1958-59 fender precision bass unicorn?

[Perfessor]

^^^^^^^
There's always some "drift" with serial numbers from year to year, but that's pretty low - squarely within '73.
Then there's the bridge. Clearer photos would be nice, but is that a long screw on the G saddle? ('73)
The pickguard / thumb rest - if original - says '74.

My visual scale tells me it weighs 10.5 lbs.
and my psychic senses tell me it's quite possible the original owner likely passed away from lung cancer.

View attachment 5253761
My 1973 fretless Precision had the thumb rest in the same position as this one.


oh, and the unicorn on the case is not original

 

[Phaidrus]

Yep - it's not from the"golden" era (pre-cbs), it's from a "different" era.

Yeah, I was never taken by the pre-CBS narrative. In fact, 70s Pbasses look cool to me and some cool cats have played them with good (namely popular) results.

 

[CJAZ]

I do not believe that is a 58/59 unicorn. It may in fact be a mid 80's monocorn, often confused with the unicorn but not as rare or valuable. It is nonetheless a delightful creature.

 

[J-Bass RMR]

My 1973 fretless Precision had the thumb rest in the same position as this one.

I wondered about that; There's never an exact "cut off" with Fender, and all the references I've seen say '74 - but maybe the transition was "completed" in '74.

Kinda like the bullet truss rod - there seems to be examples of 3 & 4 bolt necks in '73 & '74...

Maybe this bass is a bit of a unicorn....

+1 on the 70s Ps; My favorite are '64, '71 (fretless) & '75, but my '78 is right up there. Each a little different character, but each great in its own right.
(and I've passed on plenty others from about every decade as well)

@LouieAff - if you get a chance, post some more photos, and give us a bit more of the back-story if you would.

 

[Paul New]

I'm almost certain that this is a Fender bass guitar.

 

[Perfessor]

I wondered about that; There's never an exact "cut off" with Fender, and all the references I've seen say '74 - but maybe the transition was "completed" in '74.

Kinda like the bullet truss rod - there seems to be examples of 3 & 4 bolt necks in '73 & '74...

Maybe this bass is a bit of a unicorn....

+1 on the 70s Ps; My favorite are '64, '71 (fretless) & '75, but my '78 is right up there. Each a little different character, but each great in its own right.
(and I've passed on plenty others from about every decade as well)

@LouieAff - if you get a chance, post some more photos, and give us a bit more of the back-story if you would.

My '73 P bass definitely had the four bolt neck. I adjusted it once ever and it never had to be adjusted again.

 

[J-Bass RMR]

My '73 P bass definitely had the four bolt neck. I adjusted it once ever and it never had to be adjusted again.

sorry - should have qualified that - 3 & 4 bolt applies only to the Jazz bass. Ps always 4.

I found another example of a '73 P w/ the upper "Thumb rest" (assuming the provenance is genuine)

VINTAGE 1973 FENDER PRECISION BASS BODY - FACTORY NATURAL | Reverb

 

[MultiScaleMale]

The OP, LouieAF hasn't been back. Hope he didn't pay '58-'59 money for it.