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Post subject: Help dating a vintage P-bass
Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2012 3:38 pm
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Hi guys, I just get a P-bass here in my studio and I'm having some trouble to discover its age!

Maybe its 73 or 74... I'm not sure. I wonder if you guys could help me find out!!

The bridge was changed and the tunners too...(there is no fender logo on them)


http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/26 ... 134np.jpg/

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/5716/p1040152g.jpg

http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/4246/p1040164b.jpg

http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/7461/p1040138u.jpg

http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/6215/p1040142f.jpg

http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/3607/p1040153s.jpg


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Post subject: Re: Help dating a vintage P-bass
Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2012 7:25 pm
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Rock Star
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Location: Albemarle, NC
Hi, just ran serial "583252" which is what I think the serial reads from the photo which yielded the following and found:

Your guitar was made at the
Fullerton Plant (Fender - CBS Era), USA
in the Year(s): 1975

Got that from the Guitar Dater Project for Fender. If that isn't the correct serial you can check it here: http://www.guitardaterproject.org/fender.aspx Or find it in the Fender Dating Chart here: http://www.fender.com/support/articles/u-s-instruments-product-dating

The 75 model year technically ran from July 1, 1975 until June 30, 1976.

Serials are sometimes unreliable as the sole hallmark for dating. Switching neck plates around is easy, plus there is evidence Fender serials are sometimes off even if they aren't switched. It is best to look for corroborative hallmarks to the serial as well.

On the one pot that looks as if it could be original I can't read the date code in the photo.

One pot at least has been replaced and the tone cap is not only non-original but also the wrong value which will make the instrument sound brighter than it does with a stock value 0.05 or 0.047 tone capacitor, which would have been a ceramic disc.

I'm unable to decode the neck code stamping which is partly missing, the bottom portion anyway of the dating numbers is missing making decoding a guessing game here, and I'd be afraid to guess from a photo but perhaps in person someone could figure it out. A few unreadable neck code numbers is not unusual and isn't really a concern since many are unreadable as the ink faded or the stamping was faint, unevenly stamped or a few characters smeared often. This does appear a legit Fullerton factory neck code stamping.

While the clearer pickup stampings seem to indicate 1973 the serial indicates 75 if I'm reading the serial correctly. This also is not that unusual. The 22 was the winder's personal mark. The next two numbers are the week of the the year and the last two are the year usually.

Agree the bridge and tuners do look recent in the photos.

This is a player class instrument. If it sounds great and plays well it will serve your studio well. It isn't collector class, especially for a 76 model. However the good news for your studio is instruments like that one, ones that have been obviously played a lot, are frequently the better sounding ones compared to a showpiece that didn't get used much. There is often a reason why the Collector Class ones weren't used a lot and often if you play one of those beauties you'll find out the reason was they didn't sound ans impressive or play as well as their assembly line siblings.

The only thing I'd possibly consider changing if everything else works is a tone cap swap and the original ceramic disc type in a value of 0.05 or 0.047 would be one way to go. I'm not fond of Poly Chicklet type caps, which is what this one appears to presently have. Poly caps just don't have the same edge as the the ceramic disc. Another option for a super lush clean tone would be a Paper In Oil Sprague Vitamin-Q type in 0.047uF 200 volt size and the Soviet made versions are only a few bucks. I'd probably use one or the other of those instead of the Poly one in there now. I imagine the Ceramic Disc one was damaged in the pot replacement and that Poly one went in then.

Enjoy it!


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Post subject: Re: Help dating a vintage P-bass
Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2012 9:19 pm
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Thx for your help mate!!!

I tought the serial was 533252.. hehe ( thats why i was guessing 73-74)
The bridge is a Fender Vintage replacement
Tuner maybe a Gotoh replacement (Still on research! )
So it is a genuine Fender P-bass right ?

This bass has a amazing tone and it is very soft to play even with elixir 0.45 strings!!
The sound is bright and warm at same time hehehe ! And a very cool punch maybe because of the pots and cap!

More pics !!

http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/5701/p1040161c.jpg

http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/3359/p1040162o.jpg

http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/2969/p1040165y.jpg


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Post subject: Re: Help dating a vintage P-bass
Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2012 11:07 am
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Rock Star
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Location: Albemarle, NC
ok it could be a 3 instead of an 8. Like I said it is hard to work with photos.

The pot code is missing the last digit covered by solder on the pot I thought might be original. What I can see of the number doesn't date to early 70's. Could actually be an 88. The other one with the flat back without the indentation with the numbers 50666000 I believe to be a modern Fender/CTS made no-load pot part number but I don't think that one has the click detent. Not sure as I don't use them but that is what I think it might be.


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Post subject: Re: Help dating a vintage P-bass
Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2012 6:37 pm
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One more thing that intrigues me.

The logo on headstock is right ??

the position looks diffefent, maybe refinished ?


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Post subject: Re: Help dating a vintage P-bass
Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2012 7:02 pm
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Rock Star
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Location: Albemarle, NC
The decal does look a tad high. Often the bottom of the "F" is closer to the edge, but not always! Again from a photo it is hard to tell. Don't know why someone would refinish the headstock though. More often on post factory decal replacements they get the lateral position wrong but in this case it appears correct. Due to the sweeping shape of these decals they are not exactly in the same place on each headstock. Decal is a by hand task and they are all just a little different.

Here are some other headstocks of the era to examine. This one has a more typical lower "F" placement:
Image

On the other hand, here's another one with a very similar placement to yours:
Image

I would have to look at it in person, but I can't imagine refinishing the headstock. The correct CBS decals are a semi-tough find and the one you have looks era correct. Odds are it is original, but I can't say with 100% certainty based on a photo.


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Post subject: Re: Help dating a vintage P-bass
Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2012 11:11 pm
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I love the CBS logo for some reason.

_________________
Liam

-Candy Apple Red Precision Bass (Maple fingerboard) carrying Rotosound Steve Harris Strings
-1980-something Bentley Series 10
-Fender Rumble 15


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Post subject: Re: Help dating a vintage P-bass
Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2012 6:40 am
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Got it!! Probably is the "hand task"

Thx again for your help mate!


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Post subject: Re: Help dating a vintage P-bass
Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2012 2:15 pm
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Found one like mine !

http://s988.beta.photobucket.com/user/s ... 9.jpg.html


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