A little history:
I’ve never been a “Fender guy”. I always considered them bulky and ubiquitous. However, as an early birthday present, I got myself a NOS Fender Deluxe Dimension IV. Aside of some buzz issues I’m fixing, I’m really impressed, and it’s made me want to give Fender a second look.
So I have this really awesome Kiesel-made Carvin X44 Xccelerator. It’s absolutely gorgeous, in near-mint, almost pristine condition. USA made, nightburst over quilted maple top on a black and white limba body, with a birdseye maple fretboard on black and white limba neck. Here’s a picture of it I found on an archive.org copy of Kiesel’s old X44 gallery (I zoomed in and matched the markings on the fretboard spot-for-spot with mine to validate):
I have the OHSC, and a set of black Kiesel knobs for it (currently installed, I’ve been switching all the silver to black, but I have all the original silver stuff).
Anyway, would anyone be interested in trading for either a Fender P or J bass of equal quality? Or maybe a G&L? Or buying this one, so that I could search out a Fender P/J on my own? Of course, I can get much better pictures of the instrement and case.
Local would be preferrable, shipping’s a pain. But it’s not local-only… if you’re interested and not local, hit me up.
And just for more information, there is NOTHING wrong with this bass. I’m just afraid to take it out of its case and play it. It’s so beautiful and in such good condition, that I’m worried that I’m somehow going to mess it up… I’ll drop it or scratch it or something. And unlike a P/J, if something happens to this, it can’t be replaced. Kiesel doesn’t make them any longer.
That’s the only reason I’m considering trading this one.
When I got my Fender P Bass I played it for about a week straight and decided it was a keeper.
So I got my truck keys and put a small dent in the rear of the body deliberately. Now I don’t care if it gets dented again.
This is probably not how normal people think. However, I’m not worried about dropping it anymore!
I hang this gem out here for the last 6-7 months getting weathered. I’m closed to putting a carbon fiber neck or usa precision neck on it with some Delano pickup and babicz string through bridge on it.
I got a trade offer for a nearly brand new (original owner got it for Christmas, barely played it) Fender Player Jazz bass, and I went for it. The pickguard still had the protective plastic on it, and aside of one minor ding it’s in almost pristine condition.
I get that the woods on the Carvin were way better, and it’s a MiU instrument while the Player Jazz is a MiM instrument, and that I received the short end of the stick on the deal but… while I will always love that Carvin, I always felt nervous playing it and quickly put it back in the case to play one of my other basses. I feel happy playing the Jazz.
And I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard, “you should have a bass that makes you happy to play it”.
Why do you think the woods are way better? Pretty sure the Player is an alder body too. Was just looking at Fender prices and they have been going up quite a bit. The current player sells over 1000 euro now.
Eyup. It would buy all my basses (I can say that now. I have four), preamps and amp. And you know what? The only Fender I would trade my Peaveys for would be a Steve Harris signature P, the newer one. I love my Peaveys to bits.
So… the bass I got lists for $850. Would I pay $850 for one new, if I were out bass shopping? Um… now, probably. A couple of months ago, no, I wouldn’t have looked at anything Fender.
But $850 seems OK for the bass I got. It’s a good bass. Arguably there is a bit of a Fender tax with the Ibanez SR600E sitting at about $100 less or so, but not so much given the ESP LTD Surveyor 87 at $900 or so.
The only translation that matters is you are happy.
I never rue about paying a little too much if I get something I really really like.
Something else comes along cheaper, maybe make a few bucks on something else, it all evens out.
Even Steven.
