1979 Fender Precision - authentic or not?

[BobKos]

The serial number should also be on the underside of the pickguard on a sticker if it is original.

This bass looks artificially reliced in my un-expert opinion. I wouldn't buy it for that money based on these photos alone.

 

[Son of Wobble]

A true punk wouldn't care what color the bass was.

+1

I was there for LA punk and recall no anti-sunburst bias at the time. If the color was slightly under-represented on punk bandstands, it is because punks often began with cheaper gear... And Sunburst Fenders were still more coveted than, say, the Jetglo Rics that were played by bassists for Sex Pistols, Clash and Jam in their earliest incarnations.... I've heard here at TB that Rics were quite available in the UK in the late 70s as older brothers abandoned their prog ambitions and passed their axes down to their aspiring-punk younger siblings... Seems plausible...

Here's Steve Jones of the Pistols, who played a couple different sunburst axes, on stage with the sex pistols back in the day... Matlock playing the Ric that he, like the other aforementioned bassists, soon eschewed for Fender Precisions....

 

[Son of Wobble]

John Doe of X with Sunburst Precision, circa '83

 

[-Asdfgh-]

That's almost 2K US. No way in that shape. It's either beat to hell, indicating it was poorly taken care of, or a bad attempt at relicing. Both hurt the value quite a bit IMO.

Yes, I don't get the value relative to, say, a new Am Std.

 

[paulears]

I really don't get the expensive abused guitar thing at all. My attitude is that instruments are about how much you like playing them, and if you buy an expensive one, can you recoup the price if you need to sell it?

If you buy a guitar because it's an investment - to hang on the wall - then provenance is everything. If you buy it to use, then if you pick it up and love it - provenance is meaningless. I got a good deal on an American Standard Jazz bass a few years back. I've never had a Jazz, and didn't like the ones I had played. Then I played this one, and knew instantly I wanted it. It was cheaper because there was a big ding on the player side of the headstock. Not visible with a tuner clipped to it. There's a small belt scratch on the back too. I've discovered that it's in fact a blend of two guitars. The shop had two Jazzes - one with a dinged headstock, and the other with a scratch - so they swapped the necks, giving one perfect one and one damaged one. Only one discounted. I'm not bothered in the least - and it explains why I couldn't find the body finish and neck style on Fender's site.

That 1979 bass may have had new tuners, new pots, repairs and all sorts. Original parts replaced with new ones - who knows in nearly 40 years. It's had a hard life, and many of those bashes look like it's really beaten up and not cared for lovingly - just a tool. I cannot imagine wanting to actually spend decent money on it!

If you can afford it, and like how it plays and sounds, buy it and forget the provenance. It's in your head. If the bridge turns out to be a modern copy from Ebay, who cares? One of my pots got crackly - so I stuck a new one in. Not sourced from Fender, or even a music shop - but my normal component supplier. It's a pot, not something magic.

I fear hi-fi audiophool attitudes are creeping in - is it about money, as in making a profit. Or is it about having a great guitar. I collect instruments - I never sell any. Still got the one I bought when I was 17 in the 70s. I bought a Chinese Les Paul because it looked beautiful, with a tree of life neck inlay and amazing colours. I saw an original on Ebay recently going for absolutely crazy money. I don't play it, but it looks amazing - I'd rather have that on the wall than that distressed and tatty Fender!

 

[blastoff]

thats real. except the bridge. and the frets. which are good things. i have a "78"" that looks exactly the same (unfortunately minus the fret job). the knobs stay very shiny till the whole piece of chrome flakes off.

 

[gazzatriumph]

I paid £1500 for a 77 P from Bass Direct last year. I had the chap who does my set up's take it apart just to check and he took photos for me, it was all legit. Its weighs 9lb 2. It looks like the one you are looking at has had a hard life compared to mine

 

[eccles77]

Now that 77 is worth £1500. Really nice!!

 

[gazzatriumph]

Thank you

 

[FranF]

Authentic, and nothing too unusual about. it. My guess is it looks like that BECAUSE it's a good one. ;-)

 

[Bill Staudt]

Authentic, and nothing too unusual about. it. My guess is it looks like that BECAUSE it's a good one. ;-)

^^This^^
Someone played the snot out of this bass because it was awesome.

While we're doing the armchair detective on this bass I'll throw my 2 cents in.

1970's Fender poly isn't like today's poly finish. It got gummy in the heat. Fast. I suspect this bass was played out in a very warm dry environment, and played A LOT. Also, chrome plating holds up pretty well in a warm dry environment. Plus the pics from the OP suck, so there's that.

I could be completely wrong, and that's fine.

 

[jhb138]

My P with an S9 serial number has a neck stamp and stickers on the neck heel and neck pocket that date it to April 1981. Also, she's the best bass I've ever played.