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1978 Antigua, cant decide...


alembic63
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Just bought this 1978 fender jazz antigua for a ridiculously low price, came with the original case, full case candy, matching serial numbers...etc.... the problem is what to do about the butchery thats gone on with the precision pups....looks like they've been fitted with a blunt screw driver.

The thing is I can't really decide what to do about it, I could get the body filled and refinished in a different block colour, maybe Olympic white and replace the scratchplate or.... have the pups removed, infill , and try to match the existing body colour (which our drummer reckons is "Snot green" ) and replace the scratchplate with a vintage Antigua scratch.....

I'm open to suggestions guys... Edited by alembic63
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Hmm. All IMO...

Someone like Dave Wilson could do a pretty good fill and match, and you can probably pick up an original Antigua guard for £100-ish. That's a lot of money in total, though.

The alternative - like you say - would be to refin it. It's already been butchered so you don't have to worry about keeping it original. Plus, Antigua isn't really that popular in the second hand market anyway.

It's a toughie, but I'd maybe be tempted to go with the latter.

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That is a rough job :( makes me feel all unsettled just looking at it.

Not sure what to suggest really. I think if it were me I would live with and play it for a few days, to get a feel for the instrument and to decide if it were a keeper or not.

If it is one of the good Fender 70's basses and the purchase price was really good, then I might well consider getting prices to get it properly restored.

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[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1402159925' post='2470591']
Hmm. All IMO...

Someone like Dave Wilson could do a pretty good fill and match, and you can probably pick up an original Antigua guard for £100-ish. That's a lot of money in total, though.

The alternative - like you say - would be to refin it. It's already been butchered so you don't have to worry about keeping it original. Plus, Antigua isn't really that popular in the second hand market anyway.

It's a toughie, but I'd maybe be tempted to go with the latter.
[/quote]

Must admit the colour makes me feel a little depressed to be honest...looked at a vintage antigua pickgaurd on ebay but the colour was all wrong...Think Im edging towards a new colour

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[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1402160111' post='2470592']
That is a rough job :( makes me feel all unsettled just looking at it.

Not sure what to suggest really. I think if it were me I would live with and play it for a few days, to get a feel for the instrument and to decide if it were a keeper or not.

If it is one of the good Fender 70's basses and the purchase price was really good, then I might well consider getting prices to get it properly restored.
[/quote]

Well I got it very, very cheap ,not from a Bass player but from a guitarist who just wanted rid, He was the second owner and to be honest I suspect it was him who did the dirty on it. The neck is fantastic and everythings original apart from a volume knob

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A new colour sounds like a great idea.

Perhaps then you could sell the case on for plus or minus £100 to go towards it.

Personally I always felt that an original case only belongs to an original untouched guitar, a refinished one isn't collectable anymore so why not cash in on the case to go towards the cost of the refin?

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[quote name='Chiliwailer' timestamp='1402162584' post='2470642']
A new colour sounds like a great idea.

Perhaps then you could sell the case on for plus or minus £100 to go towards it.

Personally I always felt that an original case only belongs to an original untouched guitar, a refinished one isn't collectable anymore so why not cash in on the case to go towards the cost of the refin?
[/quote]

The case has the original case candy, manuals / tags with the serial number of this jazz , I know what your saying but I think they kind of belong together in a sentimental sort of way....but if you offering me a substantial wodge for the case then its yours.... :D

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[quote name='alembic63' timestamp='1402163102' post='2470653']
....but if you offering me a substantial wodge for the case then its yours.... :D
[/quote]

Haha, that's the spirit, see you do want to sell it really!!!! :)

Seriously though, cheers for the offer but I've nothing that's period appropriate to put in there.

Good luck with sorting the bass out.

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[quote name='Meddle' timestamp='1402169357' post='2470747']
I think it looks awesome as is. How is it wired with the extra pickup?
[/quote]

Havent figured that out to be honest...the guy I bought it from hasnt opened up the case for years. he plugged it in for me to try and there was no way to isolate any of the pups...it was all or nothing.... Didnt fancy getting fried so that was that , the quickest road test ever. Going to get Brian Eastwood to check it out before I kill myself.

Edited by alembic63
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[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1402165004' post='2470690']
I'd get someone to fill the crater and keep the mushroomburst.
[/quote]

You know what ,Im coming round to that idea myself...., kind of like the way the depressing colour brings out a certain meloncholy in my playing.. :mellow:

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[quote name='Chiliwailer' timestamp='1402176460' post='2470816']
Black pickguards can soften Antigua too, melancholic fusion? :)

Example: [attachment=164578:XWJ1Xkx.jpg]
[/quote]

Darkly melancholic.....not a bad shout

Edited by alembic63
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Don`t know if it`s the lighting, or the ageing of the finish, but that is the first antigua-finish bass I`ve seen that I like. I usually hate it, but for some reason that one just looks great to me. I`d def get rid of the p pickups, get it filled and blended properly, keep the original colour and get a new scratch-plate - black seems good on that, and is very 70s as well, in case a new antigua one looks out of place on the aged finish of the bass.

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[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1402177359' post='2470830']
Don`t know if it`s the lighting, or the ageing of the finish, but that is the first antigua-finish bass I`ve seen that I like. I usually hate it, but for some reason that one just looks great to me. I`d def get rid of the p pickups, get it filled and blended properly, keep the original colour and get a new scratch-plate - black seems good on that, and is very 70s as well, in case a new antigua one looks out of place on the aged finish of the bass.
[/quote]

No its not the lighting,.....it's got the look of a bass thats been sat in smokers corner for 30yrs to be honest .. Ive had the scratch plate off and its a lot paler underneath.

Must admit the black scratch sounds a decent idea as all the Antigua scratches ive seen have been almost grey and would be a complete mismatch

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[quote name='alembic63' timestamp='1402179276' post='2470843']
Must admit the black scratch sounds a decent idea as all the Antigua scratches ive seen have been almost grey and would be a complete mismatch
[/quote]

I had an Antigua J a few years ago, and the paint came off the guard when I took the ashtrays off. I managed to track down an original guard - they're out there - but like I mentioned above it wasn't cheap.

A black guard would look wrong IMO.

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[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1402179666' post='2470845']
I had an Antigua J a few years ago, and the paint came off the guard when I took the ashtrays off. I managed to track down an original guard - they're out there - but like I mentioned above it wasn't cheap.

A black guard would look wrong IMO.
[/quote]

Seen this on ebay

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1978-1979-1980-Fender-Jazz-bass-pickguard-Antigua-/111361767832?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item19edadb998

but it looks a completely different colour to me and the new scratchplates look very grey

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[quote name='floFC' timestamp='1402240822' post='2471243']
I never knew such a thing as antigua existed. I really like it, especially the slowly matured deeper shade. I personally wouldn't refin, but the P pickup is an eyesore.
[/quote]

The Pick ups have already been pulled mate, going to see a guitar tech this week about filling and matching the original aged colour, Think the Antigua is a bit like Marmite....

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I think you should do your best to keep it Antigua. Maybe with a black or cream scratchplate if you can't find a match.

Thing is, marmite though they are, there's not many around. If you refinish it - it's just going to be another refinished 70s Jazz bass. As the owner of such a thing I really wish mine did not look so spanking brand new. It's white, and it should be a nice shade of yellow by now.

You could always get a white/cream scratchplate and have it sprayed with nitro to match the colour. There are a few guys around who could do that. It won't be cheap but it'll pretty much restore the bass back to original.

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[quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1402402061' post='2473022']
I think you should do your best to keep it Antigua. Maybe with a black or cream scratchplate if you can't find a match.

Thing is, marmite though they are, there's not many around. If you refinish it - it's just going to be another refinished 70s Jazz bass. As the owner of such a thing I really wish mine did not look so spanking brand new. It's white, and it should be a nice shade of yellow by now.

You could always get a white/cream scratchplate and have it sprayed with nitro to match the colour. There are a few guys around who could do that. It won't be cheap but it'll pretty much restore the bass back to original.
[/quote]

Ive been playing this bass none stop since I got it over the weekend, I cant put it down......it's a fabulous bass, great neck, great weight and funnily enough it looks better on than off.

Im getting a quote tomorrow for the repair work and Im going to keep it as original as possible.

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