1962 Fender P bass authentic?!

[Sam Becker]

Hi folks,

I have been offered this bass and I am wondering if it is an authentic 1962 Fender P? I have attached pictures. It all seems period correct (apart from wrong label and refinished hardware, added pickup and all that jazz) but I'm not an expert on these things. Been modded like crazy but I don't mind. Serial is 74510.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Best wishes,

Sam

 

[fretno]

The only thing that resembles a 60’s p is that fretboard. I see a ray of Hope in that.

 

[Sam Becker]

Here's a picture of the pots too!

 

[godofthunder59]

Neck looks correct in construction, date and radius. Body is Alder and the locating pin holes are visible on the back.

 

[Ghastly]

Shouldn't it have a hootenanny strap peg on the back if the headstock... or at least a hole?

 

[Sam Becker]

Shouldn't it have a hootenanny strap peg on the back if the headstock... or at least a hole?

Hi Ghastly,

If you look on the picture of the back of the headstock you can see that it looks to have been filled in!

 

[Ghastly]

Ah... my phone isn't letting me zoom in, but I think I see something there...

 

[roycroft_88]

It looks like the bones of the bass are legit. The neck, tuners, pots, neck plate,and body contour look period correct. Even the cloth wire is crusty enough that maybe the split pickup is original. Seems like you know what you're looking at, don't know what the seller is asking but the collective parts may have a value of a couple of grand. I say get it!

 

[ajkula66]

Body being drilled to accommodate a string-through arrangement ? Wow. That's not something one gets to see often.

Whatever they're asking should be on the "parts bass" side of the equation. The neck seems legit, but the body is trashed and effectively next to worthless IMO.

I'm not saying that it doesn't play/sound fabulous, just that any "vintage" value has been removed from the instrument as a whole.

Good luck.

 

[tvbop]

Whats with the early head stock logo or have I forgotten how they look.

 

[roller]

If the selling price is reasonable (considering all the mods) and you're not looking to invest for vintage purposes and are just gonna play it, go for it. However, I question the validity that bass started off its life as a 1962 Precision... my Spidey-Sense is telling me something ain't right.

If a friend or family member came to me with the same story and photos, I'd tell them to find another horse to put their money on... especially if they were looking for an old Fender that will go up in value over the years.

 

[MynameisMe]

Was there such thing as a 62' PJ?
Pickups look too new.
Where's the picture of the neck pocket?
Partscaster.

 

[micguy]

Fender built hundreds of basses in the 1960's. At this time, only thousands are left.

 

[TomB]

Was there such thing as a 62' PJ?
Pickups look too new.
Where's the picture of the neck pocket?
Partscaster.

No, re: '62 PJ. Also, string-through body is def not '62. Agree the slab fingerboard appears '62-ish. You might be looking at a '62 neck, though Fender was mostly using stamps at that time, and a penciled neck date from then isn't the usual, though such things occurred (a whole lot in the early '70's). ...not sure about the rest of the bass.

 

[Freightshaker]

I like parts basses but those frets look like they've been leveled pretty low. Measure and offer accordingly.

 

[FenderB]

Fender built hundreds of basses in the 1960's. At this time, only thousands are left.

Good one.

 

[Upfromthesky]

I doubt the finish on the body is original. Are they reverse tuners? They should be for that supposed vintage. The serial number checks out as 1962 range according to the Hal Leonard book “The Fender Bass”.

 

[Killing Floor]

Shouldn't it have a hootenanny strap peg on the back if the headstock... or at least a hole?

Right. It does look like someone filled it in if you can zoom the image. Too bad, everyone needs a reason to say hootenanny.

 

[BurningSkies]

That very well could have been a 1962 at one point.

The decal is a replacement, that with the filled strap button hole and the replacement tuners suggests it was refinished (could also call into question the neck date).

The body is pretty well worked the eff over. Routed for a second pickup, drilled for through-body stringing. Drilled for the thumbrest to move from original tugbar position. Its quite obviously a refinish too. The bridge is a replacement, the pickguard is non-original. We haven't seen enough of the split coil to know if that's original.

End value? Mostly in the neck.

 

[Bill Whitehurst]

I'm gonna call it a nice looking player that appears to have a vintage neck, might have a vintage split coil pickup and could be a vintage body under the rework/refin.
Play it and see if it floats yer boat.
If so, don't pay full vintage price.
There's too much changed to call it fully vintage.