Johnnysonic

Dennis Dunaway, Bob Daisley, Paul McCartney, Duncan Sanderson.

[quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1348350315' post='1812738'] Fender were NOT about producing high quality. [/quote] Sorry, but this is absolute nonsense. Do not confuse quality with 'crafstmanship'. Fender were absolutely about producing high quality instruments - Leo wanted to produce guitars for the very top of the market and was determined that jazz players, the most elite, would play his instruments. That they didn't had more to do with the look of, say the Jazzmaster, than its sound or quality. Leo may have designed his guitars to be put together on a production line by semie-skilled labour, but they wer of the highest quality, designed for leading professionals. True they declined under CBS, and the ones today are poor clones, but you can't blame Leo for thst!!

[attachment=118902:IMG_3244.JPG] The P Bass is nice - an early '63.

Well, here are some of the Fiestas - P, Jazz, Bass VI and Strat. [attachment=118898:IMG_7048.JPG]

[quote name='Rick's Fine '52' timestamp='1348140747' post='1809826'] The comment is based on years of collecting specifically Fender Basses, and interaction, communication etc with fellow collectors. Everyone I know, or have come across, agree that black basses, are not desirable, compared with other finishes. Especially the matched headstock ones. They are a rare custom colour, no doubting that, which i said, just not desirable in basses, guitars are very different though, black strats are sought after, possibly down to a certain Mr Clapton? I even know collectors who only collect custom colours, and they dont have black ones, as they say they'd rather keep the money for a different one. There's a guy in the US who has been trying to sell a black '68 telecaster bass for years, no-one wants it, because it's odd, yes it's rare, but it's just not 'right'. I don't make these rules or trends, this is just how it is. Ask anyone, I'm pretty certain you'd get a similar response. Thats just the way it is. Simlar thing with Ricks, burgundyglo is probably the rarer of the standard range of colours, but not very desirable, an acquired taste if you like. For every person who loves it, there'll be 50 who don't, whereas a mapleglo or fireglo is the other way round. [/quote]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

Look at the neck pocket in second to last picture. mmm... [quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1348134585' post='1809696'] Here's one, seems very cheap for an L series with matching headstock if it's really largely original: [url="http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/1963_JAzz.html"]http://www.bassdirec.../1963_JAzz.html[/url] [/quote] Look at the neck pocket in the second to last picture. mmm..

[quote name='Rick's Fine '52' timestamp='1347976791' post='1807503'] Black, also a custom colour, is a bit of a no-no when it comes to old Fenders, and can be very difficult to shift, collectors generally won't touch one. [/quote]What do you base this comment on??!! Black is an extremeley rare colour in the Pre CBS period, so much so that you hardly ever see them. I would agree that a Black P or Jazz wouldn't be as desirable as Shoreline Gold or Sonic Blue, they are sought after, and just as rare. I can think of only one Black pre CBS bass for sale in the world right now - at New Kings Road - and I'm sure many collectors wopuld give their eye-teeth for it. Johnny

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1343244937' post='1747766'] Dennis Dunaway from Alice Cooper. Every time I listen to Alice Cooper stuff from the early 70's, I'm struck by how much I've lifted from that guy despite not learning to play bass until many years later. [/quote]Plus 1 on Dennis Dunaway. Great bass player and a major influence. Just been re-listening to the School's Out album. His playing simply superb. Johnny

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1338570490' post='1676648'] Herbie's is autumn of '59, oldest one I've ever heard of (he paid well over the odds for it as well $79!). [/quote]Never in a million years is it a '59. Herbie Flower's Jazz is from late 1960, judging by the serial number.

[sub]is this bas available? Any pcitures? I would be v interested. [/sub] [sub]J[/sub]

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1333029401' post='1596420'] Steve at [url="http://www.manchesterguitartech.co.uk/shop/"]Manchester Guitar Tech[/url] has that Daphne Blue (most people can't tell the difference ).... but I don't know if he'd be allowed to ship aerosols overseas. edit : haha beaten to it while I was answering the door. [/quote]He has sonic blue on his site too!

[quote name='PauBass' timestamp='1332767719' post='1592750'] Thanks for the advice guys...I know Simon, I have already bought three basses from him Great Johnny, thanks a lot for the info. The one I've seen is not a slab board one, it's curved and it's a refinish but all parts original...I guess £3400 for it is a bit on the high side? I already have an all original '65 Precision and I was wondering if it would be worth swapping it for a refinished Pre-CBS...I'm thinking no but still having doubts about it, you know [/quote] £3,400 does sound high in this climate for a curved baod refinish. I know where there is an original sunburst '62 Slab board for £4750. tell me if you're interested. Johnny

A '60/ '61, like an early '62 would have a slab board which makes it more desirable and therefore more expensive. Also bear in mind that condition is a big factor, especially with original finish basses (less important with refinished guitars, which can be made to look mint). I would suggest the following prices for pre CBS precisions: Slab Boad - refinished £3k. Orignal sunburst worn: £4.5 - £5.5k. Original sunburst clean: £5.5 - £7k Curved boad ('63/ '64 with clay dots) - refinished £2.5k. Sunburst worn £4 - £5k; clean £5 - £6k My advice: go for a slab board and an original finish if you can afford it. It will pay dividends in the long run (soundwise and investment-wise). Johnny

[quote name='The Bass Doc' timestamp='1332281700' post='1586202'] No need to apologise John. I met Leo Fender and that trumps everyone here [/quote]True....true

I've owned two - one in original finish and one refinished. I am quoted in the Barry Matthews book (sorry Howard!) and I also wrote an article about them for Bassist Magazine in the late 90's. The pictures posted here are of my original finish one, which was used in the article. Cool basses. Not sure they sounded any differenet but they looked great (though a bit cumbersome). Cheers Johnny

[quote name='Rick's Fine '52' timestamp='1325536759' post='1484199'] Lovely. My favourite Fender Custom Colour, Burgundy Mist, stunning!! Do you have a matching Jazz you want to sell??? [/quote] Unfortunately not! The only one I know of is owned by Guy Pratt and I don't think he's selling!

And this is my '63 in Fiesta

and another, this time in black.

Here's one of my '64s.

Denis Dunaway of the original Alice Cooper Band. Just a great player.

[quote name='Davo-London' post='1265748' date='Jun 12 2011, 09:00 AM']Odd question maybe, but I've been listening to some Budgie recently and wondered what year Burke's Precision is from. It looks 60's but can anyone know/tell which year? Cheers Davo[/quote] Looks like a 1968 Sunburst to me in the pictures I've seen. Johnny

[quote name='99ster' post='1248798' date='May 29 2011, 12:11 AM']Yep - I'd love to know more about the P Bass as well - I'm sure there was a thread about it once on The FDP... [i]Hi John, Good to see you on Basschat! Hope all is good with you. I still need to come over to show you my '60 Jazz... There's some great folks on here - hope you enjoy it. Cheers Jim[/i][/quote] Glad to be here Jim, thanks! I though this was discussed on the FDP, but I did a search and couldn't find it. Would love to get to the bottom of the mystery one day. Would still love to see your '60 Jazz, if you can find the tiime. I had to part with mine a few years back and I still regret it! Cheers John