1983 dual P Fender bass??!!

[Cadillac_Mike]

I was just at the bar and there was a guitar bass-duo playing which is rare for the bar scene (typically solo acoustic). I briefly watched them for one song and noticed his bass thinking it was some sort of custom Fender (Fender headstock, teal green color, gold hw, dual P pups with white covers). After the song ended I approached him and asked about the bass. He told me it's a 1983 Fender stock! Said he bought it for $1500 and sees them going for like 5k now. I had no idea that sorta thing ever existed, how bout u Fender nerds lol?

 

[ahbass2500]

Elite Precision Bass II

5k is an overstatement though. Several on Reverb in the 2-4k range.

 

[Luckydog]

Precision Elite II. I had 4 of them at one time. Love the necks. But not so much the active tones

 

[jeff62]

2-2.5k most likely, if you actually want to sell it.

 

[BGroovy]

As others have said, Elite II. I’ve got a 1 in the classifieds now. The $2-2.5k if really good condition is about right.

The 83 elites sound better passive with the TBX modified IMO. If the necks are your thing (wide and wider) they are really well built solid basses. I had the pre in mine bypassed and put a newer TBX with a different capacitor and resistor. Turns it from ear bleed treble machine to a solid and versatile P.

They probably will appreciate in 5-10 years. Late 70s Fenders are picking up in value so 80s will be next and while not totally rare, they’re pretty unique.

 

[Wasnex]

As others have said, Precision Elite II.

IMHO the stock pickups and preamp are capable of wide range of tones and sound great. I do agree the way the controls operate is a bit counterintuitive.



My P Elite II is the only Fender bass I have ever owned. IMHO, If you want ordinary P bass tone, get an ordinary P bass and leave the Elite for someone who wants a rare and unique jewel.

 

[Cadillac_Mike]

That's hilarious! Fender is going bankrupt in '83 and they're like "yeah, how bout' 2 p pups and gold HW? Suck it!!"

Kinda surprised they didn't put their "vault reserve" 3A flame maple necks on that bass too lol...

 

[klyph]

Always loved the fine tuning bridge. Great sounding basses, too (IMO). All the ones I’ve played were boat anchors, but if you can deal with that, they’re nice axes. Probably the best thing Fender produced in the early eighties.

 

[Tim Bishop]

I was just at the bar and there was a guitar bass-duo playing which is rare for the bar scene (typically solo acoustic). I briefly watched them for one song and noticed his bass thinking it was some sort of custom Fender (Fender headstock, teal green color, gold hw, dual P pups with white covers). After the song ended I approached him and asked about the bass. He told me it's a 1983 Fender stock! Said he bought it for $1500 and sees them going for like 5k now. I had no idea that sorta thing ever existed, how bout u Fender nerds lol?

Fender Precision Elite II. IMO, the best bass Fender ever built. The tonal palette is endless. Fender only made this bass a couple of years. Why? Maybe too much before it's time and just didn't catch on? I don't know. An amazing bass. Fender should re-introduce it in today's market.

 

[Tim Bishop]

Fender Precision Elite II. Great bass.

 

[TonH]

Elite II; more info on my webpage:

Precision Elite

Not all were heavey.
My Sienna sunburst elite II is just 4.1 kg (9 lbs).
I modified (rewired) my Artic White Elite II so it can be used passiv and activ (see alternative wiring on my webpage).
In passive mode it sounds like a normal P-bass.

I think the Broonze Stratoburs is the best color:

 

[Diminishedfilth]

5 years ago, I had a chance to buy one for $1200, same shade of Green. I hesitated though, as it was missing 3 of the "fine tuning" knobs, and one of the elite-specific barrel knobs, both of which were supposedly hard to find. The hardware was in rough shape, too, Everytime I see one though, I wish I would've grabbed it.

 

[blizzard]

Elite II; more info on my webpage:

Precision Elite

Not all were heavey.
My Sienna sunburst elite II is just 4.1 kg (9 lbs).
I modified (rewired) my Artic White Elite II so it can be used passiv and activ (see alternative wiring on my webpage).
In passive mode it sounds like a normal P-bass.

I think the Broonze Stratoburs is the best color:
View attachment 7146169

That's a stunning bass, the finish is very cool, I have only really seen that style of fade in the last 5 years or so. It's crazy Fender did it in the 80's.

 

[groovaholic]

Love the necks.

If the necks are your thing (wide and wider) they are really well built solid basses.

I’m a BIG fan of that neck profile, but apparently players who like the wide/thin neck are a minority.

Seems most basses have a Jazz-style neck now.
IF there’s an alternate profile, it’s like the business end of a baseball bat

 

[Artman]

I was just at the bar and there was a guitar bass-duo playing which is rare for the bar scene (typically solo acoustic). I briefly watched them for one song and noticed his bass thinking it was some sort of custom Fender (Fender headstock, teal green color, gold hw, dual P pups with white covers). After the song ended I approached him and asked about the bass. He told me it's a 1983 Fender stock! Said he bought it for $1500 and sees them going for like 5k now. I had no idea that sorta thing ever existed, how bout u Fender nerds lol?

When I saw Moody Blues back in about 1990 or 91, John Lodge played one of those that night.

 

[brianrost]

My first P was an Elite I. The series had five versions, Elite I and II with chrome hardware, Elite I and II with gold hardware and an all rosewood Elite II with gold hardware. The ones with ash bodies tend to be heavy, alder ones are the way to go if you want light.

People call them “wide necks” but the profile was the same as the AVRI 62 Ps of the period, nice slab boards, truss rod adjust at the nut.

Definitely one of Fender’s all time best bass designs. The fine tuning bridge, the scooped ends with countersunk screws of the pickup covers to use as thumb rests, the premium tuning machines, strap locks and rubberized metal knobs. If you keep the TBX tone at the center detent or below, it responds like any passive P bass. The preamp was a unity gain buffer, the volume and tone knobs were ahead of the preamp. Why they didn’t have a passive bypass is beyond me, but it’s a simple mod. They only stopped making them because the company was sold by CBS and all bass production went to Japan for about 5 years except the AVRI P and J.

The bridge was used again in the passive Precision Plus (22 frets, PJ) of the early 90s but for some reason not for the Jazz Plus. Finding the fine tuning knobs nowadays is impossible and most Elites I see used are missing at least a few it not all.

 

[Wasnex]

Finding the fine tuning knobs nowadays is impossible

You can find a substitute here: Frets On The Net

 

[Wasnex]

I could swear there was another link posted recently for replacement micro-tune adjusters...but I can't find it .

 

[Killing Floor]

Those are cool basses. Having a resurgence lately.

 

[Mastermold]

Those are cool basses. Having a resurgence lately.

Here's a recent photo of my 83 Elite II. I bought it new in 1985 from a local music store, it was my main bass until about 2004. I still use it today, once you figure out how to work the switches it's easy to dial in a great P-bass tone or something more aggressive with blending the bridge pickup.