Vintage Fenders

[Sparky Mark]

11 hours ago, Beedster said:

Unattractive relic to my eye, lots of battering round the edges rather than player wear 

I agree. I don't mind how much playing wear a bass has, but when it looks like careless neglect/abuse, I'm turned off.

[Reggaebass]

1 hour ago, Sparky Mark said:

I agree. I don't mind how much playing wear a bass has, but when it looks like careless neglect/abuse, I'm turned off.

Yeah same here, i quite like some play wear, but if it has dents and gouges I steer clear , especially on the neck or fretboard 

[Burns-bass]

2 hours ago, Sparky Mark said:

I agree. I don't mind how much playing wear a bass has, but when it looks like careless neglect/abuse, I'm turned off.

While fiddling with a recoding device, I once placed a glass of wine on my 1966 Fender and the glass (or more likely the detergent) caused a ring stain on the finish of the bass.

 

Sometimes you just couldn’t explain these things to people. 

[Beedster]

2 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

While fiddling with a recoding device, I once placed a glass of wine on my 1966 Fender and the glass (or more likely the detergent) caused a ring stain on the finish of the bass.

 

Sometimes you just couldn’t explain these things to people. 

2 hours ago, Sparky Mark said:

I agree. I don't mind how much playing wear a bass has, but when it looks like careless neglect/abuse, I'm turned off.

 

32 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

Yeah same here, i quite like some play wear, but if it has dents and gouges I steer clear , especially on the neck or fretboard 

 

That one kinda looked like it had been dragged around by the headstock for most of its life  

[Sparky Mark]

39 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

While fiddling with a recoding device, I once placed a glass of wine on my 1966 Fender and the glass (or more likely the detergent) caused a ring stain on the finish of the bass.

 

Sometimes you just couldn’t explain these things to people. 

I think you've explained that perfectly. Definitely qualifies as neglect/abuse. 

[Burns-bass]

28 minutes ago, Sparky Mark said:

I think you've explained that perfectly. Definitely qualifies as neglect/abuse. 

It was 20 years ago and I’d drunk most of the bottle of wine 🙂

[Reggaebass]

On 24/03/2024 at 10:54, Old Man Riva said:

I found this oddly therapeutic to watch!

 

Come in, sit down, pull up a chair …

 

 

 

Another one here I enjoyed 

 

[Pow_22]

Anyone seen this absolute stunner over at BD?

 

https://www.bassdirect.co.uk/product/fender-precision-bass-3-tone-sunburst-1966-pre-owned/

[OliverBlackman]

18 minutes ago, Pow_22 said:

Anyone seen this absolute stunner over at BD?

 

https://www.bassdirect.co.uk/product/fender-precision-bass-3-tone-sunburst-1966-pre-owned/

Funnily enough I saw the video they posted and thought I reckon that’s worth £6k! It’s a lovely looking and sounding instrument.

[Steve Browning]

Interesting that BD seem to have fallen into the same trap that I did. They state the neck is dated the 5th of the month, where we now know the 5 denotes a Precision neck. 

 

I understand my ignorance but would have thought a specialist would be better informed. 

[Burns-bass]

The frets look absolutely bloody awful. 

[Pow_22]

1 hour ago, Burns-bass said:

The frets look absolutely bloody awful. 

Agreed, looks like they used old railway lines!

[Reggaebass]

10 hours ago, Pow_22 said:

Anyone seen this absolute stunner over at BD?

 

https://www.bassdirect.co.uk/product/fender-precision-bass-3-tone-sunburst-1966-pre-owned/

I did see that and it looks pretty cool, if I was closer I’d have a look, ii did notice the frets and it says it’s been re fretted, are they worn or just need a re dress 

[Owen]

2 hours ago, Steve Browning said:

Interesting that BD seem to have fallen into the same trap that I did. They state the neck is dated the 5th of the month, where we now know the 5 denotes a Precision neck. 

 

I understand my ignorance but would have thought a specialist would be better informed. 

Now I am confused. My 66 dot/bound/lollipop Jazz is (from my reading of the numbers) Jan 5 1966. So "5=Precision" is now confusing me. I am open to the concept that I have misremembered this number, but I do not think I have. I guess I will have to pop the neck off.

[briansbrew]

17 minutes ago, Owen said:

Now I am confused. My 66 dot/bound/lollipop Jazz is (from my reading of the numbers) Jan 5 1966. So "5=Precision" is now confusing me. I am open to the concept that I have misremembered this number, but I do not think I have. I guess I will have to pop the neck off.

I think that the 5 for Precision is only on the coded necks, a series of digits. The 60's necks with this date is a proper date and not coded

[Burns-bass]

1 hour ago, Reggaebass said:

I did see that and it looks pretty cool, if I was closer I’d have a look, ii did notice the frets and it says it’s been re fretted, are they worn or just need a re dress 

They say it’s been refretted. It looks  a bad job. One of the reasons the vintage basses are so playable is the pencil thin frets.

[Owen]

5 minutes ago, briansbrew said:

I think that the 5 for Precision is only on the coded necks, a series of digits. The 60's necks with this date is a proper date and not coded

Phew. I guess I will still have to take the neck off and look. It has been a long time since I did that.

[Reggaebass]

Pretty sure a 66 and a 65 will have a 7 for jazz 

[OliverBlackman]

2 hours ago, briansbrew said:

I think that the 5 for Precision is only on the coded necks, a series of digits. The 60's necks with this date is a proper date and not coded

This will be news to me if it’s the case. I understood it to be the product code, otherwise there would be a lot of basses made on the 5th and 7th of the month but no other dates

[OliverBlackman]

2 hours ago, Burns-bass said:

They say it’s been refretted. It looks  a bad job. One of the reasons the vintage basses are so playable is the pencil thin frets.

I don’t mind jumbo frets, my P bass has them 

[Steve Browning]

2 hours ago, Reggaebass said:

Pretty sure a 66 and a 65 will have a 7 for jazz 

 

Yes. My 65 Jazz and 72 Precision.

[briansbrew]

4 minutes ago, Steve Browning said:

 

Yes. My 65 Jazz and 72 Precision.

Yes all Precisions have the 5 and Jazz the 7, never knew that til now

[Burns-bass]

31 minutes ago, OliverBlackman said:

I don’t mind jumbo frets, my P bass has them 

 

Each to their own! For that price I'd probably save for another few months and buy a more original one from Andy Baxter. 

[andytoad]

15 hours ago, Pow_22 said:

Anyone seen this absolute stunner over at BD?

 

https://www.bassdirect.co.uk/product/fender-precision-bass-3-tone-sunburst-1966-pre-owned/

Shame it's a 'C' neck which I don't think I'd get on with or I'd 'ave it!

[Reggaebass]

4 hours ago, andytoad said:

Shame it's a 'C' neck which I don't think I'd get on with or I'd 'ave it!

I’m not too bad on a C neck, my AV62 P has one but I definitely find the B width more comfortable, which always gives me a dilemma when a nice 60s one comes up for sale, I think it’s because I’ve played jazzes for years