Jesso Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 [attachment=38350:pbass_na..._smaller.jpg][attachment=38349:Pbass_na..._smaller.jpg] Hey folks, Just looking for a bit of help with this... I'm going to look at this bass tonight with a view to maybe buying it. It's advertised as a 73 and all original. I suspect it's not all original, but I'm pretty sure the owner thinks that it is (i.e. I don't think he's trying to pull the wool over my eyes) From what I can gather, a bass of this era should have come with a white pickguard, or maybe a black, but not a tort. Also, it looks like alder, which means its a refin.... it should be ash? I'm no expert though, and any tips about what I should be looking for are most appreciated! These pictures are the ones he's sent me so far. Thanks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bh2 Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Cor... nice! I'm no expert though but. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 They still had torts in '73, but.. that one ain't original. It's a repro. I'm fairly sure natural wasn't a stock colour in '73, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesso Posted December 15, 2009 Author Share Posted December 15, 2009 [quote name='wateroftyne' post='685227' date='Dec 15 2009, 02:32 PM']They still had torts in '73, but.. that one ain't original. It's a repro. I'm fairly sure natural wasn't a stock colour in '73, too.[/quote] Thanks guys, How can you tell its a repro guard? Could it have been a custom colour? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 [quote name='Jesso' post='685232' date='Dec 15 2009, 02:36 PM']Thanks guys, How can you tell its a repro guard? Could it have been a custom colour?[/quote] The original tort they used back then isn't available any more.. it's redder and has 'depth' to it. The repro stuff is brown-er and 'sharper' than the original.Some would suggest the repro guards look like pepperoni.... Custom colour? A peek in the neck pocket or control cavities might give a clue, but IMO... nah. It's stripped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bass Doc Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 [quote name='wateroftyne' post='685227' date='Dec 15 2009, 02:32 PM']They still had torts in '73, but.. that one ain't original. It's a repro. I'm fairly sure natural wasn't a stock colour in '73, too.[/quote] Agree with the above - the plate is a 3-ply one so obviously repro. Reckon it's a 'strip down' so popular in the mid to late 70s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 (edited) [quote name='The Bass Doc' post='685243' date='Dec 15 2009, 02:50 PM']the plate is a 3-ply one so obviously repro.[/quote] Now why didn't I spot that...? Eagle-Eye Doc strikes again... Edited December 15, 2009 by wateroftyne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesso Posted December 15, 2009 Author Share Posted December 15, 2009 [quote name='wateroftyne' post='685248' date='Dec 15 2009, 02:52 PM']Now why didn't I spot that...? Eagle-Eye Doc strikes again...[/quote] Ok cool thanks a million. So the a repro is 3 ply (i.e. 3 layers) but an original should be 4. Is that right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 I'll stick my neck out and say the logo's wrong for '73 isn't it? That style didn't appear until about '75? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 [quote name='neepheid' post='685267' date='Dec 15 2009, 03:08 PM']I'll stick my neck out and say the logo's wrong for '73 isn't it? That style didn't appear until about '75?[/quote] Cuh.. I didn't even look at the headstock! You're right. ...in which case it *could* be a factory natural. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesso Posted December 15, 2009 Author Share Posted December 15, 2009 [quote name='neepheid' post='685267' date='Dec 15 2009, 03:08 PM']I'll stick my neck out and say the logo's wrong for '73 isn't it? That style didn't appear until about '75?[/quote] Heres a better pic... [attachment=38351:headstock_small.jpg] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 [quote name='Jesso' post='685272' date='Dec 15 2009, 03:14 PM']Heres a better pic... [attachment=38351:headstock_small.jpg][/quote] Ah, it's right for pre-73-ish. Looks a bit different on the other photo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesso Posted December 15, 2009 Author Share Posted December 15, 2009 [quote name='wateroftyne' post='685277' date='Dec 15 2009, 03:16 PM']Ah, it's right for pre-73-ish. Looks a bit different on the other photo![/quote] Ok so assuming that its a nice 73 refin with a repro guard, but everything else is pukka... What's she worth today? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorick Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 £1200-£1500-ish? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 [quote name='Jesso' post='685280' date='Dec 15 2009, 03:19 PM']Ok so assuming that its a nice 73 refin with a repro guard, but everything else is pukka... What's she worth today?[/quote] I'll take a wild stab at... I dunno.. £1k-ish? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 (edited) Rotated for your convenience: Compared with this '74 (courtesy of Elderly Instruments, who I presume are a fairly reputable source), doesn't the font look a bit different? I think that's a replacement decal. The Fender bit is too far to the right (the tip of the F is underneath the string tree whereas on the '74 shown it is to the left of it and just misses it). The font is not only a different style, it's a different size too. Edited December 15, 2009 by neepheid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesso Posted December 15, 2009 Author Share Posted December 15, 2009 [quote name='neepheid' post='685290' date='Dec 15 2009, 03:27 PM']Rotated for your convenience: Compared with this '74 (courtesy of Elderly Instruments, who I presume are a fairly reputable source), doesn't the font look a bit different? I think that's a replacement decal. The Fender bit is too far to the right (the tip of the F is underneath the string tree whereas on the '74 shown it is to the left of it and just misses it). The font is not only a different style, it's a different size too.[/quote] Hmmmmmm In your that pic of the 74 theres a truss rod opening towards the nut.... is that something that changed? Or is that pic of a 74 jazz or something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixshooter Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 [quote name='Jesso' post='685298' date='Dec 15 2009, 03:32 PM']Hmmmmmm In your that pic of the 74 theres a truss rod opening towards the nut.... is that something that changed? Or is that pic of a 74 jazz or something?[/quote] 74 is a Maple and the "73" is a rosewood. If its Alder, its stripped I would say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesso Posted December 15, 2009 Author Share Posted December 15, 2009 I'm gunna bring my own 73 along, (which I know to be all original) and compare them. I should be able to tell if the decal is off, as well as compare weights etc (mine is nice and light). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Heeley Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 is a year or two difference significant in terms of quality / value? Does it matter to the value if it has been refinished? I'm genuinely interested in what makes up the value of these vintage instruments. As an instrument, in terms of tone as well as the market value they can hold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bass Doc Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 [quote name='Al Heeley' post='685344' date='Dec 15 2009, 04:05 PM']Does it matter to the value if it has been refinished?[/quote] 'fraid so - in my experience about a grand's worth of difference on pre-CBS basses. Sad but true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 FWIW I paid in the broad region of £1,500 (don't especially want to divulge the exact figure) for an all-original 3TS 1972 P-bass On this basis, I would not pay much more than £1,000 (depending on everything else about the bass) on a re-fin with a repro s/p (BTW, to restore the latter would be costly - there was recently an early 70s P-bass tort scratchplate on eBay for about £200) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesso Posted December 15, 2009 Author Share Posted December 15, 2009 UPDATE: Went to have a look at it just now. Scratch plate was very obviously not original, looked brand new actually. It was about as heavy as any bass I've ever picked up (a big no-no for me!). The body did look like it was all one piece... must have been ash. I didn't bother asking to dis-assemble the bass to see dates n stuff, cos I knew I wasn't interested immediately. The neck seemed a bit suspicious.... it wasn't a great fit into the body, and it seemed like the headstock was a different shade than I would have expected it to be.... It just felt like it wasn't the original neck. Plus the decal looked a bit odd to me. I could see a very faint outline around it... as if it were a sticker or something? He also told me that there was no point in taking off the neck, as there was no date on it, just an initial. He said - "according to the blue book, there was a period at the end of 73 when they didn't date the necks for a while". I'm not sure if that's true, but alarm bells started going off in my head straight away! It was also missing the longer screw in the bridge for the G string adjustment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 FWIW, the headstock face being a different colour is normal-ish. They were finished in nitro, and the rest of the neck was poly. The nitro ages quicker. That said, something does ring alarm bells about this one... you made a wise choice, I reckon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 The neck not being snug fit on a 70s Fender, doesn't necessarily mean it's not the original one. Some of the ones I saw when I was helping out at my local musical instrument shop in the 70s were anything but a good fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.