Author Topic: A dark day in history (Read 892 times)

that_sustain · « **Reply #15 on:** January 05, 2013, 06:07:13 PM »

Fender basses have always felt very nice.

I just can't get past the 3 to 5 pieces of wood they bundle together for a body. Then they sometimes charge more for a special nitro laquer paint job. It's just paint! lol

All these features Fender charges extra for that have nothing to do with tone, or even music.

cozmik_cowboy · « **Reply #16 on:** January 05, 2013, 06:21:03 PM »

CME has a '66 body with a '63 neck - they want $11.5K. Probably charging more for the chips in the paint (Why not? Fender does.)

Peter

peoplechipper · « **Reply #17 on:** January 05, 2013, 11:17:25 PM »

Pay more for Nitro, it sounds way better than poly...unless the poly is put on really thin, which is rarely...I've had a couple of Fenders and own one now; I find that the bolt neck gives uneven tone from string to string, the E is often dead, but if you can work around that then you can be OK...but the market has gotten stupid for '70's fenders; 10 years ago they were crap, and they still are but they sell for three or four times as much...Tony

that_sustain · « **Reply #18 on:** January 06, 2013, 04:19:44 PM »

I guess for $11.5K you're either super serious about tone..or you're a collector. I'd have to buy a Small Standard Series II with that much to spare.

I was a bit harsh yesterday in this thread. Fender is imo the best of the assembly line instrument companies. They have the passive pickup thing nailed, too. The Fender Forum is full of super nice folks.

southpaw · « **Reply #19 on:** January 07, 2013, 07:29:50 AM »

Beautiful Jazz basses guys! I have a '75 lefty Jazz bass that is great, I know I got lucky, as it is a 3 bolt but the neck pocket is solid and has never moved. The best part of my bass is the near one piece flame swamp ash body. Yup, a mid 70's Fender with the most beautiful (almost) one piece body (the second body piece is 1 by the controls), very light weight because of the swamp ash. It sounds and feels terrific. I also have a '74 P bass that is excellent, no issues, plays fantastic. I guess I got lucky on my mid 70's Fenders. I agree with Rami, it is hit or miss on any old Fender, they are assembly line products and not always consistent. Age does not mean quality...but when you find a good one, grab it!

southpaw · « **Reply #20 on:** January 07, 2013, 07:38:31 AM »

Rami, your 68 Jazz is unbelievable! It looks brand new, the only thing missing are the hang tags. You really got a great deal on that one. I'm glad it landed in a good home. Feel free to post more pictures of your other Fenders.
Bassilisk, your is fantastic too. Classic Fender mojo with the wear on the front and the bare neck. I bet that neck is as smooth as silk.
I have the tailpiece cover on mine too but not the pickup cover, it gets in the way. I love the look of the big cover with the F on it and it makes a nice hand rest.

rami · « **Reply #21 on:** January 07, 2013, 04:01:30 PM »

Hey thanks for the nice words! It's a dangerous thing to ask me to post pictures of my Basses as that'll open the flood gates! Here are some of my favorites:

'74

'78 Antigua Fretless P-Bass

'81 Gold Jazz Bazz

'72 Fretless Sunburst P-Bass

'72 Jazz Natural

'76 Fretless Natural P-Bass And I could go on and on!!! (Message edited by rami on January 07, 2013)

cozmik_cowboy · « **Reply #22 on:** January 07, 2013, 04:19:57 PM »

C'mon, Rami - group shot! (Is it possible?)

Peter

rami · « **Reply #23 on:** January 07, 2013, 05:14:19 PM »

I'd need one HELLUVA wide angle lens and a truckload of guitar stands!

hieronymous · « **Reply #24 on:** January 07, 2013, 05:25:55 PM »

DANG! I see why the Fender Japan stuff doesn't appeal to you - you've got some amazing basses! Love that antigua fretless. And the '76 natural fretless! And the '68 Jazz, and the...

rami · « **Reply #25 on:** January 07, 2013, 06:16:16 PM »

Thanks Harry! One of my all time favorites (I'll post a picture soon) is a BEAUTIFUL super rare '78 Sienna Sunburst Jazz Bass with a Maple Fingerboard with Pearl blocks. Totally ridiculous! Anyway, I don't want to hijack the thread with my collection (especially one called A Dark Day in History).

(Message edited by rami on January 07, 2013)

bassilisk · « **Reply #26 on:** January 07, 2013, 06:39:37 PM »

Nice accumulation rami! Clearly you've been at it for a while and had a chance to pick out some fine examples.

Keep in mind that in the 60's there were no CNC machines. Even though Fender's were mass produced assembly line instruments they were much more labor intensive and hand's on than they are now. Sure there were crappy ones, but I feel their QC was actually pretty good overall.

With all the current advancements in machining, assembly and bass technology as a whole it is still not that uncommon to get a brand new bass with a dead spot right in the middle of the neck, or some other flaw. You would think things like this are a thing of the past.
Just for the record, I had a custom build '99 Rogue that was a dream in every respect - except for a dead spot right where I couldn't live with it or play around it. I hated to do it, but I had to sell it. Even an Alembic is not always manna from heaven. The one factor that is impossible to control in spite of everything else is the wood itself, and you'll never know what you'll have until it's actually done.

peoplechipper said:
I've had a couple of Fenders and own one now; I find that the bolt neck gives uneven tone from string to string, the E is often dead, but if you can work around that then you can be OK...

Case in point - that sounds like one you should have passed on. These symptoms are not indicative of bolt-on's as a whole. Sell it and get a good one.

jzstephan · « **Reply #27 on:** January 07, 2013, 07:05:18 PM »

I thinks its bad karma to pass a known flawed instrument on to someone else.

Shred it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5K_Kp50QvM

peoplechipper · « **Reply #28 on:** January 07, 2013, 09:27:15 PM »

Wow, that shredder would be too much fun! but how long untill you use it to solve ALL your problems?

My current Fender is a Squier '51 precision tribute, or whatever they call that single coil bass with the Tele headstock, which is actually not a bad instrument...Fender must have implemented a meal program at the labour camp or something...anyway, it's more even than some Fenders I've played, but the A is brighter and louder than the E; I just find myself hitting the E a little harder to compensate...I'm getting it refinished in nitro (my bandmate owes me and he paints guitars) and I'm curious to hear the likely improvement...Tony

bigredbass · « **Reply #29 on:** January 08, 2013, 12:18:50 AM »

Wow, Rami, what memories. I remember those maple/fretless Precisions, but I REALLLY love those gold Jazz Basses. #1 on my list when I get around to my Warmoth phase, w/white EMG's.
Nice axes !

J o e y