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Post subject: Fender Japan A series P Bass
Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2014 5:58 pm
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Just picked this up on a recent trip to LA and I love it. Nice clean punchy sound. From searches I can't even find an A series bass for sale to compare value (I didn't spend a lot).

Any opinions or info anyone cares to share appreciated.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Japan A series P Bass
Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2014 5:59 pm
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Post subject: Re: Fender Japan A series P Bass
Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2014 5:59 pm
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Post subject: Re: Fender Japan A series P Bass
Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2014 12:43 am
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Very nice. Is that a maple body? The neck pocket sure looks that way. Definitely not the norm.

The used better tuners on the overseas stuff back then.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Japan A series P Bass
Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2014 10:10 am
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Not sure. It's 3 piece, which I believe is also odd


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Post subject: Re: Fender Japan A series P Bass
Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2014 12:04 pm
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BrotherDave? affprod? stroker?

That aint basswood.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Japan A series P Bass
Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2014 12:05 pm
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Don't ever sell that btw.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Japan A series P Bass
Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2014 4:00 pm
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Here's the thing - If I was Rick on Pawn Stars, and I called in the "expert" from Cowtown guitars before I bought it, he'd say to me "So, what are your concerns?".

Well, first Made In Japan is on the decal, and it's supposed to be on the neck heel. As is the serial number which is stamped on the neck plate. There's no markings on the neck, and nothing in the neck pocket other than a stamped F. There's nothing on the pots but, they could have been replaced. That wouldn't bother me.

So, it's either one of two things...a fake, or a rare transitional piece.

I don't think it's fake because there's too much quality. In my (still uneducated) opinion, it's a rare,but not yet super collectible transitional piece. It may never be with the lack of dates and other markings.

End result, my cost was on the low end of what I see E series examples going for. Love the punch, and it's super quiet. I'm hoping to record with it soon.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Japan A series P Bass
Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2014 4:58 pm
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Love this kinda stuff.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Japan A series P Bass
Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2014 10:02 pm
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marc61 wrote:
Well, first Made In Japan is on the decal, and it's supposed to be on the neck heel. As is the serial number which is stamped on the neck plate.


I have definitely owned Fender Japan stuff with the serial number stamped on the neck plate, and I don't think the "Made in Japan" on the decal is a problem either. At some point they became much more consistent with the "MIJ" & serial number at the neck heel, but I would be willing to bet that there were variations in the '80s. It does look really clean if it is really that old! Congrats!

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Post subject: Re: Fender Japan A series P Bass
Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 9:21 am
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I've got one just like it. Mine has a decal at the base of the neck and it just says FENDER on the neck plate.

The body wood on yours looks like it could be mahogany. I don't know for sure but the grain pattern is similar.

Its a very nice Precision bass. Have fun playing it.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Japan A series P Bass
Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 1:28 pm
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Since you didn't share the complete serial I can't be 100% sure, but "A" plus 6 digit serial instruments were made at Fujigen for Fender Japan in 1985 to 1986. The Fender Japan "B" and "C" plus 6 digit serials were also made in 1985 to 1986. Why were there A, B & C serials all made in the same year? Because there were three quality levels with "A" being the top quality ones then "B" being medium quality and "C" being the base model.

Fender Japan almost from day one has been producing several levels of instruments. Usually 3 levels at least. During the time of the A, B and C serials it was easy to tell the difference. Most of the domestically sold ones are medium quality "B" serials with the "A" series being sometimes called Fender Japan Custom Shop, which isn't entirely accurate. However the A series ones were Fender Japan's highest quality contemporary instruments at the time, even if mass produced. The V series which denoted replicated vintage Fender models (and still does today) came a bit later and this model moved into that early Vintage Reissue line at Fender Japan. The A series and V series were both top quality Japanese Fenders. The A series were mass produced Fender Japan basses and so were the V series. And while scarce in the west they are abundant worldwide relative to anything pre-CBS and therefore the values are roughly stagnant in the market.

There is nothing obviously bogus here. One could be a bit suspicious that the guard might not be original at first glance, but THIS model came with the anodized aluminum guards that were later used on the V series 1957 Vintage Reissue models. Actually it turns out this one is in fact the 57 Vintage Reissue model made prior to the launch of the V series serials! In fact in 85 and 86 this particular model was denoted the PB57-95T and it sold new for 95,000 Yen. That would be about 800 US Dollars now in 2014. It came in Tobacco Sunburst (T), Candy Apple Red (CAR), Vintage White (VWH) and Fiesta Red (FRD) with Tobacco Sunburst being the most commonly seen and thus the least valuable in the secondary market. Next most commonly ordered was Candy Apple Red and Vintage White but you will have trouble finding one of those in the USA. The Fiesta Red ones are almost never up for sale and I've not seen one in 20 years or more. The color code follows PB57-95 for each specific model number, so for example a Fiesta Red one is a PB57-95FRD. This was not a cheap instrument at the time and was in fact the best traditional Precision bass Fender Japan was making. Your electronics may or may not be stock. I'd have to see them in person to tell for sure, but I don't see anything that looks obviously wrong. It should retail for at least what it sold for new, which was about $800 USD. A Vintage White or Candy Apple red one is worth about 15% more than a Sunburst one and a Fiesta Red one so seldom appears I can only say for sure it would be worth more than 15% above Sunburst but how much more exactly i really can't say. It could be worth substantially more to a collector of this specific model because the Fiesta Red is hardly ever seen and some collectors like to have one of every color which possibly explains where the few made went.

As for the neck pocket stamp it was switched to just a "57" for about 4 years when the V series launched, so the ones with "F" stamps would be much scarcer since they were made for less than half as long and early on before the model caught on. The early ones shown in Fender Japan photos did not have the "Made in Japan" headstock decal, but that is because it moved there from the neckplate in late 85 or early 86 for a while before being relocated to the base of the neck along with the serial. There are no date codes on these things, even on the pots. So really all you have to go by is the serial. Yours seems in VG to EX condition mainly because of some tuning key discoloration. Still easily an 8 out of 10 and a nice example. I don't think I'd modify it nor would I sell it. The Fender Japan A and V serials should be left stock.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Japan A series P Bass
Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2014 6:51 pm
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To follow up on the "A" serial numbers. They were used across models. I want to reference the Fender Performer. I have owned, or have knowledge of, over 30 Performers that have an E serial number decal on the back of the head stock. And I have knowledge of one, that has an A serial number on the neck plate.

I always assumed the A neck plate was used to either start or complete the Performer production, when the decals were not available. Perhaps that is a wrong assumption? Always learning, or trying to.

I like this pbass. And it came at a time when Japan/Fujigen was kicking out really nice basses. They had over twenty years under their belt, and, much like Ensenada's timeline, the quality had improved with experience.

I would like to see a closeup of the pickups if you have one. No issues, I just want them for my files.

Steve

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Post subject: Re: Fender Japan A series P Bass
Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2015 1:56 pm
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Steve, Here are some pickup closeups for you. Dave...thanks so much for the valuable info. It is an A followed by 6 numbers. I'm thinking because the first two are 0s that it's early in the A run. I did just put my Hipshot BT2 Dtuner in with no mods or issues :)



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Post subject: Re: Fender Japan A series P Bass
Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2015 7:57 pm
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Anybody else see what I see in the pickup photo? For all the world that looks like the stamping code for the 9th week of 1974 on a Fender USA pickup pair wound by winder number 14. Who was winder number 14 in 1974? Anybody?


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