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Post subject: 1978 Precision
Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 3:17 am
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Good morning. I am new here but have been a Precision player for about twenty five years.

Please can someone help me to understand my bass. It is a 1978ish model serial S8xxxxx, Olympic white - faded to a creamy slightly yellow colour. The odd thing is it has a completely black fingerboard, it looks like ebony but I'm not sure. I've never seen another quite like it, although other '78 models I have seen are identical in every other aspect. It also has white pick-ups. I've owned it for about fifteen years and it is really a wonderful player

Does anyone know what black woods Fender used for finger boards at the time mine was made? Is it some sort of special issue?

Many thanks
TCH


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Post subject: Re: 1978 Precision
Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 8:31 am
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I am of the understanding that Ebony is a variation of rosewood. I have a rosewood board that is very dark almost black. The ebony board I have IS what you would call black. I'm not an expert and you have posted no pics but you may either have a very dark rosewood board or it could be ebony. I'm not sure of different kinds of black wood. I've mostly seen ebony as black wood. It's a big World and there probably is black wood. I would not call Zebra wood black wood but it has what looks like black in it. This is another job for Brother Dave.


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Post subject: Re: 1978 Precision
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 11:10 am
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Location: In the pocket north of Washington D.C.
In 1978 Fender was using rosewood and maple as their standard fingerboard woods

I cannot tell without seeing the bass in person, but realize that some rosewood fingerboards do darken quite dramatically with heavy use and that may have happened with yours.

I don't know of ebony ever being used or offered on Precision basses in the 70's but one off or limited run instruments were made all of the time esp. for NAMM shows.

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


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Post subject: Re: 1978 Precision
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 10:12 am
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The fingerboard is definitely ebony but not sure of year. It is not rosewood that has darkened, the texture is different. Bass has s8 serial number so could be early eighties or late seventies.

Is it possible to put pictures on this forum?


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Post subject: Re: 1978 Precision
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 4:57 pm
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The Crow Hailer wrote:
The fingerboard is definitely ebony but not sure of year. It is not rosewood that has darkened, the texture is different. Bass has s8 serial number so could be early eighties or late seventies.

Is it possible to put pictures on this forum?


I posted pics on here before using photobucket. If there is an easier way I would love for someone to share that method! By the way, I too have a 78 P Bass with a maple neck. I know the body is ash. I'm pretty sure they used rosewood on maple during that time. I worked at the plant in Fullerton back then also. I feel that my ash body P bass is heavier in weight than the new alder ones, I've checked out in the stores these days.


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Post subject: Re: 1978 Precision
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 11:02 pm
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WHAT IF.... the fretboard was replaced with an ebony one ???


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Post subject: Re: 1978 Precision
Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 1:18 pm
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stroker vance wrote:
WHAT IF.... the fretboard was replaced with an ebony one ???



I guess it might be possible. Looking at it from a realistic point of view, I highly doubt it. It would be alot of work and expensive. It would take a real mod freak to do that! It can be possible!


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Post subject: Re: 1978 Precision
Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2012 3:26 pm
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Ebony was used for fretless P-basses. You could order about anything you wanted then.


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