I have found that I have loved playing vintage and new alike. I am apparently REALLY easy. I really don't have a preference. I would like to have a P bass built in Sept. 1968 one of these years though.
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Vintage Old Fender - I don't get it.
- Thread starter darwin-bass
- Start date
I think what I find most fascinating in this thread is the ease at which so many people will disregard certain eras of instruments, as though they're not worthy of their musicianship.
Fender, to this day, is living off the success of instruments created 60 years ago, sparing no expense to copy them in every minute detail possible.
the regurgitation of the standard myths says it all, sad really but somewhat entertaining in a Jerry Springer kind of way.
Fender, to this day, is living off the success of instruments created 60 years ago, sparing no expense to copy them in every minute detail possible.
the regurgitation of the standard myths says it all, sad really but somewhat entertaining in a Jerry Springer kind of way.
This is a discussion forum. The interest it generates is in sharing your experiences, being exposed to different opinions and engaging in debate with people who have a different viewpoint to your own. Contrasting opinions shouldn't scare, annoy or intimidate people, they're what makes the planet an interesting place to be. If you have a problem with people "not getting" vintage Fenders then surely clicking on a thread called "Vintage Fenders - I don't get it" isn't going to do anything other than raise your blood pressure, so why get involved if you're just going to have a go at people posting in a thread of that title? Why couldn't you just pass it by and get on with your life? If you're looking for an agreement forum where every response to the original post is simply "+1" then perhaps you ought to set one up? I'm not sure how well it will do, however.
Dude, it's all good in the hood. My blood pressure is actually really good, I just had it taken (117/79)! But man.. it's just that these threads pop up all the time, and it just gets old to see it again and again. You don't you like seeing new "what's the best bass for metal" threads pop up do you? I don't see these the vintage hater threads being any different.
Don't get me wrong, I love a good discussion and even more, a good debate. But I just don't care much for beating another dead horse. And yes, I admit I entered into this conversation and took the bait. I guess it's just every dozen or so of these threads I see, I just succumb to the temptation of thinking I might persuade some hater to stop hating. But it never works, and I should know better. :scowl: Especially when we all know about 95% of the haters have never even spent enough time on a real vintage bass (particularly a pre-CBS) to have an opinion based on experience. Playing one in music store isn't enough. Almost every bass I've ever had, new or vintage (and yes I like em both), I had to set it up or have it set up before I could really make up my mind about it. You gotta spend some real quality time with an instrument before you can see what it is and isn't capable of, and definitely hear it in a mix.
It's just more haters hatin'. Do you (meaning all the haters as a faction, not you in particular) really wish that vintage instruments weren't appreciated more, and weren't more valuable than the replicas - if not for their history alone? It's the history we pay for. Great vintage instruments surpass their primary functions. And it just so happens that the good ones (and it's obvious that not all vintage basses are great players or sound great still), but the good ones have that special combo of the history, dried and aged wood, slightly de-magnatized pickups with old pots and caps, and worn-in wood and finish that just have "that feel". If you really truly can't relate to that at all, then I guess I just don't get not getting it.
Yet there is a premium price associated with "vintage" instruments that are in "mint" condition having spent their time in the case under a bed or in a closet and rarely, if ever, played...Why is that? How much "worn-in wood and finish that just have that feel" can those instruments possibly have?
I didn't get it either until I played one in a gig environment.
A covers trio were playing at my small local real ale pub which has decent live music on regularly.
One night a band called "The Palladino Players" were playing. They were awesome. Turns out they were Pino's brother's band (he's a drummer) with a chap called Pete Hurley on bass. Pete has played and recorded with Van Morrison using an original '61 Pbass, the bass he was using that night.
During one of their breaks I got chatting to Pete who was a lovely friendly man and he actually offered me a go of his bass (plugged into a Genz Benz Shuttle of some description).
That bass was incredible! So light but very well balanced, resonant like I have never experienced before (unplugged at first, against my body), very easy to play despite it's very wide neck, and the best tone my fingers have ever made. It was stripped back to the wood as was the neck which he said he oiled every now and then. It was THE most amazing bass I've ever played. Oh, he had Lakland flats on it too which were lovely.
I lost alot of sleep over that one as now I "got" it
so much so that 2 years on I'm currently putting my own replica of that bass together. Won't be the same of course, but if I can get close... 
I hope this post doesn't sound too "name droppy", it's just I live in a small village outside Cardiff and I was so surprised that these (Cardiff based) pro musicians were playing at my local on their downtime just for kicks. Awesome night!
So yeah, the good vintage Fenders are REALLY good, in my humble experience.
A covers trio were playing at my small local real ale pub which has decent live music on regularly.
One night a band called "The Palladino Players" were playing. They were awesome. Turns out they were Pino's brother's band (he's a drummer) with a chap called Pete Hurley on bass. Pete has played and recorded with Van Morrison using an original '61 Pbass, the bass he was using that night.
During one of their breaks I got chatting to Pete who was a lovely friendly man and he actually offered me a go of his bass (plugged into a Genz Benz Shuttle of some description).
That bass was incredible! So light but very well balanced, resonant like I have never experienced before (unplugged at first, against my body), very easy to play despite it's very wide neck, and the best tone my fingers have ever made. It was stripped back to the wood as was the neck which he said he oiled every now and then. It was THE most amazing bass I've ever played. Oh, he had Lakland flats on it too which were lovely.
I lost alot of sleep over that one as now I "got" it
so much so that 2 years on I'm currently putting my own replica of that bass together. Won't be the same of course, but if I can get close... I hope this post doesn't sound too "name droppy", it's just I live in a small village outside Cardiff and I was so surprised that these (Cardiff based) pro musicians were playing at my local on their downtime just for kicks. Awesome night!
So yeah, the good vintage Fenders are REALLY good, in my humble experience.
My Ford Focus ST accelerates faster than a Jaguar XKE, has a higher top speed, is more nimble, gets better gas mileage, has MUCH better electrical and entertainment systems yet an XKE cost many many times more. Why?
Yes, but in 50 years will someone pony up $7K for it?
That's where the "sound" is.
Honestly, I remember times in the 70s when 50s-60s Fenders couldn't draw flies.
I hope you bought because it will be the only one out there. That squier would be major one off for any collection.
That's no biggie, the Squier Jaguar shortscale I bought a couple of months ago is the same. In fact, those are qualities I seek in every bass I purchase old or new and I've found more than a few new ones that are the same.
People said similar things about 50's and 60's basses before vintage fever took over.
Now 70's basses are commanding "vintage" premium prices, and IME very few of them didn't suck.
That's what I'm hoping regarding the replica I'm putting together.
I've got a very beautiful and lightweight alder P body already that I'm just going to tru-oil, and a lovely jazz neck (ok, it won't be an exact replica
)Also, I've picked up some Gotoh Resolite reverse vintage tuners so if I'm lucky may bass my weigh in even lighter than the original. Oh, and I've got a Fralin pup to drop in too.
I've worked out that by sourcing all the parts I need and finishing/putting it all together myself, I should have my dream Fender with top quality bits and pieces for about the same price as a new Am Standard.
Much cheaper than going Custom shop, never mind actually buying true vintage. We'll see.
Congrats on your own finds mate.
I've done several for myself and others...it's very possible.
Good luck with yours.
I've not played thousands of basses.
I've not heard thousands of basses.
But my first bass was a vintage 1962 Fender Jazz Bass with all of it's original equipment.
I didn't "get it" either for MONTHS!
Played a few other basses at first, and really just passed the variations off as a mental thing. I knew what I had was arguably thought to be one of the best Fender put out.
I knew that every time an actual bass player put his hands on it, the reaction was always like watching a boy see boobs for his first time.
So I just assumed it was all in my head.
Now here it is, a little over a year later, the novelty has warn off, & I've played as many different basses, from as many different places as I've able to.
Still not exactly an impressive trial of various basses though however, there are TONS of basses I'd really like to try out still.
But the sound from my 62 is actually quite different.
Modern basses, including 2---1970's Fenders, an 81 Fender P bass, a 70's Rick, and several others just don't sound the same.
They have a kinda twang to them, and the 62 doesn't.
I'm not sure I can put sound into words, but the 62 has a very clean sound compared to the others.
Where it's sound is very warm, deep, & clean.
Other basses have a kinda plasticky sound to them, or as mentioned above a twang in the sound that doesn't exist in the 62.
Don't get me wrong, newer basses sound awesome in their own right. Just different.
Had I never known the sound of the 62, I wouldn't be missing a thing.
As far as the prices they command, well it's probably a huge mix of factors.
Supply, & demand being among the top reasons.
Also....no matter what a builder does, or how many people argue on TB, you can't get real tort guards, you can't use the real Brazilian woods. And no matter how close/cool you make it look, you can't duplicate 5+ decades of age.
Close as you may get, it'll never be close enough to call it a complete clone.
It's definitely more than just a quality thing, or a sound thing, or a nostalgia thing, or any other one thing. It's all of the above, and more.
Definitely not something you're going "to get" w/o having one in your hands.
Hell I have one, and I STILL am amazed at the prices they fetch.
Mine to me is priceless, I just would NOT sell it. Even if I gave up playing tomorrow, I couldn't see me parting with it. Not even for several times its value. I love the bass, and love knowing I own it. So it's definitely a lot going on there mentally, & emotionally too.
I've not heard thousands of basses.
But my first bass was a vintage 1962 Fender Jazz Bass with all of it's original equipment.
I didn't "get it" either for MONTHS!
Played a few other basses at first, and really just passed the variations off as a mental thing. I knew what I had was arguably thought to be one of the best Fender put out.
I knew that every time an actual bass player put his hands on it, the reaction was always like watching a boy see boobs for his first time.
So I just assumed it was all in my head.
Now here it is, a little over a year later, the novelty has warn off, & I've played as many different basses, from as many different places as I've able to.
Still not exactly an impressive trial of various basses though however, there are TONS of basses I'd really like to try out still.
But the sound from my 62 is actually quite different.
Modern basses, including 2---1970's Fenders, an 81 Fender P bass, a 70's Rick, and several others just don't sound the same.
They have a kinda twang to them, and the 62 doesn't.
I'm not sure I can put sound into words, but the 62 has a very clean sound compared to the others.
Where it's sound is very warm, deep, & clean.
Other basses have a kinda plasticky sound to them, or as mentioned above a twang in the sound that doesn't exist in the 62.
Don't get me wrong, newer basses sound awesome in their own right. Just different.
Had I never known the sound of the 62, I wouldn't be missing a thing.
As far as the prices they command, well it's probably a huge mix of factors.
Supply, & demand being among the top reasons.
Also....no matter what a builder does, or how many people argue on TB, you can't get real tort guards, you can't use the real Brazilian woods. And no matter how close/cool you make it look, you can't duplicate 5+ decades of age.
Close as you may get, it'll never be close enough to call it a complete clone.
It's definitely more than just a quality thing, or a sound thing, or a nostalgia thing, or any other one thing. It's all of the above, and more.
Definitely not something you're going "to get" w/o having one in your hands.
Hell I have one, and I STILL am amazed at the prices they fetch.
Mine to me is priceless, I just would NOT sell it. Even if I gave up playing tomorrow, I couldn't see me parting with it. Not even for several times its value. I love the bass, and love knowing I own it. So it's definitely a lot going on there mentally, & emotionally too.
Played a '58 Precision at a gig once. It belonged to a friend. I must say it had a tone to die for, something I can't get from my modern basses. Can't explain it, though. And maybe there's a new one that can sound just as good, I dunno. Yet, I'm not willing to spend two or three grand, or more, on one like it. My '87 Jazz Bass Special and '01 American Jazz are better made, I think, and sound just fine to me.
I agree. I'm personally not into perfectly preserved vintage basses. I like em to have been played. IME, the ones that sat in their cases for decades are usually not very good players because the necks haven't been adjusted over time to keep up with humidity changes and what not, and many of them just get warped. Those are probably best for museums and displays in rich people homes. For me, a vintage bass has to have all the elements for me to pay a premium price - history, looks, and that "feel".
I guess that's how vintage basses differ from vintage cars.. at least for me. I would pay more for a mint condition Nova or Chevelle because the looks are everything when it comes to cars.
If you don't have one then you probably won't get it...
I bought my 62 over a new jazz, they were both the same price, because it just felt nicer...
Since then I've had other basses and it was pretty much in it's case for nearly two decades.
Recently rediscovered, sans frets and a sporty John East J-Retro.
Link Removed
The only basses that have come close in terms of feel are a RW Jazz and a Squier CV Jazz... both very nice.
I bought my 62 over a new jazz, they were both the same price, because it just felt nicer...
Since then I've had other basses and it was pretty much in it's case for nearly two decades.
Recently rediscovered, sans frets and a sporty John East J-Retro.
Link Removed
The only basses that have come close in terms of feel are a RW Jazz and a Squier CV Jazz... both very nice.
