Fender '62 Reissue

[davebass66]

Hey Guys,

Just wandering if anyone here has any experience of or owns a '62 reissue Jazz bass (stack knob)?

I'm really keen to try one again. I very briefly played about with one a few years back and really liked the idea of the concentric controls, it's been lingering ever since...

So anyway, I notice there is one at the Bass Gallery (has been for quite a while), however it's priced at £1200, which seems a little steep as, having looked about a bit they seem to be going for about 1400 new!

Is that the right sort of price for a used reissue?!

Of course then I thought, if I'm willing to spend 1200 on the reissue I might as well pay 1500 for the '73 Jazz bass they have in there! (even though it's got a Badass routed into it which I'm not keen on)!

Anyways, opinions and experiences would be hugely welcomed!

Thanks
in advance

Dave

[Rick's Fine '52]

Here's another one that you'd probably get for the same price. Personally I would pay another couple of hundred and get a Custom Shop version, they turn up quite often, and they would retain their value much better, if you ever needed to move it on, £1200 for an AVRI, to me is silly money.

If i really wanted a stack knob, I'd buy a good mexican Jazz, and put a Fender stack knob control set and harness (About £50), all in for less than £450 to £500, and even if the pickups werent the best (My experience is they are pretty good though), you could get a set of Fender '62 pups for another £50. Less than half the price. Decals and other components are pretty much the same.


[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-Vintage-62-Reissue-Sunburst-Jazz-Bass-Hard-Case-and-Candy-RRP-2314-/120854788872?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item1c2381bb08#ht_765wt_1185"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-Vintage-62-Reissue-Sunburst-Jazz-Bass-Hard-Case-and-Candy-RRP-2314-/120854788872?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item1c2381bb08#ht_765wt_1185[/url]

[LukeFRC]

PM stacker. The name is a giveaway.... but he has a lot of experience of stacked knobs.

that sounds bad sorry

[Stacker]

Riight...

I do prefer the stack-pot Jazzes. Have done since the late '80s They're not everyone's cup of tea, esp ones withe the [i]real[/i] vintage wiring, i.e., prior to '62. These had resistors as well as the tone caps and the circuit was wired slightly differently, iirc. This, couple with the fact that these earlier versions had 250k/250k pots, contributed to a signal with discernably less ouput. This was the reason that Jaco ripped that ciruit out and just went for the VVT setup. I have a bass wired like that (out on extended loan right now) and whilst I do like it it doesn't have the oomf of my other stackers, which have 250k/500k pots throughout and no resistor!

As to price? Well, the Gallery one is a bit steep. 2nd-hand, the going rate is between £650 and £850. Again, it depends on how authentic you want the bass to be. Some of the Custom Shop ones go the whole hog, with nitro finishes, matching headstocks and the string mutes included. Have look at USA; there's some up there right now.

As with any instrument, ask to try it. But my view is £1200 is too steep and you'd be better off waiting for a bit as they are popping quite regularly on the s/h market.

[FEND3R]

Here's a nice stack-er with a very keen price : [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/166601-fender-american-vintage-reissue-62-jazz-bass-black/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/166601-fender-american-vintage-reissue-62-jazz-bass-black/[/url]

[Hutton]

[quote name='Rick's Fine '52' timestamp='1328741072' post='1532124'] £1200 for an AVRI, to me is silly money.[/quote]

Sorry to disagree here. I know values of guitars and basses is a subjective thing but £1200 is £500 less than the brand new price. If the bass is in excellent nick then I don't think £1200 is unreasonable. I would always pay £1200 for a good used AV reissue than the crazy prices that vintage basses go for. I know there is no right and definite argument to be made here as it depends on whether you are playing or collecting but surely £500 off the new price is not unreasonable.

Edited February 9, 2012 by Hutton

[Rick's Fine '52]

[quote name='Hutton' timestamp='1328779205' post='1532413']
Sorry to disagree here. I know values of guitars and basses is a subjective thing but £1200 is £500 less than the brand new price. If the bass is in excellent nick then I don't think £1200 is unreasonable. I would always pay £1200 for a good used AV reissue than the crazy prices that vintage basses go for. I know there is no right and definite argument to be made here as it depends on whether you are playing or collecting but surely £500 off the new price is not unreasonable.
[/quote]

The collecting argument doesnt even come into it, we're talking about a used AVRI here?

They regularly show up on eBay and other sales media, and sell for between £650 & £850, as another poster has also said above. I'm not knocking the guitars, I'm just saying that £1200 is way above current going rates. But, it's a shop, and they have overheads and wages, so you'd expect the price to be higher. I was just offering my advice to the original thread, to suggest they can be bought considerably cheaper than £1200. Nothing more.

£500 below Retail may be good, but if you can get one £1000 off retail, then all the better. If you wanna spend £1200+a bit, go Custom Shop, as was also stated by someone else above.

As stated above, I'd make my own. I think the Stack knobs look better worn than new. I made my own a few years ago, based on a slab board reissue, changed some components, lightly relic'd and lacquer crazing added, looked, and played great, for a very small price. Sold it to a fellow BC'er on here last year, here it is, the headstock looks a bit elongated, but its just the camera angle;

[attachment=99561:New bass pics 010.jpg]

[attachment=99562:New bass pics 012.jpg]

[Old Horse Murphy]

I tried out the one at the Gallery and it's not the best RI I've played.

I seem to remember it actually have a fair few chips and dings on it too and was definitely surprised by the £1,200 price tag given the overall condition.

I've actually just fitted a set of concentric pots to my American Series Jazz bass. I prefer the look and the versatility of having a tone pot for each pickup.

[Green Alsatian]

I owned a 1998 AVRI '62 Jazz (black/tort like JMT's) for 8 years and it's the best feeling (I like glossy necks) and sounding bass I've owned. I paid £999 for it new at the time and sold it to pay for an MOT/road tax after I left the band I was in at the time.

At £750 - JMT's is a bargain.

[JMT3781]

[quote name='Green Alsatian' timestamp='1328791513' post='1532656']
I owned a 1998 AVRI '62 Jazz (black/tort like JMT's) for 8 years and it's the best feeling (I like glossy necks) and sounding bass I've owned. I paid £999 for it new at the time and sold it to pay for an MOT/road tax after I left the band I was in at the time.

At £750 - JMT's is a bargain.
[/quote]

Hooray! lol. Feel free to come have a try if your near mate

[Stacker]

[quote name='Rick's Fine '52' timestamp='1328783247' post='1532484']

As stated above, I'd make my own. I think the Stack knobs look better worn than new. I made my own a few years ago, based on a slab board reissue, changed some components, lightly relic'd and lacquer crazing added, looked, and played great, for a very small price. Sold it to a fellow BC'er on here last year, here it is, the headstock looks a bit elongated, but its just the camera angle;

[attachment=99561:New bass pics 010.jpg]

[attachment=99562:New bass pics 012.jpg]
[/quote]

Aha! I now own that bass! Put a set of vintage pups in her, added grounding plates and ground strap. Just waiting on a set of Luxe vintage caps to arrive. Had to do the old washer trick on the truss rod as there was no play left in it! Now one of my favourite basses!!

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='Stacker' timestamp='1328796061' post='1532758']
Aha! I now own that bass! Put a set of vintage pups in her, added grounding plates and ground strap. Just waiting on a set of Luxe vintage caps to arrive. Had to do the old washer trick on the truss rod as there was no play left in it! Now one of my favourite basses!!
[/quote]I was looking at the pictures thinking it looked like a great bass, unsurprised you've got it, you have a great taste in pretty basses!

[Stacker]

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1328797789' post='1532795']
I was looking at the pictures thinking it looked like a great bass, unsurprised you've got it, you have a great taste in pretty basses!
[/quote]

I have had some dogs in my time,though, Luke! However, it's 70% Jazzes, these days. Now, if I could just stop fiddling with them.........

Edited February 9, 2012 by Stacker

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='Stacker' timestamp='1328800933' post='1532851']
I have had some dogs in my time,though, Luke! However, it's 70% Jazzes, these days. Now, if I could just stop fiddling with them.........
[/quote] I could take them off you to stop the temptation, store them till a later date?

[Lfalex v1.1]

Am I right thinking that the capacitor values on the tone controls should be 0.22 pF and 0.47 pF for neck and bridge respectively, and that the tone controls should have notches on them rather than being infinitely adjustable?

[JMT3781]

[quote name='Rick's Fine '52' timestamp='1328783247' post='1532484']
The collecting argument doesnt even come into it, we're talking about a used AVRI here?
But, it's a shop, and they have overheads and wages, so you'd expect the price to be higher. I was just offering my advice to the original thread, to suggest they can be bought considerably cheaper than £1200. Nothing more.
[/quote]
Good point... shops can't compete with private sales, simple as that. Remember, if they do get 1200 for it, the government are having 240 of that in VAT

[Rick's Fine '52]

[quote name='JMT3781' timestamp='1328814714' post='1533190']
Good point... shops can't compete with private sales, simple as that. Remember, if they do get 1200 for it, the government are having 240 of that in VAT
[/quote]

Exactly, then there's the rent, and the bills, and the staff wages.......oh, and don't forget the profit!!

I'm certainly not knocking the shops, at all, just saying you can get things (Certainly new, more common items) alot cheaper elsewhere.

[Stacker]

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' timestamp='1328807059' post='1533013']
Am I right thinking that the capacitor values on the tone controls should be 0.22 pF and 0.47 pF for neck and bridge respectively, and that the tone controls should have notches on them rather than being infinitely adjustable?
[/quote]

Post '61 should be .05microfarad throughout. The tone knob has a punched plate over a punched washer which gives the effect of notched control. I have heard of .03 being used prior to '62 but I cannot confirm this Can I ask where you got your data on the caps from?

[JMT3781]

Yeh for sure... to be honest, it was refreshing to see someone who understood why a shop had to be more pricey than ebay etc on secondhand...

[quote name='Rick's Fine '52' timestamp='1328815227' post='1533207']
Exactly, then there's the rent, and the bills, and the staff wages.......oh, and don't forget the profit!!

I'm certainly not knocking the shops, at all, just saying you can get things (Certainly new, more common items) alot cheaper elsewhere.
[/quote]

[wateroftyne]

I agree with some of the above.. £1200 is silly money for an AVRI. Hang on, and buy used.

[Rick's Fine '52]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1328817046' post='1533238']
I agree with some of the above.. £1200 is silly money for an AVRI. Hang on, and buy used.
[/quote]

£1200 was for a used one!!

[Hutton]

Sorry to still disagree and be the lone voice here. If a basschatter, or anyone for that matter, has a mint example of an AV reissue, how much of a percentage hit are they expected to take if they wish to sell? The answer to this will perhaps help me to come in line with current thinking.

[Rick's Fine '52]

[quote name='JMT3781' timestamp='1328816844' post='1533233']
Yeh for sure... to be honest, it was refreshing to see someone who understood why a shop had to be more pricey than ebay etc on secondhand...
[/quote]

I'm probably a bit slow, but just realised you have a shop!!

In this age of multi-media methods of purchasing stuff, and having the whole worlds stores just a click away, it must be incredibly hard to compete price wise. Ultimately though, you can't beat actually sitting down and playing something before purchasing, but i would be worried people use guitar shops to test drive gear, only to then go elsewhere to actually buy it. Must be frustrating at times!?

I hope business is good with you though. If I'm over that way, which i am every now and then, I'll be sure to pop over. See if you can sell my Custom Shop Relic '58 for me, can't give it away!!!

[paul j h]

Hi all, i have a 62 reissue (and a custom shop light relic) the only thing i don't like is the black bottom part of the concentric controls, if anyone knows where i can get chrome ones let me know. The bass is great though, but i get earth hum on the bridge control. Cheers Paul.

[Rick's Fine '52]

[quote name='Hutton' timestamp='1328818156' post='1533270']
Sorry to still disagree and be the lone voice here. If a basschatter, or anyone for that matter, has a mint example of an AV reissue, how much of a percentage hit are they expected to take if they wish to sell? The answer to this will perhaps help me to come in line with current thinking.
[/quote]

I don't know what the current retail price is for one (Someone suggested £1500 earlier in the thread), but a used one, sold privately, normally go's for around £700 for a late 80's or newer issue, you do the Math!

(An '82 V00 serial version will be much more of course, as people will always pay more for a very early Fullerton reissue with a couple, or even three 0's in the number!)