Faking 80s Basses?

[eb2]

I just had a strange experience with my local shop.  I have been doing business there for several years, and usually with the owner.  I brought some stuff in to consign, and he wasn't there but one of his guy was.  I brought in an 82 P that I bought as a wreck and have had for around seven or eight years.  It has a clean neck, and an oversprayed body but most of the original finish, and I also replaced the bridge.  In general a nice clean if re-done to some extent bass.  They went over it and the other stuff I brought in but never asked me what was up for particulars.  The guy starts telling me I have a refinished 90s Mexican bass, and someone ripped me off, they pulled the neck and guard and it has Mexican stickers. I said the "oh really" thing and just took it home.  Now, I know it isn't - besides the 82 date, and ground lug/routing like an 80s body, I paid very little for it.  It would have cost more to fake it than what I bought it for.  But is anyone faking late 70s basses out of Mexican basses?  Or, as I suspect, the guy knew some stuff didn't match and was trying to get me to sell it straight out for peanuts?

[Dave W]

I'm not aware of anybody doing that regularly. Hard to imagine there would be a big call for it.

[Freuds_Cat]

If your mates with the owner, I would take it back to him and ask his opinion. If he is a stand up kinda operator you might be doing him a favor in letting him know that one of his staff is either less than the expert he claims or a bit of a hustler.

[eb2]

I get along with him pretty well, and I do think he is a fair and stand up guy, so I am going to talk to him.  It really is bugging me as it was kind of public, and either he thinks I am a moron, was trying to grease me, or he could have been implying that I was trying to pull a fast one on him with his limited and offbeat knowledge.  Either way, it is not sitting too well with me.  I put a post on the Fender forum to get some back-up.  I know a bit about Mexibasses, but not enough for sure.  I want to lay it out and either get things right there or walk away, but I wouldn't want that experience again for myself or anyone else.

[patman]

don't all the mexis have the truss rod adjuster at the headstock?--American and Japanese Fenders I have seen have been at the base of the neck??

[Dave W]

don't all the mexis have the truss rod adjuster at the headstock?--American and Japanese Fenders I have seen have been at the base of the neck??

It's been a few years since I sold my 82 Precision, but IIRC, regular line (not vintage reissue) early 80s US Fender basses were headstock adjust.

[eb2]

They switch in very late 82/early 83 to the biflex truss rods on the American Standard.  But this would be the 80-82 types with the old rod, old tuners, b neck, old "S" decals.