The folly of finding an old Fender.

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 7:24 am

Ha! If I found one for cheap enough, absolutley. I didn't realize how expensive they'd gotten!

shinynewtoy · Post by **shinynewtoy** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 7:33 am

Yeah, nothing like a $100 hike in street price!

86kubicki · Post by **86kubicki** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 8:03 am

John, I would think that the Decade should have a street price between $2500-3000. When (?) I order one, I'll probably get the ebony board with pearl blocks, in sea foam green with matching headstock. Sweet!

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 2:06 pm

I just bought a 72 black fretless P bass, needs a pickguard, the nut has been changed to a vintage replica, the bridge had been changed to a new vintage Fender replica and the neck needed work. I paid about 1500.00 for it and the neck work and a "62" pickguard (which fits perfectly) will set me back about 300.00 so all in all I have a nice playing and sounding Fender P fretless bass for 1800.00. It's also got a "B" neck which are thinner than the normal P "C" necks. They're out there, you just have to look and with an old Fender the playability and sound are much more important than a few changed parts or wear marks (at least to me) unless it's got new pickups or a new body, etc. The nice thing about old Fenders is that you can get new parts that fit perfectly unlike other types of basses. You can pay through the nose for a perfect all original Fender or get one with some new parts that may need a little work and that is basically original like mine for half the price.
I owned a 68 P bass for many years and this bass is very similar in sound, weight, build, parts and playability.
Incidentally one of the worst sounding and playing P basses I've had for any length of time (borrowed for a few months) was a 1964. One of the best was a 65, they are all different like old Rics.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 2:06 pm

Steve, are those real Paisley Teles or reissues? They look too nice to be originals.

86kubicki · Post by **86kubicki** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 2:47 pm

Reissues - I couldn't resist when they came out a few years ago!

teeder · Post by **teeder** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 10:21 am

Hi John,

I've played a truck load of old Fenders and they aren't all good. In fact, I bet only 1 in 10 are what I would call a keeper.
I went back to Rudy's later that day and played some of those oldies. The Lake Placid Blue (nicotine green) '66 Jazz was a stand-out in tone and playability, with the '58 P-bass taking a close second. The others sounded like dogs to me.
If I was looking for a Fender style bass, I would build one with Warmoth parts ( swamp ash body / maple neck w/ Brazilian board) and SD Antiquity (spl?) pu's.

Thanks to you and Glenn for meeting me there! That was a great break in my week, and it was nice meeting you guys!

ilan · Post by **ilan** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 1:27 am

"I have just ordered a new '62 pick guard from Tony at Pickguardian."

Bob, would that be a tort guard? You're going to LOVE it! Tony has the best looking tort material, as close to the 60's originals as you will find. Much better than Fender's own Custom Shop pickguards.

John: why not assemble your own period-correct bass. I just did and it came out really nice. Parts, overseas shipping, V.A.T and labour, it all cost me about half of what an all-original vintage Fender from the same year would. And it plays, feels and looks just like a '73 or '75 J would. And it's not stripped and not refinished and doesn't have swimming pool routes hidden under the pickguard. It weighs 9.0 lbs, by the way, not bad for a 70's Fender!

I bought a beat 1973 Jazz Bass body on eBay - dings and honest players wear, battle scars and belt buckle rash, but it still has the original finish, a 1975 Jazz neck that needed a refret (I overpaid for it), and a 1973 neck plate (came off a '73 Tele). I had the neck reftetted and converted to 4-bolt as the body is the last year of the 4-bolts, Tony at Pickguardian made the pickguard, CTS pots are new, a 1980 bridge and 1976 strap buttons I had in my parts box, and the pickups are Custom Shop 60's.

It could have been cheaper if I didn't have to have a '73 serial number plate, but I just had to have it... I'll never represent it as an all original '73 though: it's just a period-correct parts bass with new pickups.

I don't look too happy in the pic but believe me, I am...

I have the bass for 3 days now and already got two offers to sell for twice what I have into it.

bob_atherton · Post by **bob_atherton** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 5:50 am

Ilan, yes it's a tort. I got one for my Jazz a while back and you're right. Tonys torts are good enough to eat! That Jazz is way cool...

lars · Post by **lars** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 8:07 am

"I've played a truck load of old Fenders and they aren't all good."

I haven't played a truckload of them, but many enough to agree with you Kevin. None of my vintage Fenders can compete with my reissues, when it comes to playability, (and sound). But there is something undefinable, something inspiring, cool, about the old ones that can't be explained rationally.

I am now looking for a reissue '62 P, both japanese and american-made are appealing I think. Have anyone here compared them? I mean Japan reissue vs. american vintage reissue?

grayk · Post by **grayk** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 9:00 am

You could always try this guy. He makes amazing repros at affordable prices. He gets very near the mark. His blurb is well worth reading.

http://www.bravewoodguitars.co.uk

jps · Post by **jps** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 9:30 am

Interesting, and nice!

lyle_from_minneapolis · Mon Jun 25, 2007 1:30 pm

Hey John,

Couldn't help but show you this, just in case it is a good find. Hard to say, based on the description:

"HYBRED FENDER P BASS. Early 1960's. Shows road wear but a real player. Please call for details. Best Offer"

But, hey, who knows? Maybe you'll get lucky.

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/msg/360019890.html

squirefan01 · Post by **squirefan01** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 3:29 pm

Anybody have a 60's Jazz bass reissue? I am interested in one of those.

jakeox · Post by **jakeox** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 8:52 am

I just got myself a Geddy Lee neck (no tuners), and I'm interested to hear from other people who assembled their ideal Fender from parts. I am particularly interested in lightweight tuner recommendations.

Now I'm looking for an Olympic White body, maybe from a '62 RI? Seems like you can find a decent jazz bass body for less than the price of a good refin, so may as well get the color I want. Then we'll slap on a tort PG, some pickups and tuners, and we're ready to go.