Hey Folks!
Happy Easter!
It’s been a while since receiving all the kind and expert advice/comments that you shared with me. I appreciate each of you.
I’m checking back in to let you know the result of my initial questions of whether to begin on a four- or five-string instrument and whether to purchase the pawn shop Squier Vintage Modified 70’s Jazz Bass.
Believe it or not, that bass remained in the pawn shop for the entire two+ weeks that I pondered your collective sage counsel.
Ultimately, it was the instrument, itself, that led to my decision to buy this four-stringer as my first and learning bass. In addition to the overwhelmingly positive information that I’ve digested about the Vintage Modified 70’s Jazz Bass, this particular instrument is gorgeous, feels well-balanced AND seems perfectly intonated. Using a Snark tuner, I was able to tune EADG open and at the respective 12th fret positions. Also, the bass maintained it’s tune almost perfectly from when I first tried it out on Monday, March 26, and bought it on Saturday, March 31.
Lastly, I think I was blessed with a good deal. The bass had been recently put back on display with a $150.00 Layaway price sticker on the tag. I traded a Squier Strat SE ($50 credit) and a Roland 20XL guitar amp ($30 credit), so that I owed a $45 difference plus tax — $53.75.
Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I paid $70 for the Stratocaster SE and $40 for the amp. Whether to factor in the $30 aggregate ‘loss’ on my traded items against the cost of the VM 70’s Jazz Bass, I don’t know how to account for that. Then, again, I hadn’t been able to sell them on Craigslist for over two years. I just need to count my blessings!
Upon concluding the last phase of the transaction, the fellow peeled back the stuck-on Layaway label on the sale tag and I saw that the bass had been originally presented for sale at $299.99! At that point, I was so very grateful that the bass remained available for me and that the pawn shop proprietor agreed to sell it to me for $125 + tax.
Bottom line: I am thrilled and eager to start mastering this amazing and awesome instrument. I am thrilled and humbled to be a new member of the Electric Bass Player Family/Club/Tribe.
Blessings
