Vintage Fenders

[Burns-bass]

1 hour ago, Beedster said:

 

Over-inflated market meets under-inflated economy 

 

I've been grappling (yes I'm that sad) with the instrumental/emotional dichotomy of late, in part driven by being forced to use a £300 bitsa Precision that I quite literally had to put together the same day at a rehearsal last week and finding it not unequal to my '73, in part due to playing a full Status Graphite instrument and getting a taste for what a bass really can be in terms of engineering and technology (and that's not Fender by a long shot), and in part trying to be a decent Dad and not tie up shit loads of money in stuff that doesn't really matter. And once again I can't help feeling we're all antique collectors 

Haha I love this. 
 

Currently at a gig with my £500 DB and it’s ideal. 
 

When I last gigged with my vintage Fender I was a nervous wreck.

 

[Beedster]

1 minute ago, Burns-bass said:

Haha I love this. 
 

Currently at a gig with my £500 DB and it’s ideal. 
 

When I last gigged with my vintage Fender I was a nervous wreck.

 

I’m shedding a skin or two at present, so suspect my two 70’s Fenders will be on their way soon. They’re both beautiful, unique, outstanding instruments, but…..

[Burns-bass]

49 minutes ago, Beedster said:

I’m shedding a skin or two at present, so suspect my two 70’s Fenders will be on their way soon. They’re both beautiful, unique, outstanding instruments, but…..

if it doesn’t bring you joy, or have any use, get rid of it.

 

I did that with all my unwanted and unused gear. Lost a few quid but mentally much happier.

[ossyrocks]

I'm really happy with my 70's Fenders. I have been around vintage guitars and amps for almost 40 years now, and there's just something about them that attracts me. They're not all good, but the good ones are great to play, and sound great too. I don't worry about taking them on gigs, I'm 60 next birthday, and they will definitely go on beyond me to the next generation.

 

They do bring me joy (especially through a vintage GK RB series amp)

 

Rob

 

 

[bakerster135]

19 minutes ago, ossyrocks said:

I'm really happy with my 70's Fenders. I have been around vintage guitars and amps for almost 40 years now, and there's just something about them that attracts me. They're not all good, but the good ones are great to play, and sound great too. I don't worry about taking them on gigs, I'm 60 next birthday, and they will definitely go on beyond me to the next generation.

 

They do bring me joy (especially through a vintage GK RB series amp)

 

Rob

 

 

 

I completely agree with this. While the 1970s were famously a questionable period for Fender’s QC, I’ve also encountered several pre-CBS basses that were total dogs.

 

I’ve also owned a number of pre-CBS Jazz Basses and 1960s American reissues over the years, but they’ve always been the first to go when compared to my two 1970s Jazz Basses.

 

My favourite is my 1975 Jazz which, despite its insane weight, has the most incredible deep, gnarly tone and a neck that feels amazing. Every time I pick it up, I feel inspired, and it’s been my go-to for all the biggest gigs I’ve played.

 

I do worry about whether I’ll still be able to stand with it when I’m older, but I know I’ll never part with it. It has everything a great Jazz Bass should have.

[ossyrocks]

These were already out in the room before I commented on this thread. Yes, I'm bonkers.

 

On the wall, '73 Jazz, '73 Precision. On the floor, '70 Precision, '78 Precision.

I've been playing the '78 tonight in prep for gigs this week and next. Not sure if it will be the one yet, the '73 P seems to be getting the most action at the moment.

 

Rob

[Owen]

4 hours ago, Beedster said:

 

Over-inflated market meets under-inflated economy 

 

I've been grappling (yes I'm that sad) with the instrumental/emotional dichotomy of late, in part driven by being forced to use a £300 bitsa Precision that I quite literally had to put together the same day at a rehearsal last week and finding it not unequal to my '73, in part due to playing a full Status Graphite instrument and getting a taste for what a bass really can be in terms of engineering and technology (and that's not Fender by a long shot), and in part trying to be a decent Dad and not tie up shit loads of money in stuff that doesn't really matter. And once again I can't help feeling we're all antique collectors 

Truth. Right there. I am as bad as anyone. I have a lovely 66J (Jan 7th . I have not played it in anger in decades. Can I let it go? Can I heck!  

[Woodinblack]

8 minutes ago, Owen said:

 I have a lovely 66J (Jan 7th .

 

You mean, january and it is a jazz, or you actually know it was made on the 7th some other way?

 

[Burns-bass]

9 minutes ago, Owen said:

Truth. Right there. I am as bad as anyone. I have a lovely 66J (Jan 7th . I have not played it in anger in decades. Can I let it go? Can I heck!  

I started gigging mine again until I found a replacement would cost me £12,999 at Andy Baxter. 
 

Since been retired once again!

 

[bakerster135]

44 minutes ago, Owen said:

Truth. Right there. I am as bad as anyone. I have a lovely 66J (Jan 7th . I have not played it in anger in decades. Can I let it go? Can I heck!  

Let's not go over that 7 again! 😆😉

 

P.s. this is the list of Fender model numbers from the 1960s, with their corresponding instruments:
    4. Telecaster
    5. Precision Bass
    6. Stratocaster
    7. Jazz Bass
    8. Jazzmaster
    9. Bass VI
    10. Jaguar
    11. Electric XII

 

1, 2 and 3 were the lap steels

Edited December 6 by bakerster135

[dodgnofski]

7 hours ago, bakerster135 said:

Let's not go over that 7 again! 😆😉

 

P.s. this is the list of Fender model numbers from the 1960s, with their corresponding instruments:
    4. Telecaster
    5. Precision Bass
    6. Stratocaster
    7. Jazz Bass
    8. Jazzmaster
    9. Bass VI
    10. Jaguar
    11. Electric XII

 

1, 2 and 3 were the lap steels

Not forgetting 17. Mustang Bass😃👍

[ped]

3 hours ago, dodgnofski said:

Not forgetting 17. Mustang Bass😃👍

 

[Misdee]

On 02/12/2024 at 11:16, Belka said:

The Gallery have an interesting Jazz on sale at the moment. It's a 1970 in what looks like LPB and it appears to be a factory fretless. I thought that there were only a handful of these made and if it is genuine it is probably extremely rare and considerably undervalued at the price they have it for sale at.

 

Fender Jazz 1970 Fretless – The Bass Gallery

 

Of course, it could be a replacement neck, but the tuners and black binding look right for the era, and it's not likely to be a defret job as fretted basses of this era would have had black blocks. I think by this time maple necks were one piece rather than the earlier capped jobs they did in 1966-1968, so if it's had a replacement fretless board it should be fairly easy to tell.

 

Shame about the Badass though. And as is typical of the Gallery, as much as I love the shop, the description is worse than useless.

 

Here's a photo (from I think Geddy Lee's book) for reference of confirmed genuine factory fretless Jazzes (one of which also seems to be in LPB).

 

That colour is actually Ocean Turquoise Metallic. It was a custom colour Fender offered in the mid-1970s. 

[ossyrocks]

No pics from me, but I've been in Promenade Music in Morecambe today and they have a '74 and a '76 Precision in. Both sunburst/rosewood/black guard. The '74 looks played to death and quite cool. The '76 is reasonably clean. Both appear original, play well and sound great. .

 

https://www.promenademusic.co.uk/fender-precision-bass-vintage-circa-1976-secondhand/

https://www.promenademusic.co.uk/fender-precision-bass-vintage-circa-1974-secondhand/

 

Rob

[Owen]

17 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

 

You mean, january and it is a jazz, or you actually know it was made on the 7th some other way?

 

Nope, it was a joke referencing my utter incompetence a few pages ago in this thread.

[GuyR]

On 07/12/2024 at 14:17, Misdee said:

That colour is actually Ocean Turquoise Metallic. It was a custom colour Fender offered in the mid-1970s. 

It’s definitely LPB, if you are referring to the one recently for sale.

I was unexpectedly having to visit Camden so thought I would take the opportunity to drop off an 80s fretless Tokai I don’t use on consignment. I always browse and was a little surprised to see this amongst the stock.

Original bridge, to be refitted. Temporary BBOT in place.

 

Dot markers in the correct fretless positions, shown next to a fretted 66

Minimal damage to finish from the removed Badass bridge.

 

The neck pocket is in the correct vivid LPB, with the conventional paint stick mark. The neck stamp is present, but too faint to read.
Apart from the missing case, covers and finger rest, and the original bridge, included later and to be reinstated, it’s a very clean unmolested example. I understand it has had one owner.

Apart from the two in the Geddy Lee book, I’m not aware of any others, although there must be some.

 

Most importantly, it’s an absolutely wicked bass. 

 

 

Edited December 8 by GuyR

[Misdee]

On 07/12/2024 at 19:25, GuyR said:

It’s definitely LPB, if you are referring to the one recently for sale.

I was unexpectedly having to visit Camden so thought I would take the opportunity to drop off an 80s fretless Tokai I don’t use on consignment. I always browse and was a little surprised to see this amongst the stock.

Original bridge, to be refitted. Temporary BBOT in place.

 

Dot markers in the correct fretless positions, shown next to a fretted 66

Minimal damage to finish from the removed Badass bridge.

 

The neck pocket is in the correct vivid LPB, with the conventional paint stick mark. The neck stamp is present, but too faint to read.
Apart from the missing case, covers and finger rest, and the original bridge, included later and to be reinstated, it’s a very clean unmolested example. I understand it has had one owner.

Apart from the two in the Geddy Lee book, I’m not aware of any others, although there must be some.

 

Most importantly, it’s an absolutely wicked bass. 

 

 

Your right, that one looks LPB, but it's difficult to tell definitively because the two colours are so similar. Fender's Ocean Turquoise is far more blue than turquoise.The one in the Geddy Lee book looks more like Ocean Turquoise to me, especially looking at the matching headstock. You also have to allow for how both colours will have faded over time.

[Aidan63]

not just colour fade, but the lacquer yellowing over time changes the colour seen with blues they tend to move toward greens

[rwillett]

Looks fabulous to me

Edited December 9 by rwillett

[ped]

Nice one 👍🏼

[wateroftyne]

Holy cow.

[Beedster]

On 02/12/2024 at 14:51, Beedster said:

Well I hope a BC member saw it, jumped, finds it's the real deal, and gets an early Xmas present 👍

 

On 07/12/2024 at 19:25, GuyR said:

It’s definitely LPB, if you are referring to the one recently for sale.

I was unexpectedly having to visit Camden so thought I would take the opportunity to drop off an 80s fretless Tokai I don’t use on consignment. I always browse and was a little surprised to see this amongst the stock.

Original bridge, to be refitted. Temporary BBOT in place.

 

Dot markers in the correct fretless positions, shown next to a fretted 66

Minimal damage to finish from the removed Badass bridge.

 

The neck pocket is in the correct vivid LPB, with the conventional paint stick mark. The neck stamp is present, but too faint to read.
Apart from the missing case, covers and finger rest, and the original bridge, included later and to be reinstated, it’s a very clean unmolested example. I understand it has had one owner.

Apart from the two in the Geddy Lee book, I’m not aware of any others, although there must be some.

 

Most importantly, it’s an absolutely wicked bass. 

 

 

 

I do like a happy ending, nice one @GuyR 👍

[Burns-bass]

Nice one!

 

What a curio this is. Give Jo Bonamassa a call and treble your money.

[Reggaebass]

Yes, pretty special , well done Guy 

[GuyR]

Thanks Gents, My wife is 100% excused from buying me a present this Christmas.

Thanks to Kazan for his valued second opinion & expertise.