Will I ever find my first bass?

[sunbeast]

It’s been SOOOOO long…and back then when we wanted pictures of things we had to use this stuff called “film”, so there aren’t any pictures of the bass that I have. It would be cool to find one somewhere! I seem to recall the body was white with a black pick guard, but I could be mistaken. I do know I stripped the finish off the body and it appeared, in my memory, to be made of alder. I remember the weird metal tabs on the bridge- not sure what function then served. I barely knew what to do with the thing and I can’t recall what I even used for amplification…maybe played it through my bedroom stereo somehow??? I hope to hell I didn’t strip the neck! If so I likely would have gotten rid of the Fender decals!

The metal tabs you mention on the Mustang bridge were probably for the original mute assembly. The Mustang bridge had a cool folded metal mute "comb" with a separate tab with foam on it and separate screw for each string, so you could adjust the height of the mute individually per string. This mute assembly was the reason the Mustang bridge was so large compared to typical bass bridges. This idea was later adapted for the mute assembly on the MusicMan Stingray basses. Modern Mustangs still use the same bridge design with the 4 screw holes on the front to attach/adjust the mute comb, but I don't think Fender has sold the actual mute combs for decades (maybe since the 70s?) so the bridge these days is mostly just for the vintage aesthetics.

I hope by some miracle you find it!

 

[Malak the Mad]

The metal tabs you mention on the Mustang bridge were probably for the original mute assembly. The Mustang bridge had a cool folded metal mute "comb" with a separate tab with foam on it and separate screw for each string, so you could adjust the height of the mute individually per string. This mute assembly was the reason the Mustang bridge was so large compared to typical bass bridges. This idea was later adapted for the mute assembly on the MusicMan Stingray basses. Modern Mustangs still use the same bridge design with the 4 screw holes on the front to attach/adjust the mute comb, but I don't think Fender has sold the actual mute combs for decades (maybe since the 70s?) so the bridge these days is mostly just for the vintage aesthetics.

I hope by some miracle you find it!

It makes me wonder how many ounces it would shed if it had a simple, bent plate bridge.

 

[Bighouse]

The metal tabs you mention on the Mustang bridge were probably for the original mute assembly. The Mustang bridge had a cool folded metal mute "comb" with a separate tab with foam on it and separate screw for each string, so you could adjust the height of the mute individually per string. This mute assembly was the reason the Mustang bridge was so large compared to typical bass bridges. This idea was later adapted for the mute assembly on the MusicMan Stingray basses. Modern Mustangs still use the same bridge design with the 4 screw holes on the front to attach/adjust the mute comb, but I don't think Fender has sold the actual mute combs for decades (maybe since the 70s?) so the bridge these days is mostly just for the vintage aesthetics.

I hope by some miracle you find it!

Oh thanks for that info! I had no idea what they were for. I even speculated, in my naive youth, that perhaps they were some kind of way to facilitate tuning the strings!!!

 

[pgpete]

I dont have any desire to get my old basses back. they were affordable basses back in the day - and today's bassess are so much better.

But I did have a similar situation to yours with my first real Trumpet ( a yamaha professional trumpet with a copper coloured bell and lead pipe. )

I sold it off cheap when It had been stored in the closet for a decade but years after selling it I regretted it. and wanted back because i had a sentimental connection with it.

10 years later I saw it advertised in facebook Marketplace by one of those corporate type pawn shops - and after driving across the city I checked it out. And due to a couple of little details I remembered I am sure its my old trumpet. I bought it and occasionally get it out for a blast. I'm terrible because i dont practice but thats not the point.

So I hope you might find your bass. It can happen!