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Post subject: Is my P a Re'62 or a standard one?
Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:44 pm
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Location: Florence, Italy
Hi there, welcome to me :)

well, my first topic is a boring question for you guys. ;)
Recently I bought the P-bass that you can see in this picture. It's a made in Japan, built in 1986. It sounds really good.
Image

The guy I bought it from told me that it was a Reissue '62 series, but looking at the logo on the head, i was pretty doubtful.
This is my P-head:
Image

I'm pretty sure that the original logo for re'62 basses should be like this:
Image

BUT... looking behind the neck, near the screws, i can read the initial PB562:
Image

Does those initials mean that it is a '62 neck, or just a standard one? (don't look at the pickguard, thumbrest, etc please)
Is it possible that, during years, Fender had used two different logos for this series?

Please help me to identify my bass model!

thank you! :)


Last edited by Habanero on Wed Oct 14, 2009 10:13 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Is my P a Re'62 or a standard one?
Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 9:24 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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Habanero wrote:
Hi there, welcome to me :)

well, my first topic is a boring question for you guys. ;)
Recently I bought the P-bass that you can see in this picture. It's a made in Japan, built in 1986. It sounds really good.
Image

The guy I bought it from told me that it was a Reissue '62 series, but looking at the logo on the head, i was preatty doubtful.
This is my P-head:
Image

I'm preatty sure that the original logo for re'62 basses should be like this:
Image

BUT... looking behind the neck, near the screws, i can read the initial PB562:
Image

Does those initials mean that it is a '62 neck, or just a standard one? (don't look at the pickguard, thumbrest, etc please)
Is it possible that, during years, Fender had used two different logos for this series?

Please help me to identify my bass model!

thank you! :)


I think it is a 62 reissue. You're correct that the fender logo is not period correct, and I'm not knowlagable enough about MIJ fenders to know if this is technically a 62 RI or not. However, I will say that the neck construction IS correct (no skunk stripe, no truss rod adjustment at the headstock), and the tuners look like vintage paddle tuners, though they don't look quite right. Not sure exactly what's off about them.

Sorry I can't be more helpful. It's not exactly a 62, but it definitely is similar.


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 8:50 am
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The Japanese Fenders were made with many features of the sixties Fenders without being actual reissues. I really like the quality of these basses. You have a great bass there I hope you enjoy it.

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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 10:10 am
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You say that it could be a standard P with, perhaps, a '62 neck... well, if you're right, i think i'm lucky because the neck is the best part on a reissue bass :)

Do you know something about the difference between e japanese standard pickup of that time, and a reissue one?

Of course I enjoy it. It's full of mid- frequencies, vintage sound. I love it. :)


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 11:03 am
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If you took off the pickup cover you will see that the bobbin on a Japanese P-bass is made of plastic while the US model is made of a fiberboard material.
I like the sound of the stock pickup. some want to change these for a Seymour Duncan of some other after market pickup.
Just trust your own ears.

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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 2:32 am
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Nice find!

It would be nice to see photos of the neckplate or the back of the headstock.

I have not seen any MIJ '62 Reissues without:
A: A third strap button affixed to the back of the headstock. If this is missing it for sure is not a '62 RI.
B: The word "FENDER" engraved in block letters between the top two screws of the neck plate.
C: A black in color "MADE IN JAPAN" decal on back of the base of the neck just above the body joint with the serial number in a silvery color just beneath the black "MADE IN JAPAN" decal.

I have not seen any MIJ '62 Reissues with:
A: Serial numbers on the headstock. However I have seen Jazz basses purported to be 62 RI's with a similar logo decal but no serial on the headstock.
B: Finger rests stock.

On the plus side this does look like the 3-color Sunburst was the sunburst finish used on the '62 RI P-basses.

I ran your serial number through Guitar Dater Project and the output was that your bass was made at the Fuji-gen Plant (for Fender Japan), Japan
in the Year(s): 1986 - 1987. VERY nice bass. Take it to a guitar store like you are thinking about trading it in, compare it to a USA P-Bass Standard. You'll see these were REALLY excellent P-basses.

You can now buy '62 RI USA Pickups called the Fender Original Series '62 Precision Bass Pickup. It is Fender part number 099-2046-000. If you ever consider a pickup swap, that would be a good one.


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 4:20 am
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A: X
B: V
C: X
Probably it's not a RE62, but I still think that the neck is exactly the same... because it's just.. perfect.

I really like my pickup when I play alone, but in the mix the sound becomes quite flat... You think the pickup you quoted is a real step forward from my japanese one?

Thanks!


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 6:06 am
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Yes I think the Fender Original Series '62 Precision Bass Pickup would be a major improvement. There are other pickups that would yield similar results. Seymour Duncan Antiquity for one. BUT, I'd also replace the cap.

You can go two ways on the cap. Either to the recently reissued Ceramic 0.05 which Fender has revived from the dead for an authentic edgy tone or to the Paper In Oil .047 Vitamin-Q Sprague caps which I use that is smoother than a baby's bottom. Either would be an improvement over the vanilla sounding poly chicklet you have now. The poly cap alone might be the reason your tone gets lost in the stage wash. In fact I'd do a cap swap first and see if you still think you need a better pickup.


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 7:05 am
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This is my actual cap:
Image

"104K 1HD" ... what kind of cap is this?

I know nearly nothing about electronics, but I think I'll try with a ceramic 0.05 as soon as I can!


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