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Vintage 64 P Bass authenticity question

G

Gary B

Feb 13, 2010
6
0
#1
Just registered & this is my first post. I am a bass player but over the last 40 years career has been music recording and such so any help appreciated.

A friend of mine just bought a bass from Guitar center. How can he make sure the pickups are original and the bass is as well and not parted to look original?

He paid 8G. Oh Well! He's in LA and I'm in Wisconsin.

Thanks,
Gary B
 
#2
There are two main options:
1) He can send it to a reputable appraisal company like Gruhn's. They have the knowledge to verify every last screw or drop of color on the bass, and will provide a signed certificate with their findings.
2) He (or you) can post here (or on the Fender forum) some detailed photos of every nook and cranny inside and out on the bass, and the many experts and enthusiasts here will give their opinions.
 
#3
Is Gruhns in LA? He does not have very good posting chops. Just trying to help him out. This guy has been ripped by Guitar Center a few times and when he walks in the door it's like a heavy roller walking into Harrahs Las Vegas, IOW, they see him coming. He paid 27G for a 54 tele that sounds great but has a strange neck intonation issue.

Thanks for the reply.

G
 
#4
If he bought it from GC they usually give vintage equipment a pretty good going over. They also over charge by at least 20% on vintage equipment IMO, but as far as the instruments I've seen, they seem to know what they're doing when it comes to vintage. Check the date codes on the pots, bottom of the pickup bobbins, etc. And don't spend 8 grand unless you're sure it's legit.

This website covers most of the basics of vintage fenders (mostly pre-1970s):

Link Removed
 
#5
Thanks but I'm afraid it's after the fact. He bought it with no real knowledge of what he was getting into. Fortunately, he is good at hearing sound and does ok there but hearing is just enough to get one into trouble with these things cause there are so many other aspects as you guys likely know well.

Where he falls short is the stuff real players understand, (which he is not) like neck harmonics and intonation, pickups and authenticity. I would like to see him take it to someone extremely reputable in LA area at this point. I think that early suggestion is right for this guy.

If I end up flying back to LA in March I'll pull it apart and post pics for him on the web if he does not follow though. This I can do and we'll all see. He has already told me there are pretty bad harmonics above the 12th fret on the E and a slight warpage to the neck on the first string but not on the 4th D string. Sounds like GC pulled the neck in as far as they could. This again bothers me. I'll have to look and listen when I get there. I have recorded many P bases in my time and the best ones have been 58 to 64 with that growl and ballsy punch to die for. But, I have found later US made flukes too. I just hope the issues in this case are not related to part swaps and that's why I posted.

Thanks
G
 
#6
Gruhn's is in Nashville. If your buddy only wants to deal with someone in LA, then he better crack open the yellow pages for vintage dealers. The Hollywood is the best GC for inspecting instruments, but you still need to know what your looking at before forking over wads of cash for their inflated prices.

coreyfyfe said:
If he bought it from GC they usually give vintage equipment a pretty good going over.
Click to expand...

Not all of them. I tried a candy apple red 65 Jazz once at GC claimed to be all original. I handed it back to them pointing out the body refin and MIJ electronics swapped in and reliced to match.
 
#7
That's freaking interesting about the Hollywood store. That's where he bought it.
OK I'll pass on some of this to him and thanks for the Gruhn clarification CDK.

Best,
G

P.s. I don't want to do another thread on this but this winter some of my guitars hanging on my wall are having issues with necks changing from the heavy winter heating in my house up here in Wisconsin. I bought a humidifier just recently but the damage is done. For example, I have a guild D40 which ended up with it's top breaking behind the bridge in two spots and I'm sending it to Nashville for repairs.

More importantly, my old Saturn 67s neck now has a slight bow and the rod is as tight as I can safely get it . It was straight last fall. I have plugged the entire interior with semi hard acoustic foam to cut resonance and protect it internally. This also makes it truly stage ready resonance wise. Have tried to keep it in perfect shape as it's my main performance bass and don't want to loose it for my stupid humidity failures. Any suggestions on a neck that is trussed to the max?
G
 
#8
Caca de Kick said:
Not all of them. I tried a candy apple red 65 Jazz once at GC claimed to be all original. I handed it back to them pointing out the body refin and MIJ electronics swapped in and reliced to match.
Click to expand...

That's why I used the qualifier "usually" :D. They had a 78 jazz hanging in one of the MA guitar centers a few years ago, selling for around $2500, refinished in an aged white (or maybe just a really old refin) but it was definitely an amateur job because there was a towel imprint on the back. They tried to tell me it was all original and there was nothing wrong with the finish, but not only was it no where near as glossy as a 70s j should have been, you could run your hand over it and feel the texture of whatever it leaned against.
 

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