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Post subject: 1968 Telecaster Bass
Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 11:45 am
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Why is the 1968 and on Telecaster Bass the bastard stepchild in Fender's history?

The white-on-blonde version issued in '68 is the only classic not offered in Fender's current lineup. The '51 Reissue comes closest but without the color option.

Why is that?


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Post subject: Re: 1968 Telecaster Bass
Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2011 12:33 am
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I have absolutely no idea why that is. They are fantastic basses and I'm having an original '68 restored at the moment. I'm having a lot of trouble finding and verifying information about these basses as well.

The only reliable source I've found so far has been The Fender Bass – an Illustrated History by Black and Molinaro (Hal Leonard Publishing).

Would you happen to know where I can go to verify and get accurate information regarding the pick guards? There were variations.

Apparently the first ones were made of one-ply Nitrocellulose and disintegrated badly. The second version pickguards were apparently made from three-ply PVC (white, black, white) and left unbevelled to look like a one-ply, and held out better.

Then there are variations in the number of holes too. Some had 7 holes in the pickguard, like the original P-basses and others had 11. I'm not sure which, the Nitro of PVC ones had 11 holes (I'm thinking it was the PVC versions) and when they started producing them.

I'm trying to keep my bass as original as possible and I'll need some help on this topic. Would you happen to know, or should I start a new thread?


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Post subject: Re: 1968 Telecaster Bass
Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2011 5:59 am
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I wish I could help but I can't. The pickguard fell apart on mine many years ago as well. Please start a new thread and see what it turns up. I'd like to have mine refinished some time, too.

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Post subject: Re: 1968 Telecaster Bass
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 12:26 am
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Thanks for your reply. Just after posting my question to you, I found this post a page or two on.

http://www.fender.com/community/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=4754&sid=2e9f418d956b88a2ea2d1b25cb91502f

It confirms most of what I've read up so far with regards to the different materials, but I'm still waiting for an answer with regards to the amount of holes. If your pick guard has disintegrated, I would imagine that it was the Nitrocellulose version, which was known to fall apart and release a gas that could corrode the surrounding metal parts, like the truss rod and pickup.

Can you see how many holes your pick guard had?


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Post subject: Re: 1968 Telecaster Bass
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 7:15 am
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It has 11 screw holes. And yes, the original nitrocellulose pickguard disintegrated and corroded metal around it: pickguard screws (replaced with pickguard), control knobs and plate (replaced), and pickup (stripped, cleaned and rewound). The truss rod was fine.

I bought a new one at Manny's NYC in spring '68. I think it was $225. Sold it five years later. This is my second one; got seller's remorse and bought it used six months after in 1973. I've had it since.

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Post subject: Re: 1968 Telecaster Bass
Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2011 10:12 am
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I would not say it is a step-child. It started out as a reissue of the 51 P-Bass but quickly the specs changed to the Seth Lover designed humbucker. Till that point I loved it. Some people prefer the humbucker version as a player. Throughout the run it was a unique instrument with a unique, if changing, voice. If you want to talk a Fender stepchild, how about this one?

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Late 80's MIJ Fender Performer Bass


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Post subject: Re: 1968 Telecaster Bass
Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2011 11:28 pm
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Ugly as a ginger stepchild and I've only seen them here before.

On the other hand, the Modern Player Telecasters sound like interesting basses. Must make my way down to the local to see what they're all about.


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Post subject: Re: 1968 Telecaster Bass
Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 7:55 pm
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q.of.doom wrote:
...Then there are variations in the number of holes too. Some had 7 holes in the pickguard, like the original P-basses and others had 11. I'm not sure which, the Nitro of PVC ones had 11 holes (I'm thinking it was the PVC versions) and when they started producing them.


If it's any help, I have a masterbuilt 68 pink paisley tele bass, which Galuszka built just like they did in '68 right down to the cloth wires. It has 11 screws.

JP

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Post subject: Re: 1968 Telecaster Bass
Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2012 1:51 am
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marchone wrote:
Why is the 1968 and on Telecaster Bass the bastard stepchild in Fender's history?

The white-on-blonde version issued in '68 is the only classic not offered in Fender's current lineup. The '51 Reissue comes closest but without the color option.

Why is that?


The original Telecaster bass model is far from a red-headed stepchild. It is possibly the best bass originated in Fullerton during in the CBS era. Check the prices for them and you'll see they command a premium over other Fender Basses of the same vintage. CBS eventually screwed the Telecaster Bass up though. The three bolt neck, the Seth Love humbucker, the machine head changes, the pickguard changes, etc turned it into a completely different thing. THEN it became a red-headed stepchild.

The instrument started out as probably the best 51 Reissue ever. Fender still had original 51 bodies, necks, pickups and other hardware in inventory and these parts were actually used to build the prototype from which the jigs were made for the machinery and the spec sheets. They can't do that anymore because FMIC didn't get that stuff from CBS. So it is pretty much a carbon copy of a 51 P-Bass except for the pickguard material, the bridge saddle material and certain aspects of the electronic controls such as the tone cap. Otherwise it was pretty much a faithful clone of the '51. It proved that Leo Fender definitely had created something very cool and very special. No other instrument had that exact bass tone but the single coil P-Bass. Once they started tinkering with the Telecaster Bass....they messed up a really good instrument in my opinion.

The Fender see through blonde is a difficult and time consuming finish to apply correctly requiring far more steps than an conventional opaque finish. That is why it isn't offered often. It is so much faster to shoot a coat of Fullerplast, then a top coat of opaque poly topped with a light clearcoat and be done with it. Time is money in finishing. This is possibly one of the reasons we got the blue flower and paisley ones. They were faster to produce.


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Post subject: Re: 1968 Telecaster Bass
Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2012 9:08 am
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I want one. That's what counts. ;)

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Post subject: Re: 1968 Telecaster Bass
Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2012 9:03 pm
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Don't forget the Flower and Paisley T basses. Those are odd birds and not many people left the finish on them-- at least mine was refinned from a Blue Flower to natural. Only paid 700 for it in with only a bad pickup and no bridge. The pickguards were clear. On this one someone had painted the back side of it flat black so that left the shine on the front. I replaced it. Wish I wouldn't have sold it :( .

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Post subject: Re: 1968 Telecaster Bass
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 8:59 am
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I may be one of the few who actually likes the blue flower ones.

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2004 USA Fender Highway 1 Jazz Bass (Honey Blonde)


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Post subject: Re: 1968 Telecaster Bass
Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:46 pm
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I have to say that I like the Flower Power ones too also. I also have to say that ufortunately that T bass of mine did not sound very good. It sounded pretty limp. I still should have kept it .


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Post subject: Re: 1968 Telecaster Bass
Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 9:52 pm
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Hello all,

Here is some photos of my 1968 Telecaster Bass.


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Post subject: Re: 1968 Telecaster Bass
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2012 12:12 pm
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q.of.doom wrote:
Ugly as a ginger stepchild and I've only seen them here before.


I find this line offensive and insensitive. I think you should listen to this song to understand:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVN_0qvuhhw

Stay Brown,
Rev J


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