Played a 1968 precision today

[Bryce_dude13]

I usually don't post here as I'm a more of a guitar player. All I can say is WOW! It was the smoothest, most comfortable, most solid bass I've ever played. It had beautiful sustain too. It had some armwear and chips out of the finish, it rocked. I totally see what all the hype is about now:)

 

Haha, just had to share

[fretless]

That was a good year for them

[Super Bass]

i played a '64 before, it was ok.

[bassesofalessergod]

the hype is justified onthose old fenders i must say.

[bassesofalessergod]

i played a '64 before, it was ok.

 

it can't be beat soundwise.

[Craig Vecchione]

I played one that was around that vintage...it was my high school's bass. They had that and a Portaflex.

 

I reallly didn't know and appreciate what I was playing at the time, 'cuz I thought I was the baddest with my 4001......

[Super Bass]

it can't be beat soundwise.

 

 

Maybe so, I guess I'm not really a vintage bass guy.

[BeefJerky]

Vintage fenders are fun.

I just don't think I would ever buy one.

(or could I afford one )

[willsellout]

I played a 60's P bass (62 I think) and was less than impressed. I did play a 70's jazz (78) and was thrilled with the way it played and sounded. The prices are just ludicrous unless you are an investor.

 

 

Dan

[Flintc]

The placebo effect is very powerful with those vintage Fenders. Probably explains the trend to relic new Fenders and try to pass them off as vintage (as seen from the dance floor). In double-blind listening tests mixed in with decent new (and active) basses, those wonderful instruments finish a distant and deserved last-place.

 

Sooner or later, someone will successfully point out that today's Fenders are different from those old beaters only in that the electronics are now much better. Otherwise, same wood, same necks, much better physical condition. And when that happens, I wouldn't want to be sitting on an inventory of "investment" junk; I'd rather have a pile of worthless baseball cards.

[willsellout]

 

The placebo effect is very powerful with those vintage Fenders. Probably explains the trend to relic new Fenders and try to pass them off as vintage (as seen from the dance floor). In double-blind listening tests mixed in with decent new (and active) basses, those wonderful instruments finish a distant and deserved last-place. Sooner or later, someone will successfully point out that today's Fenders are different from those old beaters only in that the electronics are now much better. Otherwise, same wood, same necks, much better physical condition. And when that happens, I wouldn't want to be sitting on an inventory of "investment" junk; I'd rather have a pile of worthless baseball cards.

 

 

I agree but no one cares about it...they hear what their wallet says they hear when it comes to old Fenders.

 

 

Dan

[RIC N BACKER]

My first bass was a 68 P that i bought in 1979.

 

at the time I thought it was a great bass but big for a 15 year old. I never did get comfortable with it. stoped playing it in 83 and sold it in 88.

 

I should have kept it in a closet and sold it now for 3 grand!

 

I dont care, I dont miss it

[King Kashue]

In double-blind listening tests mixed in with decent new (and active) basses, those wonderful instruments finish a distant and deserved last-place.

 

[Undead Sycip]

Self fulfilling prophecy.

 

68 makes it a crappy CBS Fender.

[Renfield]

 

Self fulfilling prophecy. 68 makes it a crappy CBS Fender.

 

 

That may be the stigma, but how many of that era have you actually played?

 

I used to own a 69 Jazz and it was far and away the best bass I have ever owned.

[brake]

I played a '69 P once. It was easily the lightest bass I've ever played..sounded cool but it still sounded like a P bass. A P bass is a P bass..I'm not a vintage Fender guy so maybe I just can't tell the difference.

[King Kashue]

 

That may be the stigma, but how many of that era have you actually played? I used to own a 69 Jazz and it was far and away the best bass I have ever owned.

 

 

I've played some nice ones and one really crap one.

 

Of course, the knock against CBS wasn't that they just turned into crap, but that they didn't understand QC and took a "parts are parts" approach to electronics etc. So some were great and others were not, depending on whether the purchasing department got a 'good deal' on wires or magnets or whatever that month...

 

That's the reputation at least...

[Renfield]

 

I've played some nice ones and one really crap one. Of course, the knock against CBS wasn't that they just turned into crap, but that they didn't understand QC and took a "parts are parts" approach to electronics etc. So some were great and others were not, depending on whether the purchasing department got a 'good deal' on wires or magnets or whatever that month... That's the reputation at least...

 

 

True, and it's a reputation earned. But that, by default, does not mean all instruments of that era are crappy. It's a very broad generalization, potentially made from someone who may have never actually touched one in the first place, let alone all of them to make such an absolute statement.

[King Kashue]

But that, by default, does not mean all instruments of that era are crappy. It's a very broad generalization, potentially made from someone who may have never actually touched one in the first place, let alone all of them to make such an absolute statement.

 

Yeah, that's why I was agreeing with you

 

Some were great, others were not...

 

To my mind, it's like MIAs in the 80s, when the Fender guys were in Japan on the verge of tears (their own account) because of how well Fender Japan were making their instruments...Some 80s MIAs are great, others are pants...

[TheBurkMan]

 

The placebo effect is very powerful with those vintage Fenders. Probably explains the trend to relic new Fenders and try to pass them off as vintage (as seen from the dance floor). In double-blind listening tests mixed in with decent new (and active) basses, those wonderful instruments finish a distant and deserved last-place. Sooner or later, someone will successfully point out that today's Fenders are different from those old beaters only in that the electronics are now much better. Otherwise, same wood, same necks, much better physical condition. And when that happens, I wouldn't want to be sitting on an inventory of "investment" junk; I'd rather have a pile of worthless baseball cards.

 

 

I couldn't disagree more. Todays Fenders are an adventure in their lack of QC, and often their poor quality of body and neck woods. I've played 2000$ Victor Bailys that I couldn't get one acceptable tone out of. Where the neck pocket had so much extra space you could store your sheet music in there. Workmanship and materials are critical in a bolt on 34" scale bass, if you don't believe it, listen to a MIM with a Sadowsky pre and pick-ups and a Sadowsky. They're not even close.

 

Aged wood (especially played ) makes for a more resonant instrument. And those Pre CBS basses had good wood (probably in a class with many of todays boutique instruments) and were put together with a pride and attention to detail that is lacking in todays cookie-cutter, guitar center churn out as many as fast as you can mentality. I do agree that the 70's basses can be overpriced, their quality is a crap-shoot. A good one is a great bass, a mediocre one is an overpriced piece of crap. But I haven't played a bad pre-CBS.

[Super Bass]

 

I couldn't disagree more. Todays Fenders are an adventure in their lack of QC, and often their poor quality of body and neck woods. I've played 2000$ Victor Bailys that I couldn't get one acceptable tone out of. Where the neck pocket had so much extra space you could store your sheet music in there. Workmanship and materials are critical in a bolt on 34" scale bass, if you don't believe it, listen to a MIM with a Sadowsky pre and pick-ups and a Sadowsky. They're not even close. Aged wood (especially played ) makes for a more resonant instrument. And those Pre CBS basses had good wood (probably in a class with many of todays boutique instruments) and were put together with a pride and attention to detail that is lacking in todays cookie-cutter, guitar center churn out as many as fast as you can mentality. I do agree that the 70's basses can be overpriced, their quality is a crap-shoot. A good one is a great bass, a mediocre one is an overpriced piece of crap. But I haven't played a bad pre-CBS.

 

 

As far as gaps in neck pockets go, I've found that it doesn't matter. What matters is the contact area on the base of the neck and the flat of the pocket.

[willsellout]

 

As far as gaps in neck pockets go, I've found that it does matter. What matters is the contact area on the base of the neck and the flat of the pocket.

 

 

Good wood goes a long way but they weren't using any better wood back then than they do today..that's just silly.

 

As far as wood goes, it's not just about resonance when they pick wood, it's more about grain and weight as well as stability in my experience.

 

As an FYI my MIM fender has a decent neck pocket but it sustains for days. I'd take it over any Sadowsky I've ever played. Of course some people need a Sadowsky for various reasons and like to justify it as they see fit; deluded as their justifications may be.

 

 

 

Dan

[Super Bass]

Good wood goes a long way but they weren't using any better wood back then than they do today..that's just silly. As far as wood goes, it's not just about resonance when they pick wood, it's more about grain and weight as well as stability in my experience. As an FYI my MIM fender has a decent neck pocket but it sustains for days. I'd take it over any Sadowsky I've ever played. Of course some people need a Sadowsky for various reasons and like to justify it as they see fit; deluded as their justifications may be. Dan

 

My fretless Precision that I put together from parts is one of the most resonant basses I've played. The body is an SX and the neck is Mighty Mite. It's the lightest bass I've ever held (5.5lbs) and the space in the neck pocket is ridiculous. I packed out the rest of the neck pocket with cardboard.

[willsellout]

My fretless Precision that I put together from parts is one of the most resonant basses I've played. The body is an SX and the neck is Mighty Mite. It's the lightest bass I've ever held (5.5lbs) and the space in the neck pocket is ridiculous. I packed out the rest of the neck pocket with cardboard.

 

Which proves my point. You don't have to pay 10 grand for a 60's Fender or a Sadowsky to get a great playing and sounding bass:D

 

I've had more than one luthier tell me that they have no idea how the bass will sound until it's put together. They will have a general idea but it's all best guess using known parameters.

 

As to why a Sadowsky sounds like a Sadowsky..well it's because of the electronics he uses..which is why if I put a Sadowsky preamp and PU in my mexican Fender, it will sound like a Sadowsky, regardless of what anyone would like to believe IMO.

 

Dan

[Super Bass]

Which proves my point. You don't have to pay 10 grand for a 60's Fender or a Sadowsky to get a great playing and sounding bass:D I've had more than one luthier tell me that they have no idea how the bass will sound until it's put together. They will have a general idea but it's all best guess using known parameters. As to why a Sadowsky sounds like a Sadowsky..well it's because of the electronics he uses..which is why if I put a Sadowsky preamp and PU in my mexican Fender, it will sound like a Sadowsky, regardless of what anyone would like to believe IMO. Dan

 

I totally agree! (I made a spelling error in one of my posts above and contradicted myself, fixed now. )

 

You really do have no idea what the bass will sound like until you put it together. I took a big chance on that with my green Jazz. I used a lot of parts I had never used before along with strings I'd never used. It did work out good though.