Dating a Fender P, is it even a Fender?

[Jeff Bowne]

Hey ya'll,
I got this P bass body at a thrift shop for $20. It's pretty beat up and has a cartoon scratched into the paint (right where my forearm would be resting, of all places).
I'm considering stripping the paint and refinishing it, but I want to figure out what it is first. I assumed it was a Fender, because it says "FENDER" in block letters on the neck plate, but in my research I can't seem to find an example of a Fender actually having this.
As I took it apart, taking some photos, I started to think more and more that it seems too cheap to be a real Fender. The pickup bobbins are the same kind of plastic as the pickup covers. It also has "PB-55" stamped inside the neck joint. Not much else to go on. What do ya'll think?

 

[Stumbo]

Nash Guitars PB-55 Bass Guitar Sunburst | eBay

You may want to send pics to Nash and see it it's one of theirs.

 

[FunkHead]

Hey ya'll,
I got this P bass body at a thrift shop for $20. It's pretty beat up and has a cartoon scratched into the paint (right where my forearm would be resting, of all places).
I'm considering stripping the paint and refinishing it, but I want to figure out what it is first. I assumed it was a Fender, because it says "FENDER" in block letters on the neck plate, but in my research I can't seem to find an example of a Fender actually having this.
As I took it apart, taking some photos, I started to think more and more that it seems too cheap to be a real Fender. The pickup bobbins are the same kind of plastic as the pickup covers. It also has "PB-55" stamped inside the neck joint. Not much else to go on. What do ya'll think?

That's an MIJ Fender body.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

So even better than a Fender!

 

[mongo2]

That's an MIJ Fender body.

First thing I thought when I saw PB55 mentioned.

 

[Jeff Bowne]

That's an MIJ Fender body.

Whoa! I just looked for pictures of a MIJ P bass and, sure enough, they have the "FENDER" stamp on the neck plate! Thanks man. Are the MIJs about the same quality as the MIMs? If I bring it back to life with a decent neck do you think I should even bother with the stock pickup? I love my active jazz bass for the heavier noise-rock stuff I do, I'd like to turn this into a Motown machine. maybe install a string mute.

 

[Jeff Bowne]

First thing I thought when I saw PB55 mentioned.

Does the PB55 give any hint at the year? What do you think of the pickups on these? Worth working with?

 

[FunkHead]

Whoa! I just looked for pictures of a MIJ P bass and, sure enough, they have the "FENDER" stamp on the neck plate! Thanks man. Are the MIJs about the same quality as the MIMs? If I bring it back to life with a decent neck do you think I should even bother with the stock pickup? I love my active jazz bass for the heavier noise-rock stuff I do, I'd like to turn this into a Motown machine. maybe install a string mute.

Some of these are pretty darn good. Any shots of the neck? Should be a serial Number somewhere.

 

[Jeff Bowne]

Nash Guitars PB-55 Bass Guitar Sunburst | eBay

You may want to send pics to Nash and see it it's one of theirs.

I found these NASH basses when googling "PB-55" but I figured it couldn't be one of them because it seems like they only do reliced basses. Plus the "FENDER" neck plate.

 

[Jeff Bowne]

Some of these are pretty darn good. Any shots of the neck? Should be a serial Number somewhere.

There is no neck, unfortunately. Just the body.
I want to strip the blue off the wood and give it a simple stain, then find a decently priced solid maple neck.

 

[mongo2]

Does the PB55 give any hint at the year? What do you think of the pickups on these? Worth working with?

No, but, IIRC, the "FENDER" neckplate and a similar neck pocket stamp was on my MIJ 51 P RI from the mid 90s. Pickups should be fine.

 

[devnulljp]

from the markings in the neck pocket, I'd say that's a Japanese Fender body.

 

[devnulljp]

Does the PB55 give any hint at the year? What do you think of the pickups on these? Worth working with?

That's the model #, and AFAIK it's related to the list price. Do that one was Y55,000 new (about US$5~600).
There's an '86' on the tone pot, could be a year date code. The 86 catalogue lists a PB-57-55 with maple board and a 62-55 with rosewood but only in black.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

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It says the body is basswood or alder

The colours listed for the PB-57-55 are tobacco burst, black, Candy apple red, and yellow-white
PB-62-55 came in 3tone sunburst, black, Candy apple red, and yellow-white

 

[flatwound62p]

What they said, Fender MIJ. The pickup with the brass plate and cloth wire would be original. I think they're a touch mid scooped and work great with roundwound strings for a 60s sound but a bit dull for my taste with flats.
If you google up some Fender Japan catalogues you'll see that usually the higher price point MIJ have a spiral bridge, unless it's a 70s spec bass. But the cloth wire on the pickup suggests it's what they called a US pickup, whereas bottom of the range basses came with non-US pickup with plastic coated wire. So I'm guessing it was somewhere in the middle.

 

[Jeff Bowne]

What they said, Fender MIJ. The pickup with the brass plate and cloth wire would be original. I think they're a touch mid scooped and work great with roundwound strings for a 60s sound but a bit dull for my taste with flats.
If you google up some Fender Japan catalogues you'll see that usually the higher price point MIJ have a spiral bridge, unless it's a 70s spec bass. But the cloth wire on the pickup suggests it's what they called a US pickup, whereas bottom of the range basses came with non-US pickup with plastic coated wire. So I'm guessing it was somewhere in the middle.

Hey thanks for all the info. As for the pickup wire: it must be hard to tell in the photo but they're definitely not cloth. Cheap feeling plastic coated wire. So maybe it is a cheaper model.

 

[flatwound62p]

Hey thanks for all the info. As for the pickup wire: it must be hard to tell in the photo but they're definitely not cloth. Cheap feeling plastic coated wire. So maybe it is a cheaper model.

Mom always said I'd go blind if I didn't stop

 

[DJ Bebop]

Whoa! I just looked for pictures of a MIJ P bass and, sure enough, they have the "FENDER" stamp on the neck plate! Thanks man. Are the MIJs about the same quality as the MIMs? If I bring it back to life with a decent neck do you think I should even bother with the stock pickup? I love my active jazz bass for the heavier noise-rock stuff I do, I'd like to turn this into a Motown machine. maybe install a string mute.

Same as MIM? More like as good or better (depending on who you talk to) as/than MIA!

 

[Leo Thunder]

Are you guys really serious about dating a Fender?

 

[2F/2F]

Remove the tape. Clean the body well with naphtha. Fill the scratches with nail polish or auto touchup paint. Wet sand. Polish. Add a guard and a neck. Even with all the work, it's $20 well spent. Probably basswood. My main bass over the past 10 years had a MIJ basswood body (black). Nice score, but not worth the extreme amount of labor to properly refin. Just do as I explained above for the best bang for your buck.

 

[selowitch]

Remove the tape. Clean the body well with naphtha. Fill the scratches with nail polish or auto touchup paint. Wet sand. Polish. Add a guard and a neck. Even with all the work, it's $20 well spent. Probably basswood. My main bass over the past 10 years had a MIJ basswood body (black). Nice score, but not worth the extreme amount of labor to properly refin. Just do as I explained above for the best bang for your buck.

+500 An MIJ body for $20 is a total steal, even in that condition, and the great thing about it is that as long as the neck pocket specs check out you could afford to add a high-qualityneck and have yourself a really nice bass for very little money.