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...as 11 or 12 year olds - back in the 60's (with no money, and no way of raising that much money) drolled over these $39 neighborhood low-end department store (ZAYRE, TREASURY, etc.) basses...??

https://www.ebay.com/itm/134535183499



The problem was that the dinkiest amplifiers cost more than the basses...

SUDDENLY - when I needed one "for school" - my parents bought me BOTH a bass AND a HUGE amplifier.

And how many actually got one? I still have mine: Sears Silvertone spring 1975 catalog, $56.95 plus shipping. Yes, I have modified it extensively to get it to play properly and fix such things as worn out frets, etc., but I can still gig with it if desired. And I agree: the solid state amplifier with a few watts and a 12-inch speaker was $99.95! I ran a google CPI calculation, and if it is to be believed, that $157 setup is now @$900!

The bass in the Sears catalog had funk filters, as best I can recall....

But yeah, those amps were out of reach. :(

I had a kit built amp (built by not me) with a large heavy speaker in it that smelled like ozone for home practice.

It had no claimed wattage on it.

I was allowed to take home the school bass (Fender Jazz) on weekends.

Good Times!

Well, I am one of the "older farts" in this community, and I was four in 1969… so no. I got a Sears guitar in 1975 when I was 10. It was actually a Kay and nowhere near so good as a Kay plywood upright bass. I think the octave fret was about 50¢ out. Stinky, stinky guitar. It probably helped me lose my interest in the instrument it was so out of tune. And with no truss rod, the neck looked like a "Curves Ahead" sign…

When we had our brick and mortar store, I picked up one of those black Sears guitars that had the tube amplifier built into the guitar case. My Dad would not buy me one when I was a kid. I picked it up really cheap, and displayed it in our store. It sold for a lot (nostalgia, combined with people like me who could not afford to buy one when they were a kid). My Dad's younger brother (and both my Dad and my uncle were medium upper level Sears employees) did buy one for my cousin. My Dad never bought me anything, which I sort of think was a really good idea on his part. It made me much more resourceful.
(When I was 17, I bought myself a 186. I really think that it got my Dad's goat just a little bit that I became so resourceful and independent, as he had nothing to say about what I bought, because it was all bought with money that I myself earned either by doing some sort of labor/service or buying something and selling it for more. A year or so later, I bought myself a nice 3-year-old Toyota station wagon, and paid for the insurance on it.)
ie. "Son, I don't think you're old enough to..." "I respect your opinion Dad, but I just did it."...LOL... the same as when I married Mrs. bloke.

We were in our late 30’s when we got married so fortunately for me, the bride’s father was not too critical!