The Last Bass Outpost

Gear Discussion Forums => Fender Basses => Topic started by: Bionic-Joe on August 02, 2015, 12:20:50 PM

Title: Should I trade My '65 T Bird II for a refin 1961 Jazz Bass?????
Post by: Bionic-Joe on August 02, 2015, 12:20:50 PM
I played a KILLER refin 1961 Jazz bass at CME here in Chicago. It's Black with a white Guard, Mid 1960's Pickups, new harness...both body and back of neck were refinned. I was wondering...would I regret trading my T bird II for it???? It's plays and sounds so good. Thoughts?
Title: Re: Should I trade My '65 T Bird II for a refin 1961 Jazz Bass?????
Post by: copacetic on August 02, 2015, 12:28:09 PM
Hmmm... Tough one. A good Jazz (light weight , balanced , good feel and sound). How many T Birds do you have? You have to have all facets in your arsenal. A good Jazz covers a lot of basses.
Title: Re: Should I trade My '65 T Bird II for a refin 1961 Jazz Bass?????
Post by: Highlander on August 02, 2015, 12:59:19 PM
TBII's are getting rarer and rarer, and you cycle stuff around quite frequently, as we all know...
Old Jazz' are not as scarce but are probably more desirable, overall, so demand higher prices...
As instruments, they are chalk-and-cheese so it is an instrument in your hands and the feel it gives you...
Do you need a Jazz right now, and how soon will you regret letting the TB go...?
That's your usual conundrum...
Title: Re: Should I trade My '65 T Bird II for a refin 1961 Jazz Bass?????
Post by: Dave W on August 02, 2015, 01:31:51 PM
I wouldn't.
Title: Re: Should I trade My '65 T Bird II for a refin 1961 Jazz Bass?????
Post by: Bionic-Joe on August 02, 2015, 01:52:05 PM
One of my buddies thinks the vintage price of Fender Bolt on's is insane when you could build a better one. However...there is something to be said about OLD wood. I only own 2 T birds...One original Sunburst 1965 II and one refin Pelham Blue 1965 II. Both Reverse, both unbroken. I also have Tom Petersson's Hamer 8 string T bird. I think you're right Dave. As Much as A Cool slab Board Jazz is...Birds are SUPER RARE..especially UNBROKEN ones... But Man... SO tempting. I'd have to spend a $1,00 on a proper refin/Relic from RS..plus a celluloid guard is expensive!!! THANKS GUYS!!
Title: Re: Should I trade My '65 T Bird II for a refin 1961 Jazz Bass?????
Post by: patman on August 02, 2015, 03:32:33 PM
I'm kind of a Fenderish guy, and I would not trade a bird for a Fender...I suspect if I got to live with a bird for a number of years, I would never go back.  Of course, I need a low "B" string to play live, so it would have to be a fiver of some sort... a very rare bird.
Title: Re: Should I trade My '65 T Bird II for a refin 1961 Jazz Bass?????
Post by: Pilgrim on August 02, 2015, 05:05:10 PM
A '61 J is a collector item.  if you're not going to keep it for some time, I wouldn't go for it - you wouldn't get good value from the trade.
Title: Re: Should I trade My '65 T Bird II for a refin 1961 Jazz Bass?????
Post by: Bionic-Joe on August 02, 2015, 05:15:22 PM
Well I've been eyeing this bass for some time....I almost traded for a slab Jazz that belonged to Kevin Costner's bass player.
I almost traded for a sunburst 1965 jazz bass but it didn't have the oval lollipop tuners that I wanted.
Title: Re: Should I trade My '65 T Bird II for a refin 1961 Jazz Bass?????
Post by: Bionic-Joe on August 02, 2015, 05:17:39 PM
I mean.. (Old Wood)....I guess I'd regret dumping the Thunderbird....But the neck was smooth and straight....the tone rang....

http://www.chicagomusicexchange.com/products/fender-jazz-bass-black-refin-1961-s803

 :sad:
Title: Re: Should I trade My '65 T Bird II for a refin 1961 Jazz Bass?????
Post by: patman on August 02, 2015, 05:44:56 PM
sorry to be a heathen, but there are a bunch of Jazz bass clones that would probably sound as good...am I missing something?
Title: Re: Should I trade My '65 T Bird II for a refin 1961 Jazz Bass?????
Post by: nofi on August 02, 2015, 05:49:45 PM
there are lots of good clones around but i guess baz wants the real (expensive) original.

i had a 1966 jazz back in the day. bound, blocked with lollipops. i paid 150 bucks for it with the hardshell case. :mrgreen:
Title: Re: Should I trade My '65 T Bird II for a refin 1961 Jazz Bass?????
Post by: Bionic-Joe on August 02, 2015, 07:49:02 PM
I LIKE VINTAGE
Title: Re: Should I trade My '65 T Bird II for a refin 1961 Jazz Bass?????
Post by: 4stringer77 on August 03, 2015, 07:47:29 AM
Fender? Pffft. Get an EB1. Sell that Hi-Watt yet?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpwNc-xwnxo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WJMK1a5Biw
Title: Re: Should I trade My '65 T Bird II for a refin 1961 Jazz Bass?????
Post by: Bionic-Joe on August 03, 2015, 04:14:20 PM
NOPE! Still have it...I'm broker than Broke... NO LUCK selling on Ebay anymore..No freelance work...Bad bad bad...
Title: Re: Should I trade My '65 T Bird II for a refin 1961 Jazz Bass?????
Post by: Alanko on August 07, 2015, 02:41:16 AM
sorry to be a heathen, but there are a bunch of Jazz bass clones that would probably sound as good...am I missing something?

I tend to agree. I would save up and get a builder to make me a tasty Jazz with all the good aspects of the refin. I would keep the TBII.
Title: Re: Should I trade My '65 T Bird II for a refin 1961 Jazz Bass?????
Post by: Pilgrim on August 07, 2015, 09:52:27 AM
The start to building a Jazz made for ANY variation in taste as far as woods, pickups, neck, binding, etc is not much more demanding than a run through a parts catalog.
Title: Re: Should I trade My '65 T Bird II for a refin 1961 Jazz Bass?????
Post by: godofthunder on August 10, 2015, 05:51:01 AM
    Keep the bird!
Title: Re: Should I trade My '65 T Bird II for a refin 1961 Jazz Bass?????
Post by: Bionic-Joe on August 23, 2015, 05:27:06 AM
Well I did it Friday Night... traded a 1965 Bird and got a 1960/61 Jazz Bass.....'



      Of course I went back the next day and got my T Bird back. Jazz was cool! I had the action SO LOW on it it was insane. But there was some question to the originality of the body (It was a refin) and it had been refretted with Gibson size frets......One big thing is that it did NOT have the output of a T bird through My 100 watt GK combo. I was VERY pleased to get my Thunderbird back.

Nice experience to really try a vintage jazz. I'll stick with my '78/'81 dot neck/binding maple neck Jazz with SD 1/4 pounders.....
Title: Re: Should I trade My '65 T Bird II for a refin 1961 Jazz Bass?????
Post by: Blackbird on August 24, 2015, 02:07:14 PM
Well I did it Friday Night... traded a 1965 Bird and got a 1960/61 Jazz Bass.....'



      Of course I went back the next day and got my T Bird back. Jazz was cool! I had the action SO LOW on it it was insane. But there was some question to the originality of the body (It was a refin) and it had been refretted with Gibson size frets......One big thing is that it did NOT have the output of a T bird through My 100 watt GK combo. I was VERY pleased to get my Thunderbird back.

Nice experience to really try a vintage jazz. I'll stick with my '78/'81 dot neck/binding maple neck Jazz with SD 1/4 pounders.....

BaZ..if you get bored give this a try for me :P

http://www.chicagomusicexchange.com/products/fender-custom-shop-dusty-hill-signature-precision-bass-relic-2012-s730 (http://www.chicagomusicexchange.com/products/fender-custom-shop-dusty-hill-signature-precision-bass-relic-2012-s730)
Title: Re: Should I trade My '65 T Bird II for a refin 1961 Jazz Bass?????
Post by: Bionic-Joe on August 24, 2015, 05:04:24 PM
No Way. Dude...this is a Tele bass...what's there to try???
Title: Re: Should I trade My '65 T Bird II for a refin 1961 Jazz Bass?????
Post by: Blackbird on August 24, 2015, 05:15:00 PM
I don't have access to try one for myself....thought you could give' er a go next time you were at cme.  I like them.
Title: Re: Should I trade My '65 T Bird II for a refin 1961 Jazz Bass?????
Post by: Bionic-Joe on August 25, 2015, 01:26:42 PM
Oh...Ok...Absolutley! I'll do that next time I go there. Those guys are REALLY cool there.
Title: Re: Should I trade My '65 T Bird II for a refin 1961 Jazz Bass?????
Post by: Blackbird on August 26, 2015, 07:01:55 AM
I've had some dialog about it, but it's pricey and I'd like an experienced player to give it a go!  I'm hooked on the reliced Fenders, but this looks that much cooler to me.
Title: Re: Should I trade My '65 T Bird II for a refin 1961 Jazz Bass?????
Post by: Bionic-Joe on August 26, 2015, 06:11:10 PM
I'm sure it's nice...that Pino bass is nice but it had a strange fat neck...like a Tele almost...and they had a real Vintage 1965 P bass that had the exact same shape neck as the Pino bass...