LukeFRC

So update... a day off and I went into the shop again to try the G&L (USA, £700 on the ticket, v. v. nice - needed the truss tightened badly, couldn't work out the switches) and tried the '74ri er, good points - it was lightweight. Build attention to detail all seemed to be there, looked dead good. bad points... it was (IMO) horrid. Thick finish, dull dull sounding, fat clubby neck, mediocre tone - blind playing test I would have thought it was one of the chinese squiers. (ie good but nothing standout) Oh yeah. bright white new maple neck - but the front of the headstock vintage tinted - looked dead odd. So my thoughts... (having only played one of them) get a '75ri - they are really nice!

[quote name='warwickhunt' timestamp='1367759029' post='2069111'] TBH the value is (as always) what someone will pay... I'd not give £800 for it but I would for a nice early one. I think saying that it is worth £600 more after a set-up is ludicrous and as has been pointed out if he is flagging up that it needs setting up, I'd want to know why it isn't done? Truss rod might be a concern (not as common as folks think) and it'll not have the easy remove truss rod but if it isn't an easy fix (again 'why' hasn't he done it) to set it up, you could be looking at a pig of a bass to resell... unless you moved it on and told the next potential owner it just needed a set-up! [/quote] not tempted to ask him? just for the craic?

I used barts in my ss1 The acg preamp helps too, it may be easier just to get a different bass though as a lot if the sound is designed in. Barts and DR fatbeams may help!

flip me - that beats me for warwick bargin!

... i know a shop with a USA L2000 for the same price as the galleries korean one... (I think would need to check)

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1367605509' post='2067571'] That inconsistancy is Fenders achilles heel . If they were all as good as the best examples , Fenders would be fairly priced compared to the competition , in my opinion . The problem is that if you are ordering in or buying sight - unseen , you can literally have to buy half a dozen to find one without any production glitches that's worth keeping . It's pot luck as to what you will get when you open the case . [/quote] and also if you do set about playing them to find a good one - that can often be the one that costs £250 rather than £2000

[quote name='Lynottfan' timestamp='1367531998' post='2066701'] For £2K i would be saving up a bit more and that Super J making man Mr Dingwall would be very near top of my list, stunning! [/quote] warwickhunts still got his up for sale at far far less!

[quote name='PrecPro13' timestamp='1364760773' post='2030630'] OK, then. I own this bass-It's the only one so far built. Those that order will receive in 6 months to a year. I saw the bass at NAMM; the right to purchase it (Dealer) was raffled. (2) months after NAMM, and after FCS used this for catalogue shots, etc. I paid for & received it. The comments; Opinions are acceptable of course, have at it. If it's not your type OK then. But the build, playability, and sound of this instrument is 110% World-Class. If anyone thinks tht the Fender Custom Shop build leaves anything to be desired, think again. It does not. Most all of the comments here do not warrant reply. Think what you want, this is by far one of the most astounding P-Basses ever built by Fender. Good Day, gents- Off to enjoy it. [/quote] how odd someone comes on here and talks at great lengths about their bass they've got, copies everything from fender's press release but doesn't tell any of us folk how it actually sounds! whats the point! [quote name='AndyTravis' timestamp='1357859766' post='1929823'] This... [url="http://www.cmcguitars.com/Fender-Custom-Shop-2011-NAMM-MB-DP-P-Bass-p/fender-masterbuilt-55-p-bass.htm"]http://www.cmcguitar...t-55-p-bass.htm[/url] I would like. Colour options etc. [/quote] see the bass in the OP I saw and thought that the PUP config would possibly be quite interesting - but it looks ugly as.... change just the pick guard.... and it looks great!

[quote name='cloudburst' timestamp='1367526040' post='2066561'] A bit confused about what you and Dingus are saying about '74 jazzes. I still play the 74 jazz that my dad bought for me in 1974. It has a 4 bolt neck, is quite light, has a beautiful neck and stays absolutely in tune regardless of the season - I haven't needed to go near the truss rod since the late 70s. Do you know something I don't? CB [/quote] yes. not all of the 70's fenders were as good as yours!

is yours just the preamp or the whole amp? what's the diference between SMC and SMX?

[quote name='geoffbyrne' timestamp='1367521990' post='2066465'] Buy the G&L. G. [/quote] I was a good boy and bought a printer cartridge for Mrs FRC!

[quote name='machinehead' timestamp='1367520523' post='2066438'] Both are excellent instruments but....the US version costs almost 3 times the Mexican classic 70s and I'm equally happy with both - well almost. The US jazz has a slightly better finish, pickups and hardware, plus the three bolt adjustable neck and the neck feels just that little bit faster and slimmer. There's not a massive difference especially considering the price difference, currently £702 against about £1750 last time I looked. [/quote] maybe it's just the ones I've played.... but the mexican classic 70's' and the geddie lee (jap) i've tried have been nice variations on a 70's jazz reissue. The american vintage '75ri's I've tried have been some of the best jazz basses I've tried - agian maybe just the ones I've had my paws around. I guess it's the odd thing when it gets to fenders - in P bass territory I've played some crackers but one of the ones that stands out was my flatmates old mexican one... nothing special but played and sounded great.

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1367518793' post='2066413'] Fender would have sold more if they had made it reissue of the 1970 - 1973 style , too . Generally speaking , 1974 was when Fender took a turn for the worse , so why revive that ? [/quote] ironically it's probalby better on average than the basses it's aping!

I was sent by Mrs FRC to pick up a printer cartridge today- and the shop is next to a music shop so (as you do) popped in to see if they had anything nice in... well the secondhand USA G&L L2000 seemed the best buy in there but they also had a new fender bass- the new american vintage reissue 1974ri jazz - it looked lovely - one of the members of staff had come in on his day off and was playing it -and it sounded lovely - I probably played lovely.... but it was about £2000. Now I'm not doubting it was a good bass.... but I could get two custom UK built basses for that much! I'm not overly critical of how much it is - fender have to take a cut, the shop I went into needs to make it's cut - but I don't understand who would drop that much on a new run-of-the-mill-abet-top-of-the-range jazz bass - surely you'ld be looking at other options? I mean that's about sadowsky metro, or overwater jazz money too... let alone what ACG or someone could build you!

IMO form should follow function. These seem to be the equivalent of Jack Vettriano - some impressive things- but utterly pointless and without any merit of art of technology.

[quote name='indiegrungesound' timestamp='1367426918' post='2065560'] ... Because I'm going to anyway. I finally had a look at a Hartke HyDrive 112 cab. They had one at PMT in Manchester. I decided to see just how easy it I to carry one. Now they are light, but does anyone no why they only have just one side carry handle? It is, IMO, one of the STUPIDEST design flaws in cabs going today. I also think that Ampeg's flip top Portaflex cabs are as bad too! Anyone else agree? On the plus side though, I also got to hear a guy play a TC Electronic BH250 head. It was with A Musicman going through an Ashdown 4 x 10", and it sounded BEAUTIFUL! [/quote] I went into a music shop a few months ago and heard someone demoing a BH250 head and thought it sounded pretty sweet too

No - of course not - how can a squier ever be worth that much. Yes - a 1982 USA fullerton P bass will set you back about £1500-2200, a late 70's heavy pile of rubbish will go for £1500 or so. Quality wise these 1st edition JV's are v. good - and also for the collector there's not a lot of them out there as they only made them for a month or so. Quality plus rarity equals a higher price. Mind you I wouldn't expect the fella to get a sale.

Alpher instruments in saltair - about 2 min walk from the station and awesome awesome guys - the fretjob they did on my warwick was out of this world - so so good. Their new own brand strings are also worth a punt too!

Good Question... WaterofTyne's 1971 Jazz bass is amazing looking. This ACG gets me everytime I see it. Not sure why as it's not normally a style I would go for.... up for sale at the moment too last time I looked! [quote name='warwickhunt' timestamp='1367149028' post='2061687'] One string too many but gorgeous. I was considering throwing a Streamer into the mix but Spector/NS imitation aside, it just wouldn't stand up to some of these works of art. [/quote] I was thinking the same... I would naturally just gravitate towards a nicely played in mid 1991 example such as the one sat in my spare bedroom... what would you go for?

this thread got me thinking... I moved my basses into this flat over a month ago... and the P has been stuck in a cupboard since then. Got it out, had a play - great bass - went back to the streamer after 30 min.

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1366791776' post='2057263'] In some cases, but too many people confuse [i]different[/i] and [i]better[/i]. Play more music and buy less gear. That'll guarantee Happy Bass feeling. [/quote] absolutely agree mate! It look me ages to realise that you could spend £3000 on a bass and it could be no better than a £300 on - just different (and maybe prettier, nicer, fancier... etc) we get too caught up on these things.

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1366740121' post='2056710'] Is that the cure for GAS then!? Think happy bass thoughts! [/quote] yeah I think so. the jazz I've got prob won't stay around forever.... but I'm happy.

So I've done what we've all done - we join basschat and within a year we're buying and selling more basses than the average music shop.... I've tried a lot of cool things, traded with some great folk, snagged a few bargins and it's been good fun. Recently I got married and part of the lead up to that is that I realised that some of my buying and selling I wouldn't be able to do if I had to seriously justify it to myself- let alone the other half. I also moved to leeds 6 months ago and the relocation means you have to go find a whole set of new folk to make music with. Well last night I was asked to a band practice- I only played one song at the end, but I took my bass (the streamer) and it was my bass, and it sits in my hands and does what I want it too and sounds good and has some great Alpher strings on it and... making music with folk again and playing my bass bliss. And it feel so good to have "my bass" - not the mythical one cos I'm sure throw enough money at something and there are better basses out there, but one that I could find no justifiable reason to move on. (sorry warwickhunt) -and in the occasions when the warwick won't fit, or I want something a little simpler than the ACG - I have my P bass - also a bass I feel at home on [i]It's great![/i]

I tried the premium one in a local shop - it was nice, but I left thinking that the barts available on the prestiege are possibly better choice of pup for the sound. (and I like nordies a lot)

riverside or riverhead.... or another river something - one of them are reasonably high quality japanese 80's things - the other 2 either don't exist or are rubbish