GuyR

Isn’t it John Cruz? I understand he’s very popular in Mexico.

Hope this is not too many pictures. I haven’t weighed it, but it feels like the lightest of my Jazz basses

It might affect the price I’d be prepared to pay, but the unsightly initialling wouldn’t stop me buying. In my experience, there’s a reason basses have this much wear on them, which usually becomes apparent when you pick them up. I have just acquired, in the last week, one of these neck dated January 1983, also very well used, maybe not so used-up looking. There is something different about these. So easy to play - instant extra capabilities. I hadn’t ever tried one before. I am already certain that it won’t be going anywhere.

Always cut mine right down or they catch.

It looks immaculate and I’m sure there is almost nobody on this thread that would not give it house room were the euro millions roll over to come their way. If it’s any consolation to anyone not in a position to partake, we can make ourselves feel better by surmising the only reason it’s in such good condition is because it’s so bad to play it has remained in the case for the last 59 years. No, that’s not working for me either.

No price for anything they have listed. I find that super annoying and it would stop me bothering to look on their site. Irrational on my part, I know.

If you are used to using roundwounds and they are your regular choice, it seems the most logical choice to start with them. I haven’t seen any significant damage to the rosewood boards on my fretless basses and they all have rounds. A bit of wear wouldn’t worry me in any case, basses are for making music. Fingerboards can be flattened, or even replaced in the unlikely event you wore one out in your lifetime.

This wins the internet today

Up for auction tomorrow. Potentially good value. https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/staceys-auctioneers-and-valuers/catalogue-id-srsta10309/lot-74c94329-b0a6-4bc6-81a7-b0c000fa639a?queryId=b8e73f5817e95440466e3b488470d13b

The very unusual 1979 CF Martin they has just come up in the basses for sale page would be an excellent choice

These are both from 1965. Entirely coincidence, I don’t target YOB, just like interesting old kit and happen to be born when some of it was being made.

Pre EB Stingray with a perfect excuse for purchase.

Lovely looking bass, just had the neck plate switched at some point in the mists of time. Easy enough to find a l series if it bothered you. It wouldn’t bother me.

I've seen it done. If you are careful, you can get an OK result, but even if it is still there, it will have been sanded down to give a surface for the previous two resprays. Looking at the scarring around the string mutes, it does look like there is a decent depth of paint. Having said that, you'd have to have a (unoriginal) screw loose to take a £15k punt

It’s just meaningless click bait nonsense from an increasingly irrelevant dinosaur publication.

He'd probably remember what colour it was when he bought it if it was his primary working tool for 55 years. I agree, I think most people who spend .+£10k get their instrument professionally checked out as a condition of purchase. I know I do.

Owned since 1968 is a reasonable provenance. I’d expect the seller to have some photographs in period. I avoid refins so I’m not the target market either.

Bearing in mind there seems to be some depth of paint over the scarring around the string mutes, it would be interesting to know if the original dark green paint were under the refin. On a later, 62 onward, bass the tort guard would mean an original colour of sunburst, white or blonde, but on custom colours on these earlier dates, I understand there were no white guards so it could be correct.

I think it is simply a bad refin. There would be no earthly reason to have an extra pickup there. It’s an interesting bass and the appointments look period correct, no reason to disbelieve the story, but the price is about double the value, in my opinion. If it were originally a dark green colour, I can only think of sherwood green, which would make it a matter of considerable financial regret for the poor unfortunate who decided to repaint it.

If you re fret it, the bass is still not fully original as built. Absolutely not worth the bother/expense to make a net loss.

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No longer mine.