What makes a 51' P a 51' P?

vbasscustom · #1 07-07-2010, 07:00 AM

ok, so im most likely going to embark upon building my self a "lee veinotte reissue" well call it, and make a factory correct 51' P Bass. so, im asking all you Fender gurus, what identifying marks, hardware differences/styles, and other marking that would be factory original devices. including orginal colors.
also, the best, most acurate places to buy these items, thank you.

V

joebingo · #2 07-07-2010, 07:02 AM

DeliriumTremens · #3 07-07-2010, 07:06 AM

blond finish, slab body, single ply black guard, hard rubber bridge saddles, flat screw heads (not philips), black painted wooden finger rest, reverse tuners... I'm sure others will know the rest

bassbully · #4 07-07-2010, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeliriumTremens

blond finish, slab body, single ply black guard, hard rubber bridge saddles, flat screw heads (not philips), black painted wooden finger rest, reverse tuners... I'm sure others will know the rest

Yup ..dont forget the biggy a single pup. The later 57' had the humbucking split (2) pups that made that P bass diffrent along with body changes , headstock etc.

vbasscustom · #5 07-07-2010, 07:11 AM

thats a great start, thanks. i assume the bodies were alder? and im also going to for a period correct truss rod, any ideads on what to use?

jonatura · #6 07-07-2010, 07:12 AM

Maple neck and fingerbord....

DeliriumTremens · #7 07-07-2010, 07:13 AM

2 saddle string through body bridge also

bassbully · #8 07-07-2010, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vbasscustom

thats a great start, thanks. i assume the bodies were alder? and im also going to for a period correct truss rod, any ideads on what to use?

Ash from what i know was the wood. there was also bursts in the colors options. The fretboards were maple and truss rods adjusted in the heel towards the body not in the headstock. do some searches and you will see the facts.

johnk_10 · #9 07-07-2010, 07:36 AM

swamp ash body (lightweight)
one piece maple neck ( 7.25" radius with small frets) chunky with V profile.
reverse Kluson nickel plated tuners
squared heel in neck pocket and squared heel on neck
one-ply clear lacquered black fiber pickguard
slot head screws
two saddle string thru bridge, with ebony or bakelite saddles (not rubber!)
large rear string ferrules.
maple, single screw thumbrest (painted black)
chrome dome knobs
for the pickup, i'd use a duncan antiquity or an scpb-1
250K CTS pots
nitro finish on neck & body (yellowed trans blonde-not butterscotch)
switchcraft jack
cloth wiring
.1uf astron tone capacitor and 15K carbon comp resistor.
that's all i can think of off the top of my head right now.

johnk_10 · #10 07-07-2010, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassbully

Ash from what i know was the wood. there was also bursts in the colors options. The fretboards were maple and truss rods adjusted in the heel towards the body not in the headstock. do some searches and you will see the facts.

there were no bursts in 1951.

dalkowski · #11 07-07-2010, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnk_10

maple, single screw thumbrest (painted black)

Isn't it, more accurately, a tug bar b/c of its placement?

But wait -- the Fender '51 model doesn't have one at all:
http://fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0271902503

vbasscustom · #12 07-07-2010, 07:50 AM

wow, thanks john. were there any other colors besides the blonde? i like it alot, but im just wondering. you really cant trust the fender reporductions these days to be historically accurate. oh, and would they have been drilled for pup/bridge covers or mutes.

johnk_10 · #13 07-07-2010, 07:52 AM

trans blonde was the only color offered in 1951.

lpdeluxe · #14 07-07-2010, 07:55 AM

One was made for a trade show in red around 1955. All the rest were blonde, until 1954 when sunburst started to appear, along with the contoured body. In 1956 or so the sunbursts were finished over alder, which improved the looks (or so they thought at the time -- my AV '57 looks great over alder, so maybe it's true).

johnk_10 · #15 07-07-2010, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dalkowski

Isn't it, more accurately, a tug bar b/c of its placement?

yes, but i think he knew what i meant.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dalkowski

But wait -- the Fender '51 model doesn't have one at all:
http://fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0271902503

that's not a very accurate reproduction model. they didn't have two-tone burst finishes or a white guard until late 1954.

BTW, the '51 pickup had flat top pole pieces and in '54 they used staggered pole magnets, but both had their coils wrapped with cotton string and coated with lamp black to serve as 'potting'.

vbasscustom · #16 07-07-2010, 08:08 AM

they didnt happen to have binding ever did they?

jumbodbassman · #17 07-07-2010, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vbasscustom

they didnt happen to have binding ever did they?

no binding ever.....

vbasscustom · #18 07-07-2010, 08:19 AM

ohh too bad, but i didnt think they would.

Bflat · #19 07-07-2010, 08:44 AM

I suggest you get Detlef's new book Fender Precision Basses 1951-1954, Amazon.com There are many pics of 51 pbasses and explains all of the differences......

Meddle · #20 07-07-2010, 10:32 AM

Compressed fiber bridge saddles and the thumbrest must be held on with one central screw (I think that screw can be a crosshead, but the others are flathead).

No body countour, smaller cutaways, lackquered pickguard and pickguard bobbin.