Trip to Johnny Roadhouse Manchester

[AndyTravis]

Iris and I had 2 hours to kill between an injection and a kidney scan yesterday. The RMCH is a 10 minute walk to Johnny roadhouse and I’ve not been in years so...

In the window... some basses.

What I thought was an earlier 70’s Jazz in need of TLC and on the wall, lots of cheapies and nasties, but a LPB 1980 P Bass Special...also not in the best shape.

So.

The Jazz is interesting, I think “spend about £500 on that and it could be a decent bass” - I didn’t have huge amounts of time as Iris was in the Wheelchair and she gets bored.

Messaged the shop later in the day - “I saw the red Jazz in the window - have you got any more information on it?”

reply came

”it’s a 1975, here’s the link to it on reverb with more pics/information”

the link states

”1975 fender jazz bass” and “please see pictures for condition”

No weight, no “refinished/replaced parts” or “with case/covers” just nothing.

So that’s my interest gone.

the pics also show what a mess it actually is. 

https://reverb.com/uk/item/33345033-fender-jazz-bass-1975
 

Here’s the thing, it’s on at £1600 ish. I’d want it for less to allow for a decent refinish.

And while it’s not vintage collectible grade, there’s seemingly been no effort put into making it better or more saleable. And then when somebody (me) has shown some interest, there’s been no effort in “selling” it.

Anyhow - For about 5 minutes I got excited. 
 

Weird how little effort they’re putting into selling stuff though, particularly at what must be a horrible time for music retailers, 3 staff - only one said hello. 

Also...hilarious acoustic guitar turned into a bass.

Edited April 24, 2021 by AndyTravis

[Lozz196]

You would think there’d be a bit more effort in selling, especially in current times.

[AndyTravis]

2 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

You would think there’d be a bit more effort in selling, especially in current times.

Yeah. Zero effort...zero reward...no business left.

I pressed for a bit more information, just to see if they took the hint - unfortunately for them, I’ve lost the initial interest now and a bit put out by the lack of effort.

this was sent while the shop was still open and there’s been an hour and a half open today so far. No reply.

When I worked in a music shop we got in at 8.30 and replied to E-Mail enquires and website referrals before we opened.

We did a rota - one would check string/accessory stock replen. One would Hoover, one would wipe display cabinets/dust the shelves etc. I held those potential leads in the same regard as a punter stood in front of us.

We kept that going until I left in 2014. They stopped doing this soon after I left, the business ethos changed and last I’d heard they’d changed hands again and the online reviews speak volumes.

Edited April 24, 2021 by AndyTravis

[three]

I used to pop-in occasionally as my office is just across the road.  I think I was greeted just once.  I only buy bits and pieces, though I'm a generally interested punter, and very occasionally the shop has something that might be of interest, for example the Precision Special. The general lack of interest in the customer (and apparently in sales) is odd, and I'm a little surprised that the shop has survived this long.  Given its location, it's a prime target for another take-away.  I'd be sad to see Johnny Roadhouse disappear given it's place in Manchester music history, though I wouldn't be at all shocked.  And that Jazz... has it been toasted/barbecued?  I quite like the '75 look but there's a lot needs to be done to get that particular example back into decent shape

Edited April 24, 2021 by three

[Trueno]

Looks like it’s been wrapped in gaffa tape and thrown on a barbecue. I wonder if Fender Custom Shop relic’ers could replicate that... could start a new fashion.

[AndyTravis]

7 minutes ago, Trueno said:

Looks like it’s been wrapped in gaffa tape and thrown on a barbecue. I wonder if Fender Custom Shop relic’ers could replicate that... could start a new fashion.

It’s hard to see in the photos, but the finish was peeling away - the more I think, the more it looks like it’s been exposed to damp.

Never good.

[OliverBlackman]

I had an opportunity of a ‘77 p bass in a shop for £500 not too long ago. The shop owner couldn’t tell me anything about what was original but from what I could tell it was just the neck and maybe the body (which weighed a tonne). The worst thing is there was no foam left under the pickups so they were miles from the strings. Amazingly it still sold. 

[Lozz196]

Having seen the photos I feel really sorry for that bass, it really doesn’t look like it’s been looked after or appreciated at all.

[Guest]

Did you pop into Popolino while you were passing?

[Beedster]

1 hour ago, OliverBlackman said:

I had an opportunity of a ‘77 p bass in a shop for £500 not too long ago. The shop owner couldn’t tell me anything about what was original but from what I could tell it was just the neck and maybe the body (which weighed a tonne). The worst thing is there was no foam left under the pickups so they were miles from the strings. Amazingly it still sold. 

Body weighed a tonne so likely original late 70s? PUP foam worn? £500 still sounds a bloody decent price frankly. Even the worst Precisions tend to do the job with a little effort and patience 

[OliverBlackman]

2 minutes ago, Beedster said:

Body weighed a tonne so likely original late 70s? PUP foam worn? £500 still sounds a bloody decent price frankly. Even the worst Precisions tend to do the job with a little effort and patience 

The thinking was that if it was only the body and neck that were original they wouldn’t be worth £500 in the condition they were in. The pickups could have been anything and the rest of the bass wasn’t original (right down to the neckplate) so that was a concern. Would have been a lot of effort for a potentially problematic  bitsa.

[Beedster]

8 minutes ago, OliverBlackman said:

The thinking was that if it was only the body and neck that were original they wouldn’t be worth £500 in the condition they were in. The pickups could have been anything and the rest of the bass wasn’t original (right down to the neckplate) so that was a concern. Would have been a lot of effort for a potentially problematic  bitsa.

Unless they were in appalling non-functional condition, you'd have to work pretty hard to lose money on £500 for a '77 neck and body. Frets/nut replaced, possible work on neck finish (especially if maple/maple) plus decent PUP and circuit, and you're talking circa £800 for a playable late 70's Precision. Works for me

[jezzaboy]

But the bass is in "players condition!"

Who the heck was the player and has he any more to sell that we can avoid like the plague.

[Pea Turgh]

I reckon they wrapped the body in gaffa tape to protect the finish.  Oh, wait....

Edited April 25, 2021 by Pea Turgh

[AndyTravis]

Well, 2 days on - no reply with the information I asked for.

Great business skills.

[pete.young]

Can't believe that place is stil open. It was rubbish in the '70s when Johnny himself was running it and it's still rubbish.

[AndyTravis]

11 minutes ago, pete.young said:

Can't believe that place is stil open. It was rubbish in the '70s when Johnny himself was running it and it's still rubbish.

Here’s me trying to be diplomatic 

[rasher80]

Never seen anything decent in there lefty-wise. 

I made the mistake of trying to offload a few basses in there, was met by a disinterested low-ball offer each time so never bothered again 

[rasher80]

@AndyTravis

Bit off topic this, but do you have any memory of a music shop at the far end of deansgate, near 42s... not Forsyths, I think it might have been called Deansgate Music. This would have been mid-late 90s, but I'd just started playing so my knowledge was poor. Fairly sure there were lots of Spectors/Warwicks in the basement room

[AndyTravis]

4 hours ago, rasher80 said:

@AndyTravis

Bit off topic this, but do you have any memory of a music shop at the far end of deansgate, near 42s... not Forsyths, I think it might have been called Deansgate Music. This would have been mid-late 90s, but I'd just started playing so my knowledge was poor. Fairly sure there were lots of Spectors/Warwicks in the basement room

Yeah. There was a guy who for some reason I always envisage as Corey Feldman in the Burbs downstairs.

They had loads of NS94/95’s and the Bob/JN models. And Gibsons downstairs.

It died the death in about 1999/2000.

[rasher80]

Cheers for that,  hardly anyone remembered it! 👍🏻

[Paddy515]

According to that Reverb link, ITS SOLD!!!!

[AndyTravis]

1 hour ago, Paddy515 said:

According to that Reverb link, ITS SOLD!!!!

Aye. Fair enough. Not to me.

[spongebob]

I had a similar experience in recent days with another well-known bass shop.

Near 50 year old bass, over 2k....some sparse detail on their side, and a few pics.

I emailed asking a few direct questions,  after all, who would spend anything like that before knowing more?

Instead, got a very brief email back, virtually same text as the web description,  no detailed answers or extra pics as requested. 

Very disappointing. 

[Paul C]

On 26/04/2021 at 09:25, rasher80 said:

@AndyTravis

Bit off topic this, but do you have any memory of a music shop at the far end of deansgate, near 42s... not Forsyths, I think it might have been called Deansgate Music. This would have been mid-late 90s, but I'd just started playing so my knowledge was poor. Fairly sure there were lots of Spectors/Warwicks in the basement room

Was it Mameloks Music? ( I think that's how u spelt it)