'58 P on Ebay - Legit??? Does not "feel" right to me

The scratching above the thumb rest looks like a relic job... and a bad one at that.

 

Agree... And that fingerboard is just too new. No way that finish is 51 years old...

 

and I call fake

http://www.hansenguitars.com/data/i...=Bass+Guitars&Name=1958+Fender+Precision+Bass

The bass is real, the auction is not. I'd be surprised a guy named notdouchebag would have a 1958 p bass you know?

 

it's fake..

 

Shouldn't there be a strap button on the back of the headstock? Or at least a screwhole?

Doug

 

Actually, that is one of the things that has me wondering if it is legit.

The RI 57's have strap buttons on the back of the headstock, the originals did not. Question is, when did they start?

I am not sure of the years of the ttransition, but the changes are two tone burst to three, gold guard to tort, maple fretboard to rosewood......

See what I am getting at?

This is a three tone burst, with gold guard and maple board. I have never seen one of these.

I HAVE seen three tone burst, gold guard and rosewood boards....I think those were 59 ish.

SO, in theory, might this be an early transition considering the maple board?

 

No way to tell, really. The photos all look good...too good, in fact. No rust on the pickguard screws. No pitting on the ashtray covers. Incredibly clear finish on the fingerboard. Questionable wear pattern above the tug bar (it's not a thumbrest when it's mounted there). The first thing that struck me was "why no buckle rash?" It is POSSIBLE this bass was really babied, I suppose. But if that's the case maybe it was a lemon in 1958 and it wasn't played much because it didn't play well.

I notice the seller has sold some higher-end, relatively new guitars to satisfied buyers.

Anyway, it's nice to speculate and offer opinions. But no one in their right mind would drop this kind of change on a vintage collectible without inspecting it in person or having it appraised by an independent expert. So I guess the seller is looking for some fool with more money than sense to buy this - and maybe it's legit and maybe it isn't.

 

Oh yea, also the slotted, rather than phillips head screws on the tuners also point to legit, as does the "0" at the beginning of the S/N.

Again, could be faked, but I do wonder. Could be pics of several basses for all we know. I like to see the same backgound in all pictures of something like this so I know that the person didn't grab pics from all over the web. The background in these is too dark to tell.

Some of the wear looks legit, and some not. The color of the fingerboard is questionable, look too light to me.

I dunno.

 

It has the "short" walnut plug on the headstock. It has the right tuners. It has the right pots. It has the right (not a fake) cap. Correct burst, red retained nicely. No broken solder joints. Proper wiring.

Nothing about this bass screams "fake" to me. I would still want to see more pictures (and better ones) before laying out cash for it - make sure the pickup was the correct one (though the unbroken solder joints suggest that it should be), see body markings, router pin marks (not visible in the current photos), etc.

Note the pickguard wear on this 58 pictured below - not "normal, many people would think it was "fake", however it is 100% original.






One thing I find funny is that so many people will make fun of a Road Worn series Fender because the "wear" is pretty much standardized on them - exactly where you'd expect it from the majority of players. People say that because the wear is "standardized" it looks fake. Then when they see a REAL vintage guitar that has unusual wear, they say it looks fake because the wear ISN'T where you'd expect it. Kind of a catch 22.


For the person who asked about the button - 1958 won't have it.

Here are some photos of other 58's you can use for comparison -

http://www.gruhn.com/features/pbass58/BF2485.html
http://entertainment.ha.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=648&Lot_No=22322&type=&ic=#Photo
http://www.gbase.com/gear/fender-precision-bass-p-bass-1958-sunbusts#
http://www.gbase.com/gear/fender-precision-bass-1958-2-tone-sunburst-fi#
http://www.gbase.com/gear/fender-precision-bass-sold-1958-sunburst#

 

OK, a bit more info.

I have found confirmation that there are 59 p-basses with slab rosewood boards, three tone burst and gold guards.

 

Dark Horse always owns these threads.

 

Lots of 58's stay light. Just depends on the nitro mix they were using that week.

The Gruhn one I linked to is light , as is this one -

 

Technically speaking, most 58's are really "transition" basses. Yes, there were some "standard features", but early 58s were basically "57's" and late 58's were basically "59's" for the most part.

 

Wow darkhorse, good info.

The 58 above was 3TB, but has faded, right.

I agree with you, more things look legit to me than not. And I agree with you about the wear.

The only things I really question now (based on what you have shown and what I went looking for), as you point out, the router plugs (not seeing them in the pics) and some of the electronic pics. I like to see those photos where the bass is still clearly visible in the bacground, so you can tell they are from the same bass.

Are you a member of the FDP as well???

 

It looks legit to me, however, anyone spending this kind of money on a bass would surely have enough to fly to the seller and check it out for themselves. I would never spend this kind of money on ebay without seeing the item in person...just too risky.

 

1960, though there may be some late 59's with a factory strap button on the back of the headstock.