Doesn’t need to be. Just tie it to the bumper of an F150 and drag it over a Texan gravel road for a mile or so.
New guitar, pristine, not a speck of dust on it, in box, not crossed Sweetwater’s doorstep yet: value 100%
Used guitar, some belt bucke scratches on the back and other superficial signs of normal usage: resale value 50%
Guitar that has undergone the F150 relicing treatment as described above: resale value 300%.
This is what I tell people. I have a friend with a “vintage 1987 Ford Bronco” to drag it down the road with, complete with Texas roads. Or I can take it apart and run it through the dryer with some rocks and ball bearings.
I was asking on the hopes of it actually being old and not an overpriced “road worn” or some thousands costing Fender Custom Shop instrument.
The neck on my 1995 Strat Plus looks more “authentic” than the $450 Fender Road Worn Strat neck, imo XD
I don’t like the modern trend of pre-beating up instruments like a pair of pre-distressed jeans. I draw the line at calling people posers or idiots, though. That said, I also don’t see extra value in someone’s partscaster that is “relic’d” either XD Sure, they put in work, but it’s not the work I’m looking for lol.
I did put a reclaimed wood pickguard on my old Strat. I’m not sure how much that counts; its bridge and tuners look fine (brushed nickel, so age has not touched them really). I just wanted a wooden pickguard that was unique and not like the cookie cutter ones. Nearly cracked it in half due to warping and barely got it on… the paint isn’t perfect, and the maple fretboard is a bit janky. but I digress.
I think we’d get along just fine.
Quinn version 2.0
New pickguard
New pickup - Dimarzio Billy Sheehan’ Relentless
The pickup is very hot, think it could stand to be lowered some.
next is bridge and possibly tuners, but I disklike this bridge. Pickups need to be lowered a bit too.
Nice! Do you have the Billy Sheehan strings on it? I have them on my Peavey Patriot and they sound fabulous.
That’s my Harley Benton btw
No, I just have a set of Fender flats - didn’t plan ahead. Will grab Billy Sheehan strings next, I have the USD (US Drachmas)
Amen.
They’re Rotosounds, and the same gauge as the Steve Harris flats, but they’re roundwound (110 E string). It’s a fat sound.
This bass is so impressive. Even more so due to the price. Congrats!!
Harley Benton PB20-SBK
Dimarzio Billy Sheehan Relentless Pickup
Fender Stainless Steel Flatwounds
Initial Thoughts - Great bass for the price, 122 cost. Plus 75 shipping, 197 drachmas to your door in 4 days. Which is faster than Sweetwater or Guitar Center. Craziness.
The overall quality of the bass is just fine. Every thing is solid, no gaps. Frets feel fine, no pointy spots; I know Josh had other luck. But the frets are as good as any Fender instrument I have.
Neck has a satin finish and feels very nice. It is a pbass neck, so it’s chonky. This is really a classic pbass for a quarter of a Fender Player.
The bridge is trash. You can get a decent quality bridge for 10 bucks, or probably a used Fender angle iron for less. Intonating this thing and setting string heights forget. I have a $40 Gotoh on order
The silver pickguard is a $10 pbass pickguard off Amazon. I am allergic to tortoisehell
The neck is maple with a purple heart frestboard. Really nice, was very dry but a little dab of F-One oil fixed that right up. It’s what I have in the house, there are many good options here.
The pickup was fine if uninspired.
Dimarzio Relentless Pickup
This puppy is hot. This passive pickup has higher output than any of my other basses, active or passive, by a mile. I had to dial the gain back. The lows are boomy and resonant, the highs are crisp and clear, even on flats. It sounds like I’m playing rounds. It’s very well balanced. This will cut right through a mix.
The curved housing is indeed comfortable to rest your thumb.
Overall, the bass to me lends it self to sitting back in the pocket and laying down a groove. When I am more accustomed to the neck I might say different, but that is operator error, not the bass. Tuning down to Drop D and playing Another Brick in the Wall Part 2 is to die for.
This is a great bass to pick up and mod. If you want a pbass, get an EMG Geezer kit, around $100, no soldering needed, install in 20 minutes, and thats for us challenged tool wise. It would sound great. Throwing on a bridge needs a screwdriver. And a video on how to setup. Geezers are very vintage in sound, more modern go with an EMG PHZ for ceramic or PAHZ for alnico. For just over $300, you would have a very nice bass.
Now that Squiers are becoming what I consider overpriced this HB of yours seems like a very good deal, especially for modding.
Nice job.
I have this Paranormal Jazz, $429 6 months ago
This Squier P just came out, perfect match
$599. No bleepin way
Seriously Fender WTF. For that price you can get midrange Yamaha, Ibanez, ESP, and other instruments that will be categorically better than this Squier in every way, and you’re even encroaching on your own MIM price range now.
I can order a new Fender Player P for less than that right now, in Japan even, so imported; and with free delivery. GTFO $599 Squier.
Seems a bit steep, so steep the floor is nearly vertical.
I’ve played a few HB’s myself, and I have yet to come across one that isn’t excellent value for money. They need work out of the box, but nothing drastic.
Looks like you got a Fender Flea Jazz Bass 
Earliest review articles seem to be from end 2016.
My experience of Thomann customer service has been excellent.
If you end up with a lemon (as happened to my nephew) they’ll replace it, no arguments.
@howard , maybe Fender is running low enough on their “non-Squier” basses that they’re concerned they won’t have enough of them to sell when things loosen back up? This way, they’re still in business. Just a total guess on my part . . . 
Cheers
Joe
@MC-Canadastan Checked out Kijiji lately? I see Squiers going for $500 - $600. I got all my MIMs for that and less (except for the active deluxe). We are really getting shafted these days and people are OK with it.
As my military grandpappy used to say, if they don’t kiss you as they’re doing it, don’t take it, 'cause it ain’t real f**ing without kissing.
Seriously though, it seems basses are doing the exact same thing housing is doing in our dear old Diseased Dominion.
