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'60 or '61
- Thread starter sentry
- Start date
You're going to have to open it up a bit if you really want to know. I can't think of any dead giveaways between 60 and 61 when it comes to P basses.
I'm assuming it's a refin? CAR with tort would be fairly unusual, though with Fender never say never.
Headstock decal looks repro too, should have patent numbers I believe (my 60P does).
Nice bass, and extra sweet case!
I'm assuming it's a refin? CAR with tort would be fairly unusual, though with Fender never say never.
Headstock decal looks repro too, should have patent numbers I believe (my 60P does).
Nice bass, and extra sweet case!
Must be the flash, it doesn't look Dakota to me at all.
No Patent # till '61 is true for jazz basses, don't know about Ps. All I can tell you is my '60 P has 'em.
The bass archeologist in me hopes you open it up and show us pics...
If it's all original - very nice!
If it's not all original - it's still very nice!
I heard the early decals were put above the finish or something like that and prone to come off. Idk how true this is, but that might explain the missing parts on it. If you look "Precision" isn't a complete word either on the decal)
For '60 - '61 tort guards with the colored finished were not uncommon. After that, they were pretty consistently W-B-W ('green' nitrate and then the white plastic ones) except for the blonds and white finishes which usually kept the tort guards.
Another interesting thing with checking the neck cavity besides the written date is if it was a Fender factory refin (not all that uncommon as sometimes people just decided they wanted a different color) they did stamps into the wood (using a metal stamp that imprinted the wood) under the finish to be able to match the same necks and bodies back up - I mention this as I've seen that with a colored one that had a tort guard. Obviously, the finish looked like a Fender finish - because it was...
Funny about the color - in some of the pics it does look metallic like CAR (though would have had a silver base coat at that time (they switched to gold later) with white under that. If Dakota, I've seen that without a base coat before. Looks light for Dakota but could be the flash as others said. It does look like a period Fender finish from the photos.
I believe the patent numbers on the decals started late '60-early '61 so that's the only external thing that makes me say I'd guess it to be a '60 (or maybe even a very late '59 - though the serial number makes '60 look far more likely).
Pity about the side dots but very cool bass!
Relying solely on the serial number and appearance for dating a vintage fender is asking for trouble.
At the very least you need to look at the neck date and pot codes to make an informed decision on the date.
There are also tell tale signs in the neck pocket and electronics route that help date an instrument.
When you do take it apart, take copious pictures of everything in sharp focus and at the highest resolution you can get.
CAR 1961 Pbass...that's serious coin.
