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Vintage versus reissue
- Thread starter Doug4321
- Start date
The only problem I have with re-issues (specifically Fender Jazz Bass) is that they usually don't actually copy the original. Look at almost any of the "Made in the US" Fender 60's re-issues and until perhaps this year, they all have 9.5" radius on the neck. The 60's basses used a 7.25" radius neck. That 9.5" radius didn't make an appearance until the 70's. And rarely will you find one with the same shape as the original 60's neck.
I had a 1965 Fender Jazz that I bought in 1966. It was stolen in 1976 along with my amp and two mics. Besides playing it in high-school and college, I had toured with it for 3-years in the early 70's. So I knew that neck well. Took me the better part of 10-years to find another bass with that same "60's shallow-C shape with 7.25" radius". I found that in 1985, bought it, and that's the one I still play.
Most of the re-issues will come with a C-shape neck but not the "shallow" C-shape neck. And then some of them come with a "modern D-shape" neck...for a re-issue??? That's NUTS! What's so modern about a crappy D shape neck and why would you put a "modern" neck on a re-issue? That's certainly NOT what an early to mid-60's Jazz Bass came with. And the '60's Jazz Basses came with the 3.6" spacing between pickups, not the 70's 4" spacing.
And then they do go ahead and actually make an accurate re-issue and only offer it as a relic! They totally beat up a perfectly good bass in an effort to make it look like it has "mojo". Your bass accumulates Mojo by being played for years by you! It's not a built in thing and it can't be faked. It just cheapens the instrument by trying to make people think it's already been used for 20-years.
Another option instead of buying a re-issue, that is not accurate to the original, is to have the custom-shop build you one that is. But of course, you really need to talk to someone to get that done right. Otherwise they just have you pick online "options" for your custom build, and nowhere in those options is a "'60's shallow C-shape neck with a 7.25" radius". Nonetheless, they will build it if you can talk to them. Custom shop builds are not cheap, but paying around $3000 to $3500 for a "custom" is cheaper than trying to buy a real 1965 Fender Jazz like the one I had. I think that's a better option than buying either an imitation "re-issue" or a true vintage '64 or '65 Jazz Bass.
Personally, my feeling is that if you aren't "re-issuing" the bass to original specs, it's not a re-issue and is worthless to me. And PLEASE quit distressing a perfectly good nitro-finish on a real re-issue. It needs to get its scars from me, not someone in the factory. I personally take very good care of my basses and am very careful with them. I try to keep them looking as good as possible as long as possible.
My '65, even after 10-years of use and touring with it for 3-years playing 5-nights a week, 50-weeks a year, only had one major ding on the back of the body. And that was from our female vocalist dropping an Atlas mic stand bass on it - nice D-shaped ding. My current bass has a tiny depression on the neck behind the 11th fret on the skunk stripe, and it was that way when I bought it in 1985 (so small you have to search to find it). I want my musical instruments to look good!
Interesting that a 1967 vs 2017 Starfire bass sounds different. Maybe not too surprising. I really do hear some of the tone on old Dead and Airplane records out of the 2017 version though.
Also interesting that a 1969 EB-0 sounds different vs a few year old Gibson SG bass. Maybe an improvement I don't know.
Also interesting that a 1969 EB-0 sounds different vs a few year old Gibson SG bass. Maybe an improvement I don't know.
The best deal is subjective!It depends on you!
e.g. You like Jack Bruce? A used German made Warwick Thump is a great deal!
You can get them for less than 50% of the new ones.
You really like Jack Bruce?
Wise(b)ass
I would say if you're a Jack Bruce fan (as I am) you get a 60's EB-3 (as I did) and pick a Marshall at the same time (as I haven't yet).
The pickups are very different, those old Sidewinder pickups ranged up to 20K ohms and more. In the right hands old EB-0's (EB-3's, EB-2's etc) have a great sound.
I like both vintage and new, I don't really know if it's worth it to buy a $10,000 60's Jazz bass though, I would rather have a player grade vintage bass because I buy them all to play first and foremost.
I would presume that most of today's players would see it as an improvement. SG bass is *way* more polished and polite than any EB from the 60s and 70s. The pickups on it are Thunderbird pickups in a different packaging. It also feels and plays a bit differently since it's a mash-up of specs from various EBs from different eras.
First, foremost and forever, play what feels and sounds right to you.
For me, I've got a vintage 76 Fender P, and I just picked up a late model "70s" J that's really well built and true to the period, down to the neck profile and pickup spacing.
An actual 70s J in any kind of shape would be 2K probably. The reissue cost me about a quarter of that. It's basically brand new and sounds and plays as good or better than any actual 70s J I've picked up.
Of course the maple hasn't mellowed to a rich gold like the old P, the hardware looks new and skinny, and the finish isn't worn. But I like it fine. It does what I want it to do and looks good doing it.
For me, I've got a vintage 76 Fender P, and I just picked up a late model "70s" J that's really well built and true to the period, down to the neck profile and pickup spacing.
An actual 70s J in any kind of shape would be 2K probably. The reissue cost me about a quarter of that. It's basically brand new and sounds and plays as good or better than any actual 70s J I've picked up.
Of course the maple hasn't mellowed to a rich gold like the old P, the hardware looks new and skinny, and the finish isn't worn. But I like it fine. It does what I want it to do and looks good doing it.
I'll be happy to buy a new bass - if it's what I want, and if they make it in a lefty. But, sometimes,
there's no other choice but to go for "Vintage". Rickenbacker hasn't made amps in a long, long time; the 330 guitar is an '87 - the last year they were fully hollow inside; Aluminum necked Kramers are definitely vintage-y; and lefty Gretsch basses are pretty much the same. I didn't buy them just because they're "Vintage"; I bought them because, to get what I wanted? I had to...
there's no other choice but to go for "Vintage". Rickenbacker hasn't made amps in a long, long time; the 330 guitar is an '87 - the last year they were fully hollow inside; Aluminum necked Kramers are definitely vintage-y; and lefty Gretsch basses are pretty much the same. I didn't buy them just because they're "Vintage"; I bought them because, to get what I wanted? I had to...
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hi bobyoung53
Too many frets for me!
greetings
Wise(b)ass
Fretless player?
+1 for MJT. Here is my MJT precision with a Musikraft neck and Duncan Antiquity II’s. I’ll never buy from Fender again knowing I can just build a custom shop bass at a quarter of the price.
Thanks! It’s a Spitfire Tort with Speckled 60’s and vintage burgundy. They’re pricey, but worth every penny.
For you fender guys - I just got my body back from MJT. Here is a couple pics of the finished bass. The body was refinished in aged Surf Green with no relicing or cracking of the finish. They call it "Closet Clean". I think it turned out great! Its a player too. Sounds great! Whole process at MJT took about 2 months.
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The specs are its a 2019 Fender American Original Jazz Bass with the body refinished and Fender Custom Shop 60's Jazz bass pickups. Sounds killer. I might play around with different pickups but its sounding pretty good right now! My goal wasnt to perfectly replicate a 60's era Jazz Bass because the neck radius is wrong (9.5" vs 7.5") along with some other things. I just wanted a great playing bass that looks vintage!
