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Vintage basses: Could it Be?

#61
Rob S said:
I wonder, and it's a spiritual question, but could the combined musical knowledge and skill of all the bassists who owned and played a bass for decades, be ingrained and embedded in these old basses?
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Nope, it's just you feeling good about yourself and that transfers to your confidence and therefore your playing. It's all just endorphins.

The real skill is to get the resultant effect on playing consistently with any bass. Then it's called professionalism.
 
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#62
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Mojo is in the mind of the beholder.
If you feel the mojo and it makes you play better then that is a wonderful and quantifiable thing, relevant to you.
I have three J basses - a 63, a 68 and a fiftieth anniversary - and each sounds different to the other. I would have to say that the 63 inspires me to play differently to the fiftieth anni, not necessarily better but for some reason it inspires a different vibe. Combination of neck feel and the tone, no doubt. Not sure though whether it is anything to do with the spirit of past bassists who have owned it.
 
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#63
I used to own a 1947 German upright that was used as a rental bass for much of its life, I can't remember the brand but it was a replica of a 1700's Viennese build!! I sold it when I was laid off about 7 years ago regretfully to pay rent etc... I don't know if it was imbued with players mojo over the years, but I will say it had a nice broken in feel , no need to sand the back of the neck as finish was naturally worn, I would play it sometimes for 6 hours a day, to the point of my hands/arms were exhausted!!

I never should've sold it, but it did go back to the store I bought it from, presumably to be rented out again so hopefully others will love it too! I currently own a 1981 Tijuana made mockingbird bass, it has alot of nicks, paint chips, electronics need fixing, the frets are almost gone, it was well loved and played before i ever owned it, also the most comfy bass I've ever played and it was the best sounding until the electronic noise started happening, to me this all qualifies as "mojo"!!
As hippy/dippy as it sounds, i do believe instruments can retain energy from owners if they were well loved and played, but i don't think it'll make you play better but instead inspire/motivate one moreso than a fresh out of box bass, but of course this is just my opinion....

awesome fender collection OP!!!!

edit: I have yet to play an upright as good as that one, really, really regret letting it go
 
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#65
Dogbertday said:
The more s wooden instrument is played, the wood "opens up" more and more. The vibrations effect the wood. in this way OP is correct that all that has been played on an instrument is still there in a way.
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Begs the question about the tone of "vintage" instruments that haven't been played much and kept in their cases under a bed or in a closet for decades.
 
#66
mongo2 said:
Begs the question about the tone of "vintage" instruments that haven't been played much and kept in their cases under a bed or in a closet for decades.
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Agreed, though pure age does affect wood as well as wood dries the tone will also open up a bit. I definitely think that thinner finishes will accelerate the process (based on experience not science).

Not sure of the balance of these two causes, but I've noticed tonal change in my upright as well as some of my electric basses.

(this could partially he my hands as well but I do occationally get to hear other's play my instruments.)
 
#67
Dogbertday said:
Agreed, though pure age does affect wood as well as wood dries the tone will also open up a bit. I definitely think that thinner finishes will accelerate the process (based on experience not science).

Not sure of the balance of these two causes, but I've noticed tonal change in my upright as well as some of my electric basses.

(this could partially he my hands as well but I do occationally get to hear other's play my instruments.)
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A more likely cause of any change in tone over time would be the gradual degaussing of the pickup magnets. Anybody put modern pickups in vintage instruments lately or have the pickup magnets re-magnitized?

An upright essentially a box made of thin wood compared to a solid block of wood in a solidbody. Humidity also effects an upright, so much so that it can cause them to come apart over time.
 
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#68
I am intrigued by the natural wear older instruments acquire in the hands of others, since mine don't seem to wear during their time with me, unless it's by ding dent or drop. I play lightly enough that I have 15-20 year old basses with plastic still intact on the PG. I love the broken in feel of older basses I own, though.
 
#69
From the "way out in left field files" I offer the following thoughts: If String Theory is correct, then there are 10 or 11 dimensions in existence, of which we as humans can only observe three. Seeing how energy cannot be destroyed, then there's no telling what "vibes" (for lack of a better word) are still attached to certain items, but just beyond our current level of perception....
 
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#70
bryan gibson said:
From the "way out in left field files" I offer the following thoughts: If String Theory is correct, then there are 10 or 11 dimensions in existence, of which we as humans can only observe three. Seeing how energy cannot be destroyed, then there's no telling what "vibes" (for lack of a better word) are still attached to certain items, but just beyond our current level of perception....
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Fender Bass as Horcrux? Hmmm...


150.jpeg
 
#74
mongo2 said:
A more likely cause of any change in tone over time would be the gradual degaussing of the pickup magnets. Anybody put modern pickups in vintage instruments lately or have the pickup magnets re-magnitized?

An upright essentially a box made of thin wood compared to a solid block of wood in a solidbody. Humidity also effects an upright, so much so that it can cause them to come apart over time.
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My electric in question is a 2008 p bass of which I'm the only owner. Not sure how fast pickup magnets degrade but if they have then that's pretty fast.

Yes humidity effects uprights, but to be more specific with my experience, the higher register is more even and less harsh than it used to be. This change happened after I started working on high register classical solos where I played those frequencies loudly a LOT during practice. Before this, even when my prof played it sounded more choked than after. This is not caused by humidity.
 
#75
Ahh, It's the old "is this instrument incredible because it's been played so much" or "has this instrument been played so much because it's incredible" question.

My 1964 P has relatively few dings and gouges, but the finish is thin, it has a scallop to the underside of the neck between the fourth and tenth frets, and the hardware is golden brown from all the nicotine.

I'd love to know it's story.
 
#76
Dogbertday said:
Yes humidity effects uprights, but to be more specific with my experience, the higher register is more even and less harsh than it used to be. This change happened after I started working on high register classical solos where I played those frequencies loudly a LOT during practice. Before this, even when my prof played it sounded more choked than after. This is not caused by humidity.
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Be sure to hydrate your upright in winter.
 
#77
Humbled said:
Ahh, It's the old "is this instrument incredible because it's been played so much" or "has this instrument been played so much because it's incredible" question.
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Neither, there's some good and some bad in all eras of production but most are just average, just like today. Best part is everyone's idea of good, bad and average is different.

I find "good" is often linked to a price tag especially for 'vintage' instruments. I recently played a well worn early '70s J bass that was astronomically priced for what it was. It was what I would call a stinker, but I'm sure somebody will love it.
 
#78
mongo2 said:
Be sure to hydrate your upright in winter.
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Gee golly thanks, I'm glad you gave me this advice instead of acknowledging the point I was trying to make regarding aging/using wood and it's affect on a bass's sound.

My anecdotal post must be negated now because you assumed a certain lack of care for my instruments enough to give me very basic advice.
 
#80
Dogbertday said:
Gee golly thanks, I'm glad you gave me this advice instead of acknowledging the point I was trying to make regarding aging/using wood and it's affect on a bass's sound.
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I thought the real reason was obvious and didn't require stating but since you asked so nicely...I'd say the difference in the tone you perceive was more due to your regularly playing in that area and listening critically to what you were playing. Seems obvious that you learned to hear it better.

It took me a while convince my son to be sure to hydrate our upright when he took it to school, hence my caveat.
 
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