Vintage Fenders

[Reggaebass]

12 minutes ago, Velarian said:

Having said that, getting a good deal on something like this would mean moving it on again wouldn’t be too difficult

That’s what I think too, i like the early 70s ones myself but lately I’ve been browsing 60s ones, there’s a shop near me that has a 65 and a 66 in , I keep meaning to go and have a look out of curiosity, they are in great condition 

[OliverBlackman]

2 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

That’s what I think too, i like the early 70s ones myself but lately I’ve been browsing 60s ones, there’s a shop near me that has a 65 and a 66 in , I keep meaning to go and have a look out of curiosity, they are in great condition 

What’s the shop? I only really get on with the B width necks but would love to have a good Pre CBS handy

[Sparky Mark]

4 hours ago, Velarian said:

I’d looked at this auction beforehand and whilst I didn’t see anything I would bid on, this 57 P Bass caught my eye. I went back just now to check what happened and the hammer price was £8.5k. With buyers premium and VAT that’s just shy of £10,750. Not too bad on face of it and part of me now regret not having a pop at it. 
 

https://www.guitar-auctions.co.uk/sale/198/21/1957-Fender-Precision-Bass-guitar-made-in-USA

 

That's in amazing condition if all original and a bargain at that price. The 57 is an iconic precision. I'm sure a certain dealer would price it much higher than £11k.

[Reggaebass]

2 minutes ago, OliverBlackman said:

What’s the shop? I only really get on with the B width necks but would love to have a good Pre CBS handy

https://www.guncottonguitars.com/

[peteb]

1 hour ago, Velarian said:

Likewise, I’ve no idea how these feel. I’ve never played anything older than my ‘77 P Bass but I’m intrigued by older vintage models, especially pre-CBS. The idea of owning one is appealing. It may be just a vanity thing and knowing my luck I’d end up not liking it. Having said that, getting a good deal on something like this would mean moving it on again wouldn’t be too difficult. 

 

I think that a lot of people like the idea of owning one for a bit, if only for a while. A lot of big time pros seem to look at them as something they get to use for a while then move on when the market is right. 

 

Like you, I might be tempted at the right price, but in reality I'm quite happy with my 78 P bass. 

 

[GuyR]

That does look an excellent deal, condition looked very good and I would expect retail to be £5k more.

[ossyrocks]

2 hours ago, Velarian said:

Likewise, I’ve no idea how these feel. I’ve never played anything older than my ‘77 P Bass but I’m intrigued by older vintage models, especially pre-CBS. The idea of owning one is appealing. It may be just a vanity thing and knowing my luck I’d end up not liking it. Having said that, getting a good deal on something like this would mean moving it on again wouldn’t be too difficult. 

What’s the neck profile like on your ‘77? I have a ‘79/79 that whilst it’s a B width neck, is really big and quite a handful, much bigger than my ‘73. 
I had thought I’d like an earlier P bass, but having owned an AVRI I just couldn’t get on with the wider nut. The 70’s B width are just perfect, mine are both 41mm. The result is that I don’t desire a 60’s P Bass, which is quite good really, but a 60’s Jazz…..hmm.

Rob

[GuyR]

3 hours ago, peteb said:

 

I think that a lot of people like the idea of owning one for a bit, if only for a while. 

 

That might be the case for some, certainly not for me. I’d be interested in the thoughts of other owners of pre cbs Fenders.

Edited September 14, 2023 by GuyR

[Velarian]

50 minutes ago, ossyrocks said:

What’s the neck profile like on your ‘77? I have a ‘79/79 that whilst it’s a B width neck, is really big and quite a handful, much bigger than my ‘73. 
I had thought I’d like an earlier P bass, but having owned an AVRI I just couldn’t get on with the wider nut. The 70’s B width are just perfect, mine are both 41mm. The result is that I don’t desire a 60’s P Bass, which is quite good really, but a 60’s Jazz…..hmm.

Rob

It’s 42mm at the nut and 57mm at the 12th fret, which is the same as my 2008 P bass. However, it’s a couple of mil deeper than the newer one.
 

I’ve no idea whether it’s a B neck or something else. However, It doesn’t feel particularly chunky and not hugely different compared to the newer one in practice. 

[peteb]

59 minutes ago, GuyR said:

That might be the case for some, certainly not for me. I’d be interested in the thought of other owners of pre cbs Fenders.

 

I was basing that statment on something that Bernie Marsden said a few months before he died when he put a load of his vintage guitars up for sale, including his 59 Gibson Les Paul Standard Burst (The Beast) that he is most associated with: "I have been astonished by the reaction to the potential sale of The Beast!” Marsden says in a new Instagram post. “As you all know, I’ve had the guitar since 1974 and technically it’s been for sale ever since… That’s what happens when you own a vintage Les Paul!”

 

I also know that that Gary Moore sold a load of vintage guitars (including 'Greeny') when he lost some money on a cancelled tour, keeping just one old LP. Even guys like Mick Ralphs, who certainly never needed the money, seemed to be constantly buying and selling his vintage Gibsons & Fenders. For those of us who haven't got that sort of money, perhaps owning a vintage bass might be great for a while, but not something that you can justify financially in the long term. But it's nice to have owned and played them for a while! Not something that I've ever done, but I have known people who have and I can see the attraction...! 

 

[onehandclapping]

1 hour ago, GuyR said:

That might be the case for some, certainly not for me. I’d be interested in the thought of other owners of pre cbs Fenders.

I have a near mint late 56 p with  a lovely V neck,and a blue 64 with  a C neck,love them both….cannot do a B neck P …have tried  😀 my 63 and 64 jazz have lovely A necks not like the later ones with binding

[GuyR]

22 minutes ago, peteb said:

 

I was basing that statment on something that Bernie Marsden said a few months before he died when he put a load of his vintage guitars up for sale, including his 59 Gibson Les Paul Standard Burst (The Beast) that he is most associated with: "I have been astonished by the reaction to the potential sale of The Beast!” Marsden says in a new Instagram post. “As you all know, I’ve had the guitar since 1974 and technically it’s been for sale ever since… That’s what happens when you own a vintage Les Paul!”

 

I also know that that Gary Moore sold a load of vintage guitars (including 'Greeny') when he lost some money on a cancelled tour, keeping just one old LP. Even guys like Mick Ralphs, who certainly never needed the money, seemed to be constantly buying and selling his vintage Gibsons & Fenders. For those of us who haven't got that sort of money, perhaps owning a vintage bass might be great for a while, but not something that you can justify financially in the long term. But it's nice to have owned and played them for a while! Not something that I've ever done, but I have known people who have and I can see the attraction...! 

 

I can see for some a lovely old bass could be a store of wealth, or hedge against financial difficulties.
Once you have bought one (a good one, not a lemon), you may well find yourself looking for alternative sources to fill the pecuniary hole, should hard times arise.

[peteb]

8 minutes ago, GuyR said:

I can see for some a lovely old bass could be a store of wealth, or hedge against financial difficulties.
Once you have bought one (a good one, not a lemon), you may well find yourself looking for alternative sources to fill the pecuniary hole, should hard times arise.

 

I can see that, but it seems that pros are a bit less sentimental about their assets tied up in vintage guitars...! 

 

[Velarian]

44 minutes ago, GuyR said:

I can see for some a lovely old bass could be a store of wealth, or hedge against financial difficulties.
Once you have bought one (a good one, not a lemon), you may well find yourself looking for alternative sources to fill the pecuniary hole, should hard times arise.

This is a good argument for buying one as there are two possibilities: -

 

1. You love it and it’s everything you’d hoped for and are happy to keep it for the rest of your days.

2. It’s not the dream instrument you thought it might be but it’s an investment that you can hang on to and won’t be sentimental about when it comes to selling. At least you will have scratched the itch. 😉

Edited September 14, 2023 by Velarian

[GuyR]

 

 

 

15 hours ago, peteb said:

 

I can see that, but it seems that pros are a bit less sentimental about their assets tied up in vintage guitars...! 
 

 

The late and lamented Mr Marsden never sold his LP, owned since 1974, and only put a substantial number of his accumulated instruments up for sale just before his sad passing, so I’m not sure he’s the best example.🙂
 

(edited due to unintentional extra quotes)

Edited September 15, 2023 by GuyR

[GuyR]

16 hours ago, onehandclapping said:

I have a near mint late 56 p with  a lovely V neck,and a blue 64 with  a C neck,love them both….cannot do a B neck P …have tried  😀 my 63 and 64 jazz have lovely A necks not like the later ones with binding

I’m interested to know how long have you owned them, and whether you have sold any similar examples in the past, other than your 62 which I recall you mentioned having sold. 
(BTW, in the unlikely event you decide to sell your 63, I’d be keen to know about it!!)

[peteb]

3 minutes ago, GuyR said:

15 hours ago, peteb said:

The late and lamented Mr Marsden never sold his LP, owned since 1974, and only put a substantial number of his accumulated instruments up for sale just before his sad passing, so I’m not sure he’s the best example.🙂

 

The thing is that Bernie did actually put his famous LP up for sale for £100k not long before he died, along with many other high value guitars from his collection. However, he withdrew it from sale following a lot of feedback from his fanbase who urged him to keep it. On the back of this, he said that he was going keep it for a bit longer. Then he got ill and unfortunately, passed away a matter of weeks later. 

 

It's worth noting that he made it quite clear that he may sell at some point and that he would have considered a particularly good offer, at pretty much any time since he first got it! 

 

[GuyR]

37 minutes ago, peteb said:

 

The thing is that Bernie did actually put his famous LP up for sale for £100k not long before he died, along with many other high value guitars from his collection. However, he withdrew it from sale following a lot of feedback from his fanbase who urged him to keep it. On the back of this, he said that he was going keep it for a bit longer. Then he got ill and unfortunately, passed away a matter of weeks later. 

 

It's worth noting that he made it quite clear that he may sell at some point and that he would have considered a particularly good offer, at pretty much any time since he first got it! 

 

He put his LP up for with ATB at £995,000, not £100,000. That’s not really for sale. Mike has two more golden era sunburst LPs he can’t shift currently at £300k.

All of my vintage kit, and pretty much everything I own is equally for sale if someone wants to pay me over double its value.

Having said that, not doubt some people buy stuff to sell on, I’m not one of them🙂

 

Edited September 15, 2023 by GuyR

[peteb]

45 minutes ago, GuyR said:

He put his LP up for with ATB at £995,000, not £100,000. That’s not really for sale. Mike has two more golden era sunburst LPs he can’t shift currently at £300k.

All of my vintage kit, and pretty much everything I own is equally for sale if someone wants to pay me over double its value.

Having said that, not doubt some people buy stuff to sell on, I’m not one of them🙂

 

 

Yes, you are quite right about the price of BM's LP (I missed a zero off). I'm guessing that once he put it up for sale, even at an inflated price, he was letting serious collectors know that he was open for offers. Of course, the price of Bernie's LLP reflected not only that it was the guitar that he was most associated with, but also that it had also been owned by Clapton, Paul Kossof and Andy Fraser at some point. Didn't Jeff Beck record with it as well, or have I just imagined that?

 

All I am saying is that people who have spent their life making a precarious living as a pro muso, maybe a little less sentimental about instruments than many of us might be. I've never owned a proper vintage instrument, so I'm not going to argue about it, but that's just an impression that I get... 

 

[GuyR]

3 hours ago, peteb said:

 

 

All I am saying is that people who have spent their life making a precarious living as a pro muso, maybe a little less sentimental about instruments than many of us might be. I've never owned a proper vintage instrument, so I'm not going to argue about it, but that's just an impression that I get... 

 

You might well be right.

Vintage gear is very much a discretionary buy. Ultimately a Squier will do the same job and if you need the money tied up in a valuable instrument I guess you have to pay the rent/mortgage/ other unglamorous expense.

 

 

[onehandclapping]

6 hours ago, GuyR said:

I’m interested to know how long have you owned them, and whether you have sold any similar examples in the past, other than your 62 which I recall you mentioned having sold. 
(BTW, in the unlikely event you decide to sell your 63, I’d be keen to know about it!!)

I have owned the jazzes for  a very long time,the fiesta being my fav bass …ever…the line for that is very long.

The precisions are a more recent purchase,the 64 Daphne /Sonic blue is in really super fine bass in playability  and condition…actually both precisions are really in too good a condition to gig with…the blue one is extremely rare and neg are underway for its sale

In the past I have sold a 58p,59,55 etc…but that was years ago

v

Edited September 15, 2023 by onehandclapping

[wateroftyne]

Hellooooooooooo

 

https://www.guitarbroker.com/product/1966-fender-precision-bass/

[Reggaebass]

2 minutes ago, wateroftyne said:

Hellooooooooooo

 

https://www.guitarbroker.com/product/1966-fender-precision-bass/

And completely all original too, nice 

[Reggaebass]

Recently listed on reverb and serious money, but I don’t think I’ve seen a 63 precision in such good condition and all original, really low action too, if this was in London I’d be tempted to have a look 

https://reverb.com/uk/item/73819849-fender-precision-bass-pre-cbs-1963

 

[walshy]

Yeah that’s amazing condition and all original too. Strong money but they ain’t getting cheaper. Sunburst and rosewood, perfection 👌I’ve a similar one dated ‘63 but refinished burst. Killer bass though 

Edited September 25, 2023 by walshy