I'm an electric guitarist not a bass player . BUT I absolutely love what you guys do. You're infectious enthusiasm and utter joy for what you do is like a drug. I'm so pleased I found your channel and long may it continue. Thank you .
Same here. They reignited my own enthusiasm for playing. I hadn't picked up my Ibanez Ex- Series in years. Actually, I had to go grab it outta the Tuff Shed. But once I saw those interviews with Janek Gwizdala and Guy Pratt, that was all she wrote. I was off to the races. It all came back to me. In fact, they've improved my playing, and I'm not even signed up yet...
There's an Ibby Blazer in natural all stock that I've been following forever on the 'verb for a great price but I just don't have room. You're welcome. I have the guitar version of that bass and it would be cool to match my BL200 with a bass built just like it lol
This channel has become such a happy place for me. I’ve been laid up for the last three days with the flu watching SBL pods. The joy you bring is infectious and makes it hard to feel all that bad. Keep up the awesome work! Cheers from Minnesota!
In 1972, I bought a brand new 1972 Fender Precision, walnut finish / maple neck, with a hard shell case for $262.00. A month later, my friend offered me his Pre-CBS 1965 Precision that he had sanded down to the bare wood, for $150. I bought it and it blew the '72 Precision out of the water. Point of the story is that I wouldn't touch a 70's Fender, especially at vintage prices. Save your money and buy a reissue.
Agree and disagree. I think the QC at Fender went downhill in the 70's. However, with some patience and playing around, you can find a fantastic bass for equal to or less than a Custom Shop, that should never be worth a penny less than you paid for it. I personally love getting chopped up 70's necks and bodies and piecing basses together. My main player is a hacked up refinished P bass i have about $1300 in parts and all and it is fantastic, and not precious enough where I am worried about taking it out on a gig.
I think it's hit or miss with Fenders from the 70's. I bought a used 78 Precision back in 1986, had a shop lower the action (it was painfully high when I bought it) and it plays great. I've owned a lot of basses over the years but I still have this one. It's 100% original, more versatile than most give it credit for, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.
As a younger bassist, there is an appeal to the idea of getting a custom fancy new bass, and playing the 1000 gigs myself, that way 20 years from now I have a fully mojoed bass that I fully mojoed myself and know inside and out
Same here. They reignited my own enthusiasm for playing. I hadn't picked up my Ibanez Ex- Series in years. Actually, I had to go grab it outta the Tuff Shed. But once I saw those interviews with Janek Gwizdala and Guy Pratt, that was all she wrote. I was off to the races. They've improved my playing already, and I'm not even signed up yet.
Don't forget the late 70s/early 80s Arias...especially the SB700s 800s and the SB1000s. Made in the Matsumoku factory and built like tanks. Play and sound fab.
Much lesser known Matsumoku brand is Vantage. I own two. Just be careful of age, after Matsumoku stopped, brand was picked up and made in Korea by Samick starting in the very late 80s / early 90s. Some of them are also good (I've owned an early 90s 5 string since mid 90s), but far more hit and miss.
I’ve been playing a Fender P-bass Road Worn for years, which is an imitation of a vintage instrument both in sound and feel. Then last year, I bought a 1989 Japanese Fender P-bass. 89 isn’t crazy vintage but I IMMEDIATELY felt the ‘it’s been played for decades’ once it first sat on my lap.
Get a boutique (custom built for you) bass made with new hardware and electronics, but milled from woods Properly aged for decades (30+ years) and you'll question why you'd ever want a vintage one other than for nostalgia. Old wood is drier (lighter) and far more stable and light than the relatively green wood used on most production lines.
I’m a woodworker and this doesn’t make sense. You can have wood with more or less moisture content, but unless you live in a very dry climate, your bass is going to reach an equilibrium moisture content. Any respectable guitar maker is using kiln dried wood so their finished product is stable moisture content is at equilibrium. Now if you said older wood might have better tonal qualities I could understand that because the wood harvested 30+ years ago was from older growth forests. Today’s quality of wood is different because it’s being harvested from newer growth forests. Same wood species but different looks, tonal qualities, etc.
You’re on the right track. Besides the old wood concept, I believe that the years of vibrations thru the instrument gives it the qualities we are all trying to describe as MOJO. My 64 Precision can attest to that. It is the “thousand gigs”!
As a guitarist who's been on the playing journey for over 50 years, I'm new to the world of Bass and feel like I've taken a totally new path and it's amazing. I'm now a fully paid up member of the Academy and starting fresh so that my habits are good ones from the get go. 46 years ago I spent my first 3 months wages on a new Fender Strat and it's still with me now. You talk of 1000 gigs, well it doesn't have that many but I've easily put 12-15,000 hours on it and it's well and truly 'vintage'. Honestly I don't care what it's worth because I'll never sell it. In truth it's only an average Strat. I'd argue that the mojo it has comes from the time I have on it because that most certainly wasn't there when I bought it. I just made it MY guitar and stuck with it. Yes I have another 5 or 6 instruments but none of them touch me the way the Strat does. My bass is new, a Squire CV Jazz and I'd describe it as a taxi as opposed to a race car. I was dipping my toe in the water and ended up waist deep before I knew what was happening. It's going to take me somewhere and when I arrive we'll see where I go from there.
At the risk of sounding “woo woo”, I believe the mojo is energy. Check out Dr Masaru Emoto’s experiments of water and then think about it from the perspective of a musical instrument. Each bass literally absorbs the energy of those 1000 gigs that you talk about. So who has owned and played an instrument, how they felt when they played it has a massive influence on its mojo.
Thanks guys for another great hangout. Reminds me of a previous video when Scott asks lan if he would consider making a custom / signature bass, to which lan replies - um no... A few weeks later - presto, the IMA ! Then Scott call him out ! Absolutely hilarious ! 😂 Love lan's Spector - Wow !
Had a couple of both, the boutique and the vintage. Based on personal experience I will always choose vintage over boutique. Only own one bass at the moment, a vintage P-bass.
I think my opinion on the mojo is that vintage basses are worn in at certain spots, they are worn in to the previous owners favorite positions and techniques. So as you play them and accidentally get into those positions, they kind of pull you to play more like the previous owner because that’s where they are the most comfortable. So they feel inspiring because they like to hunker you down into those most comfortable positions and if it’s not what you’re used to do then it’ll feel like the bass has a mind of itself. It would be cool for you guys to do an observation on your most played basses and see where you are wearing them in. My KZ four has little scoops in the front of the bridge pick up because of how often I use a pick on it and the bridge has finish worn off of it because I palm mute. I also slap a lot so there’s probably a lot of wear at the bottom of the fret board.
Love the John Scofield reference Scott… his playing is lush … drunk time… drunk melody lines that just WORK!!! so many of his albums have fabulous groove
Couple things. 1- It all begins in the hands. Sound, feel- its all in the hands. A bassist who knows what he/she is doing can pick up any instrument and play a gig. 2- The way an instrument feels and plays definitely has an effect in the person playing it. So in the end a vintage bass is for people who feel the need be legit and just having a good bass regardless of its age/maker is for the real players!
I just bought a japanese 1986 Fender 57's Reissue Precision Bass. It has been refinished reliced. This bass is insanely comfortable and the sound is thunderously punchy. Love it. Also I have a Fender japanese PB-555 1985. It has two precision bass pickups which are positioned in an angle. Electronics: TBX Control - two volume pots one master tone, 3 way pickup selector and a switch between series and parallel modes. It's a beast too.
I've got a 1974 Carl Thompson that is an amazing instrument, though being one of his earlier instruments, isn't a "scroll" bass. It plays and sustains so well, however it's very neck heavy, due to the small, lightweight body. But the sound is amazing. About 11 years ago I sent it back to Carl for a fresh set-up, and while we kept the original Schaller passive pickups, he did install a Kent Armstrong preamp. I've also got a Alembic Distillate as well, so I guess I'm part of the "vintage boutique" crowd!
The discussion about the options that don't work in custom builds reminds me of my two Roscoes from back in the day. The first one I ordered was a fretless, with the standard Roscoe/Bartolini pickups and electronics. That bass was perfect and I really regret selling it. And yes, even brand new, it had mojo. My second Roscoe was fretted, and I chose some non-standard pickups and electronics, and it just didn't have *it* the way the fretless did. I'm pretty sure it would have been better with Roscoe's standard electronics. Still a fantastic bass, it just wasn't magical the way the fretless one was.
I had a reverse question to Ian's 'Yesss' when ask if it's old. My P-bass is a 72 that I've had since school. About five years ago, I had a kid guitar-player come up and say, "Is that a Fender Custom Shop P?" And i had to break his heart in telling him it was a '72 and I've had it forever!
I am so happy to hear Japanese brand names from you two, even Tokai and Greco. I have had 2 custom order basses off from makers' standard models with originality of my own like colors, pick ups, inlays...etc. Introducing originality to instrument is fun thing for me. By the way, I live in Tokyo and I'm happy to visit around bass shops with you. There are unlimited selections. Come to Tokyo.
THIS video is right up my alley! Wow! My newest bass is a 2005 Gibson SG. This week I'm going to look at (and likely buy) an incredibly rare 1980s bass, asking price $1,500 and the guy has owned it for the past 35 years. My take on this: check the setup, fret condition, make sure the truss rod adjusts well. Problems in these areas can blow your budget if they don't pan out and you need a pro to correct. When you are looking at a bass where less than 300 are made, and you REALLY want this model, it may not matter what it sounds like, because you may/will never find another. Let me know if you are headed to Tokyo to look at basses. I'm in....!
I've owned my 78 p bass for nearly 40 yrs and love it . I've looked after it but 100 s of gig's it's nicely worn, I'm retired now but would never sell it.being left handed means it very hard to buy a bass like the one i have.its a plank but i love it.great show boys😊hello from Poland.
I have 3 Yamaha Attitude ltds 1991 and will never part with them, but i still miss my Yamaha bb3000.1986.....the one i loved but it weighed a ton.....love you guys keep up the great work!!!!!!!
Pedulla and warrior… nuff said. Plus the 70’s and 90’s jazz basses are my favorite eras. Own a 96 suhr era deluxe and dream of the block inlay of the 70’s
Meanwhile me trying to decide between Squier and Harley Benton and asking Google how long I can run on instant noodles because I might never recover financially
Depending on where you live though, the second hand market can be very interesting. I'm in the Montreal, Canada area and a ton of varied things go by with the occasional hidden treasure. Latest was a 1997 Ibanez SR800 from a pawnshop, it was overlooked as just another Ibanez lower end model, not a 30+ year old Made in Japan by Fujigen.
squier and harley benton both make quality basses. don't feel pressured into blowing heaps of cash. when buying musical equipment it is the law of diminishing returns the more expensive it is.
@ Wasn't trying to pressure on more expensive stuff, in fact was saying check the used market, might be able to get something for the same / cheaper price is better if it wasn't clear.
Don’t forget, you can spec out your own Fender type bass over time. all the parts are replaceable/upgradeable and reverb/ebay makes it easier to find cool vintage parts to assemble into a sweet “custom” instrument
In your list of boutiques - you should really add LEH. Ellis Hahn, who ran the Sadowsky shop for years, builds fabulous basses. Incredible playability, lots of custom options, and dealing with Ellis is a joy.
I have one bass and one guitar that have "mojo." I purchased both used. They're both less than 20 years old, but they've both clearly have been "broken in." That's what I think of when I hear "mojo." A great bass should feel like an old pair of boots.
As a "hobby cyclist" i will try to compare that vintage mojo to leather saddle in a bicycle It takes hours upon hours to make it settled in, and as soon as it breaks in, its the most comfortable saddle by miles and miles There were even adage of "sofa on bicycle" about how comfy it is
46:13 - words that every one needs to go by. I always thought it was weird whenever someone says they built their PERFECT instrument, but it winds up on Reverb within a year or two. I come from the guitar world and it seems to happen all the time. Meanwhile, you see the pros who let the builder just do what they think is good, and it's an instrument for life. More people need to think this way of "I'm going to let the expert tell me what's the best for what I need".
I've only got an 07 Schecter hellraiser 5 that I bought secondhand, it's got some scars but feels like it's been properly gigged with and I always get amazing compliments on how it looks and sounds. I know its not the most desired bass or even expensive but its super special to me.
You were talking, "what's the MOJO"? I've worked in the lumber industry since May 9, 1985. Wood from a tree is Still Alive until it totally dies (dries out). Most of the time MOJO is sound and feel but when you take two of the same basses, the same year, but they sound and feel different, most of the time, the wood is drying at a different rate or the woods are from different trees. Even if the wood of two basses are from the same tree, maybe one is from the trunk and the other is from a branch. Wood is weird, and I absolutely love working with it.
Great video as always guys. My one push back on Adam’s vintage timeline ending at the 90s is that I recently acquired a 91 stingray 5 and even though it’s 90s it feels very vintage.
I think some of it could be age related. I was born in 1978 and started playing bass in 1990. Realizing some of the basses that I started on that were new or nearly new are now vintage (or on the verge of it) is a scary thought lol
I have a lot of skin in this game, having vintage, custom made for me and custom i have acquired, for half what they most likely cost. I have favourites amongst all of them, but my 65/66 Jazz is the best of the lot. Currently working with my builder, Bernie Goodfellow, to build a FSO with the sound and feet of the Jazz
I don’t have a custom bass, but I do have a 2004 custom built Carvin guitar. I know that the resale value is not close to what I spent, but it is the best guitar I’ve played. The value for me is priceless. If you have the chance to have a bass custom built, and you’ve always wanted that, do it.
I bought a Univox Stereo Bass in 1975 because I couldn't afford the Rick 4001, I still play it today! I use to be embarrased to admit it wasn't a Rick, now people are like OHH! that's so cool when I tell the story
I've not been able to get my hands on 80s Fujigen to play for any real length of time, but a couple months ago I picked up a 1997 Ibanez SR800 (Fujigen made) has made me want to try an 80s one even more ;)
My favourite bass I play just now is an Ibanez ATK300 from the 90’s. You should check that model out. It was known as the Stingray killer. It’s close to a Stingray but much more. I have everything from P basses, J basses, Lakland 5501, 1986 Japanese P bass, JayDee Supernatural, Dingwall etc etc but That Ibanez absolutely crushes them all.
The 70's Jazz basses had fat necks, which is why they deserved their "uccck" response. I had a '65 that I bought in 1966 and loved that bass. I toured with it in the early 70's and really got used to that 60's Slim C-shape neck with a 7.25" radius. I fret my bass like Bobby Vega does - angle and meat of fingers to ring out, fingertips for faster notes and that neck is perfect for it. I also change my plucking position for warmer/darker, or brighter more percussive sounds With just the 3-year stint playing 5-mights a week, 50-weeks a year, I played 750 gigs with it. That's not counting the gigs I played in high-school, college, and after touring. Definitely over 1,000 gigs with that bass...just loved it. Then in 1976 it was stolen along with all my touring gear. So of course I started looking at 70's basses and they all had obese necks - just couldn't stand to play them. Then fast forward to 1985 and while working PT at a music store (went back to college) came across this 1982 Olympic White Jazz with all maple neck and 70's era pickup spacing. After 4-days in the shop I finally played it and it felt like coming home. It has the exact same feel to the neck that my '65 did. It has a little brighter sound because of the pickup spacing and a lot more sustain than my '65 did. And, it records better than my '65 did too. I slightly boost the low-mids and recordings are like magic on it. I've been playing it ever since and it is my "dream bass". It has the feel and the sound, and she looks great too because I take good care of my instruments. My '65 Jazz was in great shape in 1976 when it was stolen. My '82 was in mint condition in '85 when I bought it and she still looks great today. The Olympic White finish has softened to a light cream color, but that just adds some sophistication to it. It provides a nice contrast to the stark white accents, pickups, and control knobs. I'd love to have my '65 back, but it wouldn't displace my '82 as my primary bass. And I am a firm believer that a bass with 1,000 gigs behind it doesn't have to look beat to crap.
My 78 P is amazing. So resonant and fun to play. I put in a 62’ custom Pup in it but other wise original. I paid just around 2k about a year ago. It’s got super nice play wear and just hits different than any of the newer p’s I’ve owned or played. I know the QC from that era is said to be questionable but this one is definitely a winner.🙂
My #1 bass is a '75 Fernandes (RIP) copy of an early '60s P. Manufactured by Kawai. Fernandes I don't think ever was a manufacturer. I bought it ~15 years ago, when I thought $1200 was too much to pay for a '70s Fender. It leaves me wanting for nothing as far as a P bass goes. Those late '70s / early '80s Japanese basses are insane value for money.
Yeah, they were a marketing company. Burny was also their brand, After the Kawai period they used Matsumoku, Tōkai and others for manufacturing. About ten years ago I bought one of their early eighties NOS Paul McCartney Rickenbacker copies, with a toaster in the neck position. For around 600 euro! I had two real Rickenbacker 4001's in the seventies but this one totally blew them out of the water. It just has that elusive sound I never really got back then. And with rounded edges on the body, it is much more comfortable. Plus old school dot fret markers😎 Dreams can come true. ✌✌
@@UrbanGarden-rf5op That's awesome! I love the sound of a Rick, but I've never been able to make peace with the ergonomics. I think I've been playing FSO's for so long anything else just feels weird.
@@crumbum666 My Fernandes is a copy of the 4001v63, which was a copy of sir Pauls actual bass. He sent it to Rickenbacker when the horseshoe bridge pup died and they took careful measurements and re-created it. I believe that much of the special sound comes from the toaster pup. It has less output than the later Hi-Gain pickups and is not made specifically for bass. AFAIK Rickenbacker only made one model of toasters, so it would be the same as the one on their 6 and 12 stringed guitars. If you have some woodworking skills, you could get a decent copy of a regular Ric, sand down the edges, make a belly comfort zone and install a toaster pup. I would also recommend getting a Hipshot drop in replacement bridge, huge difference in the ease of intonating, comfort and the ability to palm mute. ✌✌
Instead of buying a new bass either vintage or custom I still play on my London City Jazz Bass I got when I was 18 but upgraded it along the way. New Neck, new bridge, new pickupts etc. So it turned out in a kind of a 15 year old custom bass with the mojo I created on that myself. And I love it, each time I try other basses I'm like...naah, I want my own bass
I bought a '76 Mustang from eBay back in about 2010-12 for £500. At the time, there weren't any US/Mexican made ones and I think Japanese ones were about £1000 + import tax. Decided to take a gamble. The original sunburst was covered in a horrible black paint that was peeling. I ended up stripping the body and refinishing it in a few thin layers of matte nitro. It turned into an amazing bass after a bit of slight regret after the initial purchase. I had it refretted with stainless steel frets and changed the tuners to HipShot Ultralights in lockdown because they were both worn out. Now all of the wear on the nitro is my wear, but the neck has the comfy original mojo. It's just a lovley bass, but I also don't feel like it needs babying like I might a more original vintage bass.
I now have a Univox Professional bass that is everything a Fender P bass should be, but so often isn't. I put a Lollar pickup in there, but the stock pups were quite good. As you guys noted, the "lawsuit era" Japanese basses are often just flat out great.
I wanted a birth year (1978) bass and definitely could not afford a fender or stingray. Went the lawsuit route and got a Greco PB-600 for $400. Well worn like i wanted, as you guys said, looks to have been played a lot. It’s a bit heavy, but i love how it feels. It’s definitely a keeper.
'78er here too. I bought a Rickenbacker 4001 in the late nineties and it's been my number 1 for decades. I didn't realize until 2005 that I could look up the build date online from the serial number and was geeked to find out my Rick was born just 1 month after me. It's the perfect birth year bass.
I think the vibrations from playing does something to the wood. I have instruments from the 1970s and 1980s and they just feel different to newer instruments.
I managed to pick up a ‘79 Hohner P Bass (MIJ) in sunburst for £60.00 on FB marketplace last month….by far the best bass I’ve played. Built like a tank, sounds amazing, tiny frets and jazz width neck. I’m beyond amazed! My next bass I’m eyeing up is another 70’s/80’s MIJ P Bass (Greco Mercury Bass) either natural ash or black. I’m completely sold on these MIJ basses being AMAZING instruments for less than £1k. For £5k you could get five of these basses!
I own two Matsumoku from the early 80s and they are a still semi-hidden treasure, but the word is getting out faster. So get your ultimate picks first before they really get known and people start jacking up the prices ;)
I just upgraded a Squier mini jazzmaster to custom specs. The only thing that's stock is the body. I gave it new alnico hummers, on-off's for each pup, each with their own phase reversal switch, as well as a pair of SD triple-shots and a fresh set of pots. I replaced the standard hardtail bridge with a Schaller tom and a jazzmaster trem, kept in check by some Sperzel tuners. The mini (22.3") neck was perfectly fine, so I swapped it for a 24" scale neck, which needed a bit of my own luthiery madness, cutting what I call a negative shim to prevent raising the action unnecessarily. Yeah, it probably cost more in parts and effort than some of my axes, but it plays better than most of my actual waste of money guitars. I always suggest players learn to mod instead of throwing money at names.
Sandberg makes great basses, and they do the wood shake thing lol. Their masterpiece aged instruments have a vibration and thermo treatment. Never tried one, but pretty wild lol. Also, Serek is making some killer basses right now!
Das könnte man natürlich als Luxusproblem bezeichnen. Ihr beiden habt aber schon alles dazu gesagt. Neue, tolle Sachen sind meistens fantastisch. Oldschool-Dinge begeistern ebenso. Die Hauptsache ist man hat Spaß daran. Wenn dann zusätzlich das Publikum auch Spaß hat, dann hat man nichts verkehrt gemacht. Ihr habt aber auch schon öfters bewiesen, dass günstige Bässe genauso glücklich machen können. Greetings from Germany
SBL CUSTOM BASS at an affordable price point would surely sell to new (and existing) students! something w/ a natural wood finish and the SBL logo would go hard!
The trouble with Pedulla basses is that Michael Pedulla has retired now. He was also maybe a little too early and didn't have a famous musician playing his instruments (Mark Egan is a musician's musician). Just a look at Reverb shows that, though very reasonably priced (less that 3000 $), his basses do not sell that well. Bartolini too is a brand which is not that popular now (Nobody remembers that the Preamp in Marcus Miller's original Jazz bass is a Bartolini, installed by R. Sadowski). Otherwise quality of these instruments is second to none.
His retirement makes his basses become rare. Too early to be vintage? If its good enough for Gene Simmons, Will Lee and Mark Egan, just to name a few genres,....I'll take one. @@jeanclaudebossonney7520
Surprised the Ovation Magnum wasn’t an early mention, haven’t finished the video while commenting this. If it doesn’t come up I’d be very surprised. I’m pretty obsessed with BC Rich stuff right now. I’d LOVE an Eagle or a Wave. I guess early crazy shapes are really peaking my interest right now. Never gonna get one because my MTD’s have resolved all my bass envy but if I ever come into stupid money I could see myself snagging a natural finish BC Rich.
My Sadowsky Metro Line is better than my 65 Jazz, 68 P, Very Early Ken Smith ( I bought it out of his 13th street apartment, NYC). It has everything!!!
A lot of classic '70s basses are WAY under $5000. Pretty sure there are a couple '70s jazz basses on my local Facebook Marketplace for less than $2,300. And I was just looking at Gibson Grabbers and Rippers last night. Those are around $2,000 on Reverb. '70s Stingrays and Rickenbackers will probably cost around $5000, but there are a ton of other awesome options for less than half the price. I can't speak for others but the difference for me between $5,000 and $2,000 is between completely unobtainable and "yeah, I could get that with some patience and discipline."
The reason why vintage Fenders often flatter to deceive is because so many of them are terrible. I must have played 200 or more before finding one I really liked. And older does not mean better. I tried a ‘59 P and several early 60s Jazzes that were hideous and a 1979 P and 1983 Jazz that were sublime (and light). Setup matters of course but if you’ve got enough experience you’ll know when you find “the one”. The advice to ignore pretty (internet) pictures and try a bunch together in the same shop is spot on.
Whew, I have so many thoughts about this, haha. Got plenty of vintage full mojo basses and also some real new basses that have just a great feel to them. I also had some really bad experiences with some of the companies you mentioned here. One was my fault, actually. I stay away from custom builds ever since.
Status is boutique imo and vintage since they been around since the 80s they do customs but you have to be kinda high profile but they arent ‘break the bank’ expensive a 4 string headed bolt on neck s23 sets you back 2,675 with no custom stuff which id say is decent price for absolute quality craftsmanship
The general consensus on vintage is 20-100 years old. At 100, it's an antique, and before 20, it's just a slightly older item. My old pickup truck was vintage when we got rid of it because it was 20 years old (even if the model year didn't start until after the manufacturing date for it), but nobody would call it vintage because there was no nostalgia for it. People need to have a nostalgia for something in order for it to be vintage, and if something's over 100 years old, only those with failing memories can recall the thing's glory days
I don't think nostalgia ties into vintage at all. Cars aren't called vintage because they wear and get worse with age. They become antiques, but are not vintage. Vintage lies in the idea that some things get better with age, like wine (it's literally in the word - vin - vine). Twenty year old cars are substantially worse than new cars. Twenty year old instruments are generally indistinguishable from new (in function and form). Now, I disagree that electric instruments get BETTER with age, but they are of a class of electronic that also doesn't get substantially worse with age (especially passive instruments), and some people really vibe with the story of a well loved instrument (which is valuable in itself). At worst, the parts that degrade are replaceable (pots, caps, and pickup magnets).
This sax player said the only thing he wants from gear is to not think about the gear at all. If you're thinking about it then its the wrong gear - love that idea
Just got a Fodera Emperor 5 that was traded in at the shop 2022 model. Was played by a great player but was a bit too heavy. Plays with unbelievably sick mojo. Better than couple new ones I tried. Mike at Fodera says yeah playing in makes a big difference in resonance! Will have to take the bass out of my cold dead hands lol
under $5K you can get a lot of different Alembic's (Spoiler, Exploiter, Explorer, Epic) that are brilliant players, very well made from the 80's and 90's. I had an Alembic Spoiler built for me in the 80's and it's still my favorite bass
Yamaha does a treatment on their top line, new BB basses (BBP3x) that might be the "mojo process". It adds twice the price to the bass (along with made in Japan) so its SOMETHING.
I love my Lakland Joe Osborn Skyline 5, I've had it for about 20 years at this point and it's my most gigged bass, thousands of gigs at this point, recorded multiple albums with it. Only thing I wish it had would be a road worn type finish, which you'd think I'd have given how much I've gigged it, but the only thing is it will build up a bit of gunk on the front of the maple fretboard, the rest looks totally new. My only regret in my bass playing days is how I got this bass, I traded my '93 Stingray 5 with birdseye maple board for it...
Early ESP 400 Jazz und Precision Basses from the 80s are very good! The Guitars (Strats and Tellis) aber going a bit up in Price, but the Basses are under the Radar.
I would like to hear a blind test from various people vintage/boutique basses and basses made with something like a Warmoth neck and body and top quality hardware and electronics. I don't think there would be any advantage for the vintage/boutique basses. Collectors want that stuff but working bass players don't need it.
The joy you guys have for our instrument is a special thing.
I'm an electric guitarist not a bass player . BUT I absolutely love what you guys do. You're infectious enthusiasm and utter joy for what you do is like a drug. I'm so pleased I found your channel and long may it continue. Thank you .
Appreciate that!!
Same here. They reignited my own enthusiasm for playing. I hadn't picked up my Ibanez Ex- Series in years. Actually, I had to go grab it outta the Tuff Shed.
But once I saw those interviews with Janek Gwizdala and Guy Pratt, that was all she wrote. I was off to the races. It all came back to me. In fact, they've improved my playing, and I'm not even signed up yet...
Don't talk about those 70-80s Ibanez basses. Mine is amazing and im trying to find a backup before they all get bought up
There's an Ibby Blazer in natural all stock that I've been following forever on the 'verb for a great price but I just don't have room. You're welcome. I have the guitar version of that bass and it would be cool to match my BL200 with a bass built just like it lol
I love my ST-924. It’s heavy as a house, but so dang versatile!
My thoughts exactly
You can always look for a mint condition one, a old one.
This channel has become such a happy place for me. I’ve been laid up for the last three days with the flu watching SBL pods. The joy you bring is infectious and makes it hard to feel all that bad. Keep up the awesome work! Cheers from Minnesota!
Appreciate the warm words, hope you're on the mend soon!!
In 1972, I bought a brand new 1972 Fender Precision, walnut finish / maple neck, with a hard shell case for $262.00. A month later, my friend offered me his Pre-CBS 1965 Precision that he had sanded down to the bare wood, for $150. I bought it and it blew the '72 Precision out of the water. Point of the story is that I wouldn't touch a 70's Fender, especially at vintage prices. Save your money and buy a reissue.
Agree and disagree. I think the QC at Fender went downhill in the 70's. However, with some patience and playing around, you can find a fantastic bass for equal to or less than a Custom Shop, that should never be worth a penny less than you paid for it.
I personally love getting chopped up 70's necks and bodies and piecing basses together. My main player is a hacked up refinished P bass i have about $1300 in parts and all and it is fantastic, and not precious enough where I am worried about taking it out on a gig.
I bought a 74 P bass in the late 90s as my first "good" bass. I still have it, and it rips.
I think it's hit or miss with Fenders from the 70's. I bought a used 78 Precision back in 1986, had a shop lower the action (it was painfully high when I bought it) and it plays great. I've owned a lot of basses over the years but I still have this one. It's 100% original, more versatile than most give it credit for, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.
Sanding the finish off the neck is the easiest and cheapest way to get a played in vintage feel.
As a younger bassist, there is an appeal to the idea of getting a custom fancy new bass, and playing the 1000 gigs myself, that way 20 years from now I have a fully mojoed bass that I fully mojoed myself and know inside and out
👍👍👍
Same here. They reignited my own enthusiasm for playing. I hadn't picked up my Ibanez Ex- Series in years. Actually, I had to go grab it outta the Tuff Shed.
But once I saw those interviews with Janek Gwizdala and Guy Pratt, that was all she wrote. I was off to the races. They've improved my playing already, and I'm not even signed up yet.
80's Tokai jazzes are incredible
Burny, Greco, and Orville by Gibson are great basses.
It I had a budget of $5k to spend, I would get a Fender's custom shop and I have and haven't been let down yet 💣
Don't forget the late 70s/early 80s Arias...especially the SB700s 800s and the SB1000s. Made in the Matsumoku factory and built like tanks. Play and sound fab.
Same with Westone the Matsumoku in house basses.
@@Neodude991exactly, got 2 Thunders 1 I love!
Much lesser known Matsumoku brand is Vantage. I own two. Just be careful of age, after Matsumoku stopped, brand was picked up and made in Korea by Samick starting in the very late 80s / early 90s. Some of them are also good (I've owned an early 90s 5 string since mid 90s), but far more hit and miss.
a mint one
I’ve been playing a Fender P-bass Road Worn for years, which is an imitation of a vintage instrument both in sound and feel. Then last year, I bought a 1989 Japanese Fender P-bass. 89 isn’t crazy vintage but I IMMEDIATELY felt the ‘it’s been played for decades’ once it first sat on my lap.
Get a boutique (custom built for you) bass made with new hardware and electronics, but milled from woods Properly aged for decades (30+ years) and you'll question why you'd ever want a vintage one other than for nostalgia. Old wood is drier (lighter) and far more stable and light than the relatively green wood used on most production lines.
Sounds like literally everything Sandberg is doing with their Masterpiece finished basses
I’m a woodworker and this doesn’t make sense. You can have wood with more or less moisture content, but unless you live in a very dry climate, your bass is going to reach an equilibrium moisture content. Any respectable guitar maker is using kiln dried wood so their finished product is stable moisture content is at equilibrium. Now if you said older wood might have better tonal qualities I could understand that because the wood harvested 30+ years ago was from older growth forests. Today’s quality of wood is different because it’s being harvested from newer growth forests. Same wood species but different looks, tonal qualities, etc.
You’re on the right track. Besides the old wood concept, I believe that the years of vibrations thru the instrument gives it the qualities we are all trying to describe as MOJO. My 64 Precision can attest to that. It is the “thousand gigs”!
Love Ian's comment at the end, that's what it's all about in the end
As a guitarist who's been on the playing journey for over 50 years, I'm new to the world of Bass and feel like I've taken a totally new path and it's amazing. I'm now a fully paid up member of the Academy and starting fresh so that my habits are good ones from the get go. 46 years ago I spent my first 3 months wages on a new Fender Strat and it's still with me now. You talk of 1000 gigs, well it doesn't have that many but I've easily put 12-15,000 hours on it and it's well and truly 'vintage'. Honestly I don't care what it's worth because I'll never sell it. In truth it's only an average Strat. I'd argue that the mojo it has comes from the time I have on it because that most certainly wasn't there when I bought it. I just made it MY guitar and stuck with it. Yes I have another 5 or 6 instruments but none of them touch me the way the Strat does.
My bass is new, a Squire CV Jazz and I'd describe it as a taxi as opposed to a race car. I was dipping my toe in the water and ended up waist deep before I knew what was happening. It's going to take me somewhere and when I arrive we'll see where I go from there.
At the risk of sounding “woo woo”, I believe the mojo is energy. Check out Dr Masaru Emoto’s experiments of water and then think about it from the perspective of a musical instrument. Each bass literally absorbs the energy of those 1000 gigs that you talk about. So who has owned and played an instrument, how they felt when they played it has a massive influence on its mojo.
Thanks guys for another great hangout. Reminds me of a previous video when Scott asks lan if he would consider making a custom / signature bass, to which lan replies - um no... A few weeks later - presto, the IMA ! Then Scott call him out ! Absolutely hilarious ! 😂
Love lan's Spector - Wow !
I just started to Play Bass and wanted to let you know that you both are a big reason why i enjoy it so much. You are an Inspiration thank you so much
🧡🧡🧡
Had a couple of both, the boutique and the vintage. Based on personal experience I will always choose vintage over boutique. Only own one bass at the moment, a vintage P-bass.
I think my opinion on the mojo is that vintage basses are worn in at certain spots, they are worn in to the previous owners favorite positions and techniques. So as you play them and accidentally get into those positions, they kind of pull you to play more like the previous owner because that’s where they are the most comfortable. So they feel inspiring because they like to hunker you down into those most comfortable positions and if it’s not what you’re used to do then it’ll feel like the bass has a mind of itself.
It would be cool for you guys to do an observation on your most played basses and see where you are wearing them in. My KZ four has little scoops in the front of the bridge pick up because of how often I use a pick on it and the bridge has finish worn off of it because I palm mute. I also slap a lot so there’s probably a lot of wear at the bottom of the fret board.
I own a Vintage 1980's Ibanez fretless 4 string, I love it very much. I paid $280 for it used in the mid 90's.
I call it “generational wear” and I love it. It makes what i get handed down so much more valuable and I teach my kid the same thing.
Love the John Scofield reference Scott… his playing is lush … drunk time… drunk melody lines that just WORK!!! so many of his albums have fabulous groove
I have a 1981 Ibanez Blazer Bass I picked up for less than $400 just a few months ago, and it is absolutely fantastic. Highly underrated instruments.
Couple things.
1- It all begins in the hands. Sound, feel- its all in the hands. A bassist who knows what he/she is doing can pick up any instrument and play a gig.
2- The way an instrument feels and plays definitely has an effect in the person playing it.
So in the end a vintage bass is for people who feel the need be legit and just having a good bass regardless of its age/maker is for the real players!
"it's not antique if I could have bought it new" is what we are all trying to not acknowledge 😅 love the chat
It's depressing that my main bass, a couple of years old when i bought it, is definitely in the vintage camp now.
I have a custom signature 5 string jazz bass. For me, it's the only way to go!
I just bought a vintage 1987 Jackson concert bass, amazing instrument, plays great, sounds amazing
👍👍👍
I just bought a japanese 1986 Fender 57's Reissue Precision Bass. It has been refinished reliced. This bass is insanely comfortable and the sound is thunderously punchy. Love it.
Also I have a Fender japanese PB-555 1985. It has two precision bass pickups which are positioned in an angle. Electronics: TBX Control - two volume pots one master tone, 3 way pickup selector and a switch between series and parallel modes. It's a beast too.
🔥🔥🔥
I ended up at Andy Baxter’s getting a 79 Ric cos of you guys. Best decision ever!! It rocks !
🧡🧡🧡
I've got a 1974 Carl Thompson that is an amazing instrument, though being one of his earlier instruments, isn't a "scroll" bass. It plays and sustains so well, however it's very neck heavy, due to the small, lightweight body. But the sound is amazing. About 11 years ago I sent it back to Carl for a fresh set-up, and while we kept the original Schaller passive pickups, he did install a Kent Armstrong preamp. I've also got a Alembic Distillate as well, so I guess I'm part of the "vintage boutique" crowd!
The discussion about the options that don't work in custom builds reminds me of my two Roscoes from back in the day. The first one I ordered was a fretless, with the standard Roscoe/Bartolini pickups and electronics. That bass was perfect and I really regret selling it. And yes, even brand new, it had mojo. My second Roscoe was fretted, and I chose some non-standard pickups and electronics, and it just didn't have *it* the way the fretless did. I'm pretty sure it would have been better with Roscoe's standard electronics. Still a fantastic bass, it just wasn't magical the way the fretless one was.
I have a 1980 Greco P Bass and it’s amazing!! Tone for days!
I had a reverse question to Ian's 'Yesss' when ask if it's old. My P-bass is a 72 that I've had since school. About five years ago, I had a kid guitar-player come up and say, "Is that a Fender Custom Shop P?" And i had to break his heart in telling him it was a '72 and I've had it forever!
I am so happy to hear Japanese brand names from you two, even Tokai and Greco. I have had 2 custom order basses off from makers' standard models with originality of my own like colors, pick ups, inlays...etc. Introducing originality to instrument is fun thing for me. By the way, I live in Tokyo and I'm happy to visit around bass shops with you. There are unlimited selections. Come to Tokyo.
THIS video is right up my alley! Wow! My newest bass is a 2005 Gibson SG. This week I'm going to look at (and likely buy) an incredibly rare 1980s bass, asking price $1,500 and the guy has owned it for the past 35 years. My take on this: check the setup, fret condition, make sure the truss rod adjusts well. Problems in these areas can blow your budget if they don't pan out and you need a pro to correct. When you are looking at a bass where less than 300 are made, and you REALLY want this model, it may not matter what it sounds like, because you may/will never find another. Let me know if you are headed to Tokyo to look at basses. I'm in....!
I've owned my 78 p bass for nearly 40 yrs and love it . I've looked after it but 100 s of gig's it's nicely worn, I'm retired now but would never sell it.being left handed means it very hard to buy a bass like the one i have.its a plank but i love it.great show boys😊hello from Poland.
I have 3 Yamaha Attitude ltds 1991 and will never part with them, but i still miss my Yamaha bb3000.1986.....the one i loved but it weighed a ton.....love you guys keep up the great work!!!!!!!
This video is perfect timing, I've just started lurking around reverb for a vintage bass
Hope you find what you're after!
Pedulla and warrior… nuff said. Plus the 70’s and 90’s jazz basses are my favorite eras. Own a 96 suhr era deluxe and dream of the block inlay of the 70’s
I bought my Pedulla Rapture 5 used at a tiny shop in Everett, WA. That bass definitely had the mojo!
Meanwhile me trying to decide between Squier and Harley Benton and asking Google how long I can run on instant noodles because I might never recover financially
Depending on where you live though, the second hand market can be very interesting. I'm in the Montreal, Canada area and a ton of varied things go by with the occasional hidden treasure. Latest was a 1997 Ibanez SR800 from a pawnshop, it was overlooked as just another Ibanez lower end model, not a 30+ year old Made in Japan by Fujigen.
squier and harley benton both make quality basses. don't feel pressured into blowing heaps of cash. when buying musical equipment it is the law of diminishing returns the more expensive it is.
@ Wasn't trying to pressure on more expensive stuff, in fact was saying check the used market, might be able to get something for the same / cheaper price is better if it wasn't clear.
Don’t forget, you can spec out your own Fender type bass over time. all the parts are replaceable/upgradeable and reverb/ebay makes it easier to find cool vintage parts to assemble into a sweet “custom” instrument
I would love that Ken Smith 4. -Hearing Evan Marion.🌟
In your list of boutiques - you should really add LEH. Ellis Hahn, who ran the Sadowsky shop for years, builds fabulous basses. Incredible playability, lots of custom options, and dealing with Ellis is a joy.
I struggle with accepting 70s as vintage but I’m 63 so it’s all about what you grew up with
The neck-through Aria Pro II Elites. Weigh a ton, sustain forever, play fast, sound great
If I had 5K to buy a bass, I would get a Mike Lull hands down! If I had 3K for a bass, I’d buy a used Mike Lull! 😅
I have one bass and one guitar that have "mojo." I purchased both used. They're both less than 20 years old, but they've both clearly have been "broken in." That's what I think of when I hear "mojo." A great bass should feel like an old pair of boots.
Y’all should do a dive into the smaller, second tier boutiques like Off Beat, Serek, etc.
As a "hobby cyclist" i will try to compare that vintage mojo to leather saddle in a bicycle
It takes hours upon hours to make it settled in, and as soon as it breaks in, its the most comfortable saddle by miles and miles
There were even adage of "sofa on bicycle" about how comfy it is
I want a 70s stingray sooooo badly! I never knew Ian worked at LaklAnd, that is so cool! My 5502 is one of my favorite basses!
46:13 - words that every one needs to go by.
I always thought it was weird whenever someone says they built their PERFECT instrument, but it winds up on Reverb within a year or two. I come from the guitar world and it seems to happen all the time. Meanwhile, you see the pros who let the builder just do what they think is good, and it's an instrument for life. More people need to think this way of "I'm going to let the expert tell me what's the best for what I need".
I've only got an 07 Schecter hellraiser 5 that I bought secondhand, it's got some scars but feels like it's been properly gigged with and I always get amazing compliments on how it looks and sounds. I know its not the most desired bass or even expensive but its super special to me.
You were talking, "what's the MOJO"?
I've worked in the lumber industry since May 9, 1985. Wood from a tree is Still Alive until it totally dies (dries out). Most of the time MOJO is sound and feel but when you take two of the same basses, the same year, but they sound and feel different, most of the time, the wood is drying at a different rate or the woods are from different trees. Even if the wood of two basses are from the same tree, maybe one is from the trunk and the other is from a branch. Wood is weird, and I absolutely love working with it.
Great video as always guys. My one push back on Adam’s vintage timeline ending at the 90s is that I recently acquired a 91 stingray 5 and even though it’s 90s it feels very vintage.
I think some of it could be age related. I was born in 1978 and started playing bass in 1990. Realizing some of the basses that I started on that were new or nearly new are now vintage (or on the verge of it) is a scary thought lol
There are large bass shops in Japan, China and right here in Orlando Florida. They are all on Reverb as well.
I have a lot of skin in this game, having vintage, custom made for me and custom i have acquired, for half what they most likely cost.
I have favourites amongst all of them, but my 65/66 Jazz is the best of the lot. Currently working with my builder, Bernie Goodfellow, to build a FSO with the sound and feet of the Jazz
Never seen a Bernie Goodfellow GB bass in the flesh, but they look amazing
I don’t have a custom bass, but I do have a 2004 custom built Carvin guitar. I know that the resale value is not close to what I spent, but it is the best guitar I’ve played. The value for me is priceless. If you have the chance to have a bass custom built, and you’ve always wanted that, do it.
I bought a Univox Stereo Bass in 1975 because I couldn't afford the Rick 4001, I still play it today! I use to be embarrased to admit it wasn't a Rick, now people are like OHH! that's so cool when I tell the story
I have 2 Tokai 'Hard Puncher'' very early 80's P basses. They have some serious growl. Love'em
Anything 80s Fujigen I’ve heard is good.
I got an 86 MIJ Fender J Bass last year for a ridiculous price and it plays beautifully.
I've not been able to get my hands on 80s Fujigen to play for any real length of time, but a couple months ago I picked up a 1997 Ibanez SR800 (Fujigen made) has made me want to try an 80s one even more ;)
My favourite bass I play just now is an Ibanez ATK300 from the 90’s. You should check that model out. It was known as the Stingray killer. It’s close to a Stingray but much more. I have everything from P basses, J basses, Lakland 5501, 1986 Japanese P bass, JayDee Supernatural, Dingwall etc etc but That Ibanez absolutely crushes them all.
Where do you rank the Jaydee Supernatural?
@@PjRjHjMy JayDee Supernatural is a brilliant bass. It is brilliant for funk and slap.
The 70's Jazz basses had fat necks, which is why they deserved their "uccck" response. I had a '65 that I bought in 1966 and loved that bass. I toured with it in the early 70's and really got used to that 60's Slim C-shape neck with a 7.25" radius. I fret my bass like Bobby Vega does - angle and meat of fingers to ring out, fingertips for faster notes and that neck is perfect for it. I also change my plucking position for warmer/darker, or brighter more percussive sounds With just the 3-year stint playing 5-mights a week, 50-weeks a year, I played 750 gigs with it. That's not counting the gigs I played in high-school, college, and after touring. Definitely over 1,000 gigs with that bass...just loved it. Then in 1976 it was stolen along with all my touring gear. So of course I started looking at 70's basses and they all had obese necks - just couldn't stand to play them.
Then fast forward to 1985 and while working PT at a music store (went back to college) came across this 1982 Olympic White Jazz with all maple neck and 70's era pickup spacing. After 4-days in the shop I finally played it and it felt like coming home. It has the exact same feel to the neck that my '65 did. It has a little brighter sound because of the pickup spacing and a lot more sustain than my '65 did. And, it records better than my '65 did too. I slightly boost the low-mids and recordings are like magic on it. I've been playing it ever since and it is my "dream bass". It has the feel and the sound, and she looks great too because I take good care of my instruments. My '65 Jazz was in great shape in 1976 when it was stolen. My '82 was in mint condition in '85 when I bought it and she still looks great today. The Olympic White finish has softened to a light cream color, but that just adds some sophistication to it. It provides a nice contrast to the stark white accents, pickups, and control knobs. I'd love to have my '65 back, but it wouldn't displace my '82 as my primary bass. And I am a firm believer that a bass with 1,000 gigs behind it doesn't have to look beat to crap.
My 78 P is amazing. So resonant and fun to play. I put in a 62’ custom Pup in it but other wise original. I paid just around 2k about a year ago. It’s got super nice play wear and just hits different than any of the newer p’s I’ve owned or played. I know the QC from that era is said to be questionable but this one is definitely a winner.🙂
My #1 bass is a '75 Fernandes (RIP) copy of an early '60s P. Manufactured by Kawai. Fernandes I don't think ever was a manufacturer. I bought it ~15 years ago, when I thought $1200 was too much to pay for a '70s Fender. It leaves me wanting for nothing as far as a P bass goes. Those late '70s / early '80s Japanese basses are insane value for money.
Yeah, they were a marketing company. Burny was also their brand,
After the Kawai period they used Matsumoku, Tōkai and others for manufacturing.
About ten years ago I bought one of their early eighties NOS Paul McCartney Rickenbacker copies,
with a toaster in the neck position. For around 600 euro!
I had two real Rickenbacker 4001's in the seventies but this one totally blew them out of the water.
It just has that elusive sound I never really got back then.
And with rounded edges on the body, it is much more comfortable.
Plus old school dot fret markers😎
Dreams can come true.
✌✌
@@UrbanGarden-rf5op That's awesome! I love the sound of a Rick, but I've never been able to make peace with the ergonomics. I think I've been playing FSO's for so long anything else just feels weird.
@@crumbum666 My Fernandes is a copy of the 4001v63,
which was a copy of sir Pauls actual bass.
He sent it to Rickenbacker when the horseshoe bridge pup died
and they took careful measurements and re-created it.
I believe that much of the special sound comes from the toaster pup.
It has less output than the later Hi-Gain pickups and is not made specifically for bass.
AFAIK Rickenbacker only made one model of toasters,
so it would be the same as the one on their 6 and 12 stringed guitars.
If you have some woodworking skills, you could get a decent copy of a regular Ric,
sand down the edges, make a belly comfort zone and install a toaster pup.
I would also recommend getting a Hipshot drop in replacement bridge,
huge difference in the ease of intonating, comfort and the ability to palm mute.
✌✌
Instead of buying a new bass either vintage or custom I still play on my London City Jazz Bass I got when I was 18 but upgraded it along the way. New Neck, new bridge, new pickupts etc. So it turned out in a kind of a 15 year old custom bass with the mojo I created on that myself. And I love it, each time I try other basses I'm like...naah, I want my own bass
I bought a '76 Mustang from eBay back in about 2010-12 for £500. At the time, there weren't any US/Mexican made ones and I think Japanese ones were about £1000 + import tax. Decided to take a gamble.
The original sunburst was covered in a horrible black paint that was peeling. I ended up stripping the body and refinishing it in a few thin layers of matte nitro. It turned into an amazing bass after a bit of slight regret after the initial purchase. I had it refretted with stainless steel frets and changed the tuners to HipShot Ultralights in lockdown because they were both worn out. Now all of the wear on the nitro is my wear, but the neck has the comfy original mojo.
It's just a lovley bass, but I also don't feel like it needs babying like I might a more original vintage bass.
I now have a Univox Professional bass that is everything a Fender P bass should be, but so often isn't. I put a Lollar pickup in there, but the stock pups were quite good. As you guys noted, the "lawsuit era" Japanese basses are often just flat out great.
I once played over 300 gigs in one year so your calculations are quite modest about the amount of time basses are played live!
I wanted a birth year (1978) bass and definitely could not afford a fender or stingray. Went the lawsuit route and got a Greco PB-600 for $400. Well worn like i wanted, as you guys said, looks to have been played a lot. It’s a bit heavy, but i love how it feels. It’s definitely a keeper.
'78er here too. I bought a Rickenbacker 4001 in the late nineties and it's been my number 1 for decades. I didn't realize until 2005 that I could look up the build date online from the serial number and was geeked to find out my Rick was born just 1 month after me. It's the perfect birth year bass.
I bought a 20 year old ibanez btb over christmas. Best of boutique and vintage 🤣
Great basses, my wife has a 2010 BTB we picked it up for £350 case and original paperwork included, wonderful instrument.
I had a Suzuki P bass copy early 80s! Tobacco burst. Best P bass I’ve ever played or had. Sold it, and regretted it ever since
I think the vibrations from playing does something to the wood. I have instruments from the 1970s and 1980s and they just feel different to newer instruments.
I have many old basses (fender :jb 62,jb 66, PB 75)musicman stingray 91,some Japanese basses from 80's and all you said is right...
I managed to pick up a ‘79 Hohner P Bass (MIJ) in sunburst for £60.00 on FB marketplace last month….by far the best bass I’ve played. Built like a tank, sounds amazing, tiny frets and jazz width neck.
I’m beyond amazed! My next bass I’m eyeing up is another 70’s/80’s MIJ P Bass (Greco Mercury Bass) either natural ash or black. I’m completely sold on these MIJ basses being AMAZING instruments for less than £1k.
For £5k you could get five of these basses!
I own two Matsumoku from the early 80s and they are a still semi-hidden treasure, but the word is getting out faster. So get your ultimate picks first before they really get known and people start jacking up the prices ;)
I just upgraded a Squier mini jazzmaster to custom specs.
The only thing that's stock is the body.
I gave it new alnico hummers, on-off's for each pup, each with their own phase reversal switch, as well as a pair of SD triple-shots and a fresh set of pots.
I replaced the standard hardtail bridge with a Schaller tom and a jazzmaster trem, kept in check by some Sperzel tuners.
The mini (22.3") neck was perfectly fine, so I swapped it for a 24" scale neck, which needed a bit of my own luthiery madness, cutting what I call a negative shim to prevent raising the action unnecessarily.
Yeah, it probably cost more in parts and effort than some of my axes, but it plays better than most of my actual waste of money guitars.
I always suggest players learn to mod instead of throwing money at names.
Working at an antique store we classified vintage as 40 plus years old and antique 100.
Sandberg makes great basses, and they do the wood shake thing lol. Their masterpiece aged instruments have a vibration and thermo treatment. Never tried one, but pretty wild lol. Also, Serek is making some killer basses right now!
Das könnte man natürlich als Luxusproblem bezeichnen. Ihr beiden habt aber schon alles dazu gesagt. Neue, tolle Sachen sind meistens fantastisch. Oldschool-Dinge begeistern ebenso.
Die Hauptsache ist man hat Spaß daran. Wenn dann zusätzlich das Publikum auch Spaß hat, dann hat man nichts verkehrt gemacht.
Ihr habt aber auch schon öfters bewiesen, dass günstige Bässe genauso glücklich machen können.
Greetings from Germany
Ian smoothly flexing with that "I'm just looking around to see if I'm missing any" 🤣
SBL CUSTOM BASS at an affordable price point would surely sell to new (and existing) students! something w/ a natural wood finish and the SBL logo would go hard!
Sometimes you get lucky in pawn shops. I got my 1982 mij Squier p bass for $120 a couple years ago
You need to recognize Pedulla basses. Michael Pedulla is a master luthier and deserves the recognition for the many years that he built.
The trouble with Pedulla basses is that Michael Pedulla has retired now. He was also maybe a little too early and didn't have a famous musician playing his instruments (Mark Egan is a musician's musician). Just a look at Reverb shows that, though very reasonably priced (less that 3000 $), his basses do not sell that well.
Bartolini too is a brand which is not that popular now (Nobody remembers that the Preamp in Marcus Miller's original Jazz bass is a Bartolini, installed by R. Sadowski). Otherwise quality of these instruments is second to none.
His retirement makes his basses become rare. Too early to be vintage? If its good enough for Gene Simmons, Will Lee and Mark Egan, just to name a few genres,....I'll take one.
@@jeanclaudebossonney7520
Best bass show out there, love ya guys ❤
Cheers!!
That's true about my Stingrays. I have an '02 and 2014. The older one has better mojo. However if I have a choice. I'd go new boutique.
Surprised the Ovation Magnum wasn’t an early mention, haven’t finished the video while commenting this. If it doesn’t come up I’d be very surprised.
I’m pretty obsessed with BC Rich stuff right now. I’d LOVE an Eagle or a Wave. I guess early crazy shapes are really peaking my interest right now.
Never gonna get one because my MTD’s have resolved all my bass envy but if I ever come into stupid money I could see myself snagging a natural finish BC Rich.
My Sadowsky Metro Line is better than my 65 Jazz, 68 P, Very Early Ken Smith ( I bought it out of his 13th street apartment, NYC). It has everything!!!
I have a 2005 Fender jazz Standard MIA, so technically it's now a vintage, always wanted a vintage 😅
A lot of classic '70s basses are WAY under $5000. Pretty sure there are a couple '70s jazz basses on my local Facebook Marketplace for less than $2,300. And I was just looking at Gibson Grabbers and Rippers last night. Those are around $2,000 on Reverb. '70s Stingrays and Rickenbackers will probably cost around $5000, but there are a ton of other awesome options for less than half the price. I can't speak for others but the difference for me between $5,000 and $2,000 is between completely unobtainable and "yeah, I could get that with some patience and discipline."
The reason why vintage Fenders often flatter to deceive is because so many of them are terrible. I must have played 200 or more before finding one I really liked. And older does not mean better. I tried a ‘59 P and several early 60s Jazzes that were hideous and a 1979 P and 1983 Jazz that were sublime (and light). Setup matters of course but if you’ve got enough experience you’ll know when you find “the one”. The advice to ignore pretty (internet) pictures and try a bunch together in the same shop is spot on.
Whew, I have so many thoughts about this, haha. Got plenty of vintage full mojo basses and also some real new basses that have just a great feel to them. I also had some really bad experiences with some of the companies you mentioned here. One was my fault, actually. I stay away from custom builds ever since.
Status is boutique imo and vintage since they been around since the 80s they do customs but you have to be kinda high profile but they arent ‘break the bank’ expensive a 4 string headed bolt on neck s23 sets you back 2,675 with no custom stuff which id say is decent price for absolute quality craftsmanship
The general consensus on vintage is 20-100 years old. At 100, it's an antique, and before 20, it's just a slightly older item. My old pickup truck was vintage when we got rid of it because it was 20 years old (even if the model year didn't start until after the manufacturing date for it), but nobody would call it vintage because there was no nostalgia for it. People need to have a nostalgia for something in order for it to be vintage, and if something's over 100 years old, only those with failing memories can recall the thing's glory days
I don't think nostalgia ties into vintage at all. Cars aren't called vintage because they wear and get worse with age. They become antiques, but are not vintage. Vintage lies in the idea that some things get better with age, like wine (it's literally in the word - vin - vine). Twenty year old cars are substantially worse than new cars. Twenty year old instruments are generally indistinguishable from new (in function and form).
Now, I disagree that electric instruments get BETTER with age, but they are of a class of electronic that also doesn't get substantially worse with age (especially passive instruments), and some people really vibe with the story of a well loved instrument (which is valuable in itself). At worst, the parts that degrade are replaceable (pots, caps, and pickup magnets).
This sax player said the only thing he wants from gear is to not think about the gear at all. If you're thinking about it then its the wrong gear - love that idea
Just got a Fodera Emperor 5 that was traded in at the shop 2022 model. Was played by a great player but was a bit too heavy. Plays with unbelievably sick mojo. Better than couple new ones I tried. Mike at Fodera says yeah playing in makes a big difference in resonance! Will have to take the bass out of my cold dead hands lol
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When the bass has one of THOSE sounds (14:00)
I call it The Precision Bass Effect.
under $5K you can get a lot of different Alembic's (Spoiler, Exploiter, Explorer, Epic) that are brilliant players, very well made from the 80's and 90's. I had an Alembic Spoiler built for me in the 80's and it's still my favorite bass
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Yamaha does a treatment on their top line, new BB basses (BBP3x) that might be the "mojo process". It adds twice the price to the bass (along with made in Japan) so its SOMETHING.
I love my Lakland Joe Osborn Skyline 5, I've had it for about 20 years at this point and it's my most gigged bass, thousands of gigs at this point, recorded multiple albums with it. Only thing I wish it had would be a road worn type finish, which you'd think I'd have given how much I've gigged it, but the only thing is it will build up a bit of gunk on the front of the maple fretboard, the rest looks totally new. My only regret in my bass playing days is how I got this bass, I traded my '93 Stingray 5 with birdseye maple board for it...
I believe vintage is where it begins to get scarce in thrift stores and antique is over a hundred years old.
Early ESP 400 Jazz und Precision Basses from the 80s are very good! The Guitars (Strats and Tellis) aber going a bit up in Price, but the Basses are under the Radar.
I would like to hear a blind test from various people vintage/boutique basses and basses made with something like a Warmoth neck and body and top quality hardware and electronics. I don't think there would be any advantage for the vintage/boutique basses. Collectors want that stuff but working bass players don't need it.