Re: WHAT, Are You Crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Re: Vintage Bass Neck Repair

Rich Koerner wrote:

Dave, THANKS for taking the time to write such a lengthy, and detailed post.

I really appreciate it.

Man, I have absolutely no problem with anything you did with that bass.

I have a '71 Jazz, black rectangles on maple board, three color burst
that was early enough to be a "custom order". Took several months to
get it, from Hank Skinner's Peoria Music. A buddy of mine and I tried
some different wiring arrangements (two PU volumes w/ master volume)
but it's returned to stock except for one little wire in there we
thought made it sound better <g>, and a brass nut to replace the really
mis-cut stock one. Could have been heavily modded but I'd already
sacrificed my first bass, a 64-ish EBO (Precision pickup install,
neatly done at least, but that of course didn't solve all my problems).
"nuff"

(snipping)
Hey, I did more than that in my years.
But the great part about what you did, was to have the learning experience, and end up with a pride
and joy you will keep till the end.

That's how I feel about my pieces today still.

And, like you, did this long before there was any of this vintage price insanity.

Today, I would have never done such a thing.

Ag-reeed.
Well, that's one big reason so few really stock, really unrestored
"vintage" Fenders and Gibsons (EBO/2/3 replacement pickups especially
<g>) exist today. Well, two reasons: fairly low value (in comparison to
Vintage Gold) and trying to make them work better. That, and automotive
finishes that peeled right off at least some of those Fenders...

Do you know I fully blame the original manufacturers of these high priced instruments for creating
this mess, by their manufacturing and marketing practices.

If none of them had started making Polished Turds to jack up the prices of their quality pieces, the
vintage market would never exit in the manner it does.

Well, how about the limited numbers of vintange ones made (by Fender,
in the 50's and 60's, ha ha)-- for example, how many PBasses did Fender
actually make with anodized pickguards? I've seen some pretty low
figures put up. Here's a source for some Gibson numbers:

http://www.provide.net/~cfh/shippin4.html "not many".

Leaving the turd factor out of the equation just for purposes of
conversation, here we have fertile ground for certain normal small
production run changes, with real and/or imagined differences in tonal
quality (let alone appearance) making players as well as collectors
fight (with money, mostly <g>) for possession of what they think are
the best examples.

Rich, I think there's enough collector money in the market to drive
prices up to where they are, especially for instruments with good
provenance, no matter what Fender or Gibson makes today. And some
Gibson prices for new LP's... impressive! I mean, people have money
they're spending on guitars and basses, and I don't think it's coming
from bar gigs.

I regret selling two pieces years ago.

A 1964 SG, and a 1966 Telecaster with tone that KILLED.

But, like everyone else, I didn't know what I had then.

Amen, brother!

Now, with the fact that BOTH Fender and Gibson have forgotten how to make a guitar that sounds and
plays like those original I had.

All you have from them is there POLISHED TURDS they'd tell you are BETTER then the crap they made in
the past.

Here, I gotta disagree. I can't match your *volume* of experience by
any means (let alone your repair expertise, very little on my part) but
(bear with me, please) I had a second (third?)-hand connection with
this place:

http://www.axinhandguitars.com/AboutUs.htm

I never met Larry but I was good friends with one of his employees, who
is still active in the guitar fixing/making biz. (Memory Lane Dept.):
They brought a couple of vans to a NAMM show ca. 1977 or something,
full of vintage "pieces" that blew peoples' minds. Written up big-time
in Guitar Player, etc. All this to say that the wall full of
"spillover" my friend had, maybe some from Larry's extensive
collection, made an excellent sampler of (all I cared about) vintage
Fender basses. Plus the several others I've borrowed, used, owned,
etc., including #015x PBass, for example.

I'm 57 years old, started playing in '64-65, and I've had some contact
with the vibe, is what I'm trying to say.

To the point: I've played at least one of the recent Custom Shop
reissues that was a real wow. Even brand new, although Relic'd, which
just really bothers me. Give me a few weeks, at most, I'll get an NOS
one warmed up just fine, and then proceed to put my own dents in it,
thank you! (rant off)

Also several others, Team Built or whatever: Jazz, PBass, "Tele" that
I'd be real happy to own-- 'cept for the relic thing. Or maybe not <g>,
if that's what it takes!

No, I didn't do an A/B test against a good old PreBS one. Didn't feel
like I had to, but if it happens, and it could, I'll be happy to report
a re-calibration.

Those hot-ish PU's on the Custom Shop had a lot better voice than what
I remember from my original '62 Jazz-- the new one might win! Plus, the
truss rod was "still" working on the new one (ahem)...

Back in 1980 or 81, around when the Fender reissues came out, I played
some small number of them, six or seven probably. One PBass talked back
at you, for sure. Agreed by others who played it. This was when we had
access to the real vintage basses, and of course this one was
non-relic'd and green as grass (actually it was LP Blue). I've been
away from that part of the country for a long time. My information is
that the original owner still has that bass, which is locally famous if
you know what I mean. If the really good ones were accidental, well,
maybe they always were.

Putting one (any) of those 1980/81 Reissue basses I saw against the
normal production run of Fender at the time was a study in contrast,
for sure. Sad. No, polishing couldn't improve a lot of those by much.
Might still have been some decent players in the pile, though.

With all the fakery and large prices, I don't have the reach (or
omniscience!) to worry about the vintage stuff, frankly. I had my shot
and enjoyed (incl. a very nice, 100% all-there complete, L-plate brown
burst Strat I sold for $175, a $75 profit. Pretty good!). I had an old
friend tease me a little about that one recently. I just wonder a
little where it is, if it's OK, you know? But, that's it. I mean, I'd
have to sell it to get the money, right? That wouldn't be fun. And then
watch the market forever? What happens when the price goes from $50 to
$100 grand, but it's gone? How about keeping it safe, and so on? I'm
cool as it is. Hey, life is for the living, right now. Collectors, they
have a set of problems I don't.

If I wanted a nice Strat, I could sure enough go on down to Ray
Hennig's and buy a nice new one (pending financial arrangements), and
install my own soul into it. That's how the old ones got theirs,
anyhow. Different from that tail-wagging thing in the store <g>!

Lotta 'lectrons, stopping. Time to do a little playing, for goodness'
sakes. Thanks for what you post! --D-y

.

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