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Vintage Fenders. Why??

#222
Bruiser Stone said:
I've got a late '78 from a much maligned Fender era in my avatar that should defy all logic: it's heavy, the original PU's are kaput (Fralin's +10% replaced them), but that neck is PERFECT, and something about the tone is just right…firm and tight. It was a very fortuitous birth year impulse. It will be the last to go if the need arises.
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Yep. My 77/78 feels like home whenever I pick it up.
 
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#225
Sacha 2A said:
I thought that the Fender guitars and basses made after 72 had a really inferior quality ??
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They simply had very inconsistent quality during those years. And a feature or two that some consider non-optimal. But there were still some good ones made, as several posts here make clear. And they mostly tended to be heavy, as several posts here illustrate. So more of a crapshoot than usual if purchasing.
 
#227
Kmrumedy said:
As a teenage boy in 1979, Tracy McLeary had the biggest boobs in my high school....and she liked musicians! So I bought a 1966 Jazz, joined my first band, did my first show and in the summer of 79 walking home with Tracy...I got to see the gods.


.....I wonder what Tracy is up to??

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About 200 pounds... and the twins are near her belly button. :D
 
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#228
Guess a lot of us have been down this road and have enjoyed the experience, I did with a 71 s/b P bass and 75 natural P bass. The totally stock 71 however was a dog and the totally stock natural 75 was pretty nice. Thing is I loved having an original piece from back in the day but not enough to keep it.

Since then which was 10 to fifteen yrs ago Ive had a Mex RW jazz which was astoundingly good and a couple of Squire P basses which are very very good. I currently play a Squre 70's CV (avatar) and its absolutely fantastic with the fat ole neck.

Having said all that my dream bass is still a late 60's P bass, s/b, tort and light weight, cause I jujst love that ole sunburst and those ole tort plates....totally classic look and feel.
 
#231
tvbop said:
Having said all that my dream bass is still a late 60's P bass, s/b, tort and light weight, cause I jujst love that ole sunburst and those ole tort plates....totally classic look and feel.
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I didn't know there were any lightweight ones. My '69 Telecaster, LE Precision and CS Jazz all weigh a tad under 9 1/2lbs. My Sadowsky and Spector each are a tad over 8lbs. Guess which ones I grab first?
 
#234
Sacha 2A said:
Have you noticed that the comments on this thread come from pretty old people ? That makes me think that this madness around the vintage instruments does not really concern the youngest generations which are more interested by the modern creations. All of this is for old fossils !!
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If you are going to draw the long bow anyway:
The young vultures are waiting for the fossils to die so they can get vintage Fender money, because working is not in the cards.
(My response hits neither side nor end, just like Sacha's, and comes close to what I perceive as trolling.)
 
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#236
I am inclined to need some type of well designed research to see if older basses are inherently better. There are examples of both good and bad in every vintage of Fender bass I have played. I am sure there are some lovely old Fenders out there but would they stack up well against newer basses in a well designed double blind study?

This has been posted in these discussions before by myself and other TB members:

Invalid Link Removed

Now - violins are not basses but I think the possibility (I would say probability) that some modern instruments given an "apple for apple" comparison would do just as well and in some cases possibly even better than vintage basses given the opportunity of a fair, impartial, and well designed double blind test such as the one shown in this article. They cannot match the historical mojo of a vintage instrument but if you are looking for a great sound and a great player, I think your options are very good in the newer instrument categories.

My Take - in lieu of that well designed study: For those who love their vintage basses - God bless, and may you have many more healthy years with them. I am sure some of them are just as wonderful as you say. For those who think you can only get superior play-ability and sound from expensive old Fender basses, I would say - there's good news if you are willing to widen the search to well built and well constructed newer instruments.
 
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#237
thmsjordan said:
I am inclined to need some type of well designed research to see if older basses are inherently better. There are examples of both good and bad in every vintage of Fender bass I have played. I am sure there are some lovely old Fenders out there but would they stack up well against newer basses in a well designed double blind study?

This has been posted in these discussions before by myself and other TB members:

Invalid Link Removed

Now - violins are not basses but I think the possibility (I would say probability) that some modern instruments given an "apple for apple" comparison would do just as well and in some cases possibly even better than vintage basses given the opportunity of a fair, impartial, and well designed double blind test such as the one shown in this article. They cannot match the historical mojo of a vintage instrument but if you are looking for a great sound and a great player, I think your options are very good in the newer instrument categories.

My Take - in lieu of that well designed study: For those who love their vintage basses - God bless, and may you have many more healthy years with them. I am sure some of them are just as wonderful as you say. For those who think you can only get superior play-ability and sound from expensive old Fender basses, I would say - there's good news if you are willing to widen the search to well built and well constructed newer instruments.
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It's about the individual instrument. Simple as that. There are some great older instruments and some great newer ones. :thumbsup:
 
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#238
Sacha 2A said:
Have you noticed that the comments on this thread come from pretty old people ? That makes me think that this madness around the vintage instruments does not really concern the youngest generations which are more interested by the modern creations. All of this is for old fossils !!
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You bet youngun! haha. But yes all those old peeps that wrote and played on all those great classic ole tunes that you and your buddies probably kinda really enjoy...even tho its all so old! :thumbsup:
 
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#239
Sacha 2A said:
Have you noticed that the comments on this thread come from pretty old people ? That makes me think that this madness around the vintage instruments does not really concern the youngest generations which are more interested by the modern creations. All of this is for old fossils !!
Click to expand...
Speaking as a relatively young person at 20, vintage is a dream for a lot of the players I know, but not a goal if that makes sense. You get by with what you can, and cheaper models just continue to get better.
 
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#240
Sacha 2A said:
Have you noticed that the comments on this thread come from pretty old people ? That makes me think that this madness around the vintage instruments does not really concern the youngest generations which are more interested by the modern creations. All of this is for old fossils !!
Click to expand...
Not yet a fossil but certainly no more a youngster .. I'm content with my contemporary, run-of-the-mill Fenders :)
 
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