Beer of the Bass Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 The OP could always go for a full-on 70's style mod, namely cream Dimarzios, mini toggle switches and a brass nut. Given that loads of players did this kind of thing to them back in the day, that would feel strangely authentic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stealth Posted February 5, 2013 Author Share Posted February 5, 2013 The update having left the bass in capable hands the news is it needs a refret and so it will get one and a very careful refin of the neck and a nice plekking to top it off. It wont get its jazz pu as the reaction in the shop of oh thats lovely it hasnt been mucked about with sort of turned me to the dark side. Heritage.....nah i dont think so ......yet. Poor quality maybe but compared to the sh*te Rickenbaker and Gibson are trolling out maybe not. If i'm honest the best allround P i have played is my Lakland so maybe i will treat that to another Lindy fralin. When i have paid for the refret that is......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stealth Posted February 5, 2013 Author Share Posted February 5, 2013 Oo errr mini toggles now we are talking lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbayne Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 Theres a horny man museum?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 [quote name='Stealth' timestamp='1360102009' post='1964973'] It wont get its jazz pu as the reaction in the shop of oh thats lovely it hasnt been mucked about with sort of turned me to the dark side. [/quote] Ha! Excellent. Because I found your lack of faith disturbing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 [quote name='Stealth' timestamp='1360102009' post='1964973'] The update having left the bass in capable hands the news is it needs a refret and so it will get one and a very careful refin of the neck and a nice plekking to top it off. It wont get its jazz pu as the reaction in the shop of oh thats lovely it hasnt been mucked about with sort of turned me to the dark side. Heritage.....nah i dont think so ......yet. Poor quality maybe but compared to the sh*te Rickenbaker and Gibson are trolling out maybe not. If i'm honest the best allround P i have played is my Lakland so maybe i will treat that to another Lindy fralin. When i have paid for the refret that is......... [/quote] Glad to hear that you have decided on a course of action that you are happy with. Who's doing the work? Also if the Lakland is a better instrument then that's probably the one that should be receiving the extra pickup (which is what I was trying to say in one of my previous posts). Sorry for hi-jacking your thread, and I'm afraid I'm going to do it some more: So for the vintage Fender enthusiasts, what is your take on getting a pre-1980 Fender refretted? How does it affect the value? For me it's a no-brainer - if it needs the frets replacing that means it's at best only partially playable which in turns means as a musical instrument it's only partially usable. However I'd also be getting the body of the instrument shown in the posts above refinished if it was mine, so what do I know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topo morto Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 I'd agree that keeping an instrument playable is a morally loftier goal than keeping it all original (unless it's one of our aforementioned museum basses), so of course go for it on replacing strings, frets, doing neck refinish, etc. I'm not sure how much a 'good refret job' vs 'original but gnarly frets' actually affects the market value - will leave that for richer folks who actually dabble in that market! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 I reckon that as players (not collectors) the question should be about 'will alterations make it more playable/flexible/better for me as a musician?'. If you don't like the way it is now or how it sounds then mod it by all means. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topo morto Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1360095798' post='1964847'] Thanks! It was done for the September Basschat Composition Competition. I'm currently working on an idea for [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/198597-february-composition-competition/"]this month's[/url] competition which will be more electronica, but probably not quite so glitchy. [/quote] Thanks for the pointer.... will have to venture into that bit of the forum sometime. Didn't realise 'September' was just the competition month. I always find track titles which are just 'times' evocative.I think it's 'cos they're easy to relate to, you can think of Septembers or Thursday Afternoon (and, God willing, look forward to the next one) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topo morto Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 (edited) [quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1360143249' post='1965366'] I reckon that as players (not collectors) the question should be about 'will alterations make it more playable/flexible/better for me as a musician?'. If you don't like the way it is now or how it sounds then mod it by all means. [/quote] Even if the instrument in question is old, and either a) rare, or b ) a particularly good example of the original? Edited February 6, 2013 by topo morto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 [quote name='topo morto' timestamp='1360143823' post='1965388'] Thanks for the pointer.... will have to venture into that bit of the forum sometime. Didn't realise 'September' was just the competition month. I always find track titles which are just 'times' evocative.I think it's 'cos they're easy to relate to, you can think of Septembers or Thursday Afternoon (and, God willing, look forward to the next one) [/quote] If you write, I would heartily recommend getting involved in the competition as it's a lot of fun. Regarding the track name - September is as good a name as any. The track was supposed to be inspired by the picture, although being perverse I used the JPEG data to generate the sounds I used, although I did keep the image in mind as the piece developed. I'm not very good with words and find naming instrumental pieces somewhat difficult. (In a previous band that did a lot of improvised instrumentals we got around this by giving them all one name and then numbering them.) By naming the track after the month in which I wrote it, it also reduces the listener's preconceptions about the piece. Anyway that's probably far enough off the original topic. Get yourself over to the Recording forum and take part in this month's competition, even if it's only to vote on the entries later in the month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Rich Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 (edited) [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1360061283' post='1964092'] Who wouldn't want a 60s Fender over a 70s Fender? It's about affordability. I played a 70s Fender for decades and it was very good indeed - but there were certainly some dogs made in the 70s, it's true. Care needed. Try before you buy, etc. C[i]aveat emptor[/i]. [/quote] I used to think 70s Fenders were junk (and some of them are) but I'm now finding can play more comfortably on a fat 70s neck than the nice slim 60s necks. So I'm only interested in 70s ones now. As far as modding a 70s Fender goes, one in pretty good and all original condition seems to start at about £2000 at the moment, more if it has the case and all the metalwork. A refinish seems to knock about £500 quid of the value, replacement pickups a couple of hundred and an added hole in the body for a J pickup another few hundred. So you'd probably be halving the value of your bass. But, it's your bass so you should do whatever you want, but if you're never planning on selling it then a collector is never going to get their hands on it anyway. I'd probably buy a reasonable second hand P bass for a couple of hundred quid that sounds and plays like your old one and make the mods to that one instead. You might modify the old and find it doesn't sound so good anymore. Edited February 6, 2013 by Fat Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topo morto Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 [quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1360147005' post='1965464'] it's your bass so you should do whatever you want, but if you're never planning on selling it then a collector is never going to get their hands on it anyway.[/quote] Only if you're immortal. And plenty of people who aren't collectors like a nice original item. What will junior think when you pop your clogs and leave him what would have been a nice bass if only you hadn't American Pie'd it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Vader Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 If only people would sell the modded ones on at a reasonable price, I'd quite like an old 70s fender (passed on loads back in the 90s when they were cheap) and would bugger about with it myself cos that's what i do to instruments. But the buggers on the bay put them out as rare and collectable and still over a grand. Not nice... (P.S. don't PM me with you modded fenders, I'm really skint and currently GAS free) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Burpster Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 [quote name='Stealth' timestamp='1360021958' post='1963826'] Why the "oh you dont wanna do that" comments from all in sundry when i suggest hacking holes (not literally) in a 77 P bass. The bass has a great sound maybe one and a half if you count rolling a bit of top off. But i want more so a J pickup or maybe MM in the bride position is what i want. So where do i take it to get a yop job done. Oh yeah and have the neck refinished too. [/quote] I'm not getting into the 'Oh you shouldnt do that to a vintage Fender' argument...... I have my own thoughts and I like you would doing this to an intsrument that I wanted to keep. As to where to get it done, I have one word for you SIMS. Martin and Rob will do a job for you that will surpass easily the QC of the original item. They may not be the cheapest but as you say a top job. Bob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 I dont want to get into the 60s/70s argument - they were undoubtedly dogs and diamonds in both decades. Its how it plays that matters. My £0.02 is that its your bass, if you want to mod it, then do so, but be sure and accept that others taste may not be yours, and that you may damage or destroy its value to many people if you do something cosmetically irreversible. If you would not ever let it go to other hands then its up to you what you do. Enough were made in factories that changing yours would make no real difference. If you [i]might[/i] need the money one day, however reluctantly made the sale would be, then buy a cheap MIM clone of your bass and do the mods to that is my humble advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stealth Posted February 6, 2013 Author Share Posted February 6, 2013 Its in the hands of Chandlers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ead Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 (edited) [quote name='topo morto' timestamp='1360058377' post='1964030'] It's not a question of how many were made, but the number (probably still high) and condition (perhaps in many cases a bit ropey) of those that remain. As you say it may be that this one is towards the bottom of that pile anyway. If not, by modding it, rather that selling it and buying one of the many other excellent P/J's that I'm sure are available, you're arguably depriving someone of the chance to own an old thing that would be special to them, even if the item is not quite at the level of being of historical importance. [/quote] Fair point, and as the owner of a 70's bass I should probably declare an interest. I bought the bass in question for £100 because I fancied one of the old Fender MIJ knock offs and then promptly spent a bit of dosh on stripping it back to the wood(s) and upgrading the electrics with a Kiogon loom. This will probably have destroyed any residual value but it's a nicer bass for it imho. Edited February 7, 2013 by ead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 [quote name='Stealth' timestamp='1360163509' post='1965938'] Its in the hands of Chandlers [/quote] I reckon you should have taken it to a Luthier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 [quote name='Stealth' timestamp='1360163509' post='1965938'] Its in the hands of Chandlers [/quote] Which one? The one in Kew or the one in Kingston Upon Thames? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaypup Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 [quote name='Stealth' timestamp='1360163509' post='1965938'] Its in the hands of Chandlers [/quote] [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1360231743' post='1966982'] I reckon you should have taken it to a Luthier. [/quote] It'll come back with sails on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 [quote name='chaypup' timestamp='1360237612' post='1967098'] It'll come back with sails on! [/quote] Or it'll be a bit ropey... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashborygirl Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 What I love about 70s Fenders is that everyone, but everyone, has got hold of a good one. I never see anyone say they have a 70s Fender & it's a dog. Really odd since received wisdom is that the good ones were almost accidental on Fender's part. You just have to look in the for sale section to see "good" 70s Jazz basses with pickup routes that look like Ozzy Osbourne did them with a spoon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumple Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 [quote name='Ashborygirl' timestamp='1360609659' post='1973357'] You just have to look in the for sale section to see "good" 70s Jazz basses with pickup routes that look like Ozzy Osbourne did them with a spoon. [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 [quote name='Ashborygirl' timestamp='1360609659' post='1973357'] What I love about 70s Fenders is that everyone, but everyone, has got hold of a good one. I never see anyone say they have a 70s Fender & it's a dog. Really odd since received wisdom is that the good ones were almost accidental on Fender's part. You just have to look in the for sale section to see "good" 70s Jazz basses with pickup routes that look like Ozzy Osbourne did them with a spoon. [/quote] Could be they know no-one would buy them once they`ve tried them, so people don`t try and sell the rubbish ones. True, 70s Fenders can be heavy, and lacking in finishing, but the 3 I`ve played (and owned 2 of those) have played and sounded great. That`s the factor for me. Plus, being over 30 years old, both of mine had/have (I`ve still got one of them) a great true worn in look. and the one I still have is the best recorded-sounding Precision I`ve ever had. It`s just a tad too weighty (at 10lbs) for me to use live - especially on 2-hour gigs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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