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Post subject: P Bass body width
Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 10:11 pm
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I recently sold a 78 P Bass to a guy who asked me to measure the widest point of the body. I told him 13", which is the Fender spec width, and I didn't look at it closer. As far as I was concerned it's something that doesn't change from bass to bass and is a trivial measurement. In retrospect I should have used a couple of squares to get a correct reading. He received the bass yesterday and claims that because it's actually 12.75" it's not a full size body and he wants to return it.

Does anyone have any knowledge about this? I haven't been able to find out anything on the FAQs here or in several Fender books. My 62 P Bass is 12.75" and I am under the assumption that all P Basses were machine cut to the same size. If P Bass body size was never a variable it doesn't deserve consideration for a refund but if it is true, and can be verified, I want to do the right thing.

Thanks

Bob Walker


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Post subject: Re: P Bass body width
Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 9:50 am
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Okay so-- I just went down to the Man Cave and measured a couple of my P basses so I could get this exact. I will now say that in the 70's and 80's (especially) some may be 13 some may be closer to 12 3/4. They are not all exactly the same. On the blue print it probubly says 13 - or whatever but there are just measurements on Fenders that are / can be just a little different from bass to bass. You can measure overall lengths also and they may be slightly different . It's just that simple.

Maybe there is some other reason he wants to return the bass- I don't know.

If you look at alot of pictures of Fender basses you may see some of these differences like where the strap buttons are located on the horn, etc, etc.

In my humble opinion I would say that this is no reason to return a bass.


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Post subject: Re: P Bass body width
Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 3:10 pm
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stroker vance wrote:
Okay so-- I just went down to the Man Cave and measured a couple of my P basses so I could get this exact. I will now say that in the 70's and 80's (especially) some may be 13 some may be closer to 12 3/4. They are not all exactly the same. .


Do you have any that are at least a full 13" and is closer to 12.75"+ the more common size? I'm determining now whether he did have a chance, and therefore the option, to find one. He did specify it and if an actual 13" wide body is readily available for sale in the current Ebay list I'll likely take it back and eat the shipping or try to split it.

bob W


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Post subject: Re: P Bass body width
Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 6:58 pm
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yes I have p basses that are a full 13 wide. I don't know what is common 13 or 12.75.

I can't imagine why someone would be worried about the body size since they have such small differences in width. To each his own I guess.
Maybe the guy might think it's an aftermarket or fake body? If you happen to ask him why- please let me know.


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Post subject: Re: P Bass body width
Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2011 8:08 am
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stroker vance wrote:
yes I have p basses that are a full 13 wide. I don't know what is common 13 or 12.75.

I can't imagine why someone would be worried about the body size since they have such small differences in width. To each his own I guess.
Maybe the guy might think it's an aftermarket or fake body? If you happen to ask him why- please let me know.


He's just particular and is one of these guys that believes every gram of body weight affects the sound. I've tried to explain that a chopped up tear drop P Bass still sounds like a P Bass and that 10 P basses with different wood, strings etc will sound similar when played by the same guy but 10 players will make a single P bass sound different.

I'm taking it back and I'll sell it again. It's happened before and each time I actually made more money the second time around. This bass was rarely touched or played and for all intent and purpose is brand new. I'll have my bass playing luthier do a number on it and someone will end up with a gem.

Thanks for the help and I'll chalk it all up to experience.

Bob W


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Post subject: Re: P Bass body width
Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2011 8:27 am
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GAWD-- I just can't deal with guys like that!!! Guitar Poindexter!! He probubly sucks on bass. HA!!!!!


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Post subject: Re: P Bass body width
Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2011 10:03 pm
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pbassbob wrote:
Once upon a time, I was pretty busy buying and selling on the Bay...in '98, when I joined, it was a good place to get great deals, and for the most part, trade with decent people. Now, I rarely use it at all...both the clientele and the management have become more trouble to deal with than they're worth. This story is a perfect example...


That's when I started on Ebay and it wasn't until a year ago that I got my first flaky buyer and since then I've had at least 6 with 4 who have launched frivolous disputes and tied up cash. I lost 2 of them, which was f***ing insane, but the buyers didn't respond in time to either and they were dropped and I got my money back. Go figure. They ruled in my favor on the other two but I don't think that the 'resolution experts', as they're called, looked at the facts in any of them and they were all crap shoots. That's what's scary.

I'm in the process of selling off stuff to pay bills and I've had little luck anywhere else so I'm forced to use Ebay and take what I can. I'm losing $$$ on most of it and taking it all with a grain of salt and trying not to let it upset me. However, if I ever get back into the financial position of buying and selling it'll be a new day and a new way.

This particular one is a sore point because I bought it for a really high price several years ago simply because it had been untouched since it was new and it was about opportunity and not value. I had bought the same 1978 P Bass the week before for 1/2 what I paid for this one and it sold just before Christmas for slightly less than this one did and it was well used and in need of TLC. I saw the value of this one 15 years away and my objective was to keep it safe until then. However, fate intervened and $2K in cash today is more important than it's value on the shelf or even 10 years from now. What pisses me off is that the vintage value is still there and it is being totally ignored in favor of something absolutely trivial. Oh well................deep breath and count.....1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10..........now the pipe..............aaahhhhh.

Bob Walker


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Post subject: Re: P Bass body width
Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2011 10:28 pm
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stroker vance wrote:
GAWD-- I just can't deal with guys like that!!! Guitar Poindexter!! He probubly sucks on bass. HA!!!!!


He actually seems like a nice guy and I haven't heard him but he's just a little obsessive and has read things about vintage Fenders that have shaped his opinion. If he hadn't asked about the size and then $@!&#* after the fact I would have told him to stuff it but he did ask specifically if it was 13" and he brought it up a second time to confirm it before buying it. I made a mistake that I have to make right even if it costs me money. That one of the things that makes me a good Ebay seller and I have to maintain that integrity.

Now that I've sold myself; does anyone want to buy something?

Bob W


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Post subject: Re: P Bass body width
Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 9:18 am
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rgwalker- you are too nice of a guy. I like to think I'm a nice guy too. So being as I'm nice and you are nice guy -- in a very nice way we should tell that guy with the mental problem that he IS indeed a "Dink Wheat" and that he DOES need and SHOULD recieve - a very good slapping about the head and neck. It will be a" nice" slapping and everyone will feel a little more at ease about the whole situation. The slapping in not a "cure all" but it could be good medicine in this case. C'mon admitt it!!! HA!!!!! :D


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Post subject: Re: P Bass body width
Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 11:33 pm
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As a newbie I also noticed the diff. sized bodies,the Korean made Squier p-basses had a slightly bigger body(could of been result of using a plywood type body) yes there times the bodies shape and size were tinkered with on various occasions but they totaly night and day from the "mini" bodied full scale necked basses this bozo's trying to say it really is :oops:

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Post subject: Re: P Bass body width
Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 7:24 am
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So what we need now is a GOOD guitar show where there are good deals and friendly people and lots of mechandise and noone playing Stairway to Heaven or Dust In The Wind . Lot's of old Dimarzio pickups from the 70's, Fender hardware out the wahzoo, Late 60's Fender basses for $1000, tons of books on guitars, Surf green guitars, free stuff, George Gruhn walking around, Fat Jazz Guitars, a section with nothing but Fender Basses maybe 50 or 60. That would be great!! Believe it or not I've been to that guitar show. It was about 10 years ago. Probubly the last great show I ever went to. Then Ebay started getting big around then. I wonder if that had anything to do with it?


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