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Post subject: 1978/79 p bass neck pocket
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 4:46 am
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Hobbyist
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Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2012 4:11 am
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Got a 78-79 p bass usa ser. # start s9xxxxx...
I picked up this bass a couple of years ago and action was to high and bridge saddle on E was bottomed out even after set-up and truss tweek.
I had heard the there was problems in original manufacturing of some of these model years where the neck pockets were routed out too deep. How did this bass survive all these years?
Well we tried shims, but to get to the right height made the angle too sharp and not comfortable for playability. Than I had saw where a tapered spacer cut as the neck pocket may help.
I cut a piece of maple flooring sample I got from home depot and shaped and sanded into a neck pocket spacer than had set to fender specs. Its a lot better, but not perfect
Well the joint looks like crap, I need to make some kind of molding to hide the joint.
I was told this bass was rare because Fender had recalled most of them and would replace it. Is this true?
anyone else have one of these basses?
What is the real fix?


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Post subject: Re: 1978/79 p bass neck pocket
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 2:29 pm
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Professional Musician
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Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:01 am
Posts: 2842
sounds like a defect from the factory. It's possible to fix I would imagine. I'd sell it.


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Post subject: Re: 1978/79 p bass neck pocket
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 11:20 am
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Joined: Fri Mar 21, 2008 11:00 am
Posts: 1226
Location: In the pocket north of Washington D.C.
I have shimmed the necks on a lot of Fender basses and it sounds to me like the shim you are using is too thick.
A little bit goes a long way when shimming a neck.

Try this: remove the neck and replace your flooring sample shim with a standard thin guitar pick. Place it all of the way forward in the center of the neck pocket (towards the bridge).

Replace the neck ,restring and adjust your action and neck bow (the neck should be nearly straight).

The neck should be raised up in the pocket enough to again get a good adjustment range in the bridge saddles.Adjust and enjoy playing your bass for the first time.

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


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Post subject: Re: 1978/79 p bass neck pocket
Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 7:08 am
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Rock Star
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Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:12 pm
Posts: 6355
Location: Albemarle, NC
BC is correct about using something as thin as a pick. I've also run across a lot of matchbook covers in there.


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