BassAgent Posted November 6, 2018 Share Posted November 6, 2018 So there's a '69 Mustang on a Dutch website and the guy asks way too much money for it. So I sent him an e-mail and he's coming to my house tomorrow to determine how original it is, and what it's worth. There are only 2 pics, one of which is the headstock (looks legit from the picture) and then there's this one, of the whole bass: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chiliwailer Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 (edited) Looks to me like a bridge pickup from an old Gibson EB3 copy. Nice mojo btw Edited November 7, 2018 by Chiliwailer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jono Bolton Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 Is that pickguard made out of a cardboard box? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassAgent Posted November 7, 2018 Author Share Posted November 7, 2018 I have no idea! Gonna find that out tonight. A dude at TalkBass has found out what it is: By the looks of it, it's the same Maxon model that was commonly used on Japanese basses of the early '70s. Actually a single-coil - the screws on either side are merely decorative. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorks5stringer Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 10 minutes ago, Jono Bolton said: Is that pickguard made out of a cardboard box? Looks like 'wood fibre' to me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Low End Bee Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 That volume control...Massive knob. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 I'm sorry to say I think the bass in the OP looks minging. I'm worried about catching some incurable skin disease simply by looking at the photograph. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassAgent Posted November 7, 2018 Author Share Posted November 7, 2018 Hahah no worries The finish looks awful and especially the pickguard is terrible. Looks like wood fibre to me too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 I normally love mustangs, but this one is minging Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pea Turgh Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 Looks like copper to me - seems to be a bit of green on the top left edge. It would certainly make a good fixer-upper if the neck is sound! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassAgent Posted November 7, 2018 Author Share Posted November 7, 2018 My thoughts exactly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martthebass Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 6 hours ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said: I normally love mustangs, but this one is minging Same here, I do like a nice Mustang but that therefore precludes this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassAgent Posted November 7, 2018 Author Share Posted November 7, 2018 (edited) Well, I checked the bass today. It's not a '69, it's a '72. The neck (including tuners, frets and neck plate) is 100% original. So are the finish (which is a lot prettier in real life), the bridge and the control plate. The pickup, pickguard and pots are replacements and they haven't been very subtle in putting them in. The soldering on the pots is sloppy, the cavity for the pickup is kinda ugly and the knobs are hídeous. Looking through that, however, it has some real potential. It plays great. The original shielding copper plates are still there. I want to buy it (depending on the price) and reinstate its beauty. Cool detail: this mr. Torres (who was an employee at Fender in the late 60's and 70's) made the neck on this bass. He also made the neck on my '71 Precision. Edited November 7, 2018 by BassAgent 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlloyd Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 41 minutes ago, BassAgent said: Well, I checked the bass today. It's not a '69, it's a '72. The neck (including tuners, frets and neck plate) is 100% original. So are the finish (which is a lot prettier in real life), the bridge and the control plate. The pickup, pickguard and pots are replacements and they haven't been very subtle in putting them in. The soldering on the pots is sloppy, the cavity for the pickup is kinda ugly and the knobs are hídeous. Looking through that, however, it has some real potential. It plays great. The original shielding copper plates are still there. I want to buy it (depending on the price) and reinstate its beauty.. I would offer no more than the price of an early 1970s mustang neck. The pickguard has been there for a long time by the looks of it... the body finish has aged around it and will look really odd with a correct pickguard. At a guess the routing for the pickup will have been done with the equivalent of a butter knife/soup spoon and it will need patching and a refinish to restore it to originality. On the other hand, if it plays well and you get it cheap enough, t-cut it and insert a couple of Novak dark star pickups... oh my! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassAgent Posted November 7, 2018 Author Share Posted November 7, 2018 Hahaha I have offered him a certain amount of money Wonder what he'll do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassAgent Posted November 7, 2018 Author Share Posted November 7, 2018 And. It's. Mine! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sblueplanet Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 Well done. Now to try put Humpty back together again 🤪 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassAgent Posted November 7, 2018 Author Share Posted November 7, 2018 (edited) The difficult bit is a pickguard. They seem hard to find (or I have to get them from the States which could turn out pretty darn expensive). EDIT: Celebrated a bit too early. The dude said yes and then somebody added €250 to the price. Well, I'm not paying €1000 for it. So bad luck. Edited November 7, 2018 by BassAgent 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jono Bolton Posted November 8, 2018 Share Posted November 8, 2018 20 hours ago, BassAgent said: The difficult bit is a pickguard. They seem hard to find (or I have to get them from the States which could turn out pretty darn expensive). EDIT: Celebrated a bit too early. The dude said yes and then somebody added €250 to the price. Well, I'm not paying €1000 for it. So bad luck. What are the odds that the "buyer" who added the additional €250 pulls out? Sounds like an attempt to drive the price up to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassAgent Posted November 8, 2018 Author Share Posted November 8, 2018 (edited) Nah, the guy was at my house when I checked it and he agreed on 750. I honestly believe someone offered him 1000 euros. I think the chances that the buyer will pull out are very small. The neck on this bass is amazing. Edited November 8, 2018 by BassAgent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted November 8, 2018 Share Posted November 8, 2018 22 hours ago, BassAgent said: The difficult bit is a pickguard. They seem hard to find (or I have to get them from the States which could turn out pretty darn expensive). EDIT: Celebrated a bit too early. The dude said yes and then somebody added €250 to the price. Well, I'm not paying €1000 for it. So bad luck. That was a lucky break. No way is that heap of firewood worth 750 Euros. 75 maybe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grahambythesea Posted November 8, 2018 Share Posted November 8, 2018 It’s only a mustang, another case of “because it’s old it has to be highly priced”. You’re better off without it, bro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassAgent Posted November 8, 2018 Author Share Posted November 8, 2018 16 minutes ago, pete.young said: That was a lucky break. No way is that heap of firewood worth 750 Euros. 75 maybe. Nah, you haven't seen it up close. It's not firewood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pea Turgh Posted November 8, 2018 Share Posted November 8, 2018 I would have paid £150 if it felt good. But hey, if someone will pay £1k, good on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassAgent Posted November 8, 2018 Author Share Posted November 8, 2018 That's why I didn't go for it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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