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For me - as a child of the 80's - they were what all of my idols were playing, and what all fo the "professionals" (read as older guys in bands that I played with) owned. Both of my idols : Steve and Geddy played them, so that was a no brainer. My first bass was (and still is) a 72 P, bought used with lawnmowing money when I was 15 (in 84). I had the same bass that Steve Harris did. ultimate magic!!!!
feel and mojo
or is it mojo and feel
One of those.
Davo
or is it mojo and feel
One of those.
Davo
I think a lot of it has to do with it's what all our idols play. We all want to be like our idols (in not way am saying that this is a bad thing) so we put these vintage basses on a high pedestal and we worship these instruments and players and when we finally do get to own/play one of these vintage basses they just feel "right" they ooze mojo whether it be true or the placebo effect. I know I played a '64 Jazz Bass and it felt like my life was complete even though I could never afford a real one. It truly is a strange and mystical thing.
Three words.I'm sure this was discussed here before but I was wondering what attracts you all to buy the older Fender Basses 50s- 70s ...is it the look, the feel or the sound? for me it is all of the above and i love the thick necks esp on the older precisions...
Older.
Fender.
Basses.
What's not to like about a bass that has a bit of "character" or history or "mojo" from having been around for so long? The style reminds you of the instruments your heroes played (as the previous poster mentioned) and the instruments you played or lusted after when you wee younger and couldn't afford them.
As far as Fender - well - that's been beaten to death (I admit with my help).
I posted this in one of the earlier threads, but it bears repeating here:
From a hardware standpoint, I would agree any mid priced modern bass is vastly superior to my 63 P Bass. The fretwork on my 63 (which has original frets owing to a lifetime of flatwounds) is passable, but it is not on par with most modern basses. The big advantage to a vintage instrument, in my opinion, is the wood. My 63's body is a lightweight resonant old growth alder and the neck is straight-grained maple with a Brazilian rosewood fingerboard. Those woods are virtually impossible to obtain today, especially with the benefit of fifty years of aging. Wood is the one reason why old instruments will always be special.
From a hardware standpoint, I would agree any mid priced modern bass is vastly superior to my 63 P Bass. The fretwork on my 63 (which has original frets owing to a lifetime of flatwounds) is passable, but it is not on par with most modern basses. The big advantage to a vintage instrument, in my opinion, is the wood. My 63's body is a lightweight resonant old growth alder and the neck is straight-grained maple with a Brazilian rosewood fingerboard. Those woods are virtually impossible to obtain today, especially with the benefit of fifty years of aging. Wood is the one reason why old instruments will always be special.
Specs. I also like the AVRI series. The American Standards are fine basses, but they are so modern they beg to be compared to other Modern basses and then, well, they just seem cheap and half hearted, in comparison. A Sadowsky or G&L or Lull or EBMM are just too good in comparison. Not talking price points here, just the comparison the modern Fenders invite with their specs.
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
[troll] '70s Fenders are just old. A new RW will be as good or better in a couple decades. [/troll]
For the same reason I like to date 21 year-old triplets simultaneously. I want to be with someone near my own age.
I'll just leave the saying "They just don't build 'em like they used to" right here for now... I think that's my final answer.
I have a '77 Fender Jazz that I've been in love with since I first saw the Craigslist ad. It has a degree of subtlety and a wide, wide range of tone and feel that just doesn't seem to happen with a newer bass. I can dig in on it and get it to do things that wouldn't work on a modern bass. It sits in the mix effortlessly without turning to mud. It's heavy but it feels solid and well-crafted in a way that I haven't seen on the newer Fenders. The neck is perfect. If selling it were my last source of income, I would rather starve and go bankrupt. 
they're just cool.
i own instruments that i think mostly any unbiased party would agree are made to a much higher standard than any fender. i even own a relatively modern fender bass.
but, when i see old ones, i still love getting to play them and check them out. i grew up seeing and hearing my heros play them. grew up hearing about how great they were, too.
i own instruments that i think mostly any unbiased party would agree are made to a much higher standard than any fender. i even own a relatively modern fender bass.
but, when i see old ones, i still love getting to play them and check them out. i grew up seeing and hearing my heros play them. grew up hearing about how great they were, too.
The best sounding bass that I ever owned was a heavily gigged 1972 P-Bass with Dimarzio pickups.
There's is somethings about an instrument that has been played for years that jut makes it sound good. It's like an aged violin or cello.
I'm sure 20 or 30 years from now, some of the newer basses made by up and coming luthiers will have that same "baked in" sound.
There's is somethings about an instrument that has been played for years that jut makes it sound good. It's like an aged violin or cello.
I'm sure 20 or 30 years from now, some of the newer basses made by up and coming luthiers will have that same "baked in" sound.
Neck radius and pickup grit when you dig in..... I have a 1958 original Precision all the way out to a 1976 Precision with a whole bunch of others in between years and they all have their own tone as opposed to the modern basses and the active electronics. For example you can install active pickups in a plastic bass or one those 5000.00 boutique basses and it'll sound the same in my opinion. Also if you can find a light one , under 8 pounds it saves your neck and shoulder after holding it up for 4- 45's.
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I've read this quite a few times about old growth wood. I've currently got a thread going about bent necks.
It seems likely that we'll never see old growth woods again, so you'd think that by now,
we'd have a suitable synthetic substitute for a lot of the fast growing woods.
Something that has all the positive attributes - holds its shape, easily worked, supports good tone, etc.
It probably wouldn't be as popular as wood, because it's not traditional. But it could solve some problems.
I have a '77 Fender Jazz that I've been in love with since I first saw the Craigslist ad. It has a degree of subtlety and a wide, wide range of tone and feel that just doesn't seem to happen with a newer bass. I can dig in on it and get it to do things that wouldn't work on a modern bass. It sits in the mix effortlessly without turning to mud. It's heavy but it feels solid and well-crafted in a way that I haven't seen on the newer Fenders. The neck is perfect. If selling it were my last source of income, I would rather starve and go bankrupt.
Get your priorities in order. First bankrupt. Then you starve.
in 1979 i met two travelers from Europe. they were guests at a hotel where i was employed. they were here to see the US, but also had a side objective.
they sought out and bought several old Fender basses,.. the older the better. i asked, " why no new ones"?
they said if an old neck was still straight, it should do very well in their climate. a climate known for warping lumber with ease. also, the price they could command for these instruments would more than pay for their trip!
personally, i love the wear & tear that an old, well played bass has. the aged wood should have a certain feel & resonance that tells me whether i love it or not.
they sought out and bought several old Fender basses,.. the older the better. i asked, " why no new ones"?
they said if an old neck was still straight, it should do very well in their climate. a climate known for warping lumber with ease. also, the price they could command for these instruments would more than pay for their trip!
personally, i love the wear & tear that an old, well played bass has. the aged wood should have a certain feel & resonance that tells me whether i love it or not.
