70s Fender, what should I look for?

[StarscreamG1]

I know with my old Precision that if you loosened the strings the neck would take a while to recover. So when you get it and get it turned up, it might take a while for the neck to readjust to the strings being proper tension.

Thanks for letting me know this!!!

Nice score there. It looks great to. I only wish I found that deal.

I was wishing for a deal like this and finally I just decided that if a deal like this was meant to be mine, it would happen. Put another way, I got a laid back attitude about it and felt that if I wanted a vintage Fender deal, one would come alone some day and just kick back and wait for it. It came along a lot sooner then I figured and the timing wasn't that great but least I got it. ^_^

 

[Fun Size Nick]

Looks fantastic, Starscream! The finish looks great to me in the pictures, I don't know if it's worth worrying too much about. Did the uncle say that he put a clear coat on it? It looks very much how I would expect a natural finish '70s Fender to look - very similar colour to my '74 Jazz. Glad to hear it's a great player! My P and J are both from that era and have great necks which are quite deep front to back like yours. After years of playing on a pencil-necked bass, I found that the deeper necks were the perfect fit for my hands and much more comfortable!

I personally don't think you're missing much with regards to the original case - I have one and it weighs a tonne! It lives under my bed for posterity's sake, and the bass has a new home in a Hiscox liteflite case.

Congratulations again on your great find! I hope it gives you many years of playing pleasure

 

[StarscreamG1]

Thankie ^_^ I learned on a lawsuit Memphis and it had a real thick neck. I actually prefer the pencil thin necks like what my Dyna and Foundation have (my Yammy has a pretty thin neck as well and even my 95 Fender P Special doesnt have that thick of a neck for that matter) but I did learn on a thicker neck. I prefer thin but will happily deal with the other if its narrow. And the fact that this one isn't that wide really helps the thickness not be an issue. ^_^

I have a feeling this one will be one of my main players. I have a feeling I may end up parting with some of my 'keepers' once I get to know this one. And its odd, its almost like my basses have come full circle in a sense. My first bass was a [77]78 Lawsuit Memphis P and my latest bass and hopefully my last is a [77]78 Fender P....started off with a fake and ended up with a real one. Hope that made some sort of sense.

Oh and yea, the nephew said his uncle put that clear coat on it after damaging its finish after a gig one night. The lead singer/guitarist was playing out of time and he kept looking back at the uncle like it was his fault and it wasn't. After the gig backstage the band leader (said lead singer/guitard) got in his face and was getting rough and bitching about it and he still had the P strapped on. In the ensuing 'argument' the P got tossed >_< It didn't mess up the body as you can see but it trashed its finish and he put another clear coat on but he didn't do it right and you can feel and see orange peel and theres a run hear the pickguard by the thumbrest. Its no biggie. I am going to document from the uncle on paper /why/ it got an 'aftermarket' clear coat when I pick it up next month.

 

[Rugaar]

Great story. Congrats. Enjoy it.

 

[Chris Breese]

My friend Doug has one just like it! Very close to the same year, and looks identical. I did some work on it over a year ago. It's a fine instrument and sounds amay-za-zing! Congratulations!

 

[rodneyat]

That is an interesting case, my old '77 had a black wooden hardshell case with a silver plastic Fender logo.

I think the bass looks great like that but if it really bothers you could refin it, i think olympic white would look pretty sick and it would age pretty well.

In the late 70's Fender switched to the molded cases as this one is.

 

[dch0719]

Congrats on the find. Don't know for sure but this may be the bass in this link.

Dan

Invalid Link Removed

 

[scottbass]

Congratulations on the sweetheart find!

The closest I ever came to a semi-sweet deal was about 4 years ago when a guy from my hometown showed me his "old bass from high school". It was a pristine T-40 which looked like it had hardly been played. He offered to sell it to me for $200 with the original HSC. I kinda hesitated and said I would get back to him. At the time medium-condition T-40's were selling for $250 - $300 on ebay. People were asking $400 (but not getting it) for pristine T-40's. Also, it was black, not natural ash like I wanted. I thought about it overnight and called him up the next day and told him I'd buy it. He said: "Sorry, I checked it out on ebay and it's worth a lot more than $200. How does $500 sound?" The last sound he heard from me was hysterical laughing right before I hung up. That's also the last time I ever saw him.

 

[BillyIVbass]

Congrats! You are lucky lucky lucky. I did however score a deal on an old Fender Bassman once so my mojo has dried up lol.

 

[StarscreamG1]

Congratulations on the sweetheart find!

The closest I ever came to a semi-sweet deal was about 4 years ago when a guy from my hometown showed me his "old bass from high school". It was a pristine T-40 which looked like it had hardly been played. He offered to sell it to me for $200 with the original HSC. I kinda hesitated and said I would get back to him. At the time medium-condition T-40's were selling for $250 - $300 on ebay. People were asking $400 (but not getting it) for pristine T-40's. Also, it was black, not natural ash like I wanted. I thought about it overnight and called him up the next day and told him I'd buy it. He said: "Sorry, I checked it out on ebay and it's worth a lot more than $200. How does $500 sound?" The last sound he heard from me was hysterical laughing right before I hung up. That's also the last time I ever saw him.

I started watching the bay for a T40 back december of last year and they weren't going for $4-500 until january of this year (and thats kind of fallen off since the economy went south) so $500 4 years ago would have been outrageous for it then.

I know for the price Im getting this P for, half of its for the amp as well (he wont split them), I feel kind of bad. Im looking on eBay right now and 77-78 Ps are fairly expensive. Averaging roughly 4 times what Im paying for mine with the amp. O_O It was part of the reason why I was holding my breath when I went to open the case. Had it by some chance been a 50s P, Im sorry, theres no way I could have looked the man in the eye and paid him what little he was asking for it. I just couldn't have done it. I still feel a little guilty but not as much since its a 70s P and its been refinished. I know this baby isn't meant to be hung on a wall and admired but played and Im glad its not pristine, though its in darn good shape!!

 

[StarscreamG1]

Congrats on the find. Don't know for sure but this may be the bass in this link.

Dan

Invalid Link Removed

It took awhile to download that vid as Im on sucky dial up. That P bass looks a lot like mine but theres what looks like the thumbrest moved up off the PG in the one in the vid. Mine looks like its thumbrest has never been moved (and then moved back)...Im about to google Merle Haggard's musicians and see if I can fine some real proof that my friends uncle played with him. He was talking about it again today. In fact the lead singer/guitarist that got into the 'argument' with him after the gig was supposedly Merle.... I reserve judgment until I can find some definite proof though.

 

[dch0719]

The Strangers...Past and Present

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

That might save you some time...
Dan

 

[StarscreamG1]

Thanks for the link! I looked and its Wayne Durham. I did ask what his uncles name was and he said Wayne Durham. I still reserve judgment until I finally get to meet him (all this so far as been through his nephew) when I pay for it and get some stuff documented.

 

[bassninja7]

amazing, love the ashtray!!!

 

[Darkstrike]

Incredible.

 

[JacobE]

Finally I got to see it today!!! It is a 70s Fender and it has its original hardshell case which I didn't know it had. it was a comedy of errors trying to hook up and see it. Before it was over my friend had to go to his uncles place and bring it back to me while I was at a friends across the street. I freaked when I saw it was in its original case. O_O And then he hands it to me and with much trepidation I unlocked each clasp and slowly opened it...and this is what I saw:

Unfortunately at some point in the past couple of decades my friends uncle put a clear coat on it...it didn't come out right and there is some orange peel and a run near the PG....over all its not in bad shape. He /might/ have the pup cover for it but isn't sure. The neck on this thing is absolutely to die for!!!!!!!!!! A bit thicker front to back then what I prefer but its thickness IS more what I am used to if that makes any sense. Also it didn't feel that wide width wise but I didn't measure the nut to find out how wide it is.

Here is serial # S873127

Can anyone tell me what year it is or where can I go and look it up?

This puppy is SO mine. Because it was brought to me I didn't see the amp but was told its a huge Crate. I was also a bit away from my place so I couldn't hook it up to my rig. I met it unplugged and I don't really care. Its SO mine!!!!!

i wish that was mine

 

[hands5]

if you're possibly getting a legit 70's pbass for low 3 digits, then dust off the wallet and pay gruhn's $50 for their authentication services.

Yo bro the picture that you have with your avatar is the best one on Talkbass !!!......my goodness.

 

[MtManiac]

If you can't swing the cash, I'd be happy to buy it through you, and you can keep the amp to sell for profit.

 

[StarscreamG1]

amazing, love the ashtray!!!

Its never been a deciding factor for me in choosing a bass but my first bass had the ashtray/pup cover and thumbrest. So I guess being broke into the lowend with that stuff makes it where they are never in my way, they feel 'natural' to to be there. In fact I love a bass with 'em. I am used to an anchor for my thumb and the thumbrest and pup cover is great for it. And when I played with a pick both ashtrays were super for resting your hand on when picking.

I am in a bit of a dilemma though. There is a fair chance he has the pup cover somewheres but if he doesn't, I will want to replace it. I was looking on eBay last night and I found some factory replacements for that year P but they're all nice and pristine and shiny. The bridge tray is pretty good on the P now but there is some mild pitting going on with it from age. Thats going to look just odd a spanking new pup cover and an aged (though still shiny) bridge cover. So if I have to get a replacement I will have to get a new bridge cover and just bag that one up for posterity sake. And if I do that the knobs are pitted so I need to replace the knobs and if I do that....I might as well go ahead and replace the PG since its got signs of wear and age too. Oh dear. LOL I'm really not sure if I should do all that but Id keep its 'original' parts with it no matter what. I honestly don't know which way to properly go about this. Comments?

Incredible.

Yea your telling me LOL And I know the rest of my basses that I will keep after going through and selling a bunch to help bring that baby home will sit proudly with it!! I can't wait to go from the P to the T40 to the Memphis and compare them side by side!!!!

i wish that was mine

I can't believe its about to be mine. My financially challenged self deep down never thought I'd get a chance at a vintage Fender. But I just decided if it was meant to be it would happen. Keep your eyes open and ears peeled and I bet one will come your way ^_^

If you can't swing the cash, I'd be happy to buy it through you, and you can keep the amp to sell for profit.

Thanks for the offer but I'm going to swing it one way or another. It wouldn't be so bad BUT I am committed to picking up a '94 Fender Cowpoke so thats whats putting getting this one off by about 4 weeks. Fender P Specials are just as awesome as that 77-78 P is and Im stoked about getting both of them And hopefully the fact that I was the only person the bass has been offered too and both the nephew and the uncle live in the same neighborhood as me helps too (so communication is good and we all know where everyone and that bass is at all times LOL). They also know up front that I am committed to paying for the other Fender first and they said it was no problem at all, they wanted me to have the P so its all good. I just wish I had it now!!!!

Since I don't need that amp, its gone as soon as I get it. I have had one bite locally on that amp to be honest but I'd kind of rather part with it here. Its the shipping that would be a mutha on it though. As a result I wouldn't ask a lot for it to be honest. Oh Im not going to cut my nose off to spite my face so to speak with it but if I could cut someone a good deal on a good amp like the deal Im getting here, that would be cool. ^_^


And Im so in love with that P. I went to sleep thinking about it and woke up thinking about it. LOL I also had an idea about smoothing out the finish and would like some feedback on it. I will leave the [redone] clear coat on it but I was thinking of taking a mega fine grit sandpaper and wet sanding the run and the orange peel a bit and then buffing it out. Good idea?

 

[rodneyat]

Its never been a deciding factor for me in choosing a bass but my first bass had the ashtray/pup cover and thumbrest. So I guess being broke into the lowend with that stuff makes it where they are never in my way, they feel 'natural' to to be there. In fact I love a bass with 'em. I am used to an anchor for my thumb and the thumbrest and pup cover is great for it. And when I played with a pick both ashtrays were super for resting your hand on when picking.

I am in a bit of a dilemma though. There is a fair chance he has the pup cover somewheres but if he doesn't, I will want to replace it. I was looking on eBay last night and I found some factory replacements for that year P but they're all nice and pristine and shiny. The bridge tray is pretty good on the P now but there is some mild pitting going on with it from age. Thats going to look just odd a spanking new pup cover and an aged (though still shiny) bridge cover. So if I have to get a replacement I will have to get a new bridge cover and just bag that one up for posterity sake. And if I do that the knobs are pitted so I need to replace the knobs and if I do that....I might as well go ahead and replace the PG since its got signs of wear and age too. Oh dear. LOL I'm really not sure if I should do all that but Id keep its 'original' parts with it no matter what. I honestly don't know which way to properly go about this. Comments?

DO NOT replace any other components!

If you want a pickup cover..buy one. You may even be able to find a 70's one if you are patient. Otherwise, get a new one and you can probably "age" it your self. But DON'T replace knobs, pickguards, etc. That is what gives your bass character!