Help what should I do?

[beerdragon]

You could have had my mates 74 for £500 if you wanted it steve. but the condition was, well, 35 years old.

[lonestar]

I can't see your dilemma at all .It's a 1970's Fender and probably horrible
Buy a nice new US standard or CIJ 70's reissue and spend the remaining £2800 on a nice holiday or other musical equipment or anything but this.

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='MartyBRebelMC' post='359240' date='Dec 19 2008, 10:34 PM']correct me if I'm wrong (and I usually am) but most fenders post CBS were appallingly made (hence then neck pocket).[/quote]

You're wrong.

[skankdelvar]

[quote name='MartyBRebelMC' post='359240' date='Dec 19 2008, 10:34 PM']correct me if I'm wrong (and I usually am) but most fenders post CBS were appallingly made (hence then neck pocket).[/quote]

You're right - (up to a point .)

A number (and opinion might have it - many) of Fenders made during the CBS period were less than satisfactory, [i]compared to the best of the 50's production runs[/i].

In their own right and judged against contemporary standards some were worse than mediocre. Some were OK. And some were very good. But we're talking about a very large number of instruments here, compared to the numbers produced in the 50's. As documented by Fender insiders, CBS boosted output by a significant factor, and this led to some 'issues', both in terms of QC and product development. So - bigger numbers and some shift in standards might equal a larger total number of 'dogs'.

Clearly there's a bit of Voodoo about pre-CBS, but OTOH - where there's smoke...

Nevertheless, the general view seems to be that what we might loosely term 'range wide production standards' have improved since CBS sold Fender in the 80's. The weakness in Fender's range would now seem to be the Mexican Fenders, which, IMO, compare unfavourably, VFM-wise to the Squier 'equivalents'.

In reality, 50's Fender, CBS Fender and the Fender of today are three completely different companies manufacturing variations on several relatively unchanged designs. It's not unreasonable to seek (and probably find) some variations in outcome.

Edited December 20, 2008 by skankdelvar

[Delberthot]

Until I saw the 'original' colour under the control plate I would've said that the bass was new with a set of old tuners on it.

It seems to be in too good condition - isn't it the general concensus here that if something looks this good after so long then its a POS and bad to play on?

I don't know anyone that looks after their gear more than I do but even a bass owned by me for so long would have at least one or 2 marks on it.


But it was the last year before the 3 bolt neck and bullet truss rod if that means anything to the value of it.

Unless I was very wealthy I would have to try something this expensive before parting with the reddies. Once it was in the UK you might find it difficult to sell on if it doesn't suit you due to the smaller bass playing population here especially with so many of us lefties who play righty.


I don't like Jazz basses and never have but just say for arguments sake it was a '56 Precision or a '68 Telecaster which are the kind of basses I would go for if I had the cash, I would have to really think carefully about a bass that old in the condition it is in.

Have you checked to see if there is there anyone on Talkbs that lives close to the seller who could check it out for you?

Edited December 20, 2008 by Delberthot

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='Delberthot' post='359621' date='Dec 20 2008, 03:08 PM']It seems to be in too good condition - isn't it the general concensus here that if something looks this good after so long then its a POS and bad to play on?[/quote]

I never subscribed to that theory. my '71 is in incredible nick, and it's the best P on the planet (probably).

[steve-soar]

To be honest, I just like looking at it. It's way more than I would ever spend on a bass, I've totally missed out on getting a good, playable 60-70's lefty Jazz bass for a realistic price by about 10 years.
The money that these basses are going for is mind boggling, I'm more tha happy to play my CIJ Jazz and I don't care if I never see a 1966 Jazz bass in Fiesta Red with matching headstock.

[andy67]

hmmm, I don't believe it!

looking closely at the neck in particular,

1. I would have expected the binding to have aged with the body, ivroy not persil nor daz white.
2. why the extra holes in the heel?
3. if you look closely enough you will see an indented ridge along the bottom of the heel, where it joins the body and is visible, this makes me think it came off another bass with a very tight pocket join!

andy