Fender Precision Bass Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar (1961)

Fender  Precision Bass Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar  (1961)
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Item # 12586
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Fender Precision Bass Model Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar (1961), made in Fullerton, California, serial # 69421, sunburst lacquer finish, alder body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, tweed hard shell case.

OK, so you want a REAL relic? Not an artificially sanded and hammered instrument but a true played fir decades gem? Well here it is, a simply killer example of one of the ultimate vintage electric basses: a massively gigged but original early slab-fingerboard Fender Precision from late 1961. This bass was made about two years 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 remaining original pot on this one is dated to the 23rd week of 1961 and the heel shows an 11-61 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 feels noticeably 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 is not too faded but literally worn into oblivion over large areas of the body from use thru the decades. The thick tortoise celluloid pickguard has a particularly attractive pattern.

This "fed the family" 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 from then until now. This remains a 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.).

Obviously this bass has been VERY heavily played, and with good reason! It must be a veteran of thousands of gigs, there is heavy finish wear literally everywhere, with some thumb and finger wear going into the body wood above and below the strings. All finish remains original; There are steel wool marks on the back of the headstock and upper body where the finish was rubbed down but no finish has ever been added or the original lacquer otherwise altered.

There is no structural damage or repair; the only alteration is the tone pot was replaced sometimes in the 1970s (it is dates to the 47th week of 1974). The pickup, wiring and hardware is otherwise correct; the original threaded-saddle bridge is cleaner than we might expect although that cover is missing. The original pickguard is better preserved than many with light typical shrinkage and no cracked or popped corners, just a little scarring by the truss rod from adjustments. The plastic fingerrest/"Tug Bar" is old but not original.

The neck is in excellent playing condition, with virtually all of the finish on the back worn away giving that much coveted super played-in Fender feel. The bass must be on its second set (at least) of frets but the narrow wire is period correct and they look perfect, showing hardly any wear. The bone nut is original, and the headstock decal has survived with only a couple of tiny chips.

This is simply a superb early '60s Fender bass, played but never modified with the classic warm but clear sound and an effortless player. Not an artificially aged "relic", but a true veteran and one of the finest player's basses we could hope to find. It includes a 1980s Fender tweed reissue HSC, externally worn but fully functional. Overall Very Good Condition.