I HAVE IN MY POSSESION A VINTAGE ALL ORIGIANL 69 JAZZ!!!!

[dsanders]

No joke. I was in a rehersal earlier today with the head of the music dept. at my school. We were talking about strings and he said, I've had flatwounds on the our old jazz bass for a few years. I said, "Oh I did'nt know the school had a four string jazz". He says, " Yea it's up in one of the old storage rooms on the 3rd floor, here's the key if you want to go check it out." I walked upstairs got the case and brought it down. When I opened it I could not believe it. Block inlays, neck binding, bell cover and all! He let me take it home, I have dated the serial # at 1969 from the neckplate(F style) and the butt of the neck confirmed it when I removed it. The binding needs to be replaced, some of it is missing, and it needs a new nut. I called Mike Lull and he quoted $400 to fix it up. The choir director now that I have told him what it is want's to see if the school will pay to have it repaired, if not I get first dibs on it!

 

By the way I would post some pics but I don't have my digital camera at school with me.

 

Anyway I hope the school says no, so I can make her mine!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[LLroomtempJ]

wow. Hopefully the board of ed does not choose this time to be generous and donate to the music dept.

 

would a bass like that lose any value if you got it fixed up with modern parts? I guess not b/c you are planning on doing it...but i'm just curious.

 

jason

[butcherNburn]

How does it sound?

Did you ask if there were any other treasurs up there?

[musicfiend]

Doing that kind if work to that kind of bass will take down the value drastically. A friend had a 64 jazz bass in a custom gold finish with some sparkle to it Around 69 he decided tht color looked to fruity and refinished it in black. That took the value of the bass WAY DOWN. Learn more about the instrument before you make any irreversible changes. Ultimately the decision is up to you: if you are planning on selling it keep it as it is, if you are gonna keep it till the day you die then do you what you must and then do no more.

[dsanders]

Doing that kind if work to that kind of bass will take down the value drastically. A friend had a 64 jazz bass in a custom gold finish with some sparkle to it Around 69 he decided tht color looked to fruity and refinished it in black. That took the value of the bass WAY DOWN. Learn more about the instrument before you make any irreversible changes. Ultimately the decision is up to you: if you are planning on selling it keep it as it is, if you are gonna keep it till the day you die then do you what you must and then do no more.

Thanks for all of the advice everyone, but don't worry I'm not about to change anything on the bass and I never implied that I planned to. All I'm going to have done is to replace the nut(which is broken off on the E side), and I'm going to have the binding fixed because some of it has come off. If I end up with it I will not change any hardware or electronics!

[dsanders]

How does it sound?

Did you ask if there were any other treasurs up there?

 

I don't know how it sounds, I can't play it the nut is too destroyed. But I did see an old Fender Bassman amphead in the room with the bass.

[musicfiend]

Just tell the head of the department....

 

Hey I noticed the head and the bass up there,

can I have them both.

 

When he says thats a lot to ask for just say....

 

Fine, I GUESS i can just settle for the bass

[Mr. Phil]

I dont think the school is allowed to sell it to you. Where would that money go to?

 

I tried to see if i could buy a Kay URB that was awesome, yet nobody liked it for some reason, they all liked the shiny basses with the ebonite boards...wierdos.

Anyway, the school said no. They just couldn't sell it to me. Either that, or it would be a really big deal to sell it to me.

 

I wish I had that bass...its soooooo nice.

[Prague]

Originally posted by dsanders:

... and the butt of the neck confirmed it when I removed it...

That devalues it greatly for me. I've never had to remove a neck in my life, nor would I like a guitar taken apart for no reason.

 

You took it apart just because you wanted to verify it's vintage? Before it was even set up and played (maybe even some new strings and polish)? It didn't need disassembly. Let's hope someone gets it put back together properly.

 

I share your zeal but tearing into vintage instruments without cause is not a good thing to do.

[musicfiend]

Originally posted by Prague:

Originally posted by dsanders:

... and the butt of the neck confirmed it when I removed it...

That devalues it greatly for me. I've never had to remove a neck in my life, nor would I like a guitar taken apart for no reason.

 

You took it apart just because you wanted to verify it's vintage? Before it was even set up and played (maybe even some new strings and polish)? It didn't need disassembly. Let's hope someone gets it put back together properly.

 

I share your zeal but tearing into vintage instruments without cause is not a good thing to do.

Is this sarcasm?

[Prague]

Originally posted by musicfiend:

Is this sarcasm?

Absolutely not. One look at my instruments and you'll know why. The only reason to take a neck off is to fix something horrendous, or you suspect that the neck is not original. I've seen too many guitars ending up less than what they were due to (understandable) zeal. A vintage instrument comes your way and the first thing you do is take it apart? I'd set it up, play it, and THEN determine any further work.

 

Besides, who owns this bass? If you had lent out your instrument and found out it was being dismantled, would you be fine with that?

 

I see it on ebay all the time. "Look at my great instrument for sale!". It's all in pieces and I'm supposed to assume they know what the hell they're doing? Yea, right.

 

As to the history of this instrument, it's not vintage anymore. I do hope the owners are made aware of the work done on it. Maybe they won't care. I don't think a vintage buyer will buy from people that don't care.

 

Sorry, I'm a stickler for detail. No one else has to be.

[musicfiend]

Changing a nut, redoing binding...yes this I consider modification. But removing a bolt on neck by undoinf 4 screws and then putting it back??

 

I just don't see how this devalues an instrument.

The nack has probably been taken off many vintage guitars out there.

 

To me this seems like its along the lines of doing a setup on an instrument. So does someone consider a vintage bass that has been setup devalued?

 

Where do you draw the line?

[73 P Bass]

Removing the neck to check the vintage will not effect the value from a collector's stand point. It is common for collector to remove the neck, pickgaurd, control cavity cover etc. to verify vintage and to insure nothing has been modified. Changing parts, or disturbing the original solder and wiring is a no no.

However modifications that restore an instruments playability, such as replacing a broken original part are worthwhile, and will not devalue the instrument ( as apposed to leaving it unplayable).

Vintage Guitar Magazine has a column by George Gruhn that covers these issues. You can write into him, and he'll answer you vintage instrument questions.

[butcherNburn]

Originally posted by Mr. Phil:

I dont think the school is allowed to sell it to you. Where would that money go to?

A possible soloution for this is to offer to replace it with a working instrument (no cash transaction). For instance, a 2 year old MIM Jazz....

[Steve Force]

Kind of a deceiving topic title--it is not yet in your possesion..

 

Regarding disassemling to check the manufactured date--how could this in any way devalue an instrument?

[Prague]

Originally posted by musicfiend:

To me this (removing a neck)seems like its along the lines of doing a setup on an instrument.

So, if you lent your bass to someone and you find it in pieces the next day, you're okay with that?

 

Gruhn, schmuhn. They sell things. They don't have to keep them.

 

I think I know why this topic's bass was in a storage room. The nut was busted (all of mine have original nuts) because someone was hacking on it. The binding's busted because someone was hacking on it. Then, in it's disrepair, no one gave a crap about it and threw it in a closet.

 

It's just an old bass. It has no vintage value. It's a player. It might be made useable within cost reason. To me, it's worth $200 plus the $400 Lull repair. That's it.

[tucker71]

The school is gonna cling to that thing once they realize that it just might have some value.

 

I say.

Forget about the thing for a few months and then subtly mention that you'd be willing to make some type of donation to a music program in the amount of the Bass IN IT'S PRESENT CONDITION.

 

OR,

Take it on as a pet project. Fix it up. Fix up some other instruments as well. Clean the stockroom...whatever! Eventually, they might offer it to you.

[ATM]

Having never done it before, I ask this question. Would it be easier to replace the nut if you could remove the neck?

 

Just wondering.

 

ATM

[dsanders]

Besides, who owns this bass? If you had lent out your instrument and found out it was being dismantled, would you be fine with that?

 

I see it on ebay all the time. "Look at my great instrument for sale!". It's all in pieces and I'm supposed to assume they know what the hell they're doing? Yea, right.

 

As to the history of this instrument, it's not vintage anymore. I do hope the owners are made aware of the work done on it. Maybe they won't care. I don't think a vintage buyer will buy from people that don't care

Removing the neck of the bass does not harm it in any way. The bass cannott be setup and "polished" yet, it does not have a nut. It needs repair, and I'm not going to let just anyone work on it, I plan to send it to Mike Lull. To answer another question the school is authorized to, and does sell old instruments from time to time. I attend a small Christian college so everyone is a big family here. I am taking care of the instrument, and it is vintage even though I removed the neck. I respect all of your opinions but I do not appreciate sarcasim. I am not some stupid kid who doesn't take care of his gear, all of my basses are imaculate.

[dsanders]

Kind of a deceiving topic title--it is not yet in your possesion..

 

Good observation, but the bass is in my possesion. The school's choir program is the offical owner of the bass, but the head of the music dept. is also in charge of the choir. He is a good friend of mine and there is a good chance that I will have the opportunity to buy it. The choir already owns three other basses. They have a 98 American Deluxe Jazz V, a Yamaha fretless, and an early 90's P bass.

 

It's ok for someone to have a different opinion, but I feel that the bass is still vintage. Nothing has been modified, all of the original parts and hardware are intact with the exception of about an inch of binding over first position on the E side. Thanks to everyone for all of the insight, if I keep the bass then I will post some pics as soon as I can. As far as things are now the music director told me to keep the bass until late summer when he decides if I he will sell it. I think he will

[Big Red 67]

Hey my girlfriend/wife (we never married but everone calls her my wife) is a grandma and still doesn't take good enough care of the axes. Still she isn't stupid. She just has bad habits. Found the '63 p bass with '72 fretless neck sitting there the other day. picked it up, pluged in, and no sound. The battery was dead, the strap buttons were lose, then found a ding in the fretboard (funny that they call it a fretboard, when it is fretless) that is deep enough to keep it from fretting a E on the G string. (avoids G string jokes) I can fix it. She's not stupid, she's lazy. Turn the other cheek in stead of judgeing maybe. Or maybe just admit that it hurt your feelings. That is how I talked to her about the way she treats the gear. It does hurt my feelings, not that she is lazy, that she does not respect my requests to treat them better.

 

On another SUBJECT. The high school I went to had one of the old P basses. The '59 I think, good condition, horrid upkeep. I had no idea what it was at the time, and could not stand the way it sounded due to the old strings. If only I had paid more atention back then. I am sure that it could have been had very reasonalby. The band teacher was a great and would do anything to help us. He even wrote passes for us to get out of class to come and play in the band room. We weren't in band, he just loved the fact that we loved music. You have a chance to play this great bass. You don't have to tell anyone you aren't stupid.

 

If you have the confidence to remove the neck. Then learn to carve a nut. It is not that hard 1st, 2nd you don't carve a nut on the bass, so you won't hurt the bass, 3rd for a few bucks, you can by a nut, a small triangle file and a larger flat file and learn a new skill.

 

Oh yeah, vintage axes are cool, they are over priced almost always IMHO.

[davebassman]

Originally posted by Prague:

Originally posted by musicfiend:

[qb]

I think I know why this topic's bass was in a storage room. The nut was busted (all of mine have original nuts) because someone was hacking on it. The binding's busted because someone was hacking on it. Then, in it's disrepair, no one gave a crap about it and threw it in a closet.

When was the last time you were in a school? Kids break things. Sometimes deliberately, sometimes through careless behaviour.

[Mike Dimin]

First of all you MUST remove the neck to adjust the truss rod on this instrument. Secondly, Fender would mass produce neck plates, so often times the bass would get a neck plate serial # that doesn't really reflect the age of the bass. Finding the # on the back of the neck is the only sure way. Removing the neck does not devalue the bass, in fact anyone trying to truly identify the year of the bass would have to do so.

 

When I was a kid, a '69 was not worth much. After all it was a CBS bass. The only ones of real value were the pre-CBS. As the pre-CBS basses became prohibitivley expensive, the value of these late 60's post CBS increased proportionately. It is kind of funny, we always thought of them as rather crappy basses

[Prague]

Those of you that are more flexible will have plenty of "vintage" basses to choose from. I'm sure top dollar will be gleefully accepted.

[dsanders]

Turn the other cheek in stead of judgeing maybe. Or maybe just admit that it hurt your feelings. That is how I talked to her about the way she treats the gear. It does hurt my feelings, not that she is lazy, that she does not respect my requests to treat them better.

 

Thanks for the advice, I can say that my feelings were not hurt, but it did flare me up a bit.

 

I can also relate to you on your experience with the band director at your high school, I also had a great director at mine. It seems to me that most band directors in schools are very supportive and caring for the students. I guess it is because of the universality of music, he was also a very loving Christian man.

 

I have read before about carving out nut slots, but I would rather leave that to someone else.

[Big Red 67]

I am gald you didn't think me a snob.

 

I learned to carve nuts when I was 15 while making a double neck guitar in shop class. I couldn't afford not to learn. Didn't have the money. I was saving it all for an amp.

 

The blanks are cheap. I used a piece of oak for my first nut. It was scrapwood out of the junk pile. I just love making something good out of junk. I have cut them out of junk plastic. I made a brass one too. So you can pratice on free stuff. I have made patterns for nuts and saddle designs out of wax even, that way you have a pattern to work from to make it less likely that you will screw up a blank you pay for.

[Edendude]

Sanders...

 

Nice find! Certainly very exciting.

 

As a Jazz Bass player now, and as someone who once let a pre-CBS Fender bass slip away many years ago, I'm glad to hear that someone like you, who cares about the instrument as much as you do, has found that one.

 

Take good care of the old girl!

 

[getz out]

Originally posted by Prague:

Those of you that are more flexible will have plenty of "vintage" basses to choose from. I'm sure top dollar will be gleefully accepted.

Prague, those might be your buying standards and your standards for vintage, but don't try to pass them on as the norm. Removing the neck is a necessity for this instrument. Disassembling and reassembling a Fender in competent hands will not cause any ill effects. Competent would equal your average player that does their own set-ups in this case.

[LLroomtempJ]

i let it slide hoping that someone would explain it in time.....what is binding? neck binding?

 

jason

[...]

Until you get a chance to play it and hear how it sounds... it's just an old piece of wood. Hopefully it sounds great and plays just as good.

 

To all concerned about maintaining it's value: I don't think he's worried about that. It sounds like he's more interested in playing it than keeping it valuable. Even at that end, it's a 1969. It's not pre-CBS. I've seen late 60's/early 70's Fender basses that are in ecellent condition sell for $1500-2000.

 

I say fix that beast up and plug it in. Play it.