Sparky Mark

Why do you think they are not original please?

Sod's Law says that whenever you are wanting a specific year (YOB for instance) of manufacture it won't be available until you've bought something else. I was after a 62 and ended up with 61, 63 and 64.

That's also true but pre CBS are more desirable to many simply because of the direct link with Leo Fender and a degree of rarity. My CS Pino is as good as any P I've ever tried but it's probably still only worth a third of my genuine 1961.

Agreed, the prices are higher but for no good reason. There's nothing rare about 68s or anything that makes them better than a 72.

Exactly right; nothing to do with age.

£7.5 to £8k is what AB is asking for 65/66 3TSB jazz basses currently.

A good 72 is worth more than an average 68; they're basically of the same vintage. Pre 65 is where the big money is, with 65 and some 66 on the cusp. 68 is well into CBS territory so intrinsically no more attractive just because it's 4 years older than a 72. Dealers will continue to ratchet prices upwards based on age alone it seems, but we know there are great basses and dogs from all Fender era.

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If they are roundwounds they won't be the originals and of course the buyer can ask for them to be left on. The offer of a new set is still the correct thing to do in my opinion. (That's an ugly burst though).

Agreed. What on earth was AB thinking when he typed the unknown string brand comment? For this price he should have written that the bass will be set up with new strings of the buyer's choice.

I know that feeling far too well...

Lol Cottle was/is brilliant too; an amazing player with complete dedication to his mastery of bass. I can't believe it's been 7 years since I was able to attend my last SE bash which had Herbie Flowers being supported by Dave Swift and John Bentley playing a lovely rendition of Take a walk on the wild side. Herbie briefly loaned me an Ovation Magnum and Fender Bassman combo back in the early 70s which allowed me to migrate from a 3/4 upright to electric bass igniting my life long passion for bass.

You can say that again... oh, you already did.

Brilliant day! I'd never thought about it before but it makes total sense to start with the middle finger on the plucking hand when a phrase starts on the G string because your middle finger is usually the longest (unless you're from Norfolk apparently!).

There's the possibility that as Sherwood Green was a custom order colour that maybe this bass was ordered with non standard frets?

The frets look wider than original early 60s frets like these on a 63.

That 61J looks legit to me, albeit with a refret, refinish and replacement pot. Slab fretboard is correct, beautiful uncracked pickguard and the rough bit by the bridge will be from the mute fixing holes. Black is my least favourite Jazz colour but Sherwood Green would've made his asking price not that unreasonable, possibly a bit of a bargain.

It needs a mudbucker tight against the neck to complete the Swiss Army concept.

They are extremely flexible amps with blendable 12ax7 valve and solid state preamps, usable compressor, 30Hz slider which works as a half decent high pass filter removing sub bass that can damage speakers, great graphic section and quick overall adjustment hi and low tone controls. Two possible negatives are the old school weight and noisy cooling fan.