I played a 1979 left handed P-Bass priced £2200 the other day

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WiresDreamDisastersWiresDreamDisasters Frets: 16664
edited June 2019 in Bass
It was nice. But I noticed a few frets were lower than the others - yeah, not higher.. lower... like, those frets wouldn't fret properly! Probably need replacing I'd imagine.

It was quite nice sounding, but also plain at the same time. I was used to just having a volume and a tone knob on a bass!

But I'd say out of all the basses I've ever played, it played the most like a regular guitar. Thinnish neck, low action, and wasn't difficult to play at all. 

But £2200? Are they really worth that much!?!

Bye!

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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24578
    It was nice. But I noticed a few frets were lower than the others - yeah, not higher.. lower... like, those frets wouldn't fret properly! Probably need replacing I'd imagine.

    It was quite nice sounding, but also plain at the same time. I was used to just having a volume and a tone knob on a bass!

    But I'd say out of all the basses I've ever played, it played the most like a regular guitar. Thinnish neck, low action, and wasn't difficult to play at all. 

    But £2200? Are they really worth that much!?!
    I had a 74 P for a while which I paid about £1700 for. It was good - but the 70s neck profile wasn’t for me. I like the pre-CBS wide and slim. My 64 is 45mm at the nut and the action is spot on. It’ll need a refret at some point tho - I’ve got a couple of low frets as well strangely.

    £2200 is a bit too much imho. I wonder if the premium is cos it’s a lefty
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  • It could be. I'm used to being buggerhino'd because I'm a lefty. (let someone take that quote out of context!)

    I'm not great on the history stuff. When was pre-CBS?

    Bye!

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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24578
    edited June 2019
    It could be. I'm used to being buggerhino'd because I'm a lefty. (let someone take that quote out of context!)

    I'm not great on the history stuff. When was pre-CBS?
    Up to the end of 64 approximately. After about 65/66 the Precision boards went thinner at the nut from about 45 down to 41mm or so - and for me they lose a bit of the slick feel.

    Mind you, I’m a fingers player and I find when live that the wider board gives a wider spacing (right down to the saddles) and I find that more comfortable in the melee of gigging - just feels more comfortable. Which probably explains why I’ve never got on with Jazz’s - which are about 38mm at the nut and I find them just too cramped up. 

    I’ve seen a couple of early 60’s Precision lefty’s so they do exist - and probably a few more early 70’s lefty’s as well.

    Got to admit tho, if I was looking for a lefty with a bit of a vintage vibe or history to it I’d probly look for an 80’s Jap Squier (with or without the fender logo) - they did more lefty’s and they are under half the price of a late 70’s early 80’s US one and for me are much better basses...
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71956
    edited June 2019
    January 4th 1965 is technically the end of pre-CBS since that's the date the company was sold, although the instruments didn't start to noticeably change until mid-1965, so most people would say an early '65 is 'pre-CBS' as well.

    £2200 sounds very high for a 70s P-Bass, especially one as late as 1979 - up to '75 is generally thought to be better from a quality point of view, and many later-70s ones are very heavy. But as you say, you may be having to bend over a bit as a lefty . Left-handed P's are pretty rare as far as I know.

    On the other hand a friend of mine recently paid £1800 for a right-handed '69 P, but it was knackered and needed £400-worth of work doing on the neck, and it still isn't exactly right. The problem is that to make it so would significantly compromise the originality and hence "devalue" it. It's a funny world...

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • I think on balance I'd rather throw (if I was gonna!) £2200 at Dingwall, Warwick, Sandberg, Musicman or something like that. Hell, even the modern Fenders are pretty decent.

    It's just fun to play something old for a bit I suppose!

    Bye!

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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14321
    Bridgehouse said:
    the 70s neck profile wasn’t for me.
    In one sense, none of us has ever experienced the true Seventies CBS Fender P Bass neck profile. We have merely passed within 2mm of it courtesy of the smothering of clear coat. If the finish on your 74 had as many lumps and bumps as my 78/79, you could have practiced Phrenology on it.
    Be seeing you.
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24578
    I think on balance I'd rather throw (if I was gonna!) £2200 at Dingwall, Warwick, Sandberg, Musicman or something like that. Hell, even the modern Fenders are pretty decent.

    It's just fun to play something old for a bit I suppose!
    Add ACG to the list - innovative designs and superb build quality - he does lefties for the same money and you can spec out your own woods and pickup choices across a range of styles. 
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24578
    Bridgehouse said:
    the 70s neck profile wasn’t for me.
    In one sense, none of us has ever experienced the true Seventies CBS Fender P Bass neck profile. We have merely passed within 2mm of it courtesy of the smothering of clear coat. If the finish on your 74 had as many lumps and bumps as my 78/79, you could have practiced Phrenology on it.
    I experienced the true p bass neck profile on about 3 inches of it where it had been worn off...
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14321
    edited June 2019
    Let me guess. Between the fifth and seventh fret positions?
    Be seeing you.
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24578
    Let me guess. Between the fifth and seventh fret positions?
    Maybe
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