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srsly gonna cry right now

hernameisrio

hernameisrio

Guest
Sep 27, 2011
1,202
250
Berkeley, CA
#1
A few weeks ago, I put a hold on a 1977 Fender Jazz bass, natural finish, what I thought was original parts…it was only $1700 on Guitar Center's site which struck me as low after looking around a little more. But then I thought, maybe it's still a decent bass and figured I'd look into it more before paying the full amount.

So I called them today to get more details on it and I'm really glad I did, because they told me that the bridge had been modded to a Bad-Ass…which I was ok with…but apparently the guy who did it made a real mess of it and countersunk it into the body in order to keep the action low. Which sounds like a hack job.

I'm just really crushed right now. This was practically all I could talk about for weeks and I was really excited. It's my dream bass. I don't want a different year or a different finish. If it has a Bad-Ass bridge I'm okay with that, as long as it's done better than this one was. But this is what I want. And it just really sucks to now have to keep looking.

I guess I'm lucky I didn't pay for it in full before discovering this, but I'm also more than irritated at Guitar Center for not being straight with me the first time I called to put the hold on it and not bothering to mention any of this. I know it's a huge corporation and they can't be held accountable for everybody knowing everything about their entire inventory, but their used website is very problematic…it does not allow them to give full descriptions of the instruments and obviously it sets people up for deception.

Anyway, the search continues….

:bawl:
 
#2
Yeah, it sucks when something like that happens, but it'll probably work out in the end... Stick with your original plan, and something nicer will probably pop up... Also, don't let that negative experience sway you into writing off the GC used gear pages - I've gotten some dogs that were returned thru there, but also gotten some killer deals on some seriously nice instruments...

In short - hang in there, and you'll find your baby yet...


- georgestrings
 
#3
Countersinking the bridge might have been necessary. When you swap parts you sometimes have to make adjustments. Of course, that de-values the bass, but that also made it affordable. Don't assume the countersinking means it was a hack job. If he did it poorly.....that's another story.
 
#8
OP, have you considered Sadowsky Metros? You're just about at the price point where you can pick up Vintage or Ultra Vintage models.

I've owned a bunch of Fender Ps and Js over the years (still own a '57 P and a late 60s J), and a Metro Vintage is my bass of choice.


Added: You're in Brooklyn, so you could get to the Sadowsky workshop in Long Island City, and play a few of them to see if they talk to you.
 
#10
You could always buy it and return it if it is not to your liking. :) Used gear carries the same 30 day return policy, IIRC.
Or, head that off and just ask for high resolution pictures of the bridge area to be emailed to you. They'll do that and you can better see what the situation is.
 
#19
I thought about getting it anyway and seeing what I'm up against but I just have this gut feeling that I would be disappointed and frustrated, even more so than now. I did find a body and neck separately on eBay which are each original. Think it's crazy to buy it in pieces? I mean if I'm not gonna be flexible about exactly what bass I want, I figure I might as well be flexible about how I acquire it…? I just wasn't expecting this, I guess it's not a big deal but I was really excited about this and now I'm disappointed- also because I actually did turn down a few potential deals since I thought I was gonna get this one. ETA: I'm not totally opposed to Guitar Center's Used site but I will definitely ask more questions and ask for more photos in the future!
 

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