While others search for mint vintage firewood, I prefer to look for basses with players in mind. After all, that's been the case for 30 years now! This bass is well-played but it's loaded with vibe. More importantly, it has a ruler-straight neck with absolutely no Fender "dip" above the 14th fret so it plays great from top to bottom. Add in the typical growl of the 70's pickups combined with the focused tone of the alder body and I think we have a winner here! The finish is vibrant and the tortoise guard is flat with no chips or breaks. There's more than a hint of buckle wear and (4) extra small holes on the body and (2) on the pickguard from some doofus who couldn't decide where to put the thumbrest. Even more ridiculous is the bass didn't even come with the damn thumbrest so all those holes were for naught! But they really aren't a big deal in the grand scheme of player basses. Like most players, the original owner smartly decided to just remove the thumbrest entirely

I like 71's because they are just a teeny bit thicker than late 60's ones and I feel it makes them easier to play without sacrificing comfort. Also, the neck acts like a soundboard and you can really hear how lively this thing is when it's not plugged in! At a hair under 9 lbs, this bass feels light without the neck dive that a low 8 lb bass would have. It's certainly not a shoulder wrecker that's for sure. Includes original case.