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Vintage Old Fender - I don't get it.
- Thread starter darwin-bass
- Start date
I can answer this for you..... at least from my perspective.
Nostalgia! I am 43 years old and owning and playing basses built from when I was a kid is an enjoyable experience for me in that it is kind of like holding on to a piece of the past. I used to own some 70's basses when I was a kid and I always wanted some the of the 60's basses I saw older guys playing. I am also nostalgic for 80's Japanese basses like my Yamahas too... and same with old Gibson basses and Stingrays ect.
That being said...my main gigging bass right now is a 2004 Korean made Spector that sounds as good and plays as good if not better than my 60's and 70's Fenders.
Not everybody is driven by nostalgia but I bet most guys my age an older are and that is the reason we gravitate towards the desired old Fender's ect.
Nostalgia! I am 43 years old and owning and playing basses built from when I was a kid is an enjoyable experience for me in that it is kind of like holding on to a piece of the past. I used to own some 70's basses when I was a kid and I always wanted some the of the 60's basses I saw older guys playing. I am also nostalgic for 80's Japanese basses like my Yamahas too... and same with old Gibson basses and Stingrays ect.
That being said...my main gigging bass right now is a 2004 Korean made Spector that sounds as good and plays as good if not better than my 60's and 70's Fenders.
Not everybody is driven by nostalgia but I bet most guys my age an older are and that is the reason we gravitate towards the desired old Fender's ect.
I am lucky, my new favorite 'vintage' Fender rarely sells for over $1000 in perfect condition with case. And the only reason I'd consider it is not because it is vintage, but because they don't make them anymore. If I wanted a Fender P, it'd be a new one, thank you.
I don't ever see myself becoming a vintage mang because I play 5-strings. Also I do not like beat-up instruments. However, I do see the appeal of vintage stuff. It's a nice idea to be playing such an iconic instrument that's been around for decades. It's playing a piece of History.
I really don't know about The Sound. I've heard very great-sounding new instruments and old ones *shrugs*
I really don't know about The Sound. I've heard very great-sounding new instruments and old ones *shrugs*
i played a 70's fender jazz once. it was horrible. i liked my 90's fender jazz much better. i recently bought a 2008 fender jazz and i like it better than my 90's fender jazz. the newer ones sound better to me. vintage tone can come by using the proper all tube amp with a new bass. you can get modern and vintage tones. the best of both worlds.
Well I don't know if they're cooler but with that being said I've had my 74 for since my sophomore year in high ( 1979 ) and to say that I've taken thru the " mill " would be and understatement to say the least, I mean this thing has fallen off the stand numerous of times and also been drop almost as many but after all this I STILL could hook it right up and play it with no problems whatsoever but other basses that I've owned from Tobias, Fodera and much ballyhooed socall boutique Jazz basses would not have been able to go thru this type abuse...... so I'm back to playing my beat up , buzzy sounding old Jazz bass and it still sounds as good as did 30 yrs ago and here's the thing, every time I play it @ a gig I always get compliments on how great it sounds and there's hardly a day that goes by that someone has made me a handsome offer to buy the damn thing !.
So why do something that you say you hate doing? If the post irritates you that much, why not just ignore it.
Bizarre.
At one point in time "Fender bass" was electric bass to most people. The precision was revolutionary. To quote wikipedia;
"Designed by Leo Fender as a prototype in 1950 and brought to market in 1951, the Precision was the first electric bass to earn widespread attention and use. A revolutionary instrument for the time, the Precision Bass has made an immeasurable impact on the sound of popular music ever since."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fender_Precision_Bass
Most musicians are extremely conservative in their gear choices, they tend to play what the people they admire play. True originators are rare. Having gained such a significant initial impact on electric music it's no suprise that the early Fenders are still desired by many today.
If you don't like them that's fine, play something else. Maybe you'll start a new trend, and 60 years from now someone will come onto talkbass to complain because everybody's started copying your gear choices, and they think it's all gone a little stale
"Designed by Leo Fender as a prototype in 1950 and brought to market in 1951, the Precision was the first electric bass to earn widespread attention and use. A revolutionary instrument for the time, the Precision Bass has made an immeasurable impact on the sound of popular music ever since."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fender_Precision_Bass
Most musicians are extremely conservative in their gear choices, they tend to play what the people they admire play. True originators are rare. Having gained such a significant initial impact on electric music it's no suprise that the early Fenders are still desired by many today.
If you don't like them that's fine, play something else. Maybe you'll start a new trend, and 60 years from now someone will come onto talkbass to complain because everybody's started copying your gear choices, and they think it's all gone a little stale
The reason old guitars and bass's became so expensive is because of collectors who don't even play them. They turned them into a collectible commodity like art.
Rich men creating markets at the expense of the rest of us who actually play the things.
Back before the 80's "vintage" guitars were just "second hand", and were a lot cheaper to buy. I bought an all original 1962 Hofner Violin bass for $100, ended up trading it for an HH guitar amp lol. 60's Vox AC30's sold for $100 also.
Old instruments, and amps, were still easily available because they had not been hidden away in collectors store rooms, creating an artificial scarcity and desire.
Old is just old, they don't necessarily play or sound any better than new. You can find gems in old and new stuff.
Rich men creating markets at the expense of the rest of us who actually play the things.
Back before the 80's "vintage" guitars were just "second hand", and were a lot cheaper to buy. I bought an all original 1962 Hofner Violin bass for $100, ended up trading it for an HH guitar amp lol. 60's Vox AC30's sold for $100 also.
Old instruments, and amps, were still easily available because they had not been hidden away in collectors store rooms, creating an artificial scarcity and desire.
Old is just old, they don't necessarily play or sound any better than new. You can find gems in old and new stuff.
Why do people pay big bucks for old comic books, stamps, coins, etc.? Btw, I'm sure if you really take some time to self reflect you are going to realize there are a lot of things you don't get
i love old stuff! if you gave me a blank check for any bass (in any class), i'd peruse the vintage aisle. 
if you gave me a blank check for any bass (in any class), i'd peruse the vintage aisle. 
- Oct 3, 2004
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As with any instrument,there are some that don't make the cut,some that are average,and some that are incredible but,when you find an old Fender bass that's right,it pretty much can handle just about anything! You can plug and play without dialing up all these different EQ's and the bass usually sits like it's supposed to.My mom bought me a '74 Jazz as my first bass....thank God I knew what great tone was from day one! haha!
When you look at a lot of the new,up and coming builders each one of them offer some type of "modern classic" that pays tribute to what Fender gave to us.Ask yourself this question...why do you think they do that? There's definitely a reason.
When you look at a lot of the new,up and coming builders each one of them offer some type of "modern classic" that pays tribute to what Fender gave to us.Ask yourself this question...why do you think they do that? There's definitely a reason.
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
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- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
- Jul 11, 2005
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Its all relative, some of those old fenders should be used as firewood and others are a feel and tone that is hard to beat. These nuances are best heard on recordings, for live playing any reasonably decent bass with a good set up should do the trick. As for value, its what someone is willing to pay for it. I remember when you could buy a used pre CBS fender for under a grand. I think wealthy japanese business men are responsible for starting this insane price escalation. That being said my main gigging bass is a 2006 Jazz bass that sounds fine as can be, I also own a 69 P bass that sounds much better than any newer P bass I've tried. I think its the pickups more than the wood but what do I know, I just know what I hear, and I've heard and played quite a few over the years.
