It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 9:17 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 6 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: Genuine Tele refinish? Or part-o-caster?
Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2012 7:53 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Fri Dec 07, 2012 7:11 am
Posts: 1
Hey guys! I'm Tim, and I am new here.
Quite a nice place you got here!

I'm about to buy a beautiful refinished sixties Telecaster bass, but I am questioning the authenticity of the body. Could you help me out by sharing your opinion?

Pictures are over here: http://imgur.com/a/P1fGL#0

The serial on the neckplate suggests 1968 as the production year. The neck looks genuine, but I am a little worried about the body. Giving that all electronics, bridge and pickguard are replaced, as well as the poly refinished body, is there any way to figure out if this is the actual 60's body? And not some cheap aftermarket replacement with a vintage neck?

Help is very much appreciated! What do you think?

Sincerely

Tim


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Genuine Tele refinish? Or part-o-caster?
Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2012 8:53 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2012 3:36 pm
Posts: 77
Location: Minnesota
Pretty sure this is the base in question:
http://www.vintageandrare.com/product/Fender-Telecaster-Bass-1969-Refinished-Daphne-Blue-28275
It seems legit. The absence of tugbar and pickup cover screw holes makes me scratch my head, but it could be that it was a thorough refin and they filled the holes since they wouldn't be used. It's a beauty, thats for sure.

_________________
"I just want to break even." - Richard Manuel


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Genuine Tele refinish? Or part-o-caster?
Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2012 3:11 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:12 pm
Posts: 6355
Location: Albemarle, NC
Since it has been refinished, I don't know how anyone could authenticate the body from photos other than to say it is the right shape.

I can say for certain that the pickguard is not original as they were not plied but solid colored, the pickguards were notorious for crumbling so a pickguard swap is nothing unusual on them. The pickup is obviously not original. The bridge is obviously not original. The strap buttons are not original. The volume/tone knobs are not original which also calls the originality of the control plate into question.

The missing holes for the pickup cover and bridge cover bother me. The original tugbar holes would be located under the new pickguard and may or may not be filled in. If they are also filled you'd probably have to disassemble and MRI or CT scan the body to look for filler where the cover holes should be. No matter how bad the original finish was, too bad they didn't leave it alone.

These should never be used without the chrome pickup cover. The cover serves a valuable protection role on these exposed flatwork single coil pickups. That might be why it now has a Duncan pickup.

What you have here is a player class parts bass with a Telecaster bass body shape, a Telecaster neck and an era correct neckplate. I can't see the tuners well enough to say if they are correct or not for sure, but might be original to the neck. Otherwise I think everything else is "funny." Even the skunk stripe on the neck looks "funny." I'd pass unless you would like a Tele style parts bass and it is really cheap, like around $700 or less.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Genuine Tele refinish? Or part-o-caster?
Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 1:17 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Mar 21, 2008 11:00 am
Posts: 1226
Location: In the pocket north of Washington D.C.
The serial number on the neck plate looks weird to my eye. The font is incorrect and the placement is too low. IMHO this bass is screaming fake so buyer beware.

_________________
If thine enemy wrong thee, buy each of his children a drum.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Genuine Tele refinish? Or part-o-caster?
Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 2:20 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:12 pm
Posts: 6355
Location: Albemarle, NC
BCbassman wrote:
The serial number on the neck plate looks weird to my eye. The font is incorrect and the placement is too low. IMHO this bass is screaming fake so buyer beware.


AND he would know cuz he's got one!


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Genuine Tele refinish? Or part-o-caster?
Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 6:24 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Thu Nov 01, 2012 1:58 pm
Posts: 1051
Location: SW Florida
Honestly, the color is not right either. Pass.

_________________
Collector of vintage Fender 4 string basses.


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 6 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: