Vintage Fenders. Why??

[tb-player]

You seem to be asserting that older instruments have more problems than newer instruments. I don't think this is necessarily true, not even in general.

Either that or you are asserting that old Fenders were kinda junk.

I think all makes and ages of production have their lemons and gems. Time tends to weed out many of the lemons as they get parted out or thrown in the dumpster or whatever fate awaits them.


Also, not everyone is a player or interested in the setup of the instrument. Some old basses are simply decoration for someone's restaurant wall because they are historical objects.

I’m not making any broad assumptions. This is just my experience. Age can play a factor in how an instrument responds… in my case, it was negative. But I know there are good ones out there too. Seems they’re the ones people are selling for 20-grand. More likely, they’re sitting in someone’s closet and haven’t seen the light of day in decades.

An old widow gave my brother a beautiful mid-60s Martin acoustic because he helped fix up her house. Maybe it’s time for me to go help a few little old ladies across the street… lol.

 

[kumimajava]

As someone who is severely allergic to FSO's.. I still occasionally pick one up in various stores here in Tokyo, just to see if the allergy has passed.

And whether by coincidence or not - the only instrument of this class that I was really blown away by was an early split-coil P-bass. Definitely boat-anchor territory weight-wise, heavily used, and evidently mistreated along the way. But the tone was unlike any other p-bass I'd played before, or since.

Of course, due to the aforementioned allergy - i'm not likely to ever spend anything beyond firewood-money on an FSO, so definitely would not have been willing to pay the sticker price on the even this phenomenal specimen.

Doesn't mean that *all* vintage Fenders are great - but at least that particular one was So I guess in that respect - 'get it' if someone has found one of Leo's gems which they deeply treasure. But certainly wouldn't get one blind, and i doubt that *all* of them are *that* special.

 

[SulzerType2]

Its about collecting,at least in part.
It matters less how well it plays,not saying these basses cant be good.

I think this is pretty much it. A Stradivarius violin is worth the big price tag with a replaced or planed fingerboard, neck reset and various repairs.

Electric guitar collectors are more like baseball card or Star Trek memorabilia collectors. The value is tied into them being bone stock, and ideally unplayed, mid-century cultural objects.

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

I mean, yeah, it’s cool to hear someone say “this is my ‘64 jazz” 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?

A while back, I bought a ‘65 P bass from Chicago Music Exchange for about $7k. It sounded fine and played okay. But the truss rod was maxed and it wasn’t nearly as nice as my Nash PB57 or my Olinto P bass (both pricey but significantly less expensive). I’ve also played a couple of vintage jazz basses that were in good shape, but none came close to my Bluesman Vintage jazz.

Despite all that, I’d still love to own an early 60’s jazz someday. Who knows? Maybe I’ll stumble across one at an estate sale or something. But with prices now officially at ludicrous levels, I’ve pretty much stopped looking.

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

Honestly don’t know .. they are sold at stratospheric prices but I believe that the current CS production is a better investment for those who like to play bass, not keeping the instruments hanging up a wall; at least, they are new instruments.
Not that they are cheap, as during the last couple of years the CS instruments price went up considerably, but you still can find a recent used one at a decent price and they do sound as a proper Fender P or J bass should.
That’s only my opinion of course ..

 

[Lucas Carioli]

It's not just with Fenders, all classic/vintage stuff now its absolutely pricey. Why? I think people started to fear the present and the future e they just don't run back into the past because they can't. Obviusly the sellers have been explored this feeling to the maximum.

But i agree with you most of the new instruments are better in general, they just don't have THAT appeal of a '62 Jazz Bass. There's a lot of affective memory envolved too. For me, who started to play in the 90's those are my favorite ones.

 

[Sam Dingle]

I moved to Nashville with that same mindset. I had 4 of the AVRI fenders from 2013-16 and a moollon P. I played Tim Denbos 63 p bass, and John Thomassons 66 P and they were the two best basses I had ever played before in my life. I found a 66 P at Carters that was beat to poopie but had that mojo (admittedly not as much as Denbos 63...) and I had to have it. I paid the thousand dollar deposit, sold 2 of the reissues and the moollon in 2 days and paid the remainder $3700.

I'm still getting to know it. It sounds good with flatwounds, but I prefer the sound of nickel rounds. Stainless sounded rough to me. Its much warmer of a bass than my Custom Shop 58 I bought shortly after. The custom shop has a lot of highs that help I think on stage and its a little more aggressive, but not as mid forward as the moollon was. The 66 has all that mojo I was after and I don't regret spending that money, especially since its beat up I don't feel bad bringing it on less than ideal gigs. On the few demo recordings I've used it on, its perfect.

Do I get more work because of it? No. Would I ever lose work for not having it? No. Do I use it as my main bass all the time? Also no. But it out performed every other bass I'd compared it to, for what it does. I think if you find a good one for a good price you'll see why. I don't think I would've paid $6000 for mine but then again maybe I would.

 

[Nev375]

The automation involved with modern guitar production is objectively capable of producing more consistent instruments. It's simple... the tech has improved, and so have the instruments. Now, it's still possible to make a dud, but tolerances were way broader before CNC.

Wood quality is not as good as it used to be either. Much of the strong slow growing trees with tight annual rings are long gone. There's a lot more to instrument building than simple machining. Robots do not analyze the grain and orient it for optimum stability. (At least as far as I know) All I've ever seen is workers slap planks into a machine willy nilly and let a CNC rout out cookie cutter neck blanks.

 

[GreyBeard]

Collecting old Fenders, it's a thing.

 

[Rib 13]

This depends on the microscope of the user and their personal bias: Many folks believe that aging wood and aging pickups can play a difference in tone. Perhaps it does. My hearing may be able to resolve that level of detail under a powerful microscope but for general clinical practice of performance and recording, its negligible for me

I personally prefer newer instruments for the same reason I prefer smartphones over the older rotary dial landlines, although the old rotary dial phone certainly is a conversation piece

 

[Minimalist]

Basses are made from wood. No two instruments are exactly the same. Some are bad, some are good, and some are outstanding. It's completely irrelevant when and where they were made.

When it comes to fit and finish, all that matters is the QC and sometimes luck. But f&f don't determine sound.

 

[Guido Fawkes]

To answer the OPs question, because I enjoy owning the best bass I ever played.

 

[Auer]

Reading this thread makes it clear how individual and emotional the subject is.

There are a ton of Bass players out there creating incredible sounds on shiny new equipment.

And Bill Nash has a good business model.

And I work with a guy that cruises the east coast on his spare time buying and selling old string instruments.

And some people play the same Bass for 30 years and it sounds better every year. Probably not the Bass tho.

 

[Ostie]

Vintage cars. Why?

 

[ChetChetney]

IMO it’s more about collecting, than sound.

whatever your poison, people will pay money to get rare, older versions that hold sentimental value. Whether cars, gaming consoles or baseball cards.

Go say that to Sean Hurley - one of the most prominent session bassists that chooses to play his ‘66 and ‘64 Precision Basses specifically for the sound. Your comment is not accurate at all. I simply play my vintage P’s because they feel better and sound better than any modern bass out there. Check my post history - you will see a bunch of the basses my ‘66 and ‘65 P Basses have beat out. Lakland Joe Osborn, Lakland 55-94, Fodera Custom Monarch, Sadowsky NYC, Fender Custom Shop, and on and on…

If you catch the right vintage bass, nothing can beat them from my experience!

 

[swink]

Whether they are better or worse than what is currently available on the market is irrelevant.

They are no longer made, so they are less available and sought after. Everyone wants to be able to make their unique mark by owning something someone else doesn't have. (Just look in your neighbor's driveway.There are plenty of things I have that I am proud of and know it would be difficult for others to acquire as well. It's just in human nature.)

 

[Auer]

Whether they are better or worse than what is currently available on the market is irrelevant.

They are no longer made, so they are less available and sought after. Everyone wants to be able to make their unique mark by owning something someone else doesn't have. (Just look in your neighbor's driveway.There are plenty of things I have that I am proud of and know it would be difficult for others to acquire as well. It's just in human nature.)

A sense of exclusivity.

 

[Chuck King]

Anybody who can’t find a great-playing great-sounding modern bass for a reasonable price is just not looking very hard, but no modern bass comes with the confirmation bias you get when you spend five or ten times as much for something everybody else says is awesome.

 

[jmlee]

I bought my ‘68 P-bass used in 1972 for $250 CDN, then played it and only it for 15 of the most important and formative years of my long musical life. (I’ve played in bands for 53 years steadily.) Its worn form encapsulates a lot of emotional goods for me; another ‘68 P, nothing really.

 

[pepj]

Wood quality is not as good as it used to be either. Much of the strong slow growing trees with tight annual rings are long gone. There's a lot more to instrument building than simple machining. Robots do not analyze the grain and orient it for optimum stability. (At least as far as I know) All I've ever seen is workers slap planks into a machine willy nilly and let a CNC rout out cookie cutter neck blanks.

This indeed sorts the men out from the boys these days. Imv
I have a couple of decent and usable Mass produced factory basses...including a CS..But my hand built Customs are in a different league.
Plus you are more invested when you've discussed woods and tweaks with the luthier.
If cost is a factor....and it mostly always is...getting decent woods will bump that up.
The trick is if that price bump is tangible.

 

[wango55]

Vintage cars. Why?

As a vintage car owner, the appeal vs a new car has many aspects to it. Design: the modern automobile looks very different than a vintage one obviously. So definitely aesthetics plays a huge part in preference. Mechanically they were simpler as well. Open up the hood of a modern car and compare to a vintage automobile. Working on repairing an older car is in most cases easier than a modern one. Driving one is a different experience. You have the sound and smell of an older motor. You feel the road more. I like to say that you drive the car more than the car drives you. No power steering, fancy suspension, and even mechanical brakes will make you focus on driving more.

In my opinion you can’t compare old cars to old instruments. Sure some things have changed but the evolution of a car is a far different trajectory than that of a fender or FSO. And therefore the differences between a modern and vintage car are far greater than that of an instrument. I think the reasons for preferring a vintage car are more tangible than that of an instrument.