Fender Precision Bass Owned by Jeff Tweedy of Wilco Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar (1971)
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Item # 13319
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Fender Precision Bass Owned by Jeff Tweedy of Wilco Model Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar (1971), made in Fullerton, California, serial # 310737, Lake Placid Blue lacquer finish, alder body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, original black tolex hard shell case.
This Precision Bass is a very late example of a 1960s-style custom color Fender. It dates to the start of the 1970s but still maintains much of the vibe of the previous decade. The original Lake Placid Blue lacquer finish is little changed from 1968 era examples, although sprayed over a clean poly undercoat. The dreaded Fender "Thick skin" Poly has not taken over yet when this bass was made. The neck is finished in thin Poly with a lacquer coat over the face of the headstock to set the decal.
Old-school P-Bass features like the chrome bridge and pickup covers, white plastic pickguard, and the fingerrest below the strings still lend this bass a classic look. The bridge with solid, non-serrated saddles and the long "G" string screw and the narrower nut width on the neck are the notable newer features that began around this time, as the '60s turned into the '70s. The laminated white pickguard has a small metallic shielding sticker in the control area in place of the large full-coverage aluminum plate used earlier.
The serial number on the neck plate is typical for 1971. The neck is has a relatively indistinct green ink stamp on the heel but "3 03 71 B" can just be read, the last letter signifying the Precision now being built with the slimmed 1 5/8" nut width instead of the older 1 3/4". The original nut is cut well in from the edges giving this bass a string spacing feel more in line with a Jazz bass. The neck pocket retains the 60s style "paint stick" spray pattern and is stamped with several inspector's marks. The pots are stamped for the 16th week of 1971, indicating the enormous 1966 CBS buy of had finally been used up!
This bass looks fantastic, with its delicately yellowed lacquer overcoat yielding a look between Fender's Lake Placid Blue and Gibson's faded Pelham Blue. Under the pickguard and bridge cover it still retains the original blue hue. By the "Hippie natural" early '70s these flashy metallic finishes were becoming outdated and rarely ordered; only a miniscule proportion of Precisions from this period sport the classic Fender hot rod look. This one is also a great player, lighter than many at well under 9 lbs. with the comfortably slimmer neck of the period. This fairly rare bass with a '60's look and early '70s feel is a great-handling bass with the very strong bright midrangey sound, absolutely one of the nicest '70s Fender basses we have had. It is also a former denizen of the Wilco loft; we're not sure why they let this one go but we are very happy to find this special Precision a new home!
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 9/16 in. (40 mm.).
Overall this is a very clean and all original bass showing just some light finish wear overall, looking really not much played over 54 years. The body has some scattered tiny dings and dents, only a few of which go all the way through the lacquer. The only really notable wear is chipping around the neckplate where someone (not us!) screwed it down very tight. The back of the neck is very clean with hardly any wear.
Everything is original inside and out. There is some light corrosion to the nickel plated tuners. The original frets show hardly any wear and this is a superb playing and sounding bass, beautiful to behold and a delight to play, complete in the original HSC. This is still fully functional but has some crush damage to the upper back edge; the Wilco Loft markings are in the standard spot along the bottom edge. Overall Excellent Condition.
This Precision Bass is a very late example of a 1960s-style custom color Fender. It dates to the start of the 1970s but still maintains much of the vibe of the previous decade. The original Lake Placid Blue lacquer finish is little changed from 1968 era examples, although sprayed over a clean poly undercoat. The dreaded Fender "Thick skin" Poly has not taken over yet when this bass was made. The neck is finished in thin Poly with a lacquer coat over the face of the headstock to set the decal.
Old-school P-Bass features like the chrome bridge and pickup covers, white plastic pickguard, and the fingerrest below the strings still lend this bass a classic look. The bridge with solid, non-serrated saddles and the long "G" string screw and the narrower nut width on the neck are the notable newer features that began around this time, as the '60s turned into the '70s. The laminated white pickguard has a small metallic shielding sticker in the control area in place of the large full-coverage aluminum plate used earlier.
The serial number on the neck plate is typical for 1971. The neck is has a relatively indistinct green ink stamp on the heel but "3 03 71 B" can just be read, the last letter signifying the Precision now being built with the slimmed 1 5/8" nut width instead of the older 1 3/4". The original nut is cut well in from the edges giving this bass a string spacing feel more in line with a Jazz bass. The neck pocket retains the 60s style "paint stick" spray pattern and is stamped with several inspector's marks. The pots are stamped for the 16th week of 1971, indicating the enormous 1966 CBS buy of had finally been used up!
This bass looks fantastic, with its delicately yellowed lacquer overcoat yielding a look between Fender's Lake Placid Blue and Gibson's faded Pelham Blue. Under the pickguard and bridge cover it still retains the original blue hue. By the "Hippie natural" early '70s these flashy metallic finishes were becoming outdated and rarely ordered; only a miniscule proportion of Precisions from this period sport the classic Fender hot rod look. This one is also a great player, lighter than many at well under 9 lbs. with the comfortably slimmer neck of the period. This fairly rare bass with a '60's look and early '70s feel is a great-handling bass with the very strong bright midrangey sound, absolutely one of the nicest '70s Fender basses we have had. It is also a former denizen of the Wilco loft; we're not sure why they let this one go but we are very happy to find this special Precision a new home!
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 9/16 in. (40 mm.).
Overall this is a very clean and all original bass showing just some light finish wear overall, looking really not much played over 54 years. The body has some scattered tiny dings and dents, only a few of which go all the way through the lacquer. The only really notable wear is chipping around the neckplate where someone (not us!) screwed it down very tight. The back of the neck is very clean with hardly any wear.
Everything is original inside and out. There is some light corrosion to the nickel plated tuners. The original frets show hardly any wear and this is a superb playing and sounding bass, beautiful to behold and a delight to play, complete in the original HSC. This is still fully functional but has some crush damage to the upper back edge; the Wilco Loft markings are in the standard spot along the bottom edge. Overall Excellent Condition.