Bass guitar worth.... (I saw a new bass in my local shop today)

[LukeFRC]

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!

[Musicman20]

Ridiculous price.

[Dad3353]

So you buy it, and store it in your uncle's loft. Just think how much it'll fetch in forty years time..!

[Dingus]

They look nice , and it seems like Fender have tried to do a good job of making an accurate reproduction of a genuine 74 Jazz , but for two grand you can probably do better . Firstly , you can pick one up for less than that if you shop around , but you are still talking about a lot of money . The old addage applies though , Luke , in so much as you pay your money and you take your choice - if you don't think they are worth it then don't buy one . . These new Fenders are undeniably very beautiful basses and cost about what I would expect them to . I would buy one in preference to a clapped - out wreck of a genuine vintage example that would set you back about the same money in the current market , but where these new American Vintage basses fall down is that for a few hundred quid more you can get a U.S.A Lakland , Sadowsky , Lull ect , or a whole host of other custom basses . Are they that much better than a good Fender ? I can't really unequivocally say yes or no either way , because in the end it depends what you are after in a bass , but thoise other brands are certainly more consistant in their overall quality than Fender , that's for sure . .

Edited May 2, 2013 by Dingus

[Dingus]

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 ?

Edited May 2, 2013 by Dingus

[LukeFRC]

[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!

[Dingus]

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1367518944' post='2066415']
ironically it's probalby better on average than the basses it's aping!
[/quote]

Exactly right .

[machinehead]

I've had a look at these primarily because I love the blocked and bound necks and it's available in olympic white with rosewood fretboard - a look I really like.

But I already own an American Vintage 75 reissue in natural ash body with blocked and bound rosewood fretboard, AND a classic 70s jazz in sunburst and again, bound and blocked rosewood fretboard. Talk about being greedy.

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.

So, what am I saying? These new 74 reissues are overpriced without a doubt. But... if they are as well built as the 75 reissues before them they will find a lot of love and maybe that would take the sting out of the price.

I'll be waiting for a good used one to come up anyway.

Frank.

[geoffbyrne]

Buy the G&L.

G.

[molan]

75's new are generally available for around £1,500 but the 74's seem to have opened up at £1,900.

Have to assume they'll drop in a few months time.

[mckendrick]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1367518229' post='2066401']
So you buy it, and store it in your uncle's loft. Just think how much it'll fetch in forty years time..!
[/quote]
Probably about two grand. They'll have no rarity value like true originals. Too many of 'em around already.

[BetaFunk]

Ain't nothing like the real thing................

[attachment=133988:IMG_0847.jpg]

Edited May 2, 2013 by BetaFunk

[LukeFRC]

[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.

[LukeFRC]

[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!

[Dingus]

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1367525109' post='2066534']
I was a good boy and bought a printer cartridge for Mrs FRC!
[/quote]

Use it to write a letter telling her how you have spent all her money on a new bass .

Edited May 2, 2013 by Dingus

[Dingus]

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1367524803' post='2066525']
Ain't nothing like the real thing................

[attachment=133988:IMG_0847.jpg]
[/quote]

That is nice ! Is it yours ? If so you are a lucky man .

[cloudburst]

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1367518944' post='2066415']
ironically it's probalby better on average than the basses it's aping!
[/quote]

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

[LukeFRC]

[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!

[BetaFunk]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1367525289' post='2066544']
That is nice ! Is it yours ? If so you are a lucky man .
[/quote]
Yes. I bought it around 1990.

[BetaFunk]

[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]
Same here. Mine is a 4 bolt from 1974 (see photo in my previous post) and it's great . It's funny but most of the criticism i see about Fenders from this period comes from people who don't own one.

[Dingus]

[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]

You don't look old enough to have been playing in 1974 ! It sounds like you have got a good one and looked after it . I have played and owned a few wrecks from that era and after .

[Dingus]

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1367527987' post='2066619']
Yes. I bought it around 1990.
[/quote]
[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1367528196' post='2066623']
Same here. Mine is a 4 bolt from 1974 (see photo in my previous post) and it's great . It's funny but most of the criticism i see about Fenders from this period comes from people who don't own one.
[/quote]

I have owned numerous 1970's Fenders myself with varying degrees of satisfaction , as you might expect , and none of them were as good ( to my taste ) as my new ones . Don't get the idea I'm dissing anybodies prized vintage Fender , though . The point I am making in this instance is that a lot of the 1970's ones you see selling for high prices nowadays are erring more on the side of being knackered than of having "character " . If you have got a nice old Fender like you and Cloudburst have then that is something to treasure , but I personally wouldn't pay the silly prices some very poor examples are now selling for when other options are available .

Edited May 2, 2013 by Dingus

[BetaFunk]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1367528792' post='2066645']
I have owned numerous 1970's Fenders myself with varying degrees of satisfaction , as you might expect , and none of them were as good ( to my taste ) as my new ones . Don't get the idea I'm dissing anybodies prized vintage Fender , though . The point I am making in this instance is that a lot of the 1970's ones you see selling for high prices nowadays are erring more on the side of being knackered than of having "character " . If you have got a nice old Fender like you and Cloudburst have then that is something to treasure , but I personally wouldn't pay the silly prices some very poor examples are now selling for when other options are available .
[/quote]
I totally agree with you about the price. I paid £400 for mine all those years ago but wouldn't pay a couple of grand for one nowadays. On the other hand if you see my one for sale in the classifieds one day could you please forget all i said about it not being worth two grand.

[Dingus]

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1367530383' post='2066667']
I totally agree with you about the price. I paid £400 for mine all those years ago but wouldn't pay a couple of grand for one nowadays. On the other hand if you see my one for sale in the classifieds one day could you please forget all i said about it not being worth two grand.
[/quote]

If I had your bass I would expect two grand in cash in my hand before I considered letting it go , looking at what some inferior examples are going for . I don't expect you will be selling anytime soon , though .

Edited May 2, 2013 by Dingus

[Lynottfan]

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!