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Old Fenders - Why the $$$?


Quilly

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In my experience, great instruments are pretty random. You could play 2 of the same bass made on the same day, vintage or modern; one might be great and the other terrible. It's also worth bearing in mind that someone else might come along and think the opposite due to differing preferences; I've seen that happen before now. ;)

 

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I've played some really lovely pre CBS Fenders and to me, it was usually the neck dimensions and feel - and sometimes weight - that provided the greatest attraction (the wear in the lacquer on the back of the neck, often through to wood makes, for excellent playability in my experience).  More recently, I've found that Lakland (the US Fender clones) have been able to replicate very brilliantly the dimensions and feel of those earlier Fender necks (though radiusing is different).  Not a particularly cheap alternative but I'd tend to recommend over a £4/5k pre CBS Fender (in terms of feel, sound and weight).  Playability of the Laklands has been uniformly superb too in my experience, with adjustability way-beyond that available on the vast majority of older Fenders.  If you really must have that vintage Fender, I can understand, and I still see/play some really good ones out there...though prices don't appear to be coming down

Edited by three
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5 hours ago, Machines said:

A flawed argument. Vintage cars can sell for far higher values than their modern counterparts, but are lesser quality products. 

But what are you going to drive every day? That Wolseley or the newer variant? Just because they sell for more money doesn't make them any more user-friendly in a 21st century environment.

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I'm not much of a Fender fan in general but I do have a soft spot for jazz basses and would absolutely love a year of birth bass. I like the idea of having a cool bass that was the same age as me. Unfortunately only a lottery win or a bank job would get the required funds.

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7 hours ago, thebassist said:

I had a '64 Jazz from 1998 up until summer 2017 and loved it. Brilliant bass. I only sold it because I made the leap to a sixer and wasn't playing it anymore.

It has been put to good use, and is in good company, I can assure you Adam. 😀

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I’ve been looking on and off for about a year now for an early fender jazz bass but just haven’t found the right one yet for one reason or another,  the way I see it is , I’ve no problem investing in  something that I’m going to get immense pleasure out of and is going to accumulate in value at the same time, win win I think 😀

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I would love a 1964 YOB Precision. Especially one in the same nick as therealting's beauty.

But I couldnt justify spending all that money on something I would never take to gigs. My band play mainly pub gigs at the Dog And Duck etc.

I have a nice MIM P Standard and a bitsa which I could (sort of) afford to have beer thrown over it.

Edited by Hobbayne
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1 minute ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

This bass has my attention at the moment. I don't recall ever seeing another YOB Sunburst J for sale with a February neck stamp. Correct month for me see. 

Could be a nice birthday present, but it would definitely get me kicked out of the Gear Abstinence Challenge :whoopass:

 

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Who cares about the challenge when the YOb and month turns up!! 

Let us all know when it arrives 😂👍🏻👍🏻

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It's a market, like any other, with the price set by supply versus demand. Enough buyers have funds to pay for the very limited supply of genuine pre 1965 examples to keep prices strong. Prices seem to have dipped a little in the US, but the reduction in the value of sterling has kept them high here. (Just my perception based on online browsing)

Perhaps when the current custodians sell to release funds for old age the increased supply will drive down prices. Will there even be demand in another 20 or 30 years?

It won't be a source of concern for me. I'm a consumer. I just like cool old basses. 

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10 minutes ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

This bass has my attention at the moment. I don't recall ever seeing another YOB Sunburst J for sale with a February neck stamp. Correct month for me see. 

Could be a nice birthday present, but it would definitely get me kicked out of the Gear Abstinence Challenge :whoopass:

 

Screenshot 2019-02-06 at 23.07.00.png

Screenshot 2019-02-06 at 23.07.22.png

That’s in a shop not far from me, very reputable seller 👍

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7 minutes ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

This bass has my attention at the moment. I don't recall ever seeing another YOB Sunburst J for sale with a February neck stamp. Correct month for me see. 

Could be a nice birthday present, but it would definitely get me kicked out of the Gear Abstinence Challenge :whoopass:

 

Screenshot 2019-02-06 at 23.07.00.png

Screenshot 2019-02-06 at 23.07.22.png

Just do it. - assuming it plays as good as it looks.

"Gear abstinence challenge"? A chilling reminder of the tragic consequences of your significant other coming across your log in details.

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