Vintage character or just knackered?

[uk_lefty]

In my typical perusal of Reverb I found this bass: Vintage Lefty 1978 Fender Precision Bass Electric Guitar     Left Handed https://reverb.com/item/56851917-vintage-lefty-1978-fender-precision-bass-electric-guitar-left-handed?utm_source=android-app&utm_medium=android-share&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=56851917

 

And I'm baffled by the price. This isn't nicely aged or roadworn, it looks like it's been left in the loft and had water dripping on it for the last 42 years. At some point will "old Fenders" be realistically valued or do we just accept that anything Fender whether playable or not is automatically worth £2k minimum once it's 30 years old? It just seems completely detached from reality. If it were an Ibanez Musician or something else from late 70s in that condition there's no way it would be up for two grand.

[Guest]

"The guitar was stored improperly, wrapped in a blanket, and some of the blanket has fused to the finish. The guitar is not sticky, just a little furry. Some of the clearcoat on the neck is flaking off as well."

 

Glorious!

[Reggaebass]

Despite all that, it’s had a fret polish 😁

[Beedster]

1 hour ago, uk_lefty said:

...do we just accept that anything Fender whether playable or not is automatically worth £2k minimum once it's 30 years old

 

44 years old to be precise and yes, that's pretty much the truth of it. People were saying much the same of late 60's Fenders ten years ago, and look at the prices of those now. If you don't get the reality of the seller's market that defines vintage Fender prices it's best to stay away from eBay and Reverb, as I do 🤔

[Cosmo Valdemar]

What's going on with that headstock?

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

If there's ever an old bass than needs a refinish, this is it.

[Sibob]

6 hours ago, Cosmo Valdemar said:

What's going on with that headstock?

Yeah, that’s not a genuine headstock logo arrangement I don’t think. From what I understand, left handed arrangements were generally the Fender logo in the standard place, and then an omission of the model (ie no Precision or Jazz logo).

So yeah, somewhat throws up the legitimacy of the bass for me…..unless I’m wrong, which is very possible haha.

 

Si

[Doctor J]

The prices being paid for Fender's lowest ebb will never stop amazing me.

[Bunion]

21 minutes ago, Sibob said:

Yeah, that’s not a genuine headstock logo arrangement I don’t think. From what I understand, left handed arrangements were generally the Fender logo in the standard place, and then an omission of the model (ie no Precision or Jazz logo).

So yeah, somewhat throws up the legitimacy of the bass for me…..unless I’m wrong, which is very possible haha.

 

Si

Here’s two from the bass gallery that were sold. 

[Sibob]

10 minutes ago, Bunion said:

Here’s two from the bass gallery that were sold. 

Ah fair enough!

Thinking about it now, I think I’m actually conflating when you got a black matching headstock, they’d just do the Fender logo and not the model.

 

Si

 

 

Edited June 25, 2022 by Sibob

[uk_lefty]

9 hours ago, Ricky Rioli said:

"The guitar was stored improperly, wrapped in a blanket, and some of the blanket has fused to the finish. The guitar is not sticky, just a little furry. Some of the clearcoat on the neck is flaking off as well."

 

Glorious!

They've polished the frets but thought "f it we'll leave that sticky old blanket fused to the body" makes perfect sense to me.... 

[uk_lefty]

8 hours ago, Beedster said:

44 years old to be precise and yes, that's pretty much the truth of it. People were saying much the same of late 60's Fenders ten years ago, and look at the prices of those now. If you don't get the reality of the seller's market that defines vintage Fender prices it's best to stay away from eBay and Reverb, as I do 🤔

My point is that this bass is f*cked. Regardless of what it could have been. If it were in playable condition and didn't look like it had been salvaged from a shipwreck then I can understand pricing north of £2k. It just seems if it has the big F on it, regardless of condition, then the base price is £2k for any of them over thirty years old. 

 

I may as well buy up some perfectly usable 90s and early 2000s Fenders in good condition, beat them up a bit then treble my money in ten years time.

[Guest]

The point is that the bass is from an era when they were making music that is currently highly regarded, it's an artifact no less than an instrument. Yes it's a bit silly, but it's a testament to the extraordinary power of music, and we don't mind that. (It's also a testament to the eternal truth that musicians are generally on the skint side of society)

[tegs07]

There is no way to rationalise the rare and collectibles market whether your talking about stamps, art, cars or guitars. 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/115437661270?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=IqtmysLhR2a&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=o8ireNu4Tim&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Edited June 25, 2022 by tegs07

[Bassfinger]

When did the late 70's suddenly transition from merely "old" to "vintage"?  

 

It's an unremarkable bass, from an undesirable year of production, in an uncared for condition.

[Bunion]

8 minutes ago, Bassfinger said:

When did the late 70's suddenly transition from merely "old" to "vintage"? 

Well you missed a step, they were new, then ‘retro’ if they’re a reproduction of a classic, then vintage 20-99 years then ‘antique’ 😂🤣 100 years or older it’s a difficult minefield to negotiate. 
but ‘old’ NEVER!! 

[Doctor J]

19 minutes ago, Bassfinger said:

When did the late 70's suddenly transition from merely "old" to "vintage"?  

 

It's an unremarkable bass, from an undesirable year of production, in an uncared for condition.

 

Around 2009, if I recall correctly. That 30 year mark is when the mojo crystallises and releases the tone endorphins, which right all known and unknown wrongs.

[Beedster]

1 hour ago, Doctor J said:

 

Around 2009, if I recall correctly. That 30 year mark is when the mojo crystallises and releases the tone endorphins, which right all known and unknown wrongs.

That’s the science of it

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Bassfinger said:

When did the late 70's suddenly transition from merely "old" to "vintage"?  

When the earlier basses got too expensive for people who want to indulge themselves but still have some kind of budget.

[SurroundedByManatees]

Today even basses from the late 90s get offered as being "vintage" more than once...

 

I've owned a '79 Fender that had soft areas in the dark part of the sunburst. In some places fibres from the case interior were stuck in it. It were just a few little places though, not as bad as the lefty from the reverb listing. 

 

Edited June 25, 2022 by SurroundedByManatees

[tegs07]

7 hours ago, Doctor J said:

The prices being paid for Fender's lowest ebb will never stop amazing me.

I would think a plenty of these instruments won’t even get played. Just like old wines rarely get drunk. They have become another way of protecting cash value against inflation.

[neepheid]

Ebola-tastic!

[miles'tone]

I bet it smells horrible. 

[Burns-bass]

17 hours ago, tegs07 said:

I would think a plenty of these instruments won’t even get played. Just like old wines rarely get drunk. They have become another way of protecting cash value against inflation.

There may be a few collectors who have vintage instruments as an investment but for the main part it’s normal people which are seduced by it. Fender for their part indulge it by producing Roadworn instruments. 
 

Strikes me as indicative of a society in decline. It’s a belief that somehow things were better in the old days, and we won’t get it back. Despite all evidence to the contrary that manufacturing techniques improve over time.

 

 

[tegs07]

32 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

There may be a few collectors who have vintage instruments as an investment but for the main part it’s normal people which are seduced by it. Fender for their part indulge it by producing Roadworn instruments. 
 

Strikes me as indicative of a society in decline. It’s a belief that somehow things were better in the old days, and we won’t get it back. Despite all evidence to the contrary that manufacturing techniques improve over time.

 

 

Im not sure I really agree. There are a number of serious collectors who are really discerning in what they buy and spend serious money. There is also a lot of of amateur enthusiasts that like the mojo and aesthetic of older instruments but can’t afford the top end stuff. As these things become more scarce but still attract buyers then they will increase in value. Not sure if it’s indicative of a society in decline. Nostalgia is just another quirk of the human condition.