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Dontay
01-09-2017, 11:15 AM
Hey guys I am posting here because I wanted the opinion of the TR community.

I just bought a Vintage fender from GC, Hollywood. Do I need to have a third party check it out? Do the GC buys do their homework? Just wondering.

brian_primrose
01-10-2017, 07:32 AM
Good morning, Dontay.

Congratulations on your find. I hope it brings you hours of pleasure.

I can not speak to the reliability of the staff at GC regarding the verification of the condition and provenance of the bass, upon which its' value depends. I expect that it would be quite variable depending upon the individual. I expect that you payed at least between $10,000 and $20,000 USD for the bass. At that level of investment, personally, I would have bass and its' provenance checked out by a qualified expert, the same as I would do if I was considering investing the same amount in a stock.

Brian

kimgee
01-10-2017, 08:44 AM
From my personal experience with a number of GC locations in various parts of the country.............the typical GC employee couldn't find his behind with both hands and a road map. You really should have a knowledgeable Fender person check that bass, as counterfeits are quite common. The neck could be vintage and the body from a different year and/or brand. Vintage decals are widely available and can be applied and then "aged" to fool the naive. Buying vintage Fender basses can be a real mine field and not for the faint of heart. The dates on the body, neck and electronics should all match. I have bought a lot of vintage basses, but I stay away from Fender for this very reason. It's very, very easy to get screwed, and due to their typically high price, the incentive to deceive is ever present. Good luck.

Dontay
01-11-2017, 11:57 AM
Good morning, Dontay.

Congratulations on your find. I hope it brings you hours of pleasure.

I can not speak to the reliability of the staff at GC regarding the verification of the condition and provenance of the bass, upon which its' value depends. I expect that it would be quite variable depending upon the individual. I expect that you payed at least between $10,000 and $20,000 USD for the bass. At that level of investment, personally, I would have bass and its' provenance checked out by a qualified expert, the same as I would do if I was considering investing the same amount in a stock.

Brian

I am not even close to being that rich Brian, 10- 20 K , lol.

Dontay
01-11-2017, 02:23 PM
From my personal experience with a number of GC locations in various parts of the country.............the typical GC employee couldn't find his behind with both hands and a road map. You really should have a knowledgeable Fender person check that bass, as counterfeits are quite common. The neck could be vintage and the body from a different year and/or brand. Vintage decals are widely available and can be applied and then "aged" to fool the naive. Buying vintage Fender basses can be a real mine field and not for the faint of heart. The dates on the body, neck and electronics should all match. I have bought a lot of vintage basses, but I stay away from Fender for this very reason. It's very, very easy to get screwed, and due to their typically high price, the incentive to deceive is ever present. Good luck.

Thanks for advice.

Elmeaux
01-11-2017, 11:27 PM
We don't even HAVE a GC in my town. I tend to buy from local businesses here; when I bought my last bass, they did an inspection upon arrival. All seemed OK when I picked it up.

kimgee
01-12-2017, 09:12 AM
Here is one example, from many, of my experience with GC. I found a bass I wanted in a GC in Michigan. I called the store, and was able to get some basic info, but they obviously had little knowledge about Warwicks in general, and Dolphins specifically. I had to tell them where the serial number was located so they could relay it to me. I did my research and decided to order the bass and have it shipped to the local GC, so I could inspect it before taking it home. Also, it was from 1988 and GC's have differing return policies depending on the age of the instrument. I am always cautious with GC, and Sam Ash, as mistakes are common. When I picked the bass up, the clerk told me that I was smart to have it shipped to the store, not for inspection purposes, but because several times a month they have situations where the sending GC doesn't send the correct guitar when a customer places an on-line order. I was shocked by that admission, and asked, OK, what happens then? The clerk shrugged and said, "Yeah, it's a problem". To me, this is a foreseeable outcome when you pay individuals a minimum wage to sell equipment that can cost thousands of dollars. I have had similar experiences, or worse, with both GC and Sam ASh well over 50% of the times I have dealt with them. I now buy the vast majority of my guitars on Reverb.

brian_primrose
01-14-2017, 08:00 AM
Just going by what I saw on offer on EBay:p
Brian

Trayster2
01-15-2017, 08:09 PM
Try either one of these links for help.

https://support.fender.com/hc/en-us/articles/212774746-How-can-I-find-out-when-my-American-made-instrument-was-manufactured-

https://support.fender.com/hc/en-us/sections/202726846-Product-Dating

kimgee
01-18-2017, 08:42 AM
This is the sort of stuff that blows my mind:

http://www.dhgate.com/product/wholesale-high-quality-rick-semi-hollow-rick/375003764.html?recinfo=8,103,5#cppd-5-5|null:103:r0195651302

I have always wanted a vintage Ric bass like that, but they sell for around $15k in good shape. That is waaaaaay out of my price range. But here is a good looking copy for under $500.00 including shipping. There are a lot of videos on youtube showing people unpacking, testing, and commenting on Chinese made guitars. This means they are out and about, and some are very good fakes. Be careful, as they are copying pretty much EVERYTHING in China.

Elmeaux
01-18-2017, 09:00 AM
What a beauty!

kimgee
01-18-2017, 09:40 AM
What a beauty!

Pretty scary though. Oh, and I saw a nice looking White Falcon copy on there for you Elmeaux........also under $500. It's madness I tell ya!!! Foderas, Warwicks, Fenders.........no brand is safe!

Elmeaux
01-18-2017, 02:48 PM
Pretty scary though. Oh, and I saw a nice looking White Falcon copy on there for you Elmeaux........also under $500. It's madness I tell ya!!! Foderas, Warwicks, Fenders.........no brand is safe!

I can appreciate a nice (ahem) tribute bass on its face, and I'd buy one like the Ric copy for the price alone, but I'm not sure I'd be happy with a lookalike Falcon.

Then again, I could end up eating my words if somebody just GAVE me a duplicate model.

:cool: