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Warning: Vintage Bass Candy found in attic

PinkFloydDan

PinkFloydDan

Jul 4, 2005
1,116
28
52
Buffalo
#1
I got a call from a guy today who said he found a bass in an attic of a foreclosed house he bought and he had no idea what he had but it was a Fender, it was old, and it was a bit dirty and when he opened it he smelled a musty kinda moldy smell.

I told him I'd be right over.

Well, after examination I was 90 percent sure he had an ALL original 1972 P bass. The neck was stamped March 72 and it had to last names stamped on it that I did not write down.

This bass came out of the house of Kenny Haddock, a famous bluegrasser.

I wish I could buy it but I wasn't going to lowball the guy or try to screw him. I helped him date it, but I did have questions about if the pickguard is all original. Something sort of tells me it may not be.

But I have some Iphone pics that don't do well but I will get more defined pics later with my good camera.

I told him if it were set up and cleaned, he has a $4000 bass with an original case. Worst case, I told him he has a $2000 bass. The body has very little checking and was in very good shape. Neck was in good shape. The strings are still on it and it did smell musty. Case smelled musty. I took off the pickguard cover and saw some hairy moldy **** and showed him how to lightly clean it off.

I did not even have to remove the pick ups to see they were original but I am going to check anyway--heck they could be older P pups. I did not remove pick guard. I was in a hurry.

What do you guys think it is worth?

He is going to give it to me to clean up and possibly sell it and he promised me a cut. So, I might be selling her on here at some point. Email me with any questions, but I was in awe.

And this sucker was HEAVY! I'd say 10.5 to 11 pounds
 
#8
I will likely just list it on here after I get her in shape. I think he could get $2,500 for it and he sound he'd keep it if he couldn't get it. I think he could get that from someone here.

Heck, I am looking for a 1974 and they seemed to all be running in that price range. I cannot afford her or she wouldn't be for sale. I wish I could get it from him to keep.

He finds this is an attic? Damn it!
 
#9
tell him you were wrong and its a fake.
:P
say you could use it for parts and buy it cheap.

this may or may not be worth screwing over a friend...
ill let you be the judge of that and your friendship.

i am not a horrible person FWIW.
 
#10
I told him it might be worth $4000. It needs a little TLC.

I cannot afford it. I don't have $2000. If he set up a PayPal Account I could credit it, but man....I'm getting ready to spend 1500 on the beginning of what will be an incredible sound system, starting with a top-dollar record player and amp.

I just cannot afford it. And I really want a quality system to listen to music.

Maybe I will change my mind. But if the guy can get more, then he deserves it. I'd have ruined the vibe of the bass if I tried to low ball him.



BigOldHarry said:
$2K for a '72 P-bass?

wow.

Well, '72 was a good year - CBS hadn't fully ruined the line yet. But $2,000?

Buy it and store it so the next guy can pay you $10K.
Click to expand...
 
#12
YOU GUYS ARE KILLING ME!

He knows what he has, he just never knew what year. He's not even a friend. He is someone I met one time.

He took it to a few shops who didn't even take the neck off and told him off the cuff he had a 1971 P bass and that he should leave it there on consignment.

I told him DO NOT do that.

Then, I showed him how easy it was to get a better feel for the bass and took off the neck with four screw turns. And Bam

March 1972.

He knows all he has to do is google and he'll get a range of prices.

I cannot lie and do that. It hurt so bad

Gord_oh said:
tell him you were wrong and its a fake.
:P
say you could use it for parts and buy it cheap.

this may or may not be worth screwing over a friend...
ill let you be the judge of that and your friendship.

i am not a horrible person FWIW.
Click to expand...
 
#13
$4000 is way too high. If it was a rare color in mint condition and super light it might sell over $3000.

As it stands, natural is way common, it has replacement parts and is on the pretty darn heavy side.

$2500 is optimistic but possible. My guess is it should sell around $2200.
 
#14
BigOldHarry said:
$2K for a '72 P-bass?

wow.

Well, '72 was a good year - CBS hadn't fully ruined the line yet. But $2,000?

Buy it and store it so the next guy can pay you $10K.
Click to expand...


Harry, seriously, why are you so pissed off about 70s Fender values? Is it really any crazier than much of the other stuff that goes on here on TB? I don't know where you are in life, but 2k is not that much money!
 

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