LukeFRC

CMI were a brand from some company... the same guitars could be found with CLS branding... and imnotbassassinbutprettysure came from the factory that made cimars... so there is a link to ibanez there. This looks late 70's - ply body probably heavy - and for under 80 i would consider it. Bare in mind that a vintage modifed squier is about £150-180 secondhand and i've just stuck up a japanese BB300 for 120 in a hard case... and no this isn't such a great deal unless it plays great.

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1348236677' post='1811246'] Excellent thread - I shall be interested to see pictures of the finished bass. And unfortunately (and noting your comments about making it clear in the build it's a repro - I'm sure there are others not so alturistic when big money is involved), it scares the hell out of me thinking about buying a pre CBS - although I also know quite a lot of the recognition points on these basses. [/quote] says pre-CBS on the headstock init?

My dream bass, forgive me if I don't advertise its presence! Not fender though

Tonight I could very easily be persuaded to let my JV go -so I can get something that just popped up on ebay.

one of these would improve it maybe? http://mosesgraphite.com/productpages/mp-144-p-bass-4/

[quote name='Johnnysonic' timestamp='1348148780' post='1810023'] I simply don't agree. I have been collecting and writing about vintage Fender basses for over 30 years. A chunk of my collection is in the Fender Golden Age Book by Foster and Kelly, and I have owned pre CBS basses in almost all the colours (Sonic Blue, Fiesta Red, Burgundy Mist etc), and never in that time have I heard anything negative from collectors about Black. Quite the reverse in fact. Black is super hard to find, and few people have seen real ones. I'm not sure I would take the experience of a '68 Tele Bass as a guide, as few people are looking for those in any custom colour, let alone Black. We really must inhabit different universes! Johnny [/quote] I am thinking though maybe if you wanted a black pre-CBS fender for less than you thought Rick would be a good person to talk too? But enough of this- can we see some of your collection?

[quote name='ChrisG' timestamp='1347975430' post='1807464'] Glad to be of assistance. I only know all this because I almost bought one but ended up buying a Thumb NT of the For Sale on here instead. [/quote] early thumb that too!

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1348095607' post='1809403'] That is such a key point. [/quote] I think if you do listen to a lot of stuff it's easy to forget, my flatmate has a degree in music and can just create melodies in his head that flow and work- he can then play them in pretty much anything he touches. I hear them and maybe get them out if I'm lucky- or I have a sense where I can improvise based more on where I wnat to go rather than what the chord shape is. But we've all met people who just can't hear it. They know the songs but going off chart, or making new stuff isn't going to happen - I link that down to listening

not everyone listens to enough music to be a good musician.

[quote name='Musky' timestamp='1348094370' post='1809377'] +1 There's a lot of talk in this thread underpinned by an apparent belief that vintage instruments will [i]always[/i] climb in value. Perhaps they will, but maybe they won't - who knows? What we do know is that there have been big changes going on in the music industry, not least that bands are no longer the only game in town. The dance side of things has already taken off big time time, with nary a 'real' instrument in sight, something that is likely to become even more common in the future if the current drought of recorded music sakes continues. There are real economic benefits if you can record the bulk of your tracks in the bedroom rather than paying big bucks for a band recording in a quality studio. So we'll most likely see a bigger market for music which has no need for basses and a commensurate drop in the numbers wanting to buy them. All of which is probably quite a long term view, and at 50 one I might not be around to see come to pass. If we're talking about purely investment here you'll probably do better looking elsewhere, certainly away from instruments that already fetch very high prices. If you're set on buying a bass it's the future classics I'd be looking at. G&L? [/quote] would love a first edition L1000 - with the flathead screwdriver pole pieces on the pickup. Forget about investment- just play the damn thing!

[quote name='Mornats' timestamp='1348080471' post='1809072'] I think there's weight in the argument that if your basses fanciness outshines your playing then it can inspire you to up your game to match. This may sound silly to some people but having a bass you love picking up and playing is great motivation. [/quote] and in a short time I will be comeing to a youtube channel near you, the double thumb tapping monster!

[quote name='lowdowner' timestamp='1348037760' post='1808279'] Funny one this... My first bass was my Warwick thumb (a year on now and I have no intention of changing). Compared with playing something like a violin, a cello, or any other type of 'classical' instrument (even a piano for goodness sakes) the cost of a Thumb is way lower even though it's a 'fancy' bass for some folk. I *did* feel a bit of a fraud for a short while as I plucked away (badly) on my roots and fifths, but then I've worked bloody hard to be able to afford one,always wanted one, always thought they looked and sounded the dogs bollox, and i love the way they are made and feel when I play it. So a year on I'm happy I bought it, still loving it, and I couldn't give a flying f' what anyone else thinks about it - to me it's what a bass is all about So *ner* [/quote] thumbs not a fancy bass in my book. It's a design classic!

do you not think that the potential increase on a good preEB over the next 20 years might be more than an already high price in a satuated pre CBS Fender market? If it were me, unless I found a bargin, I would buy several basses likely to increase rather than one already high one.

to the OP - would old pre EB stingrays suit you more than old fenders - if that's what you play and are knowledgeable about?

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1348008612' post='1808199'] My 25-year-old Thumb doesn't have any issues with its JAN. [/quote] i want a 25 year old thumb too

BTW the 30 year rule thing is something I just have noticed- no idea if it's actually true or carries on! [quote name='Rick's Fine '52' timestamp='1348008772' post='1808200'] I play all mine, although some are treated more carefully than others, for valid reasons. For example.... [/quote] ".... you ride about on your bike with your JV on your back - please don't do that!" a paraphrased bit of advice from Rick!

really? My JAN is about 22 years old on a bass that's been played a lot over that time... and it's fine- ive never heard of any problems with the original JAN