An auction of "James Jamerson Owned and Played 1961 Fender Precision Bass..."

[Snaxster]

Thanks to this thread, I found this listing by an auction house:

James Jamerson Owned and Played 1961 Fender Precision Bass...

And I thought that it deserved the chance of more visibility here.* Because if it's the real thing, then it is very special.


* Snaxster has no affiliation with the instrument, its owner, or the event.

 

[A-Step-Towards]

Its dirty enough looking to have been owned by him lol

 

[Snaxster]

Its dirty enough looking to have been owned by him lol

From the auction description:

“This particular bass was owned by Jamerson from 1962 until about 1967 or 1968 when he loaned it to a close friend and fellow Detroit bassist "Billy" Hayes who had a gig but no instrument. Jamerson never asked for the instrument back and he kept playing it. Hayes played bass with John Lee Hooker for a period and accompanied numerous Detroit acts. Through his years of ownership, he changed only one string (the "G"); this bass has three of the original La Bella flatwound strings James preferred. Nothing else has been changed or modified since Jamerson owned and played it. A signed Letter of Authenticity from Hayes is included with the guitar.”

 

[CaseyVancouver]

Yeah I'm in for this bass.

 

[mikeswals]

Wow! So many questions on why he's never come forward before that he has one of Jamerson's basses. Its been written that he has several, and while the last P that James was pictured with in Cali is a 66, seemed many thought the 62 was stolen too. Clearly he has the Bass Player mag that featured JJ and would have read that all the P's had been stolen.

What a great looking bass though.

 

[Rabidhamster]

I got distracted by the chick in the 2nd picture and didn't see a bass...

 

[Iridescentone]

Too cool.

 

[bigtone23]

That's a burst/tort I can get in to!
Though I do not have nearly the $$ to bid.

 

[BAG]

String spacing looks a bit off at the bridge....... i'd bid $200 to save enough cash for the replacement bridge.

 

[Wisebass]

Nice modding platform
Needs a refinish and new tuners

may the bass be with you

Wise(b)ass

 

[chris_b]

Nice story. Good luck with the sale, Billy.

I wonder why Billy Hayes didn't sound like Jamerson. Isn't that what's supposed to happen when you use the gear someone famous uses?

 

[songwriter21]

Is that the...Funk Machine????

 

[songwriter21]

Nevermind, no blue ink on the back plate.

 

[songwriter21]

Look at the sky-high action on that mother! Jamerson and Hayes must've had some freakin' lumberjack hands!

 

[Pirate Captain]

same chip in the pick guard as this one

...they really ought to pull the neck on that and check the heel

 

[Coolhandjjl]

Look at the sky-high action on that mother! Jamerson and Hayes must've had some freakin' lumberjack hands!

Jamerson was known to have high action and a bent/twisted neck, and never batted an eye. He never would have made it out of here alive on TalkBass...

 

[Pirate Captain]

Jamerson was known to have high action and a bent/twisted neck, and never batted an eye. He never would have made it out of here alive on TalkBass...

Tort + Flats...he'd have been fine

 

[bluespenny]

It isn't this bass, at least going by the pickguard blemishes/pattern. But someone out there has argued the Funk Machine may have been a '61... I think. Time to go back and do some reading, before I make my $750 Cdn bid.

 

[dryheatbob]

same chip in the pick guard as this one

View attachment 1134481

...they really ought to pull the neck on that and check the heel

There's a fairly lively and informative discussion about this bass/auction on the James Jamerson Fans facebook page.

*was gonna link the facebook page but can't figure out how to without it logging in to my page. If you type 'James Jamerson Fans'in the search tab on FB it'll take you to it.

interesting stuff indeed.

 

[bluespenny]

Here's the excellent thread: James Jameron's Funk Machine - Wrong Year