Vintage Fenders

[Wombat]

I didn’t remember seeing any. Maybe I came in in the middle of a conversation.

[bakerster135]

4 hours ago, ossyrocks said:

P's never got the bullet, my '78 doesn't have one either

Yeah, the "basic" guitar and bass models, i.e. Tele and Precision didn't get them. Strats got them in 71 and Jazz Basses got them in mid-late 74, along with the three-bolt "micro-tilt" neck plate. The only exceptions were the Telecaster Deluxe and Custom AFAIK. 

Edited May 31, 2024 by bakerster135

[ossyrocks]

PSA: Richard Henry Guitars has just posted on Facebook, a nice looking '72 Jazz now reduced to £3500. Sunburst/rosewood/tort. Inc covers, looks clean.

 

I think this is quite a good buy for someone. 

 

Rob

[Reggaebass]

Stunning jazz but a heavy price tag 

[mowf]

24 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

Stunning jazz but a heavy price tag 

Wowch.

[Burns-bass]

1 minute ago, mowf said:

Wowch.

Cheaper to build a Time Machine.

 

The price is just insane. 

[rwillett]

It looks like its 100% original but still struggling to see why its this sort of money  

 

If this was previously owned by someone special, then there might be some sort of premium, e.g, Entwistle snorted Bolivian marching powder off the body (of the bass) not his female friend, or it turns out that John Paul Jones actually composed Stairways To Heaven on it and Jimmy Page nicked the idea.
 

Or is it that Les Paul's are so expensive, that people are looking elsewhere for an investment opportunity? I read that Bonomasa believed that a very few individuals with money could move the guitar market and so lead to the first $1m Les Paul with no provenance, just a nice guitar. Too much money and no common sense. 
 

I'm in two minds whether to buy the bass, 

 

1. Absolutely not.

2. Absolutely 100% not. 

 

Rob

[Burns-bass]

I saw this a few days ago and it seems like a reasonably priced vintage bass in great condition.

 

https://www.bassdirect.co.uk/product/fender-precision-bass-fretless-natural-gloss-1973-pre-owned/

 

I reckon if you’re buying for investment purposes this would be a good shout.

[Piers_Williamson]

That's almost the first year of factory produced fretless P Basses isn't it?

 

47 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

I saw this a few days ago and it seems like a reasonably priced vintage bass in great condition.

 

https://www.bassdirect.co.uk/product/fender-precision-bass-fretless-natural-gloss-1973-pre-owned/

 

I reckon if you’re buying for investment purposes this would be a good shout.

 

[Burns-bass]

24 minutes ago, Piers_Williamson said:

That's almost the first year of factory produced fretless P Basses isn't it?

 

 

I think they started in 1970 but in very small numbers.

[BassAgent]

Make that 1969 and you're correct

[Piers_Williamson]

8 minutes ago, BassAgent said:

Make that 1969 and you're correct

 

Was there anything in particular that made Fender start making them then?

[BassAgent]

I honestly don't know. Ampeg introduced the fretless electric bass in 1966. There are some examples of rare fretless basses (I found some Hohners and Ovations) before Fender made the first fretless Precision basses in 1969.

Edited June 22, 2024 by BassAgent

[Burns-bass]

16 minutes ago, BassAgent said:

Make that 1969 and you're correct

I said “I think” - could even be others before that date I guess.

[BassAgent]

If there are fretless Precision from before 1969 they could be one-offs because Fender first listed fretless basses in their catalog in 1969. Back then there were only fretless Precisions available. There are two known fretless Jazzes from 1970:

 

But Fender didn't make a factory fretless Jazz Bass until the late 90's, I think. Unless you count the Jazz Bass Special, which is hardly a Jazz (B width Precision neck, PJ pickups, Precision body shape).

Edited June 23, 2024 by BassAgent

[OliverBlackman]

14 hours ago, Reggaebass said:

Stunning jazz but a heavy price tag 

It’s not a rare enough bass that there  are no alternatives available so I don’t know why anyone would spend that.

 

Is this the one that’s been floated around previously where the chap bought it as an investment and left it in a case for 20 years?

[Reggaebass]

11 minutes ago, OliverBlackman said:

Is this the one that’s been floated around previously where the chap bought it as an investment and left it in a case for 20 years

Possibly, I too remember a 61 very similar coming up around 3 years ago but not sure if it’s the same one 

[meterman]

14 hours ago, Reggaebass said:

Stunning jazz but a heavy price tag 

😯 Youch! Beautiful bass but that's about what my house cost! 
 

I could always buy it though and live in a tent or something? 

[snorkie635]

14 hours ago, Piers_Williamson said:

 

Was there anything in particular that made Fender start making them then?

They'd run clean out of fretwire? 😎

[peteb]

Another pretty nice looking 72 P bass at Bass Direct for £3,250

 

https://www.bassdirect.co.uk/product/fender-precision-bass-3-tone-sunburst-1972-pre-owned/

 

[BassAgent]

My 1970 Jazz was a bit of a lucky shot: when I ought it, it turned out to have bad fretwork, a terrible buzz in the electronics and the neck could use a shim. So I had it refretted and setup by one of my favourite luthiers. I've been using it live extensively for the last few months and it has become my go-to Jazz, together with my USA Lakland. What an incredible bass.

[rwillett]

I have the exact same model, apart from the fact mines a 97 MIJ model, mine has matching colour headstock, mine has no neck pickup cover, mine has a different fretboard, mine has updated electrics, but apart from that, its the exact same model, actually now I think about it, mine might be a different colour and could be a Precision and not a Jazz but apart from that, twins

 

Love the picture. A working guitar in it's natural element.

 

rob

[Burns-bass]

9 minutes ago, rwillett said:

I have the exact same model, apart from the fact mines a 97 MIJ model, mine has matching colour headstock, mine has no neck pickup cover, mine has a different fretboard, mine has updated electrics, but apart from that, its the exact same model, actually now I think about it, mine might be a different colour and could be a Precision and not a Jazz but apart from that, twins

 

Love the picture. A working guitar in it's natural element.

 

rob

Sounds like half the listings I read for vintage Fender.

 

”All original apart from new pots, rewound pickups, a new nut and a swapped scratch plate…”

[peteb]

17 minutes ago, rwillett said:

Love the picture. A working guitar in it's natural element.

 

 

Exactly what I thought when I saw the photo! All round, it's a very cool looking bass... 

 

[briansbrew]

Guys whats the story with vintage Fender's, neck plate says 75 but the pots and pickups say 76 ??