Vintage cheap basses

[Deleted member 271037]

YESS, especially 60s European shortscales!!!! Stuff like Hagstrom, Framus, the various brands coming out of the Crucianelli & Eko factories (like Vox), etc.

My favourite is a battered old flamed maple top 335-style Crucianelli shortscale (and it's actually branded Crucianelli which I've been told is pretty rare). It has the most beautiful "thump"-style sound I've ever, EVER heard. Or perhaps I should say "splash". It has an almost liquid quality to the sound. The intonation starts to suffer around the 7th fret but this actually adds to the vibe for certian genres. It's certainly no allrounder but when it works it WORKS. I've been offered serious money for this bass from both players and engineers. It sounds really, REALLY special. I paid peanuts for it back in the 90s but I will never sell it.

Sadly prices on vintage euro shortscales seem to have gone up lately so I doubt I will find any bargains like this anymore.

 

[Ostie]

That Teisco shown earlier is just like the first bass I ever played back in 1979. I was strictly a guitar player until my GFs brother loaned me his Kingston bass, then it was off to the bass race for me. Most of my friends were get players so I decided to switch to bass to make it more interesting. Then we formed a band. If I remember right it had a u-shaped string tree on the headstock? Was that a Teisco thing?

 

[Markamb1]

Amb1 Japanese reissue is the cheapest unknown bass I’ve ever picked up. Fenderjazz special made in Japan 1988 at 500 was a surprise for me. The Japanese made some of my favourite foreign production “American instruments”

 

[mongo2]

Sweet Holy Moly!!! I had no idea that they made basses!!! I have a Tiatan II, guitar, and love it!!! You have too many. You should sell one to Me...
View attachment 3005269

What is the meaning of the character cut through the pickguard?

 

[B-Mac]

anyone out there have a love for vintage cheap basses?

I’d love to get my hands on an old 60’s VOX like the ones Rick Huxley played in The Dave Clark Five! I’d be Glad All Over!

 

[OldFenderPlayer]

This 1974 Epiphone ET-285 was a $100 Craigslist find a few years ago. I consider it "old" but not "vintage" because of its low value. But it plays great and has a nice tubby sound thanks to the tapewound strings that have been on it for years. I've used it for numerous rehearsals and gigs and its
a joy to play.

 

[Thornton Davis]

This is my latest that falls into this category.

TD

 

[devnulljp]

yup

First bass I ever saw was one of those. Bought from a mail order catalogue. They were horrible in the 70s, can't imagine they're any better now that the plywood they're made from is "vintage".

 

[GretschWretch]

I’d love to get my hands on an old 60’s VOX like the ones Rick Huxley played in The Dave Clark Five! I’d be Glad All Over!

Do you mean the teardrop Mark IV? If so, be prepared for a neck as chunky as a '51 P on a bass that canNOT be played comfortably seated.

 

[Rib 13]

my contribution to this thread is my Electra X640N.....which (to me) has a setting that "ballparks" a Ric...as I dont own a Ric anymore, I use this in the studio for a Ric-like signature tone......its not exact but, in a mix, it gets the Ric-idea across, to me

 

[fretter]

First bass I ever saw was one of those. Bought from a mail order catalogue. They were horrible in the 70s, can't imagine they're any better now that the plywood they're made from is "vintage".

It's light, short scale, and sounds groovy. Basically what a lot of the older folks around here are looking for. I just haven't reassembled it yet.

 

[maturanesa]

I like MB5 Fenders and HM from early 90's, is that vintage?

 

[JIO]

View attachment 3004359 View attachment 3004360

What's the story on the white Electra - Geezer pu's? refine? tort pg cut for the pouts? new bridge/knobs?

 

[JimmyM]

What's the story on the white Electra - Geezer pu's? refine? tort pg cut for the pouts? new bridge/knobs?

Can't be a Geezer...no polepieces. Looks like the original active P to me. Could be wrong, though. But the Geezer has polepieces.

 

[JIO]

Can't be a Geezer...no polepieces. Looks like the original active P to me. Could be wrong, though. But the Geezer has polepieces.

Oh yah - good point.

 

[briandavismurph]

anyone out there have a love for vintage cheap basses?

they are first to go: here's one I just sold.........

1980 Peavey T-20

 

[RobTheRiot]

they are first to go: here's one I just sold.........View attachment 3201568 1980 Peavey T-20

That’s a beauty... def yo there with a T-40 on my GAS list.

I love the looks of these T-20’s tho, the natural & white w/ maple board, the single slanted pickup/thumbrest...

Just beautifully simple design.

 

[briandavismurph]

That’s a beauty... def yo there with a T-40 on my GAS list.

I love the looks of these T-20’s tho, the natural & white w/ maple board, the single slanted pickup/thumbrest...

Just beautifully simple design.

Was an 11lb beast tho

 

[JIO]

Was an 11lb beast tho

That's what they are known for - and from what I've read it was a deliberate choice by Peavey. (heavy=good tone)

 

[JIO]

I think among enthusiasts of the cheap 1960s electric guitars, the Teisco Spectrum V is like the holy grail - repros fetch nearly $2K on eBay, and originals go for $3K-$5K. and there was a bass version! I'd LOVE to have one of these: (pic found on the Internet)View attachment 3004999

Always loved this bass - it's got a lot of great design details. The bridge is pretty dial-able even if it would be a bit fussy to intone, rotary tr adjuster , nice fb inlays & body binding and I wonder what the slim bars are above the pu?