY its worth it - to YOU. I paid a fraction of what this SHOULD be worth - and still kickin my ass about not also buying the 72.
MY only gripe with ANY of these older Fenders is the neck removal for truss rod adjustments - luckily its not often - but still always in the back of my head.

BTW, (thread detour for ONE second)..what year did Fender improve that truss rod location?

 

[9mmMike]

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I'd gladly take an overall lighter bass if it meant it having a CNC body with the holes and different routes over a boat anchor of a bass that has a sloppy neck joint and misplaced bridge.

My '70 basses have excellent neck joints and are all lightweight. Even my two natural ash ('73 & '76) and the ash-Mary Kaye ('75) are about 8 lbs. which is perfect, for me. I even put heavier knobs on the Mary Kaye because it was almost too light and could neck dive. Only my trans-red '78 is closer to 9lbs and I only kept it because is was such a neat "period piece" with the thick, cracking paint and the plastic shaft pots and baseball bat neck. But really, not a boat anchor in my fleet.

 

[MetsMan75]

Though I do admire your enthusiasm I can only assume you weren’t part of the punk scene in the late 70’s/early 80’s. I was, and nothing stated here resonates with me one bit. A 70’s US made Fender for $30-$40?! Wish I knew where that pawn shop was. I don’t doubt someone occasionally miscalculated the value of an instrument, but that is some wild imaginative speculation presented as fact.

In the 80’s I definitely thought the 70’s era Fenders were something of a low point, but only because they seemed less consistent. There were still some great ones. I had a stellar ‘78 P in the 80’s.

Punk musicians intentionally trying to suck? Not even sort of true. The Ramones weren’t real musicians, strictly speaking, but they weren’t trying to suck. They were trying their best and created a very beautiful, albeit primitive thing. Bad Brains, Minutemen and many others were quite good players. They just embraced an aesthetic that you don’t.

I have no feelings about 70’s Fenders one way or the other. Played some good and not so good ones. But let’s not get silly about it!

Oh, and a bunch of millennials do listen to cassettes. It’s a weird trend and some bands are doing cassette only releases again.

Great post. What was said about '70s Fenders

Though I do admire your enthusiasm I can only assume you weren’t part of the punk scene in the late 70’s/early 80’s. I was, and nothing stated here resonates with me one bit. A 70’s US made Fender for $30-$40?! Wish I knew where that pawn shop was. I don’t doubt someone occasionally miscalculated the value of an instrument, but that is some wild imaginative speculation presented as fact.

In the 80’s I definitely thought the 70’s era Fenders were something of a low point, but only because they seemed less consistent. There were still some great ones. I had a stellar ‘78 P in the 80’s.

Punk musicians intentionally trying to suck? Not even sort of true. The Ramones weren’t real musicians, strictly speaking, but they weren’t trying to suck. They were trying their best and created a very beautiful, albeit primitive thing. Bad Brains, Minutemen and many others were quite good players. They just embraced an aesthetic that you don’t.

I have no feelings about 70’s Fenders one way or the other. Played some good and not so good ones. But let’s not get silly about it!

Oh, and a bunch of millennials do listen to cassettes. It’s a weird trend and some bands are doing cassette only releases again.

Well said...great post!....esp about the punk musicians.
Thats a common misconception about punk, that they didn't want to sound good. Ramones were trying to break music down to the simplest form and bring back the spirit of early Rock n Roll and they took pride in their live performances. They wanted to be the best at what they did and they were IMO. Their shows were an adrenaline rush and pure magic! They realized they had limitations musically but were going for it despite. They also were rebelling against the tired bloated corporate music scene of their time. Maybe someone should tell Matt Freeman of Rancid that '70s Fenders suck and see what he says.
I highly doubt only punk bands used '70s instruments...I believe Patrick O'hearn played a '70s P bass with Zappa and many funk and Jazz artists loved '70s Jazz basses with the bridge pickup closer to the bridge giving it a different sound.
As far as cassettes go, Im a Gen X'er and I have Cds, records and cassettes and use them all. I still have all my cassettes and records and play them not to be trendy but simply because I love the sound of analog recordings. They sound warmer to my ears.
What dukeorock said about '70s Fenders is probally best comment I read...some good ones and not so good ones. You can also say that about every decade. I played some '50s and '60s Fenders that had nothing special about them. I have played Custom shop basses that were nothing special too.

 

[MetsMan75]

My all original 1970... i played a 63, a 64, a 72 (second nicest btw), a flurry of mid-late 70's. One of the late 70's was heavy, but sounded great, ALL the others were in the 8lb range... This 1970 is prob my fav "feeling" neck - wished it was a maple FB but beggers cant be choosers.... I even tried a mid/late 50's(?) - the ones with the tele headstock and the reverse pickguard near the top horn (sorry im not a Fender Historian so i dont know what year that was - i DID however notice the $18,000 price tag though)... oh, i also had a 63RI a couple years ago (which i returned to the dealer)...this 1970 was/is the nicest of all the Fender P's i tried - even nicer than the $18K one. Any bass i custom order from here on - will have this 1970 neck as THE spec...
So to ME, its not overly relevant about the "60's or 70's or hell, even 80's" about what is worth what etc etc, I think playing as many as you can will dictate WHY its worth it - to YOU. I paid a fraction of what this SHOULD be worth - and still kickin my ass about not also buying the 72.
MY only gripe with ANY of these older Fenders is the neck removal for truss rod adjustments - luckily its not often - but still always in the back of my head.

BTW, (thread detour for ONE second)..what year did Fender improve that truss rod location?View attachment 2843238

I think it was late '80s or early '90s. Beautiful bass there!

 

[Brad Johnson]

Fake news!

Thanks for outing yourself. Next.

 

[Brad Johnson]

When will people figure out that a heavier instrument isn't a problem for some other bassists?

Apparently no time soon.