To refret my '63 Precision - good/bad idea?

[Rick's Fine '52]

[quote]I think that sums it up nicely, and I suspect the author has some experience in the area [/quote]


Thanks Beedster, I do have a bit.

I used to be a player, who collects, as the years have passed, and i play less, my primary interest has changed and I've become a collector, who plays.

I know the market as well as anyone, both vintage and otherwise. All my 'rare' basses are very playable, none of them are original, but not playable. In my experience, the ones with 'original' tyres, filters and oil, are as playable now as when they left the factory, thats the only difference between comparing vintage cars and guitars. Guitars dont have oil that becomes unuseable, tyres that get dry and break up, or have moving parts that need to be turned regularly to make them function.
If you keep a guitar in a good environment, there is no reason why you cant store it for 30 years, and then find it in the same condition when you re-discover it 30 years later, and, unlike with a car stored for 30 years, you can just plug it in and play it, and it should work the same as when you left it.

For the record, i take all my basses for a spin quite regularly!

Edited August 28, 2011 by Rick's Fine '52

[uncle psychosis]

I say "get it refretted".

Once you see what violinists have done to their 300 year old Stradavarius instruments a refret doesn't seem so bad

[JTUK]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1354298' date='Aug 28 2011, 01:19 PM']No they wouldn't drive an E type on it's old tyres, you would keep them to one side for shows/resale and use replica ones for road use![/quote]

A friend of mine has restored a Vincent, but he says it is lethal on original tyres .. he was gutted the first time he took it out afrer spenidng so many years getting it in top condition

[Stu-khag]

I'd like to think I'd refret if I was in your situation but I was thinking, if you were to take into account how much money the neck could be devalued by and the cost of a refret, could you get a nice substitute neck?
But then again you'll have a vintage neck hanging around collecting dust with no use to anyone apart from it being sold and then it'll just be another old bitsa bass.
just thinking about it gives me a headache! Good luck with whatever you do!

[Doctor J]

Is this a museum piece or a working instrument? If the latter, get it refretted and play it. If the former, hang it on your wall and charge people to see it.

[martin8708]

Hi Clarky
I am quoting from the Vintage Guitar Guide by Alan Greenwood and Gil Hembree
''An original instrument must have the original finish . A refinished guitar is generally worth about 50% or less of the value shown in the guide .A repaired guitar , technically ,is not all original . Repairs can make a guitar generally worth 5% to 50% less than values shown in the guide . A professional re-fret or very minor nearly invisible body repair will reduce a guitars value by only 5% .
As a fellow 63 P-Bass owner , the pleasure of owning these instruments is playing something unique and if the neck needs a refret to bring it to its full potential , it will only enhance the instrument .
As it is a refin , it will never be a '' museum -grade '' instrument , so relax , get the refret ( with period correct frets ) and enjoy .
PS , spent 2 weeks in Tuscany , now its a toss up between Corfu and Italy for that bolt-hole .

[Clarky]

[quote name='martin8708' post='1355784' date='Aug 29 2011, 10:36 PM']Hi Clarky
I am quoting from the Vintage Guitar Guide by Alan Greenwood and Gil Hembree
''An original instrument must have the original finish . A refinished guitar is generally worth about 50% or less of the value shown in the guide .A repaired guitar , technically ,is not all original . Repairs can make a guitar generally worth 5% to 50% less than values shown in the guide . A professional re-fret or very minor nearly invisible body repair will reduce a guitars value by only 5% .
As a fellow 63 P-Bass owner , the pleasure of owning these instruments is playing something unique and if the neck needs a refret to bring it to its full potential , it will only enhance the instrument .
As it is a refin , it will never be a '' museum -grade '' instrument , so relax , get the refret ( with period correct frets ) and enjoy .
PS , spent 2 weeks in Tuscany , now its a toss up between Corfu and Italy for that bolt-hole .[/quote]
Cheers Martin, I am off abroad on biz for most of next two weeks but will be visiting the Gallery at the earliest opportunity with my 63P

Re: bolt-hole, the food's better in Italy than Corfu! That would settle it for me

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='JTUK' post='1354955' date='Aug 29 2011, 07:50 AM']A friend of mine has restored a Vincent, but he says it is lethal on original tyres .. he was gutted the first time he took it out after spending so many years getting it in top condition[/quote]

Veering wildly OT for a moment, anyone who had the misfortune to ride 50's or 60's motorbikes on the standard tyres fitted at the time will be completely unsurprised by his comment.

I still remember the very first time I rode a bike fitted with Avon Roadrunners (about 1976, maybe) and discovered words like "grip" and "handling".

70's tyres are now completely outclassed by modern tyre designs (e.g. Roadrunners --> Azarro, or TT100 --> D207) and the difference is stunning.

[EssentialTension]

If it needs a refret, then do it ... but get the best and most original style of fretjob you can.

[Beedster]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='1355947' date='Aug 30 2011, 08:56 AM']Veering wildly OT for a moment, anyone who had the misfortune to ride 50's or 60's motorbikes on the standard tyres fitted at the time will be completely unsurprised by his comment.

I still remember the very first time I rode a bike fitted with Avon Roadrunners (about 1976, maybe) and discovered words like "grip" and "handling".

70's tyres are now completely outclassed by modern tyre designs (e.g. Roadrunners --> Azarro, or TT100 --> D207) and the difference is stunning.[/quote]

Love the way in which you start a post about poor quality motorbike tyres with the words 'veering wildly'

[Happy Jack]

[Beedster]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='1356066' date='Aug 30 2011, 11:07 AM'][/quote]

I did a couple of months in the Himalaya on what I suspect was an all-original Enfield Bullet so I know all about veering wildly

[Happy Jack]

It had the original oil and spark plugs?

[Beedster]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='1356087' date='Aug 30 2011, 11:21 AM']It had the original oil and spark plugs?

[/quote]

From the fumes and performance I'd guess yes! All joking aside, it wasn't a bad engine, but the tyres and handling were just as you described above; I had to take corners bolt upright just to stay on the road! Factor in rough mountain roads with precipitous drops, random cows & wildlife, and Indian drivers, and you get the picture