Hysterically Priced P-Bass

[Matt R.]

Some silly goose thinks they'll get the BIN for this. Awesome Bass, but damn.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Fender-American-199 ... 500wt_1100

[AzWhoFan]

ya'd think the nimrod would put strings on it - or at least include a set - for that kind of money.

[andrew]

The seller is a great believer in wishful thinking.

[slybass3000]

ya'd think the nimrod would put strings on it - or at least include a set - for that kind of money.

Yeah that's true ! No strings attached LOL

[NoXX]

Dumb question... slightly off topic (sorry)... doesn't leaving the bass without strings do bad things to the neck, especially on an older instrument?

[slybass3000]

I don't think it is that bad. It might take a few days to get it stable I guess when you put the strings back on.

[Matt R.]

Yeah it's not that bad in my experience. Like sly says, just takes some settling.

[Retag]

At that price, it will stay in the basement.

[Lefty007]

Dumb question... slightly off topic (sorry)... doesn't leaving the bass without strings do bad things to the neck, especially on an older instrument?

In my experience and opinion, yes, it's very bad if you leave a neck without string for a long period of time and you don't relieve the tension from the truss rod. Ideally, a neck should always be straight or almost straight, strings or not. It's equally bad to leave a neck with a bow (for example, a back bow from the high tension of heavy gauge strings) for a long period of time. Wood develops memory over time. Unfortunately I've come across a few Fenders that were left with back bows for too much time, and the truss rod just won't set the neck straight after a few years -- even after trying several techniques that luthiers apply in thoese cases. This is typical of vintage Fenders that have not been setup properly through their lives, and the reason why I gave up buying or even considering older Fenders unless I can play them first.

Although in that particular '90s P-Bass, those necks have graphite reinforcement, so they are stronger and could be okay. Oh, yes, that eBay seller is tripping.

[Agent00Soul]

Unfortunately I've come across a few Fenders that were left with back bows for too much time, and the truss rod just won't set the neck straight after a few years -- even after trying several techniques that luthiers apply in thoese cases.

I can vouch that this is 100% true. I bought a used 93 Fender Custom Shop bass in 2001 and the neck had been left in similar circumstances. After 2 years of constant repairs by experienced guys, including a change of truss rod LOL, and regular use by me, it just died beyond repair and I swapped it out with a Warmoth. Even FCS isn't immune.