Fender Precision Help! Trying to determine originality

70spbase · #1 12-01-2011, 02:08 AM

Hello, Just picked up this 1970 Pbass - are there any experts out here that can help me confirm this? The neck plate confirms '70 the pots are dated '66/ '67 (which I've been told Fender used until '70) The neck appears to be '69/'70 and is stamped 5 22 016 B, the bridge has the long G intonation screw,and the pickups have what appears to be a stamped 70... Here's my question tho. Can anyone make heads or tails of the neck pocket markings and neck butt end markings? Thank you.

johnk_10 · #2 12-01-2011, 03:16 AM

the body looks like it may have been refinned (multicolors in there). the neck # 5 22 016 B indicates:
5= precision bass
22=batch code
01=january
6= 1976
B= b neck profile

the long G screw also indicates later than 1970 ('74-'76's often had that.)

coreyfyfe · #3 12-01-2011, 06:23 AM

John of I'm not mistaken isn't that the date code system for late 60s/early 70s with the 8 digit code system being used after 72? Given that I'd doubt this could code for a 76 neck.

Johnny Alien · #4 12-01-2011, 06:37 AM

This is odd. It's green ink and uses the correct late 60's early 70's numbering system however they decode the way that John showed which points to a time period when this code wasn't used.

70spbase · #5 12-01-2011, 12:39 PM

Thank you ,I'll post more pix from the bass , this bass def seems older than '76 as I have a few others. I know its been refinned too, the original color is sunburst, I just didnt know if it was built together as I've never seen the handwritten number in the pocket or the 55 stamp in there too. My other ones have the INSP stamp and numbers in a line...

70spbase · #6 12-01-2011, 12:54 PM

Another pic I took which shows the tuning machines: The tuners have the logo showing the lack of the registration in the circle mark. Now didn't Fender only have these in the late 60s-early-70? The nut width is 1 9/16 not 1 5/8ths also. Does that mean anything?

godsey · #7 12-01-2011, 01:31 PM

It looks to be late 69 to early 70 , looks like the last number 6 should be a 9 .Fender to my knowledge only did those codes in the late 60s .the numbers on the back plate and lack of the trademark R on the back of keys indicate same years.

godsey · #8 12-01-2011, 01:35 PM

Also the long g string screw was only used from 69 to 73 according to the Fender Bass Book.

coreyfyfe · #9 12-01-2011, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by godsey

It looks to be late 69 to early 70 , looks like the last number 6 should be a 9 .Fender to my knowledge only did those codes in the late 60s .the numbers on the back plate and lack of the trademark R on the back of keys indicate same years.

haha i kind of thought the same thing, someone screwing around with the stamps, but I wasnt sure if that would actually happen. Being a late 69 early 70 would fit with all of the other parts and date codes.

Lowbrow · #10 12-01-2011, 02:27 PM

I love this thread - it's like bass forensics.

70spbase · #11 12-01-2011, 02:52 PM

Thank you so much for all of the info. I thought it was late 69 early 70. According to that Fender book it is anyone's guess how to truly decipher those codes. They apparantly didn't care if these were around 40 years later, so the numbers are cosmetic at best. Well I got a great playing and sounding 8 lb bass for 1199.00! If I could only refinish it back to original sunburst... it has a tortoise pickguard 4 ply, would this be correct if I left it white though?

johnk_10 · #12 12-01-2011, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coreyfyfe

John of I'm not mistaken isn't that the date code system for late 60s/early 70s with the 8 digit code system being used after 72? Given that I'd doubt this could code for a 76 neck.

all of my late 60's early 70's have the 5 JAN 73 type of ink stamp. the green ink codes came later.

johnk_10 · #13 12-01-2011, 03:26 PM

the non circle R trademark tuning keys are definitely the earlier ('68-'70) ones. a 1 9/16 nut is closer to a jazz bass width, but your neck has a "B" stamped on it which would, IIRC be a 1 5/8" B neck or sometimes called a modern C.
i've seen basses with the long g saddle screw all the way up to '75.

BurningSkies · #14 12-01-2011, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnk_10

all of my late 60's early 70's have the 5 JAN 73 type of ink stamp. the green ink codes came later.

I have a 73 with the tug-bar, grey bottomed pickups and it too has the green date stamping. I know that they used the old black non-coded date stamp through 73 as well.

70spbase · #15 12-01-2011, 05:27 PM

Is it possible that different employees used different stamps or maybe they didn't have the same quality control like in the early '60's? My other basses '72 '73 and '75 have different typeset on the neck end. '72- 6 APR 72 A / '73- 15 AUG 73 B / '75-0103 0452or3 and it's written in red. Also is the 4 ply tortoise correct for '70?

BurningSkies · #16 12-01-2011, 05:32 PM

Vintage Guitars Info - Fender, collecting vintage guitars fender stratocaster, strat, telecaster, tele

One of the usual sources...

1969: new type of neck stamp consisting of 6, 7 or 8 digits was used on some models. This new stamp was usually green ink. An example of this type of neck code is "529129B". The new green stamp was used concurrently with the previous "XX MMM-YY W" format. So a neck could have either code system! The model numbers change yet again (for example, "22"=Stratocaster). See below for more info.
1972: Fender changed to yet another new type of neck stamp which had 8-digits. This was stamped in green or red ink. A example of this is "02033923" found on a Jazz Bass. From 1972 through about March 1973, this new system was used concurrently with the previous "XX MMM-YY W" format. Again, a neck was stamped with either the new or the old date stamp, but not both. The model numbers change yet again (for example, "09"=Stratocaster). See below for more info.
April 1973 to 1980: After March 1973, Fender dropped the old style date stamp and continued to use the new style, 8-digit code. See below for more info.
1976 to present: All non-vintage reissue instruments have the serial number printed in the decal on the face of the peghead. The approximate year of manufacturer can be determined from this (see serial number section below). Sometimes a date is also stamped or pencil written on the butt of the neck. Vintage reissue instruments have the date on the butt end of the neck as was used during the time period being reissued.
1980: Small adhesive labels with Month-Day-Year date stamps appeared in the neck pocket, pickup cavity and/or back of the neck.

johnk_10 · #17 12-01-2011, 05:34 PM

a four ply tort guard is what all USA fenders have, including today (the AVRI's).

the earlier ones had a thinner black lam than the later RI ones though.

70spbase · #18 12-01-2011, 05:47 PM

Thank you guys so much. A plethora of knowledge you all have. Yes the black in the guard is thinner than the other colors. Last question: The neck pocket is rather mis=shaped compared to other basses I own, as in the treble side is sort of not straight, is this "normal" from the router? I also assume the "5" in the pocket refers to Pbass.?

johnk_10 · #19 12-01-2011, 05:50 PM

it's hard to say from your pics, but i do think that the body has been refinished, so anything is possible.

70spbase · #20 12-01-2011, 05:56 PM

Yes, it's a refin. Probably why it was so inexpensive.