Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Vintage fender or fender masterbuilt
- Thread starter black.rose1402
- Start date
If you get a Masterbuilt and for some reason don't bond with it you will not only be disappointed but will also lose a couple of thousand $$$ to offload it.
If you find a vintage bass that you really like the feel of the chances of you not bonding with it are less and, if that does happen, you will be disappointed but you should be able to get the same amount, or more, if you sell it...... and then go vintage shopping for another one.
If you find a vintage bass that you really like the feel of the chances of you not bonding with it are less and, if that does happen, you will be disappointed but you should be able to get the same amount, or more, if you sell it...... and then go vintage shopping for another one.
vintage. Masterbuilt's have easily the worst resale value of any Fender. Really, they just sit there. With vintage, find a reputable dealer that has a return policy if it doesn't just knock it out of the park for you. There are a few on Reverb. You might pay extra but it might be worth the peace of mind. I bought a mid 70's jazz recently off a dealer page on reverb and it ended up being garbage. I actually fixed the issues but it still didn't seem worth it to me so I sent it back and got a full refund. Anyhow, good luck! Turning 40 myself in September.
Wish you hadn't phrased it quite like that. As musty old jokes teach us, one must ALWAYS frame the wish with precision and care.
For better or worse -- per your specific request -- you are now a retread.
I had a similar dilemma a few years ago, though for me the choice was between a Sadowsky and vintage. I ended up going vintage for two reasons.
First, I like old things. I like the stories they have to tell, real or imagined, and I like the idea of objects being a connection to the past. I like holding something that has earned the marks and wear of real years, call it what you will. It's the same reason I like going to Rome and (gently) touching the 2,000 year old bricks and stone, even though much nicer bricks exist in most places. Old things carry a weight that even the nicest new things can't possibly hold. For me. For many others, I'm a sentimental idiot obsessed with what's behind rather than what's ahead...
Second, I figured that if '60's Fenders are the most copied basses ever, why not skip the interpretation part and just get the real deal? Sure, a Custom Shop or similarly made bass will probably have a lower action, but it'll always be a translation, not the original. I figured that even if I didn't click with the instrument, I'd at least get a feel for what a pre-CBS Fender was about.
The last point, which I didn't consider at the time, is it's unlikely that you'll be able to actually play the instrument before you buy it. In the case of a vintage bass, good ones at decent prices aren't exactly thick on the ground, so there's a very good chance you'll have to buy something a long way away. As @BAG points out above, at least the old one will have a similar resale, assuming you buy smart.
One side note for buying vintage long distance is I used Gruhn's for an online appraisal. In one case, they actually steered me away from what appeared to be a decent deal by highlighting that one of the pickups was old but not original. Obviously the appraisal is only as accurate as the photos provided, but it can give you some peace of mind...
(To wrap up, I ended up getting a deal on a '63 Jazz with a very old refin but otherwise stock. The seller was a long way away and only accepted cash, which helped eliminate a lot of competition. I ended up sending a buddy with a stack of bills to go pay and pick it up, and it's by far my favourite bass. Zero regrets.)
First, I like old things. I like the stories they have to tell, real or imagined, and I like the idea of objects being a connection to the past. I like holding something that has earned the marks and wear of real years, call it what you will. It's the same reason I like going to Rome and (gently) touching the 2,000 year old bricks and stone, even though much nicer bricks exist in most places. Old things carry a weight that even the nicest new things can't possibly hold. For me. For many others, I'm a sentimental idiot obsessed with what's behind rather than what's ahead...
Second, I figured that if '60's Fenders are the most copied basses ever, why not skip the interpretation part and just get the real deal? Sure, a Custom Shop or similarly made bass will probably have a lower action, but it'll always be a translation, not the original. I figured that even if I didn't click with the instrument, I'd at least get a feel for what a pre-CBS Fender was about.
The last point, which I didn't consider at the time, is it's unlikely that you'll be able to actually play the instrument before you buy it. In the case of a vintage bass, good ones at decent prices aren't exactly thick on the ground, so there's a very good chance you'll have to buy something a long way away. As @BAG points out above, at least the old one will have a similar resale, assuming you buy smart.
One side note for buying vintage long distance is I used Gruhn's for an online appraisal. In one case, they actually steered me away from what appeared to be a decent deal by highlighting that one of the pickups was old but not original. Obviously the appraisal is only as accurate as the photos provided, but it can give you some peace of mind...
(To wrap up, I ended up getting a deal on a '63 Jazz with a very old refin but otherwise stock. The seller was a long way away and only accepted cash, which helped eliminate a lot of competition. I ended up sending a buddy with a stack of bills to go pay and pick it up, and it's by far my favourite bass. Zero regrets.)
Yep, my choice too would be a pre-CBS for the authenticity and resale value doesn't hurt. I love Fender's CS stuff but the OP's already got a Pino so he's been to that well. Get something really unique. My two cents.
With those Sadowsky basses, you’re already well past any Fender basses in sound quality. Why go backwards?
I don’t own any Sadowsky basses, but every time I hear someone in Nashville playing one it sounds substantially better than any Fender.
I don’t own any Sadowsky basses, but every time I hear someone in Nashville playing one it sounds substantially better than any Fender.
1966 Fender Jazz Bass "Sunburst" | Rumble Seat Music
Link Removed
Link Removed
Right? From the listing:
"One of the cleanest 1966 Jazz Basses we've seen, this one-owner example features the rare transitional combination of a bound rosewood board with dot inlays, "transition" logo, beautiful three color sunburst finish, tortoise shell pickguard and original chrome covers. Lightweight and resonant, this fantastic playing bass includes the original Fender hardshell case, gray Fender cable, and a strap from it's original owner. Perfect for collectors and players alike."
Perfect 40th birthday gift.
Right? From the listing:
"One of the cleanest 1966 Jazz Basses we've seen, this one-owner example features the rare transitional combination of a bound rosewood board with dot inlays, "transition" logo, beautiful three color sunburst finish, tortoise shell pickguard and original chrome covers. Lightweight and resonant, this fantastic playing bass includes the original Fender hardshell case, gray Fender cable, and a strap from it's original owner. Perfect for collectors and players alike."
Perfect 40th birthday gift.
The price is within a grand or so of a masterbuilt, and as many have observed here, such a bass will depreciate as soon as you drive it off the lot. Probably be worth $3500 at resale. Not sure if the '66 is priced at market, but it should retain its value I should think, as they aren't making any more of these.
The bound/dots transition neck on the '66 is somewhat uncommon as well, apparently.
Good find!
The price is within a grand or so of a masterbuilt, and as many have observed here, such a bass will depreciate as soon as you drive it off the lot. Probably be worth $3500 at resale. Not sure if the '66 is priced at market, but it should retain its value I should think, as they aren't making any more of these.
The bound/dots transition neck on the '66 is somewhat uncommon as well, apparently.
Good find!
Yeah I remember those MB Geddy Lee jazz basses were retailing around $8k new. This one here checks all my boxes if I were looking for a vintage jazz.
Found this one, few thousand less than the other, not transitional or as immaculate but still great looking and one more likely to be played than kept:
Fender Jazz Bass 1966 Sunburst with Original Hardshell Case
Link Removed
Fender Jazz Bass 1966 Sunburst with Original Hardshell Case
Link Removed
Go vintage. Your Sadowskys and CS P-bass are already top of the line instruments, masterbuilt probably won't be that much better (I mean how much better than Sadowsky build quality CAN you get?) so definitely go vintage - as mentioned above if you take proper care of it the value will only increase over time.
I'd get the vintage mid 60s Jazz. Try before you buy, that's all. If you ever want to sell and get your money back you most likely will be able to. Custom-built? If you ever grow tired of it you will never recoup what you paid for it in a resale.
I'm surprised it took this long into the thread to get to this point. Vintage (if chosen wisely) retains or appreciates in value. Not generally true with CS/Masterbuilt, etc. I've had at least 20 1965 and earlier Fenders and all I've sold have been at a profit.
Even if buying the bass thinking it will be 'the one' that you'll never sell, you may feel differently 5 years later...
