Vintage Fenders. Why??

[Gougedeye]

I have had this crazy notion for a while that I need to add a "birth year" bass to my arsenal. I was born in 1965. So, something around 10k is the entry fee. At one point, I had a 71 Jazz and it was a dog, in every sense of the word. Loose neck pocket, wouldn't stay in tune, generally abused. I unloaded it shortly after. I got to play Mike Lull's personal 1965 Precision in 2019. It was nice and I would've bought it, but it was not for sale. Then I look at my own collection and I realize, damn near every one of them is better than any vintage bass I could play or own and I already own these! So, my search is really over.

 

[elgranluis]

or "this is my '59 precision," but unless you're selling one for $15,000 what do you believe is the appeal of classic Fenders versus a new Fender or FSO?

Those of you who own one, why do you love yours?

i sold my 59 here in the classifieds maybe 5 years ago for 3500 or 4000 bucks if I recall correctly.

I recently purchased a CIJ geddy lee so I could gift it to a relative. I also own a 1972 jazz bass with maple , black blocks , basically the same bass minus the badass. Yes , they are slightly different (neck thickness , contours , etc ), but those differences make no difference, really.

I guess I like the idea of old basses being old and aged.

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

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 !!

Not too insulting. Well done. I'm fifty-eight years old, by the way.

 

[TyBo]

I have had this crazy notion for a while that I need to add a "birth year" bass to my arsenal. I was born in 1965. So, something around 10k is the entry fee. At one point, I had a 71 Jazz and it was a dog, in every sense of the word. Loose neck pocket, wouldn't stay in tune, generally abused. I unloaded it shortly after. I got to play Mike Lull's personal 1965 Precision in 2019. It was nice and I would've bought it, but it was not for sale. Then I look at my own collection and I realize, damn near every one of them is better than any vintage bass I could play or own and I already these! So, my search is really over.

Nice collection, that'll do!

IMO, those loose neck, heavy, 70's Fenders (yes, with some notable exceptions) aren't really germaine to discussions of "vintage" quality, overall. Can't really go by those too much. 50's and 60's are more what it's about. Again, obligatory disclaimer, there are exceptions, some real nice 70's instruments exist.

It's like with many things, cars for example ... there can be peaks and valleys in a company's production, due to all sorts of things. Can't just lump them all together as being one and the same.

Yes, yes, what's the definition of vintage. Etc., etc. ...

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

Nice collection, that'll do!

IMO, those loose neck, heavy, 70's Fenders (yes, with some notable exceptions) aren't really germaine to discussions of "vintage" quality, overall. Can't really go by those too much. 50's and 60's are more what it's about. Again, obligatory disclaimer, there are exceptions, some real nice 70's instruments exist.

It's like with many things, cars for example ... there can be peaks and valleys in a company's production, due to all sorts of things. Can't just lump them all together as being one and the same.

Yes, yes, what's the definition of vintage. Etc., etc. ...

This is just anecdotal and from my own (admittedly shoddy) memory, but it seems most of the loose neck pockets I hear about belong to Jazz basses. Some P-basses, the occasional Mustang, but if my memory serves (and it probably doesn't) it seems like better than half the time, that gripe sticks to a J bass. Maybe there was some ... "design flaw" (or they had to "make due") that was going on with the J basses at that time?

I know this from personal experience: J basses have more neck dive than P basses. I don't necessarily mean more often (although I think that's the case also), but every J bass I've tried dives more and faster than my P basses.

As far as weight: I'm pretty sure it's difficult to find production models under 8 pounds. The people I see who are completely happy with their light-weight basses paid in excess of $2K to purchase them (except those rare, used finds).

 

[Sacha 2A]

Not too insulting. Well done. I'm fifty-eight years old, by the way.

And I am 55, so... When I have said "old fossils", I was including my self into it !

 

[58kites]

I could never justify paying the price for a vintage Fender bass....
when I can get 80's Peavey and Guild basses, Japanese made knockoffs from the late 70's and on into the 80's from Tokai, Greco, Ibanez, Yamaha, Hondo, Kramer, ESP, Electra, Hamer, Univox. When I can get 80's or 90's Yamahas or a new Yamaha.
Then there are the new Lakland Skyline, Sandberg, Nash, Musicman, G&L, Squier, Warmoth.
Many of the modern aftermarket pickups from Nordstrand, Lollar, Fralin, Aguilar, Bartolini, Duncan, Dimarzio, EMG and others consistently sound as good or better than the 50's/60's/70's Fender made pickups.
Getting a great sounding bass is pretty easy these days, you can pretty much choose exactly which decade of Fender sound you would like and buy an aftermarket pickup that will deliver.
The manufacturing tolerances on Fender basses have never been anything special, it's not hard to get a bass that's made as well.
The Leo Fender designs are what holds the appeal for me, he obviously created something special with the Precision, Jazz, and Stingray.
I just find it's too easy to find a great P bass and not spend a lot of money rather than pay for a vintage Fender.

 

[thmsjordan]

It's about the individual instrument. Simple as that. There are some great older instruments and some great newer ones.

I quite agree

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

I could never justify paying the price for a vintage Fender bass....
when I can get 80's Peavey and Guild basses, Japanese made knockoffs from the late 70's and on into the 80's from Tokai, Greco, Ibanez, Yamaha, Hondo, Kramer, ESP, Electra, Hamer, Univox. ... (Snip)for a vintage Fender.

Have you priced an '83-'84 Ibanez Roadstar II, lately? I have. I bought one new in the 80s with a hard shell case (I think they call them "chainsaw" cases) for less than $500.

I've been trying to re-acquire one for some time and I can tell you: the ones in really good shape are >$2K

 

[MrClassicMetal]

I have had this crazy notion for a while that I need to add a "birth year" bass to my arsenal. I was born in 1965. So, something around 10k is the entry fee. At one point, I had a 71 Jazz and it was a dog, in every sense of the word. Loose neck pocket, wouldn't stay in tune, generally abused. I unloaded it shortly after. I got to play Mike Lull's personal 1965 Precision in 2019. It was nice and I would've bought it, but it was not for sale. Then I look at my own collection and I realize, damn near every one of them is better than any vintage bass I could play or own and I already own these! So, my search is really over.

Yeah, rumour has it that you recently received a custom bass....

 

[ChetChetney]

You're saying that your Sadowsky and Fodera were of lesser quality than the Fenders?

Yes - I liked the 3 P Basses better than the Sadowsky and Fodera I had. The Sadowsky and Fodera were phenomenal basses - I just liked the vintage ones better. I actually have another Fodera Monarch Custom on order that I should receive this Fall built to my desired specs - that will be my one modern active bass. But yes, the mid 60's P's were very well built - excellent frets, neck bow, action, tight neck pocket, light weight, well balanced, beautiful sounding pickups…

 

[58kites]

Have you priced an '83-'84 Ibanez Roadstar II, lately? I have. I bought one new in the 80s with a hard shell case (I think they call them "chainsaw" cases) for less than $500.

I've been trying to re-acquire one for some time and I can tell you: the ones in really good shape are >$2K

I've never bought an Ibanez bass but...

Guitar Center currently has:

Black Roadstar II for $499.
Another black 1986 Roadstar II for $499.
1982 RB260 for $579.
1988 BL700 Blazer for $499
Red RB850 Roadstar with the two big humbuckers for $599
Challenger for $1099

Guitar Center also currently has:

80's Guild Pilot for $699
80's Guild Pilot for $749
Eight Kramers from the 70's and 80's.
80's Tokai TBP-57 for $599
Fourteen Peaveys built in the 80's.

Yes, lots of old basses have gone up in the last decade but they are way, way cheaper than a Vintage Fender and some of them are much better basses.
For vintage money you can buy:
Sadowsky
Lakland
Nash
Sandberg
Musicman
Tobias
Top end Yamaha
Roscoe
...and a bunch of others that are also well over my ceiling.

 

[MrClassicMetal]

Have you priced an '83-'84 Ibanez Roadstar II, lately? I have. I bought one new in the 80s with a hard shell case (I think they call them "chainsaw" cases) for less than $500.

I've been trying to re-acquire one for some time and I can tell you: the ones in really good shape are >$2K

So the RoadstAr II is going up in price as well now? I knew that the RoadstEr is sought after. Dan Hawkins and LowEndLobster both have one and made videos about that model. Someone was selling one on Reverb and referred to LowEndLobster's video. "This a high quality instrument, there's a guy on youtube called LowEndLobter who made a video about it!"

 

[Smooth_bass88]

I own a real deal 1962 Fender Jazz Bass. I had no intention of buying a vintage Fender, but this one pretty much fell into my lap via a guy doing work on my house. One day he came over and brought what he called "a 62 jazz bass". I did not have this guy pinned as a vintage musical instrument connoisseur so I was a bit skeptical. Sure enough, it was a beat up old Fender jazz. He said I could borrow it indefinitely. I removed the neck and there it was: 7JUN 62 A stamped clear as day. After a period of several months I expressed interest in purchasing the bass (dude isn't a bass player actually). We agreed on a price and I took ownership of it.

Thing is, I wouldn't have bought this bass if it wasn't exceptional. And it absolutely is. After getting it set up professionally and replacing the active EMG pickups with Fralins, this bass sounds and plays GREAT. And the neck is TOTALLY stable- it never needs adjusting. It looks pretty cool too.

 

[Mastermold]

Yes - I liked the 3 P Basses better than the Sadowsky and Fodera I had. The Sadowsky and Fodera were phenomenal basses - I just liked the vintage ones better. I actually have another Fodera Monarch Custom on order that I should receive this Fall built to my desired specs - that will be my one modern active bass. But yes, the mid 60's P's were very well built - excellent frets, neck bow, action, tight neck pocket, light weight, well balanced, beautiful sounding pickups…

Yeah, this begs the question I sometimes ask in threads when people say the modern Fenders are "better." Better how? They'll usually answer about CNC machines and improved "consistency" in production, but that says nothing about quality. To quote you, if a pre-CBS Fender bass is well built with "excellent frets, neck bow, action, tight neck pocket, light weight, well balanced, beautiful sounding pickups" there's nothing necessarily "better" about a new Fender. Fenders are simple designs, either executed well or not, regardless of when or how.

 

[walkbassman45]

This " old fossil " has played now old Fenders and current new Fenders. I respect the old Fender because it's from the time of more hand work to build. Sure the neck pockets were a little " looser " but if the set up was done correctly it played fine for my purposes. I love my new American Original in Candy Apple Red. CNC machines have made the tolerances as close as possible but there is something about those "old fossils" hand working that wood that, for some make it a little more special.

 

[Paul New]

View attachment 5027359 I own a real deal 1962 Fender Jazz Bass. I had no intention of buying a vintage Fender, but this one pretty much fell into my lap via a guy doing work on my house. One day he came over and brought what he called "a 62 jazz bass". I did not have this guy pinned as a vintage musical instrument connoisseur so I was a bit skeptical. Sure enough, it was a beat up old Fender jazz. He said I could borrow it indefinitely. I removed the neck and there it was: 7JUN 62 A stamped clear as day. After a period of several months I expressed interest in purchasing the bass (dude isn't a bass player actually). We agreed on a price and I took ownership of it.

Thing is, I wouldn't have bought this bass if it wasn't exceptional. And it absolutely is. After getting it set up professionally and replacing the active EMG pickups with Fralins, this bass sounds and plays GREAT. And the neck is TOTALLY stable- it never needs adjusting. It looks pretty cool too.

The thing is, if you tried 100 '62 jazz basses, I bet a diet pepsi you would like them all.

I like the old fenders, but also have the hots for one of those Spector NS1 reissues, which probably sells for $4K or so and is totally unnecessary.

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

So the RoadstAr II is going up in price as well now? I knew that the RoadstEr is sought after. Dan Hawkins and LowEndLobster both have one and made videos about that model. Someone was selling one on Reverb and referred to LowEndLobster's video. "This a high quality instrument, there's a guy on youtube called LowEndLobter who made a video about it!"

I haven't looked in a while, but I saw a really nice one, some time ago that was selling for (I don't know if this was the final price) $2,400. All the rest I found were in the $1,600 - $1,800 range.

 

[ChetChetney]

This " old fossil " has played now old Fenders and current new Fenders. I respect the old Fender because it's from the time of more hand work to build. Sure the neck pockets were a little " looser " but if the set up was done correctly it played fine for my purposes. I love my new American Original in Candy Apple Red. CNC machines have made the tolerances as close as possible but there is something about those "old fossils" hand working that wood that, for some make it a little more special.

All 3 of my 60's basses have neck pockets that are tighter than a tick

 

[Lucas Carioli]

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 !!

Affective memory means a lot in this business. I love the 60's and 70' instruments, but as i started in the 90's, the Fenders of that decade makes me crazy.