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Post subject: My "new" P bass ***RESTORATION COMPLETE!***
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2014 7:12 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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Hi. Recently, I purchased an old P bass from a guy I know. He said it was a '72 which he partially refinished. Unfortunately, the natural finish of the body was lost when he painted it black. He replaced a few bits such as the knobs and pick guard, as well as the neck plate! The neck, itself, is worn but not refinished. She's very comfortable and the tone is pretty amazing. My friend was asking $500 for it, so I took it to my dad to look at, who's an old bass hand, and then the fellas at Guitar Center. The general consensus is that she plays nicely, with a rich, full tone; though due to the refinish and lack of an official number plate she won't appreciate in value. But also that it was most likely worth at least $500. Probably more if parted-out.

I went so far as to take it apart and look at the butt of the neck, and underside of the pickups. I see a faint stamp on the neck confirming a 1972 creation and the numbers "17973" and "17873" on the pickups. I'm thinking this might be a '73 due to the numbers on the pickups? My friend said he still has the number plate and will find it for me. I was thinking I might try to restore this thing with untainted vintage parts as I find them. Any thoughts?

So here's a shot in the garden...

Image


Last edited by Ghastly on Thu May 08, 2014 1:13 pm, edited 3 times in total.

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Post subject: Re: My "new" P bass
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2014 10:41 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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I've never seen a neck quite like that.


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Post subject: Re: My "new" P bass
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 3:30 am
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Interesting. Be patient, there will be people coming who will give some good insight. For $500,00 you bought a bass you're happy with?

Good deal! Congrats!


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Post subject: Re: My "new" P bass
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 4:11 am
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The neck has some beautiful figured woodgrain on it. Kinda sorta of flamed maple.


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Post subject: Re: My "new" P bass
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 4:24 am
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I'm pretty sure that's what Wild was looking at. There are still determining factors that will identify this bass.


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Post subject: Re: My "new" P bass
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 5:44 am
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72, 73 no big deal one way or the other, except just for your own knowledge.

Get the original parts back. The most important is the neck plate with the serial. Getting all the original parts back is pretty important value wise, but without the original serialized neckplate it is a parts bass and worth the total of the parts. With the original neck plate it will continue to appreciate in value, just not at the same level as one that hadn't been painted. With the correct serialized neck plate it would be a PLAYER CLASS Fender. Player Class basses still appreciate, just not at the same level as all original Collector Class ones.

The pickup numbers you posted seem to have one digit missing. There should be 6 numbers in the early 70's. The first two numbers are the ID of the person who wound it. The next two numbers are the week. The last two numbers are the year they were wound. You only list 5 numbers and I don't know how to decode that. I agree that the pickups were likely made in 73 but can't say for sure. Did you check the pot codes?

I don't think you got hurt too bad. But I'd want the original neck plate. Without that it is just a parts bass, maybe Fender and maybe not. With it you have a refinished Fender.


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Post subject: Re: My "new" P bass
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 8:13 am
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Thank you for your replies. He called the wood "curly maple". I'll get a better shot of the front and back of the neck later when the sun comes up. Here are a few more pics though. I didn't really get any good reference pics of the pots. I'll have to open her up again.


Image
ImageImageImage


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Post subject: Re: My "new" P bass
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 1:30 pm
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This is my favorite kind of stuff to read at the Lounge. Before there was a reservation for especially nice maple, some bassists just got lucky. The neck alone would sell for much more than $500 on ebay, but you'd be selling a jackpot of quilted maple that you'd never get back. I don't think today's Custom Shop gets maple wood THAT nice.

That's alotta bass for $500.


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Post subject: Re: My "new" P bass
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 2:56 pm
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And a few more of the head and neck...

Image

Image

Image


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Post subject: Re: My "new" P bass
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 3:54 pm
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I had a 1970 P-bass that had a beautifully figured maple neck. I guess I just got lucky. I could kick myself for selling it.


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Post subject: Re: My "new" P bass
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 5:04 pm
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Post subject: Re: My "new" P bass
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2014 9:25 pm
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I wood never get rid of that would.

:shock:


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Post subject: Re: My "new" P bass
Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2014 8:46 am
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Been checking around for info on the pickup numbers. Can't find anything that works for the them. Sometimes 5 digit numbers have winder ID first, weeks second and year of production expressed as one digit such as 2 for 1972. But that doesn't work here.


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Post subject: Re: My "new" P bass
Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2014 3:49 pm
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Yeah - With that neck that bass is easily worth $500!
That neck stamp is 5 Jan 72. Its a 1972 bass in my opinion.

I hope that you get the neck plate with the serial number. It appears to be a good refinish and the pickups are original so this bass will be a nice investment even if it is not totally original.

Good luck with it.

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Post subject: Re: My "new" P bass
Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2014 5:55 pm
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Thank you BrotherDave for looking into it further. I don't know what to think about those now. My friend says those are still the original pickups. I've been looking a little too, and only found one other photo of a 5 digit number for pickups; but, of course, I can't confirm what they actually were, but supposedly off of a '75 P bass, (with similar number font as mine).

my pots:

Image


Last edited by Ghastly on Sat Feb 01, 2014 6:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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