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Post subject: P-Bass with serial No. 4793 (Now with Photos)
Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 9:12 am
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I have a P-Bass with serial No 4793, stamped J. SERNA at the back of the neck where it attaches to the body. My readings make this a 50's P-Bass. However I am unsure as the colour is 3 tone burst (I think). Could it be a 50's guitar? And does it have any value??

Regards R


Last edited by rgmurray on Wed Aug 31, 2011 8:51 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: P-Bass with serial No. 4793
Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 11:56 am
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The serial number you quoted is pre-1954 for sure. However, many basses from that vintage have been reconstructed over the years and all parts involved may not be as vintage as the actual serial number. The only J. Serna that I was able to locate was with the Tejano fusion band INTOCABLE ('Untouchable' as translated from Spanish) and was with them as the bass player from 1993 to 1995. Many road artists have their name inscribed into their gear in case things get lost, stolen or misplaced.


I might suggest that you have your local Fender service center simply inspect the bass to see if everything is actually vintage. It may have non-vintage parts installed over the years, but that axe may have been owned by Juan J. Serna as stated above and even if it is a rebuild, it may may have some collector value.

Hope this little bit of info gets you started in the right research direction. Good Luck.

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Post subject: Re: P-Bass with serial No. 4793
Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 1:25 pm
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That number is a 1954 model year serial. So it could have been made as late as June of 1955 as the '54 model year ended June 30, 1955. However, as is often pointed out by others the serials can be a year off here and there. I put more faith in the serial than anything else until proven otherwise. There should be a neck date if you remove the neck to look and perhaps can date the pot codes too.

This instrument needs to be appraised by someone who knows what to look for to accurately date and appraise it. It could be worth thousands. How much depends on originality and condition. The custom engraving will probably be a minor deduction.


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Post subject: Re: P-Bass with serial No. 4793
Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 1:40 pm
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The 4793, is at the base of the neck. There is stamps on the body, however no serial number. I will have a look at the pots.


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Post subject: Re: P-Bass with serial No. 4793
Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 2:42 pm
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I am no expert, but would a 1954 P-Bass have the serial number stamped on the bridge still? When did Fender move it to the neckplate, 1956? Also, wouldn't the bridge only have 2 saddles, E & A and D & G? Just some thoughts.
Got any pictures that you can post? That would be a big help for all.


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Post subject: Re: P-Bass with serial No. 4793
Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 12:41 am
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zod wrote:
I am no expert, but would a 1954 P-Bass have the serial number stamped on the bridge still? When did Fender move it to the neckplate, 1956? Also, wouldn't the bridge only have 2 saddles, E & A and D & G? Just some thoughts.
Got any pictures that you can post? That would be a big help for all.


I'm no expert either. But so far as I know they moved to the neckplate starting with 1954 models, technically from July 1, 1954 but surely they used up existing bridges and blank neckplates. There would not have been many of them at this time to use up though as Fender ran with a small inventory of everything in those days, not boxcar loads.

I'd be real curious to see the pencil mark on the neck butt.

If that number is at the base of the neck above where it attaches to the body, that is an owner applied number. Maybe a driver's license number? Hard to say without seeing it exactly what it is but it isn't a Fender serial as they never put them there except on Japanese instruments. Fender used pencil marks up until about March of 1962 on the butt end of the neck in a month/day/year or month/year format depending on the vintage. This neck date would have been written by hand in pencil on 50's guitar for sure and yes you'd probably have to take the neck off to read it.


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Post subject: Re: P-Bass with serial No. 4793
Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 4:20 am
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If you could post a photo it might help.


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Post subject: Re: P-Bass with serial No. 4793
Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 4:56 pm
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I will take a photo.


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Post subject: Re: P-Bass with serial No. 4793
Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 12:15 am
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If you can't figure out how to post the photos, just email them to me at the contact address on my website and I'll post them for you. The more photos the better. Front of headstock, back of headstock, front and back of neck, front and back of body, close ups of pickup and electronic controls and any case that came with it. Those would all be useful to us.


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Post subject: Re: P-Bass with serial No. 4793
Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 6:26 am
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http://www.amzak.co.uk/1.JPG
http://www.amzak.co.uk/2.JPG
http://www.amzak.co.uk/3.JPG


I will take more after the last post... :?


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Post subject: Re: P-Bass with serial No. 4793
Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 7:55 am
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http://www.amzak.co.uk/4.JPG
http://www.amzak.co.uk/5.JPG
http://www.amzak.co.uk/6.JPG


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Post subject: Re: P-Bass with serial No. 4793
Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 7:56 am
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http://www.amzak.co.uk/7.JPG
http://www.amzak.co.uk/8.JPG
http://www.amzak.co.uk/9.JPG


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Post subject: Re: P-Bass with serial No. 4793
Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 7:58 am
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http://www.amzak.co.uk/10.JPG
http://www.amzak.co.uk/11.JPG

And still plays... :shock:


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Post subject: Re: P-Bass with serial No. 4793 (Now with Photos)
Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 12:16 pm
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I would guess that it's a 74. It looks just like mine when I got it. It has the old Dimarzio pickups. It's not a 54. The neck may be from something else- not sure. The tuners don't look aged like they should compared to the rest of the patina on the guitar. The neck also has alot of goop looking finish. It seems someone refinished the neck. The bass may be a parts bass, but to me it really looks like a 74-76 overall. 73- the thumb rest would be below the G. On the 74 etc they put the rest over the E. That was the thing I noticed to cap off my idea of what it is. The F neck plate wouldn't have a 54 serial number . I would say- clean it up get the right decal and play it. Those early Dimarzios are the best me thinks!! :)

What are the #'s on the pots? Or pictures of the electronics would help.


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Post subject: Re: P-Bass with serial No. 4793 (Now with Photos)
Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 8:38 pm
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I don't think that J. Serna is the Bassist for that band. I have a January USA 1983 P-bass that I bought from my school, and J.Serna is stamped UNDER the lacquer. I think he might have worked at Fender for a while.


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