Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Would you pull the trigger on this 1959 P-Bass?
- Thread starter lat
- Start date
-
- Tags
- 1959 p-bass p-bass refinished
i dont think that refin in the bass in question really fits a 59 either, but i wouldnt mind it on a 62-65. this 60 has three pretty defined colors
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/gPwAAOSwy0JZ6UxL/s-l1600.jpg
Ah, I see your point. Not great. But, still more evenly applied than the one in the OP...
i think another issue with getting a good picture of these bursts is lighting. depending on how overexposed it is, ive seen these old 3 tone bursts look super hard and defined with bright yellow centers in one pic and in another pic with more natural lighting, the red and yellow more evenly blended.
Fetishists = educated consumers. Now if you'll excuse me I've got to get back to Alibaba to bid on this rare custom Rickenbacker for only $400.!A refin; a replacement pickguard; bridge is shaped wrong; no pencil marks, no headstock strap button; elevated A-string pole pieces; no heel stamp…On the one hand I think "Wow, nothing gets by these guys." And on the other I think "Fetishists. I'm surrounded by fetishists!"
I'd pay that for a beat original one before doing it for a refin. Being a refin, it's a player bass...and I probably wouldn't pay $6,500 for a vintage player.
...assuming it's all legit (I haven't bothered looking in too much detail).
...assuming it's all legit (I haven't bothered looking in too much detail).
For that money if you snoop around long enough you’d get an all-original late 60’s P with a much nicer neck and not a really badly overdone re-burst.
An easy "No" vote for me. Vintage instruments don't have any special appeal for me. I like some instruments and I hate some instruments and most fall somewhere in between. I find that age really doesn't make much difference. I don't come into much contact with that many vintage basses but I've played many L and pre-L series strats plus one or two teles of various vintage. Some of them were pretty good, most were pretty ordinary and IMO none were anything near special enough to warrant the ridiculous prices people ask and pay for them.
For those who think differently, it's all good
Mike
For those who think differently, it's all good
Mike
Agree. Pickguard does not look right at all. As this bass has the rosewood board it could be a fairly late '59 so *maybe* the rounded bridgeplate is plausible (?) Interestingly, I had a '61 Jazz with factory GOLD hardware (insanely rare) and the bridgeplate was the old squared off type (surely leftover - the only other pre-CBS bass I've seen with original gold parts was a '58 P).
Yes, the raised A was changed in '58. Pickup could still be a replacement but would not have had the raised A originally.
As others have said, '59 had some with no heel date (my '59 has it in pencil as well as the body date in the pickup cavity). Interesting about the neck plate.
I think it's a real one not very well refinished with a mix of original and replacement parts. Pickup polepieces would be even on a '59. Pickguard looks totally fake. I'll have to look at the string tree on my '59 to see what the difference might be. Heel markings may have never been there in the first place on a '59 - or were removed in refinishing. Decal looks like a likely replacement though the correct design but guessing it might be incorrectly under the finish. Also looks like it was sanded when refinishing - the edges on the headstock (as well as around the pickup cavity) not being as sharp as normal. Bridge saddles look okay to me with the finer grooves (but could still be reissue parts).
Regardless, the finish really does not look good and I'd pass on the bass myself - the only refins I'd consider (unless really cheap) would be body only refins where the neck finish has been left alone.
One of the key considerations with vintage instruments (for me, at least) is "can the same price be recouped later?" (I've never lost money on a vintage bass when reselling where I expect to take a hit on boutique basses, etc if reselling.) That's very doubtful with this bass given the changed/suspect parts (if all the parts were original and the finish a little better it would be in the ballpark considering the exchange rate).
Last edited:
If you negotiate down to CDN$6000 that comes out to about US$4500 ... which is pretty reasonable for a genuine ‘59 Precision with a refin.
I can’t comment on originality of the bass or the quality of the finish, but the price seems fair (if it is what the seller claims it is).
I can’t comment on originality of the bass or the quality of the finish, but the price seems fair (if it is what the seller claims it is).
Black poly!
That’s where I’m at also. I’ve got a 72P and 75J love both of them. But one day I will get a Wal. Every time a pass up on a Ric that’s more money in the Wal fund too. Hahaha.
I noticed that in the Reverb ad he states that the PG, pickup (mysterious unknown brand) and pots are also not original. (*At the time of this post that does not appear to be included in the local Kijiji Edmonton ad unless I'm missing something.)
Fender Precision Bass Sunburst 1959 - refin
Fender Precision Bass Sunburst 1959 - refin
Ok, in U.S. dollars that's 4K. Seventies basses are selling for 3K. Sixties are 6K. Most vintage dealers think a refin drops value by 60%. Given that a '59 is worth 12K, it's spot on.
Smooth_bass88
vaxx!
- Oct 31, 2006
- 12,122
- 16,794
- Disclosures
- have been on nationally released albums, charting on the Billboard 200
If it plays and sounds amazing, $6500 for a re-fin '59 is actually a good price. Ok, so the pots are missing, but the original pickup is still there so that magical PRE cbs p bass tone is there too.
