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02-21-2013, 06:20 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Greenville, NC USA | | | What to look for on a '73 P bass
I'm going to look at one Friday afternoon. I don't really know a lot about that era. What are the things that scream '73 P bass that I should be aware of? From what I gather it's a 3 tone burst, tort, maple board with dots. That was black logo period wasn't it? Was there a tug bar? Top or bottom? What tuners? Where should the serial number be? Of course I'm going to try to check out the neck pocket. Pots? Pickup indicators?
Any advice on what to look for would be greatly appreciated. I feel like it's the read deal but I want to be sure.
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02-21-2013, 08:05 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Greenville, NC USA | | | Wow. 83 views. No tips?
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02-21-2013, 08:08 PM
|  | Dr. Jim | | Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Denton TX, Kailua HI, New York | | This is pretty much the bible if you don't have hands on experience: http://home.provide.net/~cfh/fender.html
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02-21-2013, 08:10 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Greenville, NC USA | | | Thank you but the info in that link stops at 1970 for a P bass.
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02-21-2013, 08:12 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Northeastern PA | | | Quickie, tugbar on bottom, MAY have an elongated G string saddle length screw, black and gold "TV" logo, pots should be CTS, 137 73 or 74 then xx week code, serial number on neck plate anywhere in the 400,000 to mid/hi 500,000's... |
02-21-2013, 08:12 PM
| | Dr. Jim | | Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Denton TX, Kailua HI, New York | | | Furthermore...
Many instruments have had parts replaced with items from near the same period. It is pretty had to be certain everything is original. I wouldn't be so hung up on that. To me the big questions are:
Is the neck right for this instrument, and more importantly, is the neck really healthy (humps, frets, truss rod, etc), and if the feel of the neck appealing to me?
How well does the instrument set up?
With a new set of strings that I use a lot, how does it sound through my rig?
How much?
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02-21-2013, 08:13 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Northeastern PA | | | Pickups should be greenish gray bottom ink stamped Lord knows what but should end in 73 or 74 |
02-21-2013, 08:13 PM
| | Dr. Jim | | Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Denton TX, Kailua HI, New York | | Quote:
Originally Posted by two fingers  Thank you but the info in that link stops at 1970 for a P bass. | No, not all off it, look closer. 
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02-21-2013, 08:14 PM
|  | Registered User | | | | This thread has some opinions worth considering: How much would modified 73 p-bass cost?
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02-21-2013, 08:15 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Halifax,N,S. Canada | | | 73 ... Serial number will be stamped on the neck plate . Should be a tug bar . ( below ) I think they went to black pick guards in 74 . I have a maple and a rosewood 72 so they were both made . The maple is not capped and has a skunk stripe , the rosewood does not have the stripe . Some 73's have the long G string screw . Some don't .
The two tone burst was in the previous decade .
They did have a nice plastic plate under the neck plate during that period ...
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02-21-2013, 08:15 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Greenville, NC USA | | | What neck IS right for this instrument? Those are the kinds of questions I am asking. Is a maple board with dots period correct?
Fran, when you say "black and gold" TV logo, should it be mostly black with a gold "trim", or mostly gold?
Thank you guys.
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02-21-2013, 08:18 PM
| | Dr. Jim | | Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Denton TX, Kailua HI, New York | | Quote:
Originally Posted by two fingers What neck IS right for this instrument? Those are the kinds of questions I am asking. Is a maple board with dots period correct? | Yes, as is the rosewood board with dots. Quote:
Originally Posted by two fingers Fran, when you say "black and gold" TV logo, should it be mostly black with a gold "trim", or mostly gold? | Logo for '73 is the same as '70.
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02-21-2013, 08:21 PM
| | Dr. Jim | | Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Denton TX, Kailua HI, New York | | Quote:
Originally Posted by msb 73 ... Serial number will be stamped on the neck plate . Should be a tug bar . ( below ) I think they went to black pick guards in 74 . I have a maple and a rosewood 72 so they were both made. The maple is not capped and has a skunk stripe , the rosewood does not have the stripe . Some 73's have the long G string screw . Some don't .
The two tone burst was in the previous decade .
They did have a nice plastic plate under the neck plate during that period ... | +1
Plastic fitting under metal neck plate is correct for '70—'75. Did not see that many tug bars above until after '73, but lots of them got moved.
Pics would help a lot!!! 
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02-21-2013, 08:21 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Central Illinois, USA | | | Precisions ALWAYS had dots without binding as the standard. The only way to get blocks and or binding was a real custom order (as opposed to ordering a standard color option which they called "custom").
Rosewood was standard, maple (one-piece with skunk stripe) was a standard option. Precision also never got the 3-bolt Micro-Tilt neck nor the bullet truss rod.
John
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02-21-2013, 08:24 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Greenville, NC USA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Carr No, not all off it, look closer. | Ooooooops. You are correct. Thank you again.
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02-21-2013, 08:31 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Northeastern PA | | | Yes black logo with gold outline. |
02-21-2013, 08:50 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Greenville, NC USA | | | OK I think I am armed with information now. Many thanks guys! I'll report back at some point if it goes well (with pics).
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