99ster Posted June 13, 2007 Share Posted June 13, 2007 (edited) So I snapped it up! At first glance a seemingly very ropey ‘Frankenstein Jazz bass’ that has seen better days & been refinished & mucked about with - with the wrong decal on the headstock & is a horrid orange colour... The seller has to relist because it attracted 0 bids the first time it was listed. And everybody ignored it the 2nd time - except me. And it does indeed have a genuine 1960 ‘slab board’ neck (though refinished with a 70's decal) - the Holy Grail of vintage bass necks – the first year of production for Fender Jazz basses. If the neck was 100% original – it alone would be worth £2-3K. Plus it has other original 60’s & 70’s vintage parts on it that I could make a tidy profit on if I sold them separately - bridge, & tuners – worth many hundreds. And an original 1960 date neck plate – I know guys that would pay big bucks just for that alone. But I think it could make a fabulous ‘project’ bass – get it stripped down & re-finished – put back the proper 1960 headstock decal, find a few other nice bits (maybe add a John East gadget?). I told my guitar tech guy about it (he’s gonna do the restoration/rebuild for me) - was astonished that I nabbed it as the only bidder. He thinks the neck alone could be worth at least £1,000 when restored – that’s how rare they are. I’m really looking forward to building up the whole bass & bringing it back to life... And I have a suspicion that this could turn out to be the nicest playing bass of all of mine – the neck is gorgeous to play. *** UPDATED *** Well - I finally had all that hideous orange paint stripped off the body (horrendous - it was about 10cm thick! + white primer) .... & what did we find underneath? OH MY GOD YES!! An 100% original 1960 Alder Jazz bass body to go with the 1960 neck!!! Complete with the 4 individual mute holes...that had been plugged up by the crazy fool that sprayed it orange! What a result!!! WooHoo!!! I’m off to dance round the house again!! [attachment=648:4f7e_1.JPG.jpg] [attachment=649:6ecc_1.JPG.jpg] [attachment=650:62cf_1.JPG.jpg] [attachment=651:6907_1.JPG.jpg] [attachment=652:55dc_1.JPG.jpg] Edited July 17, 2007 by 99ster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beerdragon Posted June 13, 2007 Share Posted June 13, 2007 Would you mind telling us how much it went for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99ster Posted June 13, 2007 Author Share Posted June 13, 2007 [quote name='beerdragon' post='16647' date='Jun 13 2007, 06:48 AM']Would you mind telling us how much it went for?[/quote] £620. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibob Posted June 13, 2007 Share Posted June 13, 2007 (edited) Looks nice to me! When does the body date from? Si Edited June 13, 2007 by Sibob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99ster Posted June 13, 2007 Author Share Posted June 13, 2007 [quote name='Sibob' post='16663' date='Jun 13 2007, 08:20 AM']Looks nice to me! When does the body date from? Si[/quote] That's the $64,000 dollar question! It's been repsprayed in a hideous red orange - a poor attempt a Fiesta Red. So that will all be getting stripped off so we can see what's underneath. And it does indeed have the 'router hump' that many vintage 60's Fender bodies have on the lower horn - so it's definitely an old body, or maybe a good re-issue body (but I don't know if they added that particluar detail on any re-issue bodies???). Plus it has a correct original 1960 neck plate & serial number (not even mentioned on the eBay listing). If we find the 4 individual string mute holes filled in then I'll be a very happy man indeed...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted June 13, 2007 Share Posted June 13, 2007 [quote name='99ster' post='16670' date='Jun 13 2007, 07:40 AM']If we find the 4 individual string mute holes filled in then I'll be a very happy man indeed...![/quote] Methinks your other playmates might feel jealous if they find themselves pushed down the line by your new mistress! A great find Hamster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99ster Posted June 13, 2007 Author Share Posted June 13, 2007 [quote name='Hamster' post='16689' date='Jun 13 2007, 09:40 AM']Methinks your other playmates might feel jealous if they find themselves pushed down the line by your new mistress! A great find Hamster[/quote] Yes - I think it could turn out to be a great find indeed... Sometimes you gotta just take a gamble on The Bay! I'll keep the ladies in separate rooms so we don't get a cat fight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veils Posted June 13, 2007 Share Posted June 13, 2007 I actually like that horrid orangey colour! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardHimself Posted June 13, 2007 Share Posted June 13, 2007 (edited) what a bloody dimwit, f***ing up a vintage fender like that! Edited July 17, 2007 by EdwardHimself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99ster Posted June 13, 2007 Author Share Posted June 13, 2007 (edited) [quote name='presoulnation' post='16769' date='Jun 13 2007, 11:44 AM']I actually like that horrid orangey colour![/quote] Back 25 years ago in my punk rock days I might have agreed with you! But I'm a certified old [horse and cart] now - so I reckon it will end up as sensible understated sunburst or black...(open to suggestions!). That respray orangey/red will definitely be coming off though as we need to see what's hidden underneath it - as I'm pretty confident it is a vintage body... Edited June 13, 2007 by 99ster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibob Posted June 13, 2007 Share Posted June 13, 2007 (edited) I mean obviously the sunburst refin gets a vote from me, but i've always been a fan of the vintage cream colours with a tort pickguard. Fecking Quality Si a quick p.s. edit: i think i beat the profanity filter hehe Edited June 13, 2007 by Sibob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99ster Posted June 13, 2007 Author Share Posted June 13, 2007 [quote name='Sibob' post='16790' date='Jun 13 2007, 12:08 PM']I mean obviously the sunburst refin gets a vote from me, but i've always been a fan of the vintage cream colours with a tort pickguard. Fecking Quality Si a quick p.s. edit: i think i beat the profanity filter hehe[/quote] Yes - there's no denying the goodness of a nicely aged Olympic White + tort pickguard.... Mmmm... But black + tort pickguard.... can look wicked with all the chrome in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardHimself Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 WHEY!!!! I hope that white "primer" wasn't actually the pain underneath tho. Haha i'm sure it wasn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Burpster Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 Well done for being prepared to take a risk...... Better still it paid off! Cant wait to see the 'before and after pics!' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99ster Posted July 17, 2007 Author Share Posted July 17, 2007 (edited) [quote name='EdwardHimself' post='32879' date='Jul 17 2007, 09:40 AM']WHEY!!!! I hope that white "primer" wasn't actually the pain underneath tho. Haha i'm sure it wasn't.[/quote] No worries on that one - it had already been stripped previously by the comedian who decided it would be a good idea to cover it in a thick coat of orange car paint! And even if it was over an original paint it would take Harry Potter to remove the orange & leave the original intact! Edited July 18, 2007 by 99ster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99ster Posted July 17, 2007 Author Share Posted July 17, 2007 (edited) [quote name='The Burpster' post='32895' date='Jul 17 2007, 10:09 AM']Well done for being prepared to take a risk...... Better still it paid off! Cant wait to see the 'before and after pics!'[/quote] Thanks Burpster! It wasn't too big a risk as I knew that the neck was pretty definitely a 1960 & that most of the parts were original – but I didn’t dare hope that the body was original as well. I'm still amazed that nobody else was prepared to take a punt on it - a 1960 Jazz is one of the most desirable & sought after basses! Even as a re-finished neck & body with some re-issue parts – a '60 Jazz is so incredibly super rare that it will still be worth a packet when it’s finished (a 100% original one would be £15K+ – even if you could find one to buy). The seller had taken it to Music Ground in Manchester to get it valued by the ‘experts’ there & they told him the body wasn’t original (he didn’t even mention the orginal 1960 neck plate in the listing!) - but when the bass arrived I spotted the infamous ‘router hump’ straight away & knew it was definitely an old body - & started to get a little bit excited... It took Andy Viccars ages to get the thick orange paint off – he had to strip it right back to the bare Alder wood (which had obviously been done previously before it ended up orange). And it’s definitely a 1960 body – the tell-tale 4 screw holes for the individual mutes are there, but filled in, as are all the correct temporary nail holes added during the original painting process in 1960. It’s nice & light & should ‘ring like a bell’ when it’s all back together again. It'll be a couple of months before it's all done (a month alone for the nitro lacquer on the body to dry) but I reckon I’ll end up with a very lovely Jazz that will have cost me a fraction of what it should have – and a little piece of bass guitar history as 1960 was the very first year of production. I'll definitely post some before & after pics when it's all finished... Edited August 19, 2007 by 99ster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 [quote name='99ster' post='33072' date='Jul 17 2007, 02:57 PM']No worries on that one - it had already obviously been stripped previously by the comedian who decided it would be a good idea to cover it in a thick coat of orange car paint! And even if it was over an original paint it would take Harry Potter to remove the orange & leave the original intact! [/quote] Which tech are you using for the refinish? Hamster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99ster Posted July 17, 2007 Author Share Posted July 17, 2007 (edited) [quote name='Hamster' post='33094' date='Jul 17 2007, 03:31 PM']Which tech are you using for the refinish? Hamster[/quote] Andy Viccars - he's a great guy & really knows his stuff... Edited July 17, 2007 by 99ster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_ferret Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 I presume the muppet that did the refin also took off the DC knobs. Lovely find - well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darcy Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 (edited) [quote name='99ster' post='33096' date='Jul 17 2007, 03:32 PM']Anndy Viccars - he's a great guy & really knows his stuff...[/quote] Andy is a No1 guy, only done fret dressing and set ups for me but top dog When are you taking it to him?? (he says putting on black face paint, clothes, abag with SWAG on it and get his crowbar out lol) Edited July 17, 2007 by Darcy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99ster Posted July 18, 2007 Author Share Posted July 18, 2007 (edited) [quote name='bass_ferret' post='33175' date='Jul 17 2007, 06:10 PM']I presume the muppet that did the refin also took off the DC knobs. Lovely find - well done.[/quote] Thanks bass_ferret Yes - the pots & control plate all date from 1973... don't know when they were added. And who knows what happened to the original set - they may well have simply been worn out with use & chucked in a box somewhere (as even in 1973 the bass would have had 13 years of wear)... So I'm going replace them with a Fender re-issue set of concentric pots (I've never seen anyone selling an original old set - they just don't exist - & even if they did would cost a small fortune). The only other thing that's missing is the pickguard - everything else is there & looks original. I could get a later 60's one - but that will cost me £300-400 & still not be correct for a '60 model. So as the neck & body are getting re-finished I'll go for a Fender 62 re-issue for now - should look fine & dandy. Edited July 20, 2007 by 99ster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99ster Posted July 18, 2007 Author Share Posted July 18, 2007 [quote name='Darcy' post='33227' date='Jul 17 2007, 07:25 PM']Andy is a No1 guy, only done fret dressing and set ups for me but top dog When are you taking it to him?? (he says putting on black face paint, clothes, abag with SWAG on it and get his crowbar out lol)[/quote] He's sleeping with it under his pillow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darcy Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 I have to give Andy a call anyway, got a Crafter Acoustic bass that needs a serious set up to make it more playable I would have loved to have a nose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1 Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 MB1. Great find!,you do know your fenders,i wouldnt have had a clue to be honest,and at £620 i doubt many people would have wanted to take the chance(probably why you were bidding on your own).Definately a lamb dressed as mutton story,nice one. All The Best. MB1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99ster Posted July 20, 2007 Author Share Posted July 20, 2007 (edited) [quote name='MB1' post='34760' date='Jul 20 2007, 04:00 PM']MB1. Great find!,you do know your fenders,i wouldnt have had a clue to be honest,and at £620 i doubt many people would have wanted to take the chance(probably why you were bidding on your own).Definately a lamb dressed as mutton story,nice one. All The Best. MB1.[/quote] Many thanks MB1! Just for once - being an obsessive sad B*****D vintage bass geek was a handy thing to be!! To be honest I would have paid that much just for the 1960 neck alone - even though it needs a lot of restoration - as the magic of having anything from one of the very first Jazz basses fascinates me. To get a '60 body & all the other bits was luck really & maybe a reward for being ready to take a punt. Funny thing is I had only just told a mate (who was looking for an old Gibson) to not even consider finding a 'bargain' vintage guitar on eBay - as they were none to be had anymore! All the best 99ster Edited July 20, 2007 by 99ster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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