molan

Nice bass I just sold one very similar that went to Israel. Might need to give it a bit of time to settle in to our climate (especially if you're changing string gauges). Some Alembics can be quite sensitive to changing climates and seasons.

To get the maximum amount you'll need to try and suss out exactly how much of it is original, each part that is retro-fitted hurts the price, even I it might have been an improvement over the original. Try to get Someone to take lots of pictures, take the neck off and check the heel stamp, while this is done get clear shots o the neck cavity as it might help show an original paint colour if its been refunished, get the serial numbers on the control pots and pics of underside of the pickups etc. The differences here could make up to a grand difference in value! All a bit time consuming but if you can prove as much provenance as possible it could really help increase the value (and avoid issues later on if it's sold ad 'original' and turns out not to be).

Since first trading some gear with Phil through this forum I've come to know him quite well & watched the progress of BassGear with great interest. Feels like the move to the new showroom closer to London, increasing stock levels & new manufacturers coming in as well is all part of quite a big leap forwards. I held the fort for Phil last weekend & had a great time trying out all his stock and playing 'host' to SiBob for a while. The big thing for me when dealing with Phil is that he's as much an enthusiast for all things bass related as he is a bass retailer. He'll happily natter about stuff for as long as you like even if you have no intention of buying but just fancy a bit of an ogle at some of the amazing basses he has in stock

[quote name='Darkstrike' post='1366364' date='Sep 8 2011, 01:27 PM']My word! That Zon is incredible looking![/quote] It's such a great bass to play as well Liking that Fodera as well, I'm coming round to an appreciation of single cuts as well these days (although some still leave me cold).

[quote name='waldemar' post='1362487' date='Sep 5 2011, 12:47 AM']Err. Now you've got it, you really want to sell it, right? Please. Hehe. Lovely looking bass mate. Very jealous![/quote] I did partially buy it with a view to sell at some point in the future (given that '70's basses seem to have dipped a bit in value recently) but I'm really enjoying it at the moment, great rounded full tone

[quote name='BassBod' post='1362676' date='Sep 5 2011, 10:53 AM']Do it....DiMarzios on a late 70's Pbass. Cheese and pickle![/quote] I don't know much about '70's DiMarzios - anyone know what they sound like?

Of course, if the marked, & insurance, value is lower than the final purchase price then the duties charged will be correspondingly lower as well. Not that I'd ever recommend this practice but I have heard of people doing it. . .

I've always struggled a bit with Mars Volta but I saw Juan A with Big Sir last year & really enjoyed them. Alderete's bass sounded great live. They opened with this: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPIbuu39_j4"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPIbuu39_j4[/url]

Check the groove & playing on this little baby. . . [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-35kGSwajEE"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-35kGSwajEE[/url] From Los Charly's Orchestra

Mmmmm, interesting, this bass also came with a black guard & someone's just offered me a pair of original '78 creamy white DiMarzio pickups that would slot right in. I've always preferred tort guards on a black body but the all black with white pickups sounds kinda funky for a 'hot-rodded' late '70's P bass. Just the kind of thing someone would have done at the time

[quote name='gary mac' post='1361302' date='Sep 3 2011, 08:51 PM']Really like that Molan, you just can't beat the real road worn look.[/quote] I think it's certainly had some playing in its time I really quite like the fact that previous owner simply covered some wear marks with stickers & when they came off the fading on the body was different. My '72 P bass has a similar 'sticker mark' on it which just screams 'keep music live' which I seem to remember seeing on loads of Fenders back in the '70's.

Bought this as part of a double deal with [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=152397"]this '79 P[/url] but it somehow got lost in the postal system for a few days. After a quick chat with a super helpful, no really, chap at my local postal storage unit they tracked it down for me & I got it today. Really nice '73 Jazz : Previous owner reckons it's all original apart from bridge and possibly the pickups (they certainly look pretty old so have been in there a while). It came with an older bridge which a different owner reckoned was the original one but it's a dull brass finish so sounds unlikely. I was chatting to a fellow BC'er about it today and we wondered if the finish really was original as the wood isn't as figured as many natural finished '70's J basses. We also wondered if an original natural '73 would have had a white guard but I've had a hunt around and found other '73's in natural with white guards so there's a decent chance it is original. Interestingly I spotted that some seem to have the 'tug bar' above the E whilst others, like his one, have it below the G. Not sure if there was a point in Fender history when they swapped these over or if both were in production? Been playing it through my Thunderfunk / Aggie rig this evening & it sounds really fat

[quote name='Clarky' post='1360854' date='Sep 3 2011, 12:05 PM']Hey Barrie, any new Alleva's arrived? [/quote] Waiting to hear from Jimmy - he often gets cancelled orders and stuff just sometimes 'pops up'! Jus the two walnut J basses & the cherry sparkle KBP4 here at the moment. The new '73 J that I picked up today is currently getting the most play through a MarkBass 2x10 combo

Phil, the owner of BassGear has a gig up in Yorkshire tonight and asked if I'd be around to keep an eye on the showroom today. So here I am surrounded by multiple Foderas, Alleva Coppolos, Zons, Boulder Creeks, Bag Ends, MarkBasses and various other pre-owned basses from Warwick, Ibanex, ESP, Fender etc. To cap it all I picked up a lovely old Fender '73 Jazz on the way here! So, the big questions are, which bass to try first though which amp / cab combinations? Phil still has his relocation sale on (although I think it's going to end soon as he's now mostly set up in Twyford) - this could be an expensive day. . .

Excellent I finally cracked and sold my J Update 4 this week & am missing it already

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='1353162' date='Aug 26 2011, 11:00 PM']Gotta agree with this.[/quote] The thing with Simenon was not only that he looked great in stills images but he just moved brilliantly on stage. I saw The Clash 7 or 8 times and they were such great live band, Strummer pumping crazily, Jones zipping back & forth (also looking ultra cool, and Simenon this brooding 'presence' on the left hand side of the stage just oozing cool and with that great left shoulder dip