Joey Long's 1960 Jazz Returns

[pjmuck]

I think when you're talking about an instrument of this rarity and significance, terms like "playability", "tone", etc. are almost immaterial. This IS an investment, not unlike a work of art or any other valuable item you put on a wall or in a museum. It's what it represents as the birth of an iconic instrument compounded with it's background history that makes it important. The fact that you can plug it in and make music with it is a nice added bonus, but who in their right mind would drag it out to a local bar gig without a couple of armed bodyguards? I understand being musicians we're passionate about elements of an instrument that make it play/sound outstanding, and it's quite possible this instrument doesn't possess any of those traits. But it really doesn't matter when you're talking about an item at this level anymore, and believe me, if you just plunked down $30,000 for it you're going to hear whatever you want to hear. It may as well be a rare stamp, comic book, coin, car, folk art (ever seen what some cigar indians or weather vanes go for?), etc. I don't need to be a painter to buy a painting.

It's a 1960 lefty Fender Jazz bass. I've seen only one other lefty (Route 66 Guitars years ago in sunburst). I don't care if an Alembic, Lakland, Custom Shop Fender, or a Dean plays better. They ain't a 1960 Fender Jazz Bass!

[Jules1]

Why not asking him to throw out that two-stack-knobs and selling it with the better sounding normal V.V.T. configuaration ?

I'm sure it will drop his price down for at least 5-10.000

[bbl]

...the last three owners of this bass had more money than sense...

At least 2 of those owners realized a very nice profit when they sold it.

Whatever you or I or any one person thinks its value is is irrelevant to its value. It's worth what someone is willing to pay, and there's a history of transactions that say that someone is willing to pay a lot.

[fivebass52]

Tried to find a youtube video of him playing the Fender, but all I saw was him playing an Ampeg Scroll bass... wa-wahhhhhhhh!

[pjmuck]

Makes you wonder why Joey would sideline his Jazz in favor of that Ampeg the majority of the time. Perhaps it was purely for it's appearance, since they are cool looking, but those Ampeg Scrolls (particularly the earlier ones with the "mystery" bridge piezo-type PUP) are some of the worst sounding basses I've ever heard. Once they figured that out and added a PUP in the sweet spot, they improved, but it was too late for sales to increase.

This video was made 3 years ago by one of the former owners/dealers showing details:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dYeBF0swrw

Here's an article about the bass that appeared in Vintage Guitar Magazine a couple of years ago. There used to be a YouTube video of the bass in action played by a previous owner doing, "Opus 17", but it's no longer there. I think the barrage of negative comments might have scared him off, as the guy was admittedly not a bassist.

http://www.vintageguitar.com/3831/joe-l ... jazz-bass/

[markcv]

Anybody else spot the righty 1960 Jazz for $45,000? In far better condition apparently but also more common... obviously.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1960-Fender-Jaz ... 469wt_1339

[gravesbass]

...and the seller leans it with the body touching the concrete ground.. Really? I don't see anything supporting the body..... Geezzzzz

[markcv]

@graves... well... it WAS museum quality.

[amimbari]

wow I had to search a bit to even find him playing that in a video:
Is this the same one you think?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwuL3Up_mpg

[pjmuck]

wow I had to search a bit to even find him playing that in a video:
Is this the same one you think?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwuL3Up_mpg

Nope, that's "only" a pre-CBS lefty P bass. Didn't know he had one of those too! Now where do you suppose that one is hiding?!

[AzWhoFan]

wow I had to search a bit to even find him playing that in a video:
Is this the same one you think?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwuL3Up_mpg

Nope, that's "only" a pre-CBS lefty P bass. Didn't know he had one of those too! Now where do you suppose that one is hiding?!

IIRC, the Pbass was essentially destroyed from years of touring abuse

[fivebass52]

An then there's this video... only at the end do you see the scroll bass -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfZNN3C5vMM

I watched other videos, and only saw the scroll bass, but it sounded good in the mixes, very plunky, with an upright sound. May have been why he used it alot during that time.