Fender Precision Bass Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar (1960)
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Item # 12568
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Fender Precision Bass Model Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar (1960), made in Fullerton, California, serial # 48726, sunburst lacquer finish, alder body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, original brown tolex hard shell case.
This is a simply killer example of one of the ultimate vintage electric basses: a played-in but entirely original early slab-fingerboard Fender Precision from mid-1960. This bass was made less than a year after the model took this now-classic final form. The earlier 1950s maple neck and gold anodized metal pickguard had been supplanted by the features seen here in the summer of 1959, and for many years after this was the pattern for the Precision, then as now the world's standard electric bass. The pots on this one are dated to the 19th week of 1960 and the heel shows a 5-60 date mark in pencil.
The bass carries all the classic 1960s pre-CBS features that define this era's Fender basses. The clay dot, thick slab rosewood fingerboard neck has a slimmer profile than some later '60s examples, but a bit thicker than the '58-'59 one-piece maple necks. The headstock is adorned with the old "Spaghetti" Fender logo decal. The thin sunburst lacquer finish on the body was originally a 3-tone 'burst, this has evolved into a subtler "2 1/2 tone" effect as the red pigment has faded over the decades. The thick tortoise celluloid pickguard is the lighter pattern sometimes referred to as the "pepperoni guard" by collectors. One quirk is the serial number is stamped along the bottom edge of the neckplate instead of the upper edge, one of several "mistakes" by the supplier of this component found on 1957-60 Fenders.
This bass is an absolute classic, as played by the great majority of the then-new electric bassists of the 1960s and heard on literally thousands of recordings. This unusually original example still retains its original chrome pickup and bridge covers, with the thick foam under the latter amazingly still intact. Played with this cover mounted, it still offers the original tone of the early 1960s, with the muted thumpy punch characteristic of the era. This can of course be removed for a more modern sound! In any context this remains a simply wonderful instrument for any style of music, an absolute joy to play and a prime example of the glory days of Fender.
Overall length is 45 3/4 in. (116.2 cm.), 13 in. (33 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 34 in. (864 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.)., 8.71 lbs.
This bass has seen a decent amount of play time over the last 64 years but remains in gloriously original condition, well cared for, unaltered and 100% complete. The body finish shows some fade most heavily on the face, giving an older almost two-tone sunburst look. There is minor arm wear down to the wood along the top edge of the body, with small random dings, scratches and chips scattered around. The face shows some small divots into the wood (but not through the finish) between the upper waist and the top edge of the pickguard. The back has more substantial overall wear with chips, dings, shallow scratches and a larger worn-away spot to the upper horn.
There is considerable play wear down to the wood on the back of the neck, giving it that glorious "played-in old Fender" feel. Some small dings and dents there have been mostly worn smooth again. Despite this evidence of play time the original small frets show only minimal wear as the bass appears to have likely been strung with flatwound strings since new; we have fitted a new set of LaBella flats to maintain this tradition!
Nothing on this bass has ever been repaired or altered. The pickup and all wiring appears intact and unaltered. The decal is missing a small part of the "Precision" logo. The lower front tip of the pickguard has popped off due to celluloid shrinkage but the guard is otherwise intact, even the oft-cracked jack area. The center chrome cover shows some hand wear and there is a small worn spot into the guard just under the fingerrest indicating someone actually played this bass with their thumb as Leo intended "Back in the Day". The foam under the pickups and bridge cover is intact and unusually still functional.
This fabulous bass weighs in at 8.71 Lbs. with both covers on and is simply one of the best handling Precisions we have had in 40+ years: medium light, resonant, and perfectly balanced -- exactly the kind of bass you want if you only have one! It is perfect for anything from jazz to Motown/Stax sounds to more modern styles, it is complete and ready to go in its original first-year "knuckle buster" brown Tolex case. Excellent - Condition.
This is a simply killer example of one of the ultimate vintage electric basses: a played-in but entirely original early slab-fingerboard Fender Precision from mid-1960. This bass was made less than a year after the model took this now-classic final form. The earlier 1950s maple neck and gold anodized metal pickguard had been supplanted by the features seen here in the summer of 1959, and for many years after this was the pattern for the Precision, then as now the world's standard electric bass. The pots on this one are dated to the 19th week of 1960 and the heel shows a 5-60 date mark in pencil.
The bass carries all the classic 1960s pre-CBS features that define this era's Fender basses. The clay dot, thick slab rosewood fingerboard neck has a slimmer profile than some later '60s examples, but a bit thicker than the '58-'59 one-piece maple necks. The headstock is adorned with the old "Spaghetti" Fender logo decal. The thin sunburst lacquer finish on the body was originally a 3-tone 'burst, this has evolved into a subtler "2 1/2 tone" effect as the red pigment has faded over the decades. The thick tortoise celluloid pickguard is the lighter pattern sometimes referred to as the "pepperoni guard" by collectors. One quirk is the serial number is stamped along the bottom edge of the neckplate instead of the upper edge, one of several "mistakes" by the supplier of this component found on 1957-60 Fenders.
This bass is an absolute classic, as played by the great majority of the then-new electric bassists of the 1960s and heard on literally thousands of recordings. This unusually original example still retains its original chrome pickup and bridge covers, with the thick foam under the latter amazingly still intact. Played with this cover mounted, it still offers the original tone of the early 1960s, with the muted thumpy punch characteristic of the era. This can of course be removed for a more modern sound! In any context this remains a simply wonderful instrument for any style of music, an absolute joy to play and a prime example of the glory days of Fender.
Overall length is 45 3/4 in. (116.2 cm.), 13 in. (33 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 34 in. (864 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.)., 8.71 lbs.
This bass has seen a decent amount of play time over the last 64 years but remains in gloriously original condition, well cared for, unaltered and 100% complete. The body finish shows some fade most heavily on the face, giving an older almost two-tone sunburst look. There is minor arm wear down to the wood along the top edge of the body, with small random dings, scratches and chips scattered around. The face shows some small divots into the wood (but not through the finish) between the upper waist and the top edge of the pickguard. The back has more substantial overall wear with chips, dings, shallow scratches and a larger worn-away spot to the upper horn.
There is considerable play wear down to the wood on the back of the neck, giving it that glorious "played-in old Fender" feel. Some small dings and dents there have been mostly worn smooth again. Despite this evidence of play time the original small frets show only minimal wear as the bass appears to have likely been strung with flatwound strings since new; we have fitted a new set of LaBella flats to maintain this tradition!
Nothing on this bass has ever been repaired or altered. The pickup and all wiring appears intact and unaltered. The decal is missing a small part of the "Precision" logo. The lower front tip of the pickguard has popped off due to celluloid shrinkage but the guard is otherwise intact, even the oft-cracked jack area. The center chrome cover shows some hand wear and there is a small worn spot into the guard just under the fingerrest indicating someone actually played this bass with their thumb as Leo intended "Back in the Day". The foam under the pickups and bridge cover is intact and unusually still functional.
This fabulous bass weighs in at 8.71 Lbs. with both covers on and is simply one of the best handling Precisions we have had in 40+ years: medium light, resonant, and perfectly balanced -- exactly the kind of bass you want if you only have one! It is perfect for anything from jazz to Motown/Stax sounds to more modern styles, it is complete and ready to go in its original first-year "knuckle buster" brown Tolex case. Excellent - Condition.