Born 2B Mild Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 Saw [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FENDER-ORIGINAL-70s-JAZZ-BASS_W0QQitemZ160256587588QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item160256587588&_trkparms=39%3A1%7C65%3A16&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14"]this[/url] on eBay and looked up the serial number on the Fender site. What I don't understand is this serial number ... S8849690 appears to be one digit too long. Anyone shed a little light please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 I've looked at a few Fender serial number sites, and it does seem wrong - too many numbers? Hamster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil_the_bassist Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 I know nothing about the serial # issue, but the starting price is pretty low for a vgc vintage Jbass isn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 [quote name='phil_the_bassist' post='230485' date='Jul 1 2008, 01:16 PM']I know nothing about the serial # issue, but the starting price is pretty low for a vgc vintage Jbass isn't it?[/quote] Thata doesn't mean anything as there's a reserve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Cooke Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 1978 is "precious"??? I sanded back my sunburst '68 P my cousin had handed down to me in '77 and hand painted it gloss white so's it looked like Sid's bass... I then sold it in 85 to go towards a car and nursery furniture as my eldest was on the way and I hadn't played it for a few years... (I also sold my Honda 400-4 motorbike and Bond Bug the same time). I think I got £300 for it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Dave Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 I'm not as expert as many amongst us - but S8 should be followed by 5 digits so far as I know............ and should be in a straight line those look a bit dog legged to me , like they're not the same decal transfer. Were it me and interested - I'd contact the guy and say that under those circs I'd need some providence before I considered buying , at least at anything over a few hundred quid as it still looks a tasty bass. The distressing looks a bit pat too - though folk do that with new ones and doesn't make it fake in itself. Like anything - do your research and if you're not sure - don't bid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Dave Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 [quote name='Paul Cooke' post='230500' date='Jul 1 2008, 01:32 PM']1978 is "precious"??? I sanded back my sunburst '68 P my cousin had handed down to me in '77 and hand painted it gloss white so's it looked like Sid's bass... I then sold it in 85 to go towards a car and nursery furniture as my eldest was on the way and I hadn't played it for a few years... (I also sold my Honda 400-4 motorbike and Bond Bug the same time). I think I got £300 for it...[/quote] To be fair to the seller , in the context he says it , something like a Mex J would be less precious than a true decent condition 78 Jazz so that remark seems reasonable to me. But I think it's dodgy anyway. In the non financial sense of 'precious' - like you, I've done what the hell I wanted to my 73 P and ruined its investment value but as it is very emotionally precious to me I'd never sell it - so it has no financial value at all to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 Shouldn't it have a "countour body" decal too? I sanded my 62 precsiion and stained it green So you are not alone ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Dave Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 A green stained ancient P............... It actually sounds brilliant to me!!! Got any pics (presume you don't have the bass anymore) Back to topic - he's pick-up only , good sign in my eyes but you never know. No worries if he'll go cash on collection and invite inspection. His feedback's bang on. Better than mine, thanks to a f*****g 3 quid alarm clock. He's also inviting emails - so I've sent him one and asked about the issues we're raising here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Born 2B Mild Posted July 1, 2008 Author Share Posted July 1, 2008 [quote name='Dr.Dave' post='230679' date='Jul 1 2008, 04:55 PM']He's also inviting emails - so I've sent him one and asked about the issues we're raising here.[/quote] Well done Dr D. I look forward to seeing what you get in the way of a response. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 [quote name='Dr.Dave' post='230679' date='Jul 1 2008, 04:55 PM']A green stained ancient P...............[/quote] The green stain only lasted a few weeks before I stripped it again ... Here it is in 75 or so: It was stolen in about 1980 ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Dave Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 [quote name='OldGit' post='230695' date='Jul 1 2008, 05:14 PM']It was stolen in about 1980 ...[/quote] F**kers. Hope they're dead in a ditch somewhere. great old pic. I've done that gig in the same clothes with the same hair. Information that , i'm sure , doesn't surprise you in the slightest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 [quote name='Dr.Dave' post='230719' date='Jul 1 2008, 05:42 PM']F**kers. Hope they're dead in a ditch somewhere. great old pic. I've done that gig in the same clothes with the same hair. Information that , i'm sure , doesn't surprise you in the slightest.[/quote] Ha ha I miss the waistline even more than the bass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Dave Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 The seller has been in contact with me. He seems a genuine guy and is inviting me to go view it so obviously he has nothing to hide.Says some music shops have advised him the bass dates from 1978. Maybe he's been the victim at some point , and is selling what he believes to be - and had been advised is - the real deal. The problem is the serial number. It doesn't fit with any info I have. Anybody here got a more expert view?? He's asked that I let him know on which forum this is being discussed. We're in the public domain , with nothing to hide , and with the intention of protecting those who view the site - or reporting obvious scammers. I'm happy to point him in this direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99ster Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 [quote name='Dr.Dave' post='230945' date='Jul 1 2008, 10:06 PM']The seller has been in contact with me. He seems a genuine guy and is inviting me to go view it so obviously he has nothing to hide.Says some music shops have advised him the bass dates from 1978. Maybe he's been the victim at some point , and is selling what he believes to be - and had been advised is - the real deal. The problem is the serial number. It doesn't fit with any info I have. Anybody here got a more expert view?? He's asked that I let him know on which forum this is being discussed. We're in the public domain , with nothing to hide , and with the intention of protecting those who view the site - or reporting obvious scammers. I'm happy to point him in this direction.[/quote] My 10p worth.... The serial number sequencing for "S8" is notoriously confusing (used from 1977 to 1980) - with the decade/year designating decals being used randomly over those years (& also Fender would put earlier necks on newer bodies). And there were indeed "S8" series serial numbers with 6 digits (there's an example shown in 'Black & Molinaro' p77) - even though you won't see this mentioned on many of the online Fender serial number references. Also the application of the serial number decals on the headstocks was often quite 'wobbly' - with little effort made to put them on neatly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 It would be worthwhile for the seller to remove the neck to check the neck number, IIRC that's an 8 digit number and will give a clea indication as to how old the bass is likely to be. Hamster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 [quote name='Paul Cooke' post='230500' date='Jul 1 2008, 01:32 PM']... I also sold my Honda 400-4 ...[/quote] Classic. I had one of them but it was too small for me (I'm 6'2") so sold it on to a diminutive mate who's g/f in turn sold it on without him knowing after a massive argument. A beautiful 500-4 purred past me in my sensible 5 star Euro NCAP family car this weekend... funny how things turn out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Born 2B Mild Posted July 8, 2008 Author Share Posted July 8, 2008 It ended at £620, not making reserve. I think the suggestion made earlier about removing the neck to reveal more on the date of manufacture, could have helped. I'm sure the bass is genuine, as is the integrity of the vendor, but you can't blame sceptiscm creeping in on vintage guitars that do not have enough supporting evidence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spinynorman Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 I've got a MIM 5-string Jazz that the Fender site says should be MN9+5, but the SN on the bass is MN9+6 (though the last digit is 0). I've seen quite a few MIMs for sale that are the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnylager Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 [quote name='spinynorman' post='234928' date='Jul 8 2008, 01:16 PM']I've got a MIM 5-string Jazz that the Fender site says should be MN9+5, but the SN on the bass is MN9+6 (though the last digit is 0). I've seen quite a few MIMs for sale that are the same.[/quote] CIJ also have a problem marrying the number of S/N digits to what Fender says it should have. Maybe they don't count the last 0? Maybe Fender don't know what's going on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Dave Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 [quote name='Born 2B Mild' post='234838' date='Jul 8 2008, 11:15 AM']It ended at £620, not making reserve. I think the suggestion made earlier about removing the neck to reveal more on the date of manufacture, could have helped. I'm sure the bass is genuine, as is the integrity of the vendor, but you can't blame sceptiscm creeping in on vintage guitars that do not have enough supporting evidence.[/quote] I suggested this too him. Also the information about poss 'anomalous' dating. He chose not to update his ad. I tried to make the point that it wasn't his integrity in question but possibly that of the bass. Anyway , he never contacted me again. Shame , like I said he seemed very genuine. Maybe if anyone here is interested they should get in touch with him via the ebay link and arrange a viewing if his price is right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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