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Post subject: Mystery Bass!!
Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 10:30 am
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Hi,

I'm new to this forum and looking to research my bass. I bought it second hand from a reputable guitar shop in the UK around 1995 (I think!). I was told it was a customised (or butchered, depending on your perspective) Fender Precision bass. I'm wondering how much of it, if any, is original fender. Hopefully the pics will help. The body is cream (no woodgrain), although this has darkened quite a bit over time compared to covered sections under the scratch plate (see pic). With the scratch plate off I can't see any identifying numbers or marks on the body. Both pickups are EMG. By the looks of it the bridge one has been added to an original pickup hole or a new hole was made in the body as there are chips in the laquer around the hole and the wiring hole inside is a bit rough. The knobs are (I think) chrome plated steel with slightly rounded top surface and a small circlular indentation mark. The kneck and head are obviously not orginal :!: Fretless light wood (maple?) with possibly a black-stained, darkwood fretboard - no identifying marks. No identifiers on the bridge. It seems good quality, with 3D adjustments. The top three tuners are marked Fender and the E is a Schaller with a trigger that can be set to drop it to a low D. The neck plate has the Fender 'F' on it. The scratch plate doesn't seem to have been modified. It is a black-white-black sandwich. The only identifier is a "Made in Japan" sticker on the underside. It also has a small screw hole either side of the neck pickup, as if for a cover, but there are no matching holes in the body. Strap knobs both have a small white felt pads before the surface of guitar. OK, that's about it. I'm no expert and would appreciate anything you can tell me about any part of this guitar. I've never had the neck or pickups off. To be honest I'm a bit scared to tamper with it as it looks like someone spent quite a bit of time and money modifying it. It plays beutifully and the last think I want to do is muck it about. Thanks in advance for any info.

P.S. I haven't worked ot how to upload pics direct to this forum yet, so you can view them instead at: http://gallery.me.com/rhendry


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Post subject: Re: Mystery Bass!!
Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 3:25 pm
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Hey, I don't want to burst your bubble but I don't think your bass is a Fender bass.

It has some Fender tuners and possibly a modified Precision pickguard, but I don't think the routes or wiring harness has anything in common with a real Precision bass.

The bridge is a Schaller and the drop D tuner is probably a Hipshot.
It looks like a very nice bass and I am sure it sounds great, but I don't think it ever came from Fullerton, California.

HAve fun playing it though. I bet it sounds great.

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Post subject: Re: Mystery Bass!!
Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 3:44 pm
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I agree with BCbassman.


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Post subject: Re: Mystery Bass!!
Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 1:53 pm
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Hi guys,

Many thanks for taking time to reply. It's been good researching it and has helped me realize that there were only a few bits that could have been genuine. I'm counting the tuners (apart from the Schaller drop D, obviously) and the neck screw plate as genuine, so that leaves the body and the pick guard as possibly genuine (except maybe the bridge? - see below). Can you tell from my description and pics that the body and pick guard are definitely NOT Fender? If so, how can you tell? If it's not clear from the info I've given, would checking under the pups or neck joint help clarify this?

From my amateurish research I know the configuration I have of three pots and jack socket in a curve is very unusual for a p bass, but I have come across a similar configuration in the 1980s p bass Special (although they seem to have had a small switch between the jack socket and the first pot.) Was there ever a p bass with the same configuration of pots and jack socket as mine?

Thanks for identifying the bridge as a Schaller. Again, from my research I understand some P basses were fitted with Schaller 'fine tuner' bridges in 1980-early 1990s:
http://wn.com/Precision_Bass
Could this be one of these?

I guess the " routes or wiring harness" (I'm not quite sure what this means!) came with the emg pups that the previous owner fitted?

All this will make me sound desperate to hang on to idea that this was originally a p pass, but actually I'm just really enjoying learning more about them. Maybe if mine isn't then I'll just have to save up and get the genuine article. Anyway, any response to my questions above will be much welcomed!

Love the forum!

R


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Post subject: Re: Mystery Bass!!
Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 2:12 pm
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What we have here is... a lack of identification. It's probubly a parts bass. You could tell better by taking off the neck and having a" look see" as to wether there's anything in there. Maybe a guitar pick ( I've had that) or some writing. I would take pics so we can see. Thanks have a great day.


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Post subject: Re: Mystery Bass!!
Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 2:57 pm
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RicoH wrote:
Many thanks for taking time to reply. It's been good researching it and has helped me realize that there were only a few bits that could have been genuine. I'm counting the tuners (apart from the Schaller drop D, obviously) and the neck screw plate as genuine, so that leaves the body and the pick guard as possibly genuine (except maybe the bridge? - see below). Can you tell from my description and pics that the body and pick guard are definitely NOT Fender? If so, how can you tell? If it's not clear from the info I've given, would checking under the pups or neck joint help clarify this?


I can only give you my opinion. In my opinion-The body and neck are not Fender because the "routes" or trenches that are carved into the body to accommodate the "wiring harness" which is the collection of wiring connections inside the bass are different from any cataloged model of Fender bass made between 1951 and 1999 (As far as I know).

Quote:
From my amateurish research I know the configuration I have of three pots and jack socket in a curve is very unusual for a p bass, but I have come across a similar configuration in the 1980s p bass Special (although they seem to have had a small switch between the jack socket and the first pot.) Was there ever a p bass with the same configuration of pots and jack socket as mine?


I own a 1982 Precision Special and its body routes don't look like your bass.
There is a Squire Precision Special with your exact pickguard/pickup control configuration that is currently available. Your bass appears to be of a better quality than a Squire.

Quote:
Thanks for identifying the bridge as a Schaller. Again, from my research I understand some P basses were fitted with Schaller 'fine tuner' bridges in 1980-early 1990s:
http://wn.com/Precision_Bass
Could this be one of these?

No- the fine tuner bridges had fine tuners. Yours does not have any or any indication that it ever had fine tuners.

Quote:
I guess the " routes or wiring harness" (I'm not quite sure what this means!) came with the emg pups that the previous owner fitted?


See above for explanation of routes and Wire harness.

Most EMGs are after market installs unless you have a named bass that comes with them.

The bass looks to be very well made. Please note that the Fender neck plates with an F are easily available as after market parts. This bass could be a Kramer or a parts bass assembled by someone with some extra Fender parts lying around.


Quote:
All this will make me sound desperate to hang on to idea that this was originally a p pass, but actually I'm just really enjoying learning more about them. Maybe if mine isn't then I'll just have to save up and get the genuine article. Anyway, any response to my questions above will be much welcomed!

Love the forum!

R

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Post subject: Re: Mystery Bass!!
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 1:06 pm
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HI again,

Many thanks for your detailed and helpful comments - I'm understanding this a lot better now!
Next time I restring it (which may be while) I'll have a look under the pups and get the pot ref numbers. I've never taken the neck off a bass before. Is there anything I should watch out for? - don't want to spoil how it plays at present!

Still hunting around for similar bass with the three controls and jack all together on the front. The best I can come up with is these:

http://www.vintageandrareguitars.com/we ... /item/3821
This has clearly been modified by adding the bridge pup.
http://www.answerbag.co.uk/q_view/655813
http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/precisi ... ial-199.00
This is the 5 string squire precision special, which postdates my guitar, I think. So who knows where/what my pickguard came from!

So it's a parts guitar - but whoever put it together did a great job, so I'm still happy. Will get back if I discover anything new.

Thanks again!


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Post subject: Re: Mystery Bass!!
Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 4:05 pm
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BCbassman wrote:
Hey, I don't want to burst your bubble but I don't think your bass is a Fender bass.

It has some Fender tuners and possibly a modified Precision pickguard, but I don't think the routes or wiring harness has anything in common with a real Precision bass.

The bridge is a Schaller and the drop D tuner is probably a Hipshot.
It looks like a very nice bass and I am sure it sounds great, but I don't think it ever came from Fullerton, California.

HAve fun playing it though. I bet it sounds great.


I agree. It doesn't sound like any Fender Bass I have ever seen. I think someone did some mods to it with some fender parts. Sounds like a cool bass, I don't think it's a fender though.

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