Fender 1977 P-Bass Original caracteristics
 

Does anyone know if there was a thumb rest on the original fender 1977 basses? I am planning to buy a '77 P-bass natural for 1300$ but I saw thumb restes on some 1976-78 P-basses on the internet. Here are some photos of my ''maybe-next'' bass...

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ou45ieznh8qjaoa/eH9y0H4_Yb

I had thought that the tug bars were moved to a thumb rest position in '74 or '75, but the bass you posted clearly shows a serial number matched PG with holes for a tug bar. Perhaps they made some the old way and some the new, or could the buyer request a tug bar as a "special order" in '77?

Yes, they did have thumb rests as noted in the post above.

For some reason, the pictures show the back of an original '77 guard, and the front of a new repro '62 guard.

If that's the case, then it would seem that something fishy might be going on. I thought that the PG looked awfully shiny for a '77.

the photo of the back of the pickguard with the serial# sticker shows that it has the thumbrest in the proper position for a '77 (i.e, the low e side), but the photos of the bass with the pickguard on it shows the tug bar location on the g string side (with no mounting holes drilled into the body under them), so obviously they are showing the bass with two different pickguards.

Good catch, John. I therefore reiterate my concern above, although it may indeed be a simple matter of the bass having had two different pickguards. A question to the seller ought to clear this up.

I asked the seller about this and responded me that he has two different pickguards for the bass. That might explain why. If the '77 basses came with a thumb rest, I wonder if 1300$ is still a good price for an almost-original p-bass (Badass bridge and no OHSC) since no thumb rest is included.

The last thing I'd worry about is the thumb rest. If it's in otherwise good shape, I think it's semi-reasonable.

EDIT: Just saw the pics. Yeah, that's reasonable. Very nice grain on that ash body. Almost as pretty as the ash on my 76 ;)

I'm not an expert, but do post '57 p-bass bodies have a flat-bottom neck heel?

To my eye the bass has two different types of tuners.
Two pre -76 and two post -76.
I'd ask the seller about this too.

That's an awesome price, and a nice bass. You usually can't touch a mostly original P down here in Atlanta for less that $1,800, and that's on a nice day.

To me, it looks like the body has been stripped. There appears to be white paint in the neck pocket.

personally, i don't think so, since alot of them look like that in the neck pocket from the finish lifting in that area, but it does definitely have new RI knobs on it and the chrome pickup and bridge covers are also RI's.

The tuners on the E and A strings look newer than those on the D and G. The serial number on one of the pickguards matches the one on the headstock. The ashtray and pickup cover look too new to be original. None of these should be a concern. Overall, it looks like a nice bass and is worth the money as long as it has the original finish.

Thanks guys! I am supposed to try it tomorrow. And about the knobs I will be able to judge by myself when I'll try it. I checked the knobs on some vintage p-basses on ebay and on some of those, the knobs seemed in pretty good shape. Maybe the owner took too much care of this bass.... I wonder if there is a way to know if a piece of a bass is a RI or not.

Probably residual rubbing compound, Fender left that crap EVERYWHERE it couldn't be seen. It's responsible for lotsbof prematurely worn pots and switches on Fender instruments of that era.

John

i guarantee that the knobs are RI's. the orignals have a smooth transition from the knurling to the top of the knob, whereas those have a distinct edge/ridge. the originals were zamac (lightweight) and the RI's are brass (heavy).