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Post subject: Possible 59/60 P Bass
Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 7:10 pm
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I'm not up on Fender basses per say so I'm looking for info. I'm sorry, but before you ask, I don't have nor can I get photos.

I found a Fender Precision Bass that the dealer tells me is a 59 or 60.

Here's what I know:
The body had been refinished from a 3-color-sunburst to a natural stain.
The S/N is: 518596 (or something like it. The photo from the phone isn't that good).
The Fender logo is Gold.
There is small round metal "strap" botton on the back of the headstock. I'm guessing that it's used to hold a strap. I'm not a bass player per say so I'm guessing.
One round string tree.
It's also missing the metal pickup cover, but has the bridge cover.
Rosewood neck, but it looks like a veneer to me.
Black plastic thumb rest on the lower horn.
Torteshell pickguard that has the truss rod access notch I've seen on Strat of that period.
Tele style knobs.
Clay dot inlay.

I had the dealer take the bass appart but found no dates on the body or neck. The dealer tells me that this was normal for this time period.

It's in rough (reliced) condition and the neck has become a dark amber color. A past owner clear coated (think Richenbacker) the fret board.

They are asking $3K for this bass.

Two questions:
1. Is it ligit?
2. Is it worth $3K?


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Post subject: Re: Possible 59/60 P Bass
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 7:07 am
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If you post a couple of pictures only then we can tell you this bass is fake or not.

Also make sure it's not a scam.


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Post subject: Re: Possible 59/60 P Bass
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 7:53 am
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I agree with Chromeface, If the dealer will not provide suitable pics forget it...there are plenty of very very good forgeries out there...below is info retrieved from the "guitar dater project" web site with the serial number 518596

Guitar Info
Your guitar was made at the
Fullerton Plant (Fender - CBS Era), USA
in the Year(s): 1973 - 1974


Fender: Fullerton

The Fullerton factory opened in 1946, Fullerton California with the first major electric solid body guitar production began in 1950 with the Broadcaster (later known as the Telecaster). Sold in 1965 to CBS who in 1985 sold Fender to a group of private investors the plant was not included in that sale and was subsequently closed.


Last edited by pete bass on Tue Jan 15, 2013 9:08 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Possible 59/60 P Bass
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 8:36 am
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If the pictures are too big, reduce their size by 50% with an image editor in order to make them viewable.


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Post subject: Re: Possible 59/60 P Bass
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 12:43 pm
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Again, sorry for not being able to attach photos. They were taken on my phone and I don't have the ability to transfer them; it's a long story.

The headstock looks like a gold spegetti logo, but neck plate indicates an early 70s Bass.

Thanks for all the help and advice.


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Post subject: Re: Possible 59/60 P Bass
Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 5:21 pm
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There was only a very brief period when there were no neck codes starting in 1959. In 1960 they went to stamps. They stopped the pencil dates after someone complained about an obscenity written on their neck butt in pencil. Actually it was likely the signature or initials of the QC person and not an obscenity.

Without photos, and sometimes even with them, it is hard to tell much.


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Post subject: Re: Possible 59/60 P Bass
Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 6:48 pm
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brotherdave wrote:
There was only a very brief period when there were no neck codes starting in 1959. In 1960 they went to stamps. They stopped the pencil dates after someone complained about an obscenity written on their neck butt in pencil. Actually it was likely the signature or initials of the QC person and not an obscenity.

Without photos, and sometimes even with them, it is hard to tell much.


Thanks for the info. By the way I see from your photo that your playing a late '50s style P Bass. What year is it and do you like?

I own a MIJ 2-color-sunburst '51 P-bass and I really love it.


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Post subject: Re: Possible 59/60 P Bass
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2013 10:45 pm
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paris wrote:
... By the way I see from your photo that your playing a late '50s style P Bass. What year is it and do you like?

I own a MIJ 2-color-sunburst '51 P-bass and I really love it.


I also have a sunburst 51 RI Precision Bass but I like the blonde one better and it has been #1 since it was finished and probably always will be #1. It is named "Blondine." The Fender 51 RI really doesn't get much use. I don't think I've touched it in at least 6 months since finishing "The Wabak Machine," which was my most recent project and frequent #2/backup.

The bass in the photo is my #1 bass. It is a parts bass that came together about 9 years ago after Jonesing for a Telecaster Bass for over 2 decades to replace the '68 Tele lost in a tragic trade for a Jazz Bass. I know, so don't start.

Blondine has a pancake rosewood slab 12 inch radius neck with medium jumbo frets, which is so far as I know a unique neck for any single coil Tele style bass anyone else assembled yet. Blondine is part Fender and part other things, including part wood shop. I also cut my hand while working on it so there is some blood in there too. It is fully copper shielded to ground including both chrome covers. It has a Vitamin-Q cap with a Seymour Duncan SCPB3 pickup and vintage 4 threaded saddle top-loading bridge instead of the 2 saddle body through bridge usually on them. The body-through holes were filled in with glued wooden dowels and filler.

Some people ask if it is a Mike Dirnt model because of the rosewood board. It is somewhat similar looking but different. I had no idea who Mike Dirnt was and I don't think Fender even had his signature model out when I dreamed it up about 15 years ago and started accumulating parts to make it happen. It was shortly after I got it finished that I first saw the Mike Dirnt model. I've also been asked what kind of preamp is in it because many people who hear it just assume it is active. It's passive.

I've bought 3 new and 2 used Fender basses since finishing Blondine. While each was hand picked not one ever get higher than #2. I've not given up on finding one I'll like better but it seems to be increasingly unlikely. Still I keep looking.


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