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[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Greg Clinkingbeard

A local dealer plays a nice '71 P bass that is original down to the ash tray and pup cover. He told me that he played it for a youth group at his church recently. A young boy came up and asked him,"don't you own a music store"? He said that he did. "Then why don't you buy a better bass"?

The irony is that he bought it from a school for $1000 because the young music teacher thought it looked ugly and wanted to buy her students something new and shiny.

In 1967 I bought my first Fender P from Manny's in NY. It was $167. period. A plywood Juzek/Lang Bass was $200. from Juzek at Met. Music in NY.

Plain-Jane generic Basses from that era have gone up about 10 fold if not more. Who knew?

Ok, on the can't you get a better one... I was playing an outdoor Jazz/swing (I'm flexible that way..lol) concert locally with a 6-pc group (pno, bs, dr, gtr, trt, tnsx). I was using my Gilkes Bass but before its recent restoration. I told the leader/singer/guitarist about my famous Bass and its connection to King George etc.. On a break she tells her husband about this old Bass (1814) I was using on stage. Her husband said 'well, if he's so good then why can't he afford a new one'!

I think he was kidding!...lol