Rick's Fine '52

How about this, what an amazing set to find, now, where's that lottery ticket??? [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Original-Vintage-1959-Fender-Precision-Bass-Bassman-5F6-A-Amp-Amplifier-Set-/360425346081?pt=Guitar&hash=item53eb065421"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Original-Vintage-1959-Fender-Precision-Bass-Bassman-5F6-A-Amp-Amplifier-Set-/360425346081?pt=Guitar&hash=item53eb065421[/url]

[quote name='Johnston' timestamp='1326390527' post='1496655'] Isn't that a bit misleading as Fender have had headstock Truss Rods. Maybe not on tele style head stocks but they have used it. [/quote] It was me who emailed him, with a few points about the tuners and neck, i actually said that Fender didn't make a telecaster bass with the truss rod adjustment at the headstock end, or indeed any bass like that until the late 80's. He didn't say the whole thing in the ad revision. Fair play though, he's probably genuinly unaware of what he has. This was his reply to me "[font=arial, sans-serif][size=3]Ok i will do that, thank you for the info. It seems any info on this neck has come up pretty vague and blurry so any further info i'm given is gratefully received, ad will be amended immediately, thanks again"[/size][/font]

[quote name='anthomp' timestamp='1326397436' post='1496794'] i'd have an extra room then too : ) [/quote] LOL, I know that feeling very well, Mrs Rick is constantly hassling me to make space, we really don't have the space to justify 15 basses (To be honest does anybody??). Our Son is moving into the current 'guitar' room in July, which leaves a tiny box room, which just 'aint gonna work, so I have to choose which ones to let go between now and then.......bad times!! Lovely '65 by the way, are you sure you don't wanna sell that one???

[quote name='anthomp' timestamp='1326222656' post='1494085'] heres a few of mine and [/quote] This is absolutely lovely, great condition, what year is it?, '65? Also, the Antigua finish is certainly an acquired taste, but your 2 are in lovely, unfaded condition, havent seen a fretless version before either, is it a factory fretless or conversion?? Nice bunch indeed!!

[quote name='skidder652003' timestamp='1326322710' post='1495609'] sorry but i dont see the point in the roadworns at all. I got a great '82 JV squier P/J here on basschat thats looks roadworn because it is roadworn (30 years roadworn!) and it sounds and plays amazing, plus it was only £450 quid. Why buy essentially a fake look when there are some amazing genuine "vintage" axes out there for half the money? [/quote] The same reason people dont get why someone might pay £450 for a Squier, or why someone would buy a Rickenbacker at all, or spend £20k on a bass, or anything else you can think to mention, each to their own. Everyone likes different stuff......thank god! I dont own a roadworn, although i have played one, and they are great basses in their own right. Having said that, I do think they are massively overpriced though for what they are, compared to a Mex, non-road worn version.

[quote name='chrisd24' timestamp='1326322377' post='1495596'] truly one of the greatest things I have ever seen..... I'm so tempted to hit the buy now button then email a picture of me holding an epiphone to him. [/quote] Don't forget to ask him for the £86, after he receives the pic!!

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1325695187' post='1486239'] I must admit I thought this was all dying a death but then saw how many (albeit low) bids this chap gets for his 'enhancements' [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-Squire-Jazz-Bass-Vintage-road-worn-Squier-custom-shop-heavy-relic-squire-/270884618149?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3f11fb3fa5#ht_915wt_1070"]http://www.ebay.co.u...5#ht_915wt_1070[/url] [/quote] Ewww...that is probably the worst i've seen!!

His ad picture could be used as a caption competition that could go on for years, i thought of 100 in just a few seconds, hilarious (Bless him indeed). How did he manage to get a 'nabin thapa' (Presumably his name?) option on the listing???

Its not even a Squire, that headstock shape is very different to anything even remotely Fender related, and those tuners.................ewwwwww........not nice at all. And of course the horrible trussrod adjustment at the headstock end, someone's gonna be dissapointed!

No, but i'd also like to know what peeps think if anyone has?? Great looking amps!

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1325987551' post='1490834'] my word, what the faaaa? on one level mad. On the other level when late '70's fenders make £1500-2000 easy regardless of build quality- these being rare and very nice instruments isn't too mad. Rick, I love your two matching pair. having played a lot of vintage fender stuff how do you rate the JV 1st series as basses? I love mine too. Mad prices! maybe I should take more care of mine! [/quote] I agree, late 70's basses often fetch £1500+, and in my experience most are poorly made, weigh about the same as a small car, and have all sorts of tuning/intonation issues. Don't get me wrong, there are good ones out there, but too many guitars are bought without being played, just because of what they are. Personally I'd rather have the Precision at the top of this thread, than a late 70's Precision every day of the week. And i'd virtually guarantee it would sound and play better, and in a blind test, vast majority would choose the same. You really have to play these to really appreciate just how good they are. The fact that they are jap reissues, will automatically mean alot of people wont pay £1000+ for them, but the large fender/small squire decal April/May '82 models are the 1960 Jazzes, and 1951 Precisions of the future, collectors wise. Regarding how mine play, as you'll know from yours, they are great, they have a real vintage tone to them, unlike the modern reissues, and the necks are just amazing. My jazz, as i said earlier in the thread, is the best bass i've ever played for comfort, and sound, without exception. It sounds alot like a 60 jazz i had a few years back, more so than any jazz i've played since. The P likewise, real vintage tone and feel, and super silky necks. The early JV's were made to exacting standards, and blueprints of the originals, more so than the US V-series of the same era ('82+).

[quote name='EdwardHimself' timestamp='1326019768' post='1490985'] Also the difference in the location of the output jack. [/quote] Oh yeah, of course!! Thanks for the comment, and yes, i am lucky. Better than money in the bank, or Thomas Cook shares though, and you get to play, and look at these things daily as well.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1325979797' post='1490771'] And why does it have [i]two [/i]string trees? [/quote] I know, I've seen people do that before, in this case though, it appears to serve no purpose at all?? Unless the nut is knackered, and this was his option of stopping strings slipping? Who knows?

[quote name='walbassist' timestamp='1325979339' post='1490762'] A mate of mine has an '84 P bass as above. I keep trying to persuade him to sell it to me but no luck as yet [/quote] They are great basses. My Jazz is the best bass I've ever played, without exception, for both feel, and sound. Be careful with later ones though, they regularly changed the specs of these from as early as the first 2 months, and each time, they made them with cheaper components, you've obviously played that one though, and its still a good 'un. I love them to bits. If there were more out there, i'd probably have more of them, they are true rare birds.

I'd agree with all the comments above, if it doesnt seem right, it probably isnt. The other thing that immediately struck me when i saw the pics (Before i read the comments regarding authenticity), is that the pic of the rear of the body, shows the top body contour looking alot deeper and bigger to me, as is often seen on replica's?? May be the 'angle of dangle' of flash etc, so don't make a decision based simply on that. Personally, unless it was £400, i'd leave it alone.