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1968 Fender Telecaster Bass

RickC_NJ

By RickC_NJ,
in General Discussion

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RickC_NJ Newbie

RickC_NJ

Posted
Posted

I have a 1968 Fender Telecaster Bass bought used in 1986.  It has two pickup (the bridge pickup is a jazz bass pickup).  I am almost certain this was added after market.  It is in excellent condition but am curious if this makes a difference in it value.  I paid $300 in 1986 and I am see quite high prices for them now.  What are your thoughts on the value if the pickup was added after construction.  I got a letter from Fender many years ago verifying the build date but they had no idea about the second pickup.  What are your thoughts?

Thanks,

Rick

yorks5stringer Grand Master

yorks5stringer

Posted
Posted

Welcome to BC

Second pickup is not original and will have a detrimental affect on the price now. By how much, depends on the buyer. If there are lots about unmolested and in better condiiton then  it will be worth much less. As you are in the USA, there will be more around than over here. Decent ones seem to be around $5000 upwards, I would not like to say what yours is worth.

I bought a 72 Telecaster Bass which had a similar modification i.e an extra pickup. I've since returned it to stock but know its value as 100% original is affected.

  • Like 2
RickC_NJ Newbie

RickC_NJ

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Thanks.  That's what I thought.  Good thing is I don't have an intention to sell it.  I don't play it anymore but keep it maintained.  It is in excellent condition and sounds great but right now it is on display.  My wife hung it for display.  I feel lucky to have it and I played it quite a bit over the years I've owned it.  Thank you again.

telebass.jpg

Edited by RickC_NJ
added photo
  • Like 4
Beedster Grand Master

Beedster

Posted
Posted
4 minutes ago, Steve Browning said:

Charlie Tumahai of the wonderful Be Bop Deluxe used a bass with an identical modification. 

Exactly what I was thinking when I saw it :)

  • Like 1
pete.young Veteran

pete.young

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Steve Browning said:

Charlie Tumahai of the wonderful Be Bop Deluxe used a bass with an identical modification. 

What a great band they were. Saw them at Kent University in 1975.

  • Like 2
casapete Grand Master

casapete

Posted
Posted

I saw them a couple of times at a pub in the next village to mine in the early 70,s. Venue was The Duke of Cumberland in North Ferriby, (which wasn’t too far from Bill Nelson’s hometown of Wakefield.) They put bands on pretty much every week, and when BBD played it was always a full house. I’d be around 15 then, and used to blag getting in to the concert room and not dare to have a beer in case the police raided the venue! Great band, happy days.

Apologies to the OP for thread derail. Nice bass too!

yorks5stringer Grand Master

yorks5stringer

Posted
Posted
8 hours ago, RickC_NJ said:

Thanks.  That's what I thought.  Good thing is I don't have an intention to sell it.  I don't play it anymore but keep it maintained.  It is in excellent condition and sounds great but right now it is on display.  My wife hung it for display.  I feel lucky to have it and I played it quite a bit over the years I've owned it.  Thank you again.

telebass.jpg

Nice age-appropriate crack on the scratchplate too! As others have said, it is a common modification.

  • Like 1
Steve Browning Grand Master

Steve Browning

Posted
Posted
25 minutes ago, casapete said:

I saw them a couple of times at a pub in the next village to mine in the early 70,s. Venue was The Duke of Cumberland in North Ferriby, (which wasn’t too far from Bill Nelson’s hometown of Wakefield.) They put bands on pretty much every week, and when BBD played it was always a full house. I’d be around 15 then, and used to blag getting in to the concert room and not dare to have a beer in case the police raided the venue! Great band, happy days.

Apologies to the OP for thread derail. Nice bass too!

That will be 'the Duke' in which they played 'badly' on the the title track to Axe Victim.

  • Like 1
casapete Grand Master

casapete

Posted
Posted
25 minutes ago, Steve Browning said:

That will be 'the Duke' in which they played 'badly' on the the title track to Axe Victim.

The very same. I’d forgotten about that, cheers!

  • Like 2
Beedster Grand Master

Beedster

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, yorks5stringer said:

Nice age-appropriate crack on the scratchplate too! As others have said, it is a common modification.

Unusually in this case the J-PUP appears aligned with the strings, I’ve seen plenty that aren’t :(

RickC_NJ Newbie

RickC_NJ

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Thanks all.  It is a beast...Very heavy and the sound is great.  While I wish is were stock, I'm glad the previous owner played it and did an excellent job with the modification.  

Edited by RickC_NJ
  • Like 1
Dan Dare Grand Master

Dan Dare

Posted
Posted (edited)

This thread illustrates a classic conundrum. Do I worry about keeping an instrument "stock" to preserve its re-sale value, or do I modify it to make it a better tool for the job? I'm in the latter camp. With a few exceptions, Instruments are not museum exhibits. OK, if you have Nigel Tufnell's Strat' with original tags, sales receipt, etc, etc, you'd probably be wise to flog it to a collector (who is likely a lawyer who can't play to save his life and is buying instruments to show off and/or as an investment) and buy something you can use with the proceeds. I bet that added Jazz pickup makes RickC's bass a lot more versatile.

Edited by Dan Dare
RickC_NJ Newbie

RickC_NJ

Posted
  • Author
Posted
45 minutes ago, Dan Dare said:

This thread illustrates a classic conundrum. Do I worry about keeping an instrument "stock" to preserve its re-sale value, or do I modify it to make it a better tool for the job? I'm in the latter camp. With a few exceptions, Instruments are not museum exhibits. OK, if you have Nigel Tufnell's Strat' with original tags, sales receipt, etc, etc, you'd probably be wise to flog it to a collector (who is likely a lawyer who can't play to save his life and is buying instruments to show off and/or as an investment) and buy something you can use with the proceeds. I bet that added Jazz pickup makes RickC's bass a lot more versatile.

It gives me more options on the sound it generates.

yorks5stringer Grand Master

yorks5stringer

Posted
Posted (edited)
17 minutes ago, RickC_NJ said:

It gives me more options on the sound it generates.

 

1 hour ago, Dan Dare said:

This thread illustrates a classic conundrum. Do I worry about keeping an instrument "stock" to preserve its re-sale value, or do I modify it to make it a better tool for the job? I'm in the latter camp. With a few exceptions, Instruments are not museum exhibits. OK, if you have Nigel Tufnell's Strat' with original tags, sales receipt, etc, etc, you'd probably be wise to flog it to a collector (who is likely a lawyer who can't play to save his life and is buying instruments to show off and/or as an investment) and buy something you can use with the proceeds. I bet that added Jazz pickup makes RickC's bass a lot more versatile.

I removed the extra pickup, not because of aesthetics but because it just sounded too 'full on' with those 2 massive 'buckers!

If you look closer at the picture, it was a real 'Players' Bass too,  with non OEM  tuners and bridge, extra pickup, jack socket and knobs.

Edited by yorks5stringer
uk_lefty Grand Master

uk_lefty

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, yorks5stringer said:

Gratuitous photo of my 72 prior to returning to stock

20171011_150148.thumb.jpg.747fd6522a020df0db51e4d5ca6b0c96.jpg

If Limelight did lefties I'd have had my own of this by now. Really drawn to the shape of the headstock and the pick guard and I love the chrome pickups. 

Mrbigstuff Veteran

Mrbigstuff

Posted
Posted
23 minutes ago, Beedster said:

That's not cheap for a non-original instrument in pretty poor condition? 

I thought that too. Almost the price of an original similar age P or Jazz. Seller names the price though if commission. 

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