By bluerhythmbass (192.55.140.2) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 02:45 pm:

I was going to keep this to myself so that I could win the auction but felt this is too important to hoard!

Click this link and check it out

http://apps.heritagecomics.com/common/auction/catalogprint.php?SaleNo=605


Here is the description of the item.

16324 Motown Bassist James Jamerson's German Upright Bass.

"As time went on, James Jamerson became my hero..." - Paul McCartney

No bassist has done more for and with popular music than James Jamerson. While his name may not always be known by the countless millions of fans of his playing, his sound and style have influenced every player to pick up the instrument since Motown's first hit record. For years Jamerson was the only bassist at Motown, and the studio was known to plan sessions around his schedule.

This instrument was James Jamerson's only upright bass, and the only instrument not stolen from him. He purchased it in 1957 and used it in Detroit's jazz clubs while honing his style, on tour with Smokey Robinson, and on classic Motown recordings that are playing somewhere in the world every second of every day. Enduring hits by Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, Martha Reeves, Mary Wells, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Marvin Gaye, and others were created using this instrument. My Guy, The One Who Really Loves You, Where Did Our Love Go, Baby Love, Heat Wave, Jimmy Mack, Can I Get A Witness, It Takes Two, Mickey's Monkey, Too Many Fish In The Sea, Fingertips (Part 2), A Place In The Sun, and many, many others feature James Jamerson on this bass.

James Jamerson passed away in 1983. That year James gave the bass to his son, James Jamerson, III (known professionally as James Jamerson, Jr.,) who continued to use it with Tina Marie, Chaka Khan and Natalie Cole. It was last used in the film documentary 'Standing in the Shadows of Motown.' The bass is in the same condition as when James Jamerson last used it, including the same set of strings. The bass comes with the gig bag Jamerson got with the bass, and a letter of authenticity from James Jamerson, Jr.

James Jamerson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000, the first year they honored session players. In February 2004, he received the Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award along with his fellow members of Motown's house band, known as The Funk Brothers. Est. 400,000-up. The current bid is $675.00.

By BankHouseDave (195.93.34.12) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 03:18 pm:

What's going on when James Junior needs to part with this?

By Ralph (209.240.205.62) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 03:23 pm:

I Don't know Dave, but if James Jr. is serious, I certainly hope that some good music museum purchases it so it can be permanently displayed. If it goes to a private collector it may disappear.

By BankHouseDave (195.93.34.12) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 04:04 pm:

That's a terrible thought, Ralph. Does James Junior or the family read any of this these days? There's a guy you might know just had an $80m windfall. Maybe he would like to buy it for a museum.

By Ralph (209.240.205.62) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 04:12 pm:

I don't know if any family members are reading posts these days Dave. I hope so. I would hope that museums peruse e-bay for possible finds.

By bluerhythmbass (192.55.140.2) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 04:17 pm:

Ralph - just an FYI

This is on a collectible auction website along with "original" Motown sheet music from Cornelius Grant and other musical instruments from famous people like Roger McGuinn's 1966 Rickenbacker 12 string. I would hope that museum people would look at a site like this for memorabilia!
Regards,
Russ

By BankHouseDave (195.93.34.12) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 04:27 pm:

This is our heritage dripping away here. Where are the people with vision and money to keep such things from being dispersed, and maybe lost?

PS I can do the vision if someone else can do the money.

By Vic Doucette (63.115.63.131) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 04:44 pm:

I've let the Motown Museum know about this. They sound interested in the bass and the other Motown memerobilia on the site.

By Ralph (209.240.205.62) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 04:47 pm:

Russ,
It seems to me that museums must have personell that do just this. I would hope so anyway. I wonder how many unknown musical treasures are floating around out there, out of sight for years?

By SisDetroit (68.42.211.240) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 05:07 pm:

Take a look at a recent photo of the Upright.

http://www.route66guitars.com/jamerson.html

By John (140.215.154.25) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 05:07 pm:

Someone mentioned in another thread that Jamerson, Jr. is not looking so good these days. I noticed in the SITSOM movie that his appearance seems to have deteriorated. Does anyone know (or care to say) if he's having some health/substance issues? It really suprises me that he is willing to part with his dad's bass. My understanding is that most of the instruments James, Sr. owned were stolen and the upright bass was the only one left. (I believe that is correct) One would think that he would like to keep it for sentimental reasons, if nothing else. I agree with the opinion that this would be the perfect item for the Hitsville museum. Does anyone know if Berry Gordy or someone in the Gordy family might be intrested in purchasing it? (I think his sister (???) runs the museum) What a shame that its come to this.

By Livonia Ken (136.1.1.33) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 05:23 pm:

John - IIRC, James Jr. was in a serious auto accident.

Regards,
Ken

By bluerhythmbass (192.55.140.2) on Friday, April 02, 2004 - 07:53 am:

I will be bidding on this but I'm sure it will end up out of my price range but I will say that if I do get it, I will gladly loan it to the Motown Museum for display.........

By BankHouseDave (195.93.34.12) on Friday, April 02, 2004 - 07:58 am:

Good on you, Blue. Hope you are succesful.

By BassnForGod (24.158.66.182) on Friday, April 02, 2004 - 03:57 pm:

Just my opinion here folks, but there is no heritage in this instrument. James could have made his sound thru any instrument, and probably used several instruments that belong to others throughout his career. The music that James and the Funks made will always be with us. We should look at what has happened to them over the years and their lack of attention from the general public as something to be concerned with. The family has very good personal reasons for doing what they do and we should respect them and find out if there is anything else that they need. Remember that James was WORKING to make a life for his family, he recorded to make money. If he were alive today and needed to sell his bass to take of his family, it would be gone. I am saying this as just my opinion. I have recently had to part with several instruments due to my wife's job conditions. Those bass's were very important to me, but family needs first. I would personally love to see his bass go to a museum, but that would not provide his family with much or any finacial support.
Keep the bass line strong and your heart in the song,
Robert

By MagyarEd (209.163.98.17) on Monday, April 12, 2004 - 08:50 pm:

Check it; "the bass" is going for $197,500.00 as of April 12. The auction closes April 17 and the item has an estimated value of $400,000.00 according to the auction site.
I suppose that there is a minimum bid on the bass and that anything less than the minimum can be refused and the item will be up for auction again some other time.
I can gather a few dollars to bid on "the bass", but not that many...
Hopefully all goes well for everyone concerned!