Fender Facts

[SamanthaCay]

Hi everyone I thought it might be helpful to have a place where we could share interesting facts about fender basses as well as being able to ask questions.
I know there is a ton of information on talkbass regarding this topic but I thought it would be nice to have it all in one place via this thread.
My only requests are;

One, if you post something as fact do your best to back it up with a source.
For example my neighbor Jim bob told me or, I read in vintage guitar magazine.
Also links are always a good idea.

Two, if you ask a question try to be as concise and detailed as possible.
As well try to ask your questions separately so that they can be more easily answered.

Now with that out of the way I’ll get us started with a few I know of, as well as some questions I have.

Facts:
Fender was bought by CBS in 1965 and later sold to its employees in 1980.
I have read this in numerous places on talkbass as well as
Hal – Leonard’s the bass book a complete illustrated history of bass guitars by
Tony Bacon & Barry Moorhouse.
edit: I had this one wrong in the way in which fender was sold in the 80’s as well as the year being 84 not 80 for more info refer to JTE’s post #5.

Also read in above mentioned book was that the fretless precision was introduced in 1970
I’m kind of a little conflicted on this one as I have also herd people say that they where making fretless p’s in 69 as well.

Last my neighbor Jim bob told me that fender introduced the fender precision bass in 1951 LOL.

Questions:
Why is it that on some old fenders the headstock tends to be of a darker tint in its age then the rest of the neck?

What year/years did they switch from lacquer to poly?

On the topic of fretless precisions were they always offered with optional maple or rosewood or where there certain years for this?

[mongo2]

Originally Posted by buchananbass

Last my neighbor Jim bob told me that fender introduced the fender precision bass in 1951 LOL.

Questions:
Why is it that on some old fenders the headstock tends to be of a darker tint in its age then the rest of the neck?

The Precision Bass was introduced in October of 1951, so your neighbor Jim Bob was right.

RE: Headstock color. Eventhough Fender started spraying the necks with poly, the headstocks were still sprayed with lacquer due to incompatability of the decals with the poly. The lacquer can yellow due to environmental conditions over time whereas the poly doesn't.

[INtrotter]

Leo Fender never learned to play guitar

[waleross]

For what you are talking about, I go to the main Fender site. A seperate tread for Fenders might take up the whole site....but then again 4 out of my 6 basses are Fenders.....

[JTE]

Originally Posted by buchananbass

Facts:
Fender was bought by CBS in 1965 and later sold to its employees in 1980.
I have read this in numerous places on talkbass as well as
Hal – Leonard’s the bass book a complete illustrated history of bass guitars by
Tony Bacon & Barry Moorhouse.

Not in 1980, but in 1985. And while "sold to its employees" is mostly true, this gives the impression that the folks in the factory bought the company. FMIC (Fender Musical Instrument Company) bought the rights to Fender Musical Instruments, the trade-marks and copyrights, equipment, and WIP (works in process). Reference- "The Fender Bass, An Illustrated History" by Black & Molinaro, pages 79-80. Page 79 says "By the end of 1984, U.S. production slowed, and CBS prepared to sell the company to Bill Schultz, Fender's president at the time." FMIC was a consortium of management people at Fender as well as outside investors including (from the press release we received as a dealer at the time) "a prominent musician" who may have been Tommy Tedesco, the studio guitarist (according to discussions over at The Fender Discussion Page).

BUT, they didn't buy any real estate so the original factory wasn't part of the sale.

Originally Posted by buchananbass

Also read in above mentioned book was that the fretless precision was introduced in 1970
I’m kind of a little conflicted on this one as I have also herd people say that they where making fretless p’s in 69 as well.

A common problem. The big NAMM show used to be the summer show, so the "1970" new models would be shown at the show in the summer of 1969.


John

[SamanthaCay]

Originally Posted by mongo2

The Precision Bass was introduced in October of 1951, so your neighbor Jim Bob was right.

RE: Headstock color. Eventhough Fender started spraying the necks with poly, the headstocks were still sprayed with lacquer due to incompatability of the decals with the poly. The lacquer can yellow due to environmental conditions over time whereas the poly doesn't.

Originally Posted by JTE

Not in 1980, but in 1985. And while "sold to its employees" is mostly true, this gives the impression that the folks in the factory bought the company. FMIC (Fender Musical Instrument Company) bought the rights to Fender Musical Instruments, the trade-marks and copyrights, equipment, and WIP (works in process). Reference- "The Fender Bass, An Illustrated History" by Black & Molinaro, pages 79-80. Page 79 says "By the end of 1984, U.S. production slowed, and CBS prepared to sell the company to Bill Schultz, Fender's president at the time." FMIC was a consortium of management people at Fender as well as outside investors including (from the press release we received as a dealer at the time) "a prominent musician" who may have been Tommy Tedesco, the studio guitarist (according to discussions over at The Fender Discussion Page).

BUT, they didn't buy any real estate so the original factory wasn't part of the sale.


A common problem. The big NAMM show used to be the summer show, so the "1970" new models would be shown at the show in the summer of 1969.


John

Wow! two very enlightening posts, thank you

[Nobody]

Fact: Every other thread on talkbass is about Fender.

Fact: Fender is not the only company that makes great basses.

Fact: You pay extra for the Fender name.

[hennessybass]

Originally Posted by Nobody

Fact: Every other thread on talkbass is about Fender.

Fact: Fender is not the only company that makes great basses.

Fact: You pay extra for the Fender name.

Fact: I have a lot of built up anger about Fender for some reason, yet I still opened and posted on a thread about Fender.

[SamanthaCay]

Originally Posted by Nobody

Fact: Every other thread on talkbass is about Fender.

Fact: Fender is not the only company that makes great basses.

Fact: You pay extra for the Fender name.

Would you care to give us some references as to how you determined number one in your list? Did you do a search of all talkbass posts and calculate that out?

Also to say that Fender is not the only company that makes great basses is to state an opinion an opinion probably shared by most including my self but still an opinion not a fact.

Last I know there are and have been many people that have got some very good deals on fender basses in the past.
There could also be an argument made that fenders are worth every penny that they cost new despite the name.
do I believe that last bit, no but am I going to state it as fact, no because there is no possible way of proving it one way or the other.
It is something I believe there for it is opinion.

[cassanova]

Originally Posted by buchananbass

Also to say that Fender is not the only company that makes great basses is to state an opinion an opinion probably shared by most including my self but still an opinion not a fact.

What he said about Fender not being the only companies that make great basses, is indeed a fact, not an opinion. Just because some disagree, does not make it any less factual. Because it is quite true, that Fender is not the only company to make great basses.

[Nobody]

Fact: My neighbor Jim Bob told me all those facts.

Fact: My neighbor Jim Bob is a beet farmer and knows his Fender bass facts.

[Nobody]

Fact: The Beat Farmers would be a great name for a rock band.

[Nobody]

Fact: There already is a band called the Beat Farmers.

Fact: They are a country(?) band.

Fact: http://beatfarmers.com/

[Rocky McD]

I find it amusing that some players hate Fender. They don't know why, they just hate Fender. They don't take into account that Fender's success may have something to do with their value. Fender is the most popular bass in the world. Fender is the most copied bass in the world. Fender has, as a company, done a great job of staying # 1 for over 50 years. Yet, some people hate Fender, I guess because of their success.
Rocky (a proud Fender owner)

[steamthief]

Originally Posted by hennessybass

Fact: I have a lot of built up anger about Fender for some reason, yet I still opened and posted on a thread about Fender.

Fact: There will always be at least one person spewing negativity on any thread discussing a Fender product on talkbass.com.

[SamanthaCay]

Fact: talkbass members are susceptible to infractions as well as being banned for continued trolling of threads.
Please don’t troll this thread.

[Nobody]

Fact: I don't hate Fender.

Fact: Fender devotees are way too sensitive.

[Spinal Tapper]

I think it was 68/69 when Fender started making the transition to Poly finishes

[SamanthaCay]

I believe it was 1954 that fender introduced the contoured body precision with a two tone burst finish also new to that year.
Later in 57 they introduced the split pickups, new headstock desing and ten hole gold anodized pickguard.

Does anyone want to tell us when they made the switch to plastic pickguards?

[Spinal Tapper]

If I had my Fender "Bible" with me, I could list a TON of cool facts...

If anyone hasn't read it yet, pick up a copy of Fender Bass: an Illustrated History

Such a cool book to read through with great photos, and also a VERY valuable tool for dating vintage Fender Basses. Heck, I used it when I picked up my 1962 Precision off CL. Might've passed on the deal had I not had my copy in the backseat to reference...