iansmith Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 Hi folks, I've recently been lucky enough to receive a modest bonus from work (and no, I don't work in the financial sector, before you ask!!) and so rather than keeping it safe for a rainy day or using it to pay off the mortgage and gas bill, I'm letting my heart rule my head and I'm thinking about buying another bass... My current ones are all relatively modern (late 90s onwards) and all but one were purchased new, but I'd really like an nice older model Fender Precision, so I'm entering into the unknown a bit here. If anyone has any advice on reasonably reputable places to look (shops, dealers, small ads etc), plus whether there are any particular models or periods of manufacture that are good, or ones that I should avoid like the plague, that would be fantastic! Cheers! Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bass Doc Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 An idea of what you would like to spend may help so that we would know what particular era to look at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iansmith Posted November 13, 2009 Author Share Posted November 13, 2009 Ah yes... sorry! Probably looking around the £2000 mark, I reckon. Of course, that might not be enough to buy me anything more than 'average', so any alternative suggestions would be equally well received! Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 Helllooooo Hmmm... where to start..! If you can: Try it beforehand Post pics on here first Definitely: Watch out for boat anchors unless you like 'em Check for knackered truss rods, refins Keep your hands in your pockets if you need to. It's a buyers market Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bass Doc Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 £2K should get you a good early 70s Precision in original finish - check out E-bay and pass on any suitable link to the guys in here. We'll help as much as possible (with appropriate disclaimers!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iansmith Posted November 14, 2009 Author Share Posted November 14, 2009 Cheers for your advice, guys! I'll have a look around... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreeneKing Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 Just saw this. Seems an okay price from a retailer. [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=67343&hl="]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=67343&hl=[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 [quote name='wateroftyne' post='653735' date='Nov 13 2009, 03:55 PM']Try it beforehand Post pics on here first[/quote] Two very good peices of advice. Firstly I find it amazing that folks assume that 'cos it's old it's good (and therefore don't feel the need to play first), and secondly that, given the expertise and general goodwill on here, people buy from shops and dealers and then get into trouble (i.e., bass isn't as described), when a few pics on here might have avoided the problem in the first place. I can understand that sometimes this is because they don't want another BCer to pounce on their bass, but most of the guys who give solid advice here tend to have enough basses already Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 [quote name='The Bass Doc' post='653747' date='Nov 13 2009, 04:05 PM']£2K should get you a good early 70s Precision in original finish - check out E-bay and pass on any suitable link to the guys in here. We'll help as much as possible (with appropriate disclaimers!).[/quote] Agreed, although I think in the present climate, and with Xmas coming, £1500 should do the trick If you don't want to broadcast an ebay find, most of us are happy to help via PMs and can (probably) be trusted not to buy it ourselves Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark_random Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 [quote name='GreeneKing' post='654527' date='Nov 14 2009, 03:02 PM']Just saw this. Seems an okay price from a retailer. [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=67343&hl="]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=67343&hl=[/url][/quote] Thanks for promotion! The 1978 bass we currently have in stock is one of the nicest examples of a late 70s P that I have ever seen. Late 70s P-Basses can definitely be hit or miss but this one is lightweight and sounds like an absolute beast. With the tone up, it has that Stranglers-esque growl that you would expect and with it backed off it can emulate Jamersons Motown thump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry norton Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 +1 on all the above and I would add the best advice I can give is do your homework and learn as much as you can about your chosen subject - really anoraky stuff is usually the only way to find whether it's a hashed up dog or a matured beauty. Also if you know what you're talking about when you're trying stuff out the vendors are less likely to take the piss. Like "That's a special custom shop polyester finish on that '62 Precision" or "quite allot of Precisions left the factory with a DiMarzio J in the bridge position in the early 70s actually". Know what I mean??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iansmith Posted November 16, 2009 Author Share Posted November 16, 2009 Thanks again for all your help guys - all really good advice! And I'll certainly take you up on your kind offers of casting your eyes over anything I find Right, now off to do some research...!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzz Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 What are you buying it for? If it's just to play and not for investment you might as well buy a new '09 MIA P-Bass, as it'll probably be better than most '70's P-basses and you'll be saving money on over inflated prices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davo-London Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 I wouldn't spend more than £1200 on a 1970's P. I think 60's Ps are much nicer and very very close to your price range ... if you don't mind going for a refinished 60's P then it shoould fall in the £2-3k mark. Also Jazzes from 60's show a big divide in the CBS and pre CBS guise, whereas Ps suffer less from this as the model changed very little between 62 and 69. Check out the refin 60's Ps ... that's my advice. Davo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesemt Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 Don't forget to try the early 80s Elites/Specials - I'm a complete convert to the sound Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry norton Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 [quote name='Buzz' post='655973' date='Nov 16 2009, 03:12 PM']What are you buying it for? If it's just to play and not for investment you might as well buy a new '09 MIA P-Bass, as it'll probably be better than most '70's P-basses and you'll be saving money on over inflated prices.[/quote] +1 on that. The value will be in the age, condition and originality and the best way to preserve these (and therefore the value), would be to lock it away and not use it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stag Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 [quote name='henry norton' post='656157' date='Nov 16 2009, 05:38 PM']+1 on that. The value will be in the age, condition and originality and the best way to preserve these (and therefore the value), would be to lock it away and not use it [/quote] +1 again I was GASsing for an old Fender. Having said that I did actually want to use it for gigs n' stuff so bought an MIA 2009 one instead for practically half the price , with case and all that guff thrown into the deal. Its actually a better bass than most of the old ones ive played, IMO. Although my singer's 75' P takes some beating, thats a stunningly good bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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