Am I wrong about this being a fake?

[H K]

Seems that mexican scammer has a template to "relic" instruments, lol

And its not even a good one. I bet he went from like, an EKO relic or something. The kind they just quickly sand along the edges and random spots on the body, which makes it so obvious.
Plus the fact that, you know, this is like 7mm thick polyester finish.. It's near impossible to wear through the body finish like this naturally.

REVERB should really take some responsibility and start heavily scutinizing anything vintage, and/or without paperwork.
Bums me out to think that he's probably sold several previously, and they're floating around out there.
Hire some experts reverb! Or better yet, start paying talkbass to host threads like this where we can collectively come to a conclusion.

 

[H K]

Why all the hate on Mexicans?

The fact that an instrument has been butchered, doesn’t make it a fake. Stuff happens over 40-odd years.

I put a black Schecter pickguard on my ‘64 Precision in the late ‘70’s. Not because I was trying to rip anybody off, but because the original was gross- warped, stained, scarred and broken. I also opened up the cutaway for better upper-fret access. There wasn’t much of a collector market for player-grade instruments back then, so sue me…

That said, this is exactly the sort of situation where I wouldn’t want to gamble on an online purchase, especially when the instrument is in one of the roughest parts of Mexico.

Given the wood supply and quality issues that Fender was having in the 70’s, you could also be looking at a non-matching neck and body. During that period, a pretty good way to score a nice Fender was to pair your favourite neck with another body. Not original, but still Fender, and also not a fake.

Buyer beware, because if the body and neck aren’t authentic, you’ll never recover the cost of a restoral and refin.

Just a few people hating on Mexicans, and I definitely don't approve.

But I do understand that, you know, it's listed for sale in what is essentially one of the worlds "worst neighboorhoods"..

I wonder if the guy somehow has access to an insider at the fender factory, as many of the parts look legit. Could be taken from vinteras, or other "vintage" type models made in mexico.

 

[Amano]

Weren't they placing the thumb/finger rest above the E string by '76? Looks faked all over to me. Also, what year did they go back to a four bolt neck instead of that '70's three bolt?

Fender precision basses always had four bolt neck joint. Fender jazz basses came with three bold system from early 70’s for a couple of years. Correct with thumb rest above E string.

 

[1999 Epi]

 

[devnulljp]

Weren't they placing the thumb/finger rest above the E string by '76? Looks faked all over to me. Also, what year did they go back to a four bolt neck instead of that '70's three bolt?

The PBass never has a 3-bolt iteration.

 

[Phaidrus]

Real or fake, owner was wearing a big buckle belt for sure.

 

[groooooove]

i agree all of the wear looks unusual, fake, etc

fake wear indicates refinish/relic, which could easily be making a fake "look authentic," or it could be done to an actual old bass. hard to say based on the wear.

 

[JimmyM]

i agree all of the wear looks unusual, fake, etc

fake wear indicates refinish/relic, which could easily be making a fake "look authentic," or it could be done to an actual old bass. hard to say based on the wear.

Almost positive that seafoam green wasn’t an option.

 

[koppinjo]

Could be a 76 but the wear doesn't match, no wear on the back of the neck with the amount of wear on the front is the big give away.

That’s what I was thinking too

 

[Chickenwheels]

It has a transitional looks to the tuners and neck that places it in the 76-77 ballpark.
That refinish looks to be over a natural ash body, so another maybe.
Everything else is a mystery.

 

[Giff]

Suspended

 

[Amano]

Even Marcus Miller or Steve Harris their maple neck Fenders showed not this kind of wear. Maple neck 70s Fenders were painted in thick poly. Unless the former owner(s) had nails like a cat from steel.