75 Precision Pickguard

[lucyfur]

I recently picked up a '75 Precision. It has a non-original tortoise pickguard on it, with the usual damage near the input jack, so I want to replace it. What I'm wondering is what would have been on it originally? The current one is 4 ply (tortoise/white/black/white) but it appears to be for a 60's or early 70's, since it has the thumbrest holes on the bottom near the "G" string. Were 4 plys still used in the 70's, or would it have been something different?

[PJSShearer]

It was around that time the "Tugbar" became a "Thumbrest" when it was moved from below to above the strings (my 73 was below and I'm 99% 74's were as well). Anyway there is an easy way to find out if the pickguard matches.

First confirm the Bass is a '75 - the serial number will be in the range: 580000 to 690000.

Then there's a simple test:

Undo the screws holding the pickguard on and see whether or not Thumbrest holes in the pickguard match the thumbrest holes on the Bass :-)

I recently replaced my pickguard (for about the 5th time) and it arrived without any Thumbrest holes at all. But I think the original was a 4 ply.

[lucyfur]

Originally Posted by PJSShearer

It was around that time the "Tugbar" became a "Thumbrest" when it was moved from below to above the strings (my 73 was below and I'm 99% 74's were as well). Anyway there is an easy way to find out if the pickguard matches.

First confirm the Bass is a '75 - the serial number will be in the range: 580000 to 690000.

Then there's a simple test:

Undo the screws holding the pickguard on and see whether or not Thumbrest holes in the pickguard match the thumbrest holes on the Bass :-)

I recently replaced my pickguard (for about the 5th time) and it arrived without any Thumbrest holes at all. But I think the original was a 4 ply.

Yes, I believe the tugbar/thumbrest changed over in '74, some were above, some were below. My reference book has all kinds of information on dating the pots, bridge, decal styles, etc., but for some reason nothing on the pickguards, other than mentioning when they changed from 10 to 13 screws.

[Spinal Tapper]

Your bass, or at least the pickguard, could be from earlier than 1975...

stock PG of that time would be white IIRC

[johnk_10]

actually, in 1975 sunburst p basses came either a tortoise guard (which was actually a dot matrix print of a tortoise pattern) or a black/white/black guard.

[Spinal Tapper]

i guess it would be important to know the original color of the bass too

[baileyboy]

My all-original '75 sunburst P bass (serial # 620XXX) has the original 3-ply tort pickguard.

[girlonbass]

I've had my 75 since early 76 so I can definitely say its all original.

As mentioned the thumb rest was moved above the strings in around 75. The tortoise shell was 3-ply with a funny newspaper dot image. Both these things seemed pretty unusual in the day.

Even though this bass has been treated with great care over the years, the pickguard around the jack is damaged. (I hate that!)

Terri

[PJSShearer]

Originally Posted by lucyfur

Yes, I believe the tugbar/thumbrest changed over in '74, some were above, some were below. My reference book has all kinds of information on dating the pots, bridge, decal styles, etc., but for some reason nothing on the pickguards, other than mentioning when they changed from 10 to 13 screws.

The point I was trying to make was that, as the holes for the thumbrest/tugbar go though to the body, if you remove the pickguard you can see the holes where the thumbrest/tugbar was orignally installed.

[lucyfur]

Originally Posted by Spinal Tapper

i guess it would be important to know the original color of the bass too

Sorry, yes, it's Olympic White, and upon checking the serial number it appears to be from '76. I don't have it yet, it was the one that was just on e-bay. I think I may have paid a little too much for it considering the pickguard, bridge, and nut are not original, but I really liked the color. I was trying to find out pickguard information now so I could start looking for a replacement.

Here's a pic from the listing. As you can see it has the holes for the tugbar on the bottom:

[Spinal Tapper]

I'd guess the original PG was black if it's a 76 Oly White...

[lucyfur]

[quote=girlonbass;9929948]I've had my 75 since early 76 so I can definitely say its all original.

As mentioned the thumb rest was moved above the strings in around 75. The tortoise shell was 3-ply with a funny newspaper dot image. Both these things seemed pretty unusual in the day.

Even though this bass has been treated with great care over the years, the pickguard around the jack is damaged. (I hate that!)

Terri



So this is considered 3 ply? Which color doesn't count as a ply?

[Caca de Kick]

Your 76-ish P Bass would have been shipped with a black pickguard.

That tort pickguard on there now is an 80's Fender reissue "pizza tort" guard. Don't throw it away, some people are still looking for those and you could make a few bucks selling it off.

Fender tort is 4-ply: tort/white/black/white

[johnk_10]

Originally Posted by girlonbass

I've had my 75 since early 76 so I can definitely say its all original.

As mentioned the thumb rest was moved above the strings in around 75. The tortoise shell was 3-ply with a funny newspaper dot image. Both these things seemed pretty unusual in the day.

Even though this bass has been treated with great care over the years, the pickguard around the jack is damaged. (I hate that!)

Terri

Hi Terri,
your's is one of the dot matrix printed tortoise guards that i mentioned. if you look closely, you can see the dot pattern. they only used those for a very short time. they are considered a 4-ply (tort/white/black/white)
the black laminate layer is also much thinner than the RI guards of today.

the OP's bass would have come with a B/W/B guard.

[girlonbass]

Originally Posted by johnk_10

Hi Terri,
your's is one of the dot matrix printed tortoise guards that i mentioned. if you look closely, you can see the dot pattern. they only used those for a very short time. they are considered a 4-ply (tort/white/black/white)
the black laminate layer is also much thinner than the RI guards of today.

the OP's bass would have come with a B/W/B guard.

Oh, okay, cool. So 4-ply. I got this in April '76 and back then I thought the dot-thing was something cheap that CBS was doing. Every other Precision I'd seen before didn't have it. So maybe adds a few bucks to it's value?

Matters little to me. My kids can sell it after I'm dead!

The thumb rest is on top and is missing one screw. It used to get in my way, so removed the back screw and flipped the rest around so it rest on the neck.

Just to make everyone crazy. Check out the pic. and zoom in on the price tag. $350.00. Was a fortune back then.

http://girlonbass.bass-aholic.com/ge...BassInCase.JPG



Terri

[lucyfur]

Originally Posted by johnk_10

Hi Terri,
your's is one of the dot matrix printed tortoise guards that i mentioned. if you look closely, you can see the dot pattern. they only used those for a very short time. they are considered a 4-ply (tort/white/black/white)
the black laminate layer is also much thinner than the RI guards of today.

the OP's bass would have come with a B/W/B guard.

One other thing I just noticed: On Terri's, the top of the knobs are flat, while in the picture of mine they appear to be rounded. Did these change at some point? The seller said it was "all original" apart from the bridge, pickguard and nut. I trusted him, rather than asking for pictures of the pots, pickup, etc. But seeing the different knobs makes me hope that I don't regret that.

[baileyboy]

lucyfur- My '75 P is the same as girlonbass' and the tone/volume knobs are top flat as are his. I thought that the rounded tops were on earlier P basses, but not really sure.

[johnk_10]

Originally Posted by lucyfur

One other thing I just noticed: On Terri's, the top of the knobs are flat, while in the picture of mine they appear to be rounded. Did these change at some point? The seller said it was "all original" apart from the bridge, pickguard and nut. I trusted him, rather than asking for pictures of the pots, pickup, etc. But seeing the different knobs makes me hope that I don't regret that.

the knobs on your bass are not original. they were flat topped, lightweight, chrome plated pot metal (i.e.zamac).

the new fender reissues are made of brass and are heavy. your's appear to be aftermarket and not actually OEM fender.

in the 50's they were rounded (dome tops) and in late 1957 went to a flat top that extended a little more down the sides. in the late 60's- late 70's, they were flat tops that didn't rollover to the sides as much.

[lucyfur]

Originally Posted by johnk_10

the knobs on your bass are not original. they were flat topped, lightweight, chrome plated pot metal (i.e.zamac).

the new fender reissues are made of brass and are heavy. your's appear to be aftermarket and not actually OEM fender.

in the 50's they were rounded (dome tops) and in late 1957 went to a flat top that extended a little more down the sides. in the late 60's- late 70's, they were flat tops that didn't rollover to the sides as much.

Thanks for the info. I'm now a little nervous about looking at the pots when it arrives. But seeing as he listed it as "all original" except for the already noted items, I would think I'd have a pretty good case if I wanted to try to get a partial refund. Depending on what else isn't original I might still have bid on it, but not quite as much.

[girlonbass]

Originally Posted by baileyboy

lucyfur- My '75 P is the same as girlonbass' and the tone/volume knobs are top flat as are his hers. I thought that the rounded tops were on earlier P basses, but not really sure.

Terri (Girl On Bass)