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Actually I bought my 68 for $125. Bought the 78 around 89-90.
By 1985 $500 bought maybe a slightly above average bass IIRC. In 1980 I bought a used BC Rich Eagle for $500... which I almost immediately traded straight up for new 1978 Tobias that going for $700.
Ah, (faded) memories.
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'70s Fenders sucked?? Apparently, you've been playing the wrong '70s Fenders! I've had a few. They weren't necessarily all they were cracked up to be, but they weren't bad, either! The only thing I found is that they needed a bit more maintenance than their competitors.
The best P I've ever played is a friends 78. Great neck, light weight and killer P sound. Definately one of the good ones.
That said I've played far more crappy mid 70's to mid 80's Fenders than good ones. I believe there are good ones out there, but my experience like many is that they are few and far between. If you've got a great one, keep it and play the heck out of it. If you can find one the same applies. I would love to own that friends 78 one of these days but he's not turning it loose!
That said I've played far more crappy mid 70's to mid 80's Fenders than good ones. I believe there are good ones out there, but my experience like many is that they are few and far between. If you've got a great one, keep it and play the heck out of it. If you can find one the same applies. I would love to own that friends 78 one of these days but he's not turning it loose!
- Jun 30, 2010
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Anything can happen to anything as far as that goes Brad, but my point is (as @walkbassman45 pointed out) that (regarding basses that ended up on a guitar showroom) the neck pocket didn't change after the sale, the bass didn't get heavier after the sale, the sound/tone didn't change after the sale. There were finish issues that did change over time depending on conditions the buyer subjected it to (heat/cold, smoky bars, use/abuse) but that didn't alter the way it played of sounded. If the neck was warped or the frets were poorly installed at the factory and it ended up in a guitar shop - the buyer can choose not to accept/buy it. Those who knew what to look for in a bass that they will pay for, will accept (or reject) said bass only if it passes that buyers scrutiny. This is the (only) point I was in agreement with - only talking about the bad* ones that were sold at a shop and bought by players. *bad as in sometimes a subjective assessment; a 12lb P-bass - some have no issue with a heavy bass, some will consider that bad.
- Jun 30, 2010
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This is also a good point. If a 'not great' bass can be bought for what that buyer considers an acceptable price (to them and them only regardless of what anyone else "would" pay for that same bass) and does some needed work on it to make it better - then so be it. At the end of the day, a bass that was 'not great' will, after that attention - be played with pride.
I have a 76Jazz that has an awesome maple neck, only one full adjustment in all these years. Plays like butter. Heavy bass but has been solid as a rock. Only reason I don't use it anymore is cuz of the weight. So I'm not sure how we say that 70s Fenders sucked. For a bass that never goes much out of tune and sounds great what more can u ask?
I had a '78 P-Bass that sounded A-MAZING... but, was also a goddamn BOAT ANCHOR. I'm not sure what it weighed, but I'm guessing it pushed 15 lbs. It totally wrecked my back... created all sorts of pinched nerves; and actually led to my no longer playing professionally.
That's MY experience with 70's Fenders... for what it's worth... which, I imagine... ain't much, really.
That's MY experience with 70's Fenders... for what it's worth... which, I imagine... ain't much, really.
- Jun 30, 2010
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I had a '78 P-Bass that sounded A-MAZING... but, was also a goddamn BOAT ANCHOR. I'm not sure what it weighed, but I'm guessing it pushed 15 lbs. It totally wrecked my back... created all sorts of pinched nerves; and actually led to my no longer playing professionally.
That's MY experience with 70's Fenders... for what it's worth... which, I imagine... ain't much, really.
Yah, weight is definitely an yay/nay issue for me. My limit is 10lb (no matter how it looks, sounds or plays) and I strive for around 8lbs. (or less)
My G&L is pushing 9lbs., but it's well balanced, so It doesn't bug me. A heavy neck diver is the worst though. That's what's put me off most Jazz basses over the years. My son has a 90's era MIM P, it's basswood, but feels really light. It's painted, maybe ash?
Pbassmanca
In the pocket n' thumpy. So woody, so greasy...
Yeah the Tribute L2000 I used to have was heavy, maybe over 10 lbs, but man that neck pickup with Rotosound flats was just killer.....
Here's a great interview with Dan Smith who was hired away from Yamaha by Fender to turn the company around in the 80s. Fascinating reading where Smith describes all the reasons that 70s Fenders deservedly got their reputation for being lousy, why they went to Japan, how Fender was almost liquidated by CBS and more cool stuff.
No tort or flatwounds mentioned.
Amazing in depth article!
- Jun 30, 2010
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I agree - a big part of what makes todays boutique builders worth the price they ask for their basses is that they are players, not "suits". There's an inevitable disconnect when the balance shifts to non-musician/player hard-line business types. However, Leo Fender was the template for a musician-centric version while not being a musician/player. But the inspiration came from someone who loved music and who compassionately understood musicians need for quality, functional instruments. The suits could learn a lot from him.
I have a '70 P that I bought in '74. I will never sell it, though it looks like a wreck. It's a fantastic bass, and it sounds and plays like no other bass I've played.
I have a '70 P that I bought in '73 and I will also never sell it. It's one of the good ones and as I've said before in this forum, sound engineers have given me so many compliments about it's sound, and other players have too. They're not all bad.Here's a great interview with Dan Smith who was hired away from Yamaha by Fender to turn the company around in the 80s. Fascinating reading where Smith describes all the reasons that 70s Fenders deservedly got their reputation for being lousy, why they went to Japan, how Fender was almost liquidated by CBS and more cool stuff.
No tort or flatwounds mentioned.
Considering a heavy bass to be bad really makes no sense. If you don't like heavy variants, don't buy one in the first place.
The vast majority of bassists will not have come into contact with brand new 1970's basses at a store. But who makes that distinction? Improper care after the sale can easily cause issues... yet the manufacturer usually gets the blame.
And complaints about easily remedied setup issues abound... as if setup were permanent. Criticizing an instrument over action or dead strings is common. I know that if I could revisit some basses I didn't care for back then with my current knowledge I'd get different results on many of them. As such the issue was more with me than the gear. Many never seem to figure that out.
Many times I have taken my '70 P out of the case at a gig and found that it is still in tune from the last gig. No other bass I own has that level of reliability. Precision basses may not have sophistication but I can always rely on this one to come up with the goods when called upon.
Agreed. My old P is after all, a work horse. I don't need a peice of art to do a gig, I'm not that kind of guy. I need a good sounding, nice playing, reliable bass that handles the road. My P has been doing that for 45 years. It doesn't show any sign of quitting anytime soon. I love it to death and it never lets me down.
