Fender Telecaster bass 1969-71 neck

dudu_del_bem · #1 11-09-2011, 01:22 PM

Hi everybody,

I found such an item at ebay and I want to know the opinion of people who is familiar to fender vintage basses. My question is if this is a original telecaster bass neck or not. Some issues are the lack of the builting date at the base of the neck and the apparently strange finish/aging in the headstock.

1969-1971 VINTAGE FENDER TELECASTER BASS NECK! RARE RELIC! ALL ORIGINAL! MAPLE! | eBay

thank you all and best regards,

Dudu Del Bem

Caca de Kick · #2 11-09-2011, 02:58 PM

Well details of the 68-71 Telecaster necks.

The stamp would have started with a 23. And the ebay neck you can still see the "3" from the vary faded stamp.
it was common for no stamps in 69 and 70, but fading also happened.

The decal lettering is the correct pattern for that period.

Cofrancesco · #3 11-09-2011, 03:05 PM

I have a very old fender tele bass neck that was given to me by my sisters boyfriend. Looks identical to that.

jumbodbassman · #4 11-09-2011, 03:05 PM

i thought the bass neck from then had the stupid 3 screw back plate with the microadjust option plus they had the truss at the head....

hover · #5 11-09-2011, 03:08 PM

what is that odd discoloration just between the skunk stripe and the headstock? Is that a filled drill hole in that spot too? And that headstock looks like a tinted spray over the original logo... or is it just my monitor?

I personally would not buy this neck.

bassmanrocke · #6 11-09-2011, 03:10 PM

The early Tele necks had a four bolt, old style logo, and tail truss nut. The tint is common. The necks were typically cleared with poly, then the decal applied and the headstock dusted with nitro to feather in the edges of the decal. nitro ages much faster and darker, hense the difference in the finish.

michael_atw · #7 11-09-2011, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hover

what is that odd discoloration just between the skunk stripe and the headstock? Is that a filled drill hole in that spot too? And that headstock looks like a tinted spray over the original logo... or is it just my monitor?

I personally would not buy this neck.

The seller addresses both of your concerns.

As for the neck itself, I wouldn't have any doubt it is authentic. Ugly, but authentic.

RED J · #8 11-09-2011, 03:48 PM

Louisville Slugger baby.

Caca de Kick · #9 11-09-2011, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jumbodbassmani

thought the bass neck from then had the stupid 3 screw back plate with the microadjust option plus they had the truss at the head....

After 71 they changed to 3-bolt.

RobJ · #10 11-09-2011, 04:14 PM

Looks legit to me. I have a pretty much cherry '71 Tele neck (with tuners, etc.) that I'd like to match up with a vintage body one day.

Jim Carr · #11 11-09-2011, 04:19 PM

This sort of neck can't honestly be evaluated unless it is on a bass and under string tension. I think there has been a refinish job on the fingerboard and maybe the back of the neck. It also looks refretted.

BTW, is it possible the truss rod has been replaced? That hole on the back of the neck near the nut is weird.

johnk_10 · #12 11-09-2011, 04:46 PM

'68-'70's and early-mid '71's were all four bolt necks and had single coil pickups. late '71's went to the three bolt/bullet/humbucker configuration.

here's a november '71 with the bullet that i sold about 4 years ago:

RobJ · #13 11-09-2011, 04:54 PM

Possible refinish on the back of the neck, the base of the neck has clearly been sanded at some point. On mine the entire neck is finished including the neck joint area and the date stamp is beneath the finish, it's possible the date stamp was sanded off I suppose on this one. It also looks like it has a few extra holes drilled for perhaps different machines, and a broken screw in one.

The wear on the truss rod adjuster slots looks about right for a bass that's been around the block a few times but of course that's just a guess. The frets look ok to me too. The hole on the back of the neck looks like someone did a crap repair job to fill in a divot.

All in all I think it's legit just not well kept.

RobJ · #14 11-09-2011, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnk_10

'68-'70's and early-mid '71's were all four bolt necks and had single coil pickups. late '71's went to the three bolt/bullet/humbucker configuration.

here's a november '71 with the bullet that i sold about 4 years ago:

Cool bass. The date stamp on the neck I have is 23FEB71C, and it's a 4 bolt without the bullet. I'd love to mate it up with a single coil body.