Did I just find a '66 P-bass?

[Yools]

Not to sound un-informed,,,, but what's so great about it being a 66 instead of a 72?

About 2 grand, LOL...

Probably more than that.. to give you an idea, check out these used bases listed at www.BassEmporium.com.

'72 Fender Telecaster bass: $2,199 (Invalid Link Removed)

'66 Fender Jazz: $6,999 ([Invalid or Expired Link Removed])

Keep in mind the '66 Jazz at Bass Emporium was refinished, so an all-original '66 like the one in this thread could be considerably more.

 

[deedub72]

By what I am looking at and being the proud owner of two 1966 P-Basses, that bass looks to be correct. Minus what has already been mentioned, I guess the only other thing to look for if I remember correctley would be the grey bottom pickups....hope you end up with it!!!

 

[Jim Carr]

Here are more images.

Neck Pocket closeup:

Front of instrument:

I'm hoping to get a photo of the neck wear this morning...

 

[your idol]

i want to make sexy time to this bass...will that depreciate the value

 

[smcd]

Not to sound un-informed,,,, but what's so great about it being a 66 instead of a 72?

Outside of the price difference, pretty much nothing. Having owned a '72 and a '66, they're functionally the same bass. In fact, I owned a '71 Pbass that was a better instrument than any 60's Pbass I ever picked up.

After '72, however...

 

[ExaltBass]

That looks remarkable!

 

[savit260]

Outside of the price difference, pretty much nothing. Having owned a '72 and a '66, they're functionally the same bass. In fact, I owned a '71 Pbass that was a better instrument than any 60's Pbass I ever picked up.

After '72, however...

Different tuners, different size neck, different fretboard mateial, different finish, different bridge, possibly different body wood, different pickups, but other than that,... yeah, they are the same .

 

[Jim Carr]

Outside of the price difference, pretty much nothing. Having owned a '72 and a '66, they're functionally the same bass. In fact, I owned a '71 Pbass that was a better instrument than any 60's Pbass I ever picked up.

After '72, however...

+1

IMHO, it is the individual instrument that matters. I believe the likelihood of finding a good or even excellent instrument increases as you go earlier in the CBS era, and that the best P-basses of the early 60's before the CBS buyout, are probably the nicest ones of all. I have only played a few. They are scarce and, well you know the rest...

 

[savit260]

+1

IMHO, it is the individual instrument that matters. I believe the likelihood of finding a good or even excellent instrument increases as you go earlier in the CBS era, and that the best P-basses of the early 60's before the CBS buyout, are probably the nicest ones of all. I have only played a few. They are scarce and, well you know the rest...

True, but for all usefull purposes, that 66 is pretty much (emphisis on PRETY MUCH) the same bass as a Pre CBS, where as a 72 version has had a bunch of changes.

Bottom line IMO is a good bass is a good bass, BUT I prefer the specs of a 66 to a 72 (required IMO)

 

[Jim Carr]

True, but for all usefull purposes, that 66 is pretty much (emphisis on PRETTY MUCH) the same bass as a Pre CBS, where as a 72 version has had a bunch of changes.

Bottom line IMO is a good bass is a good bass, BUT I prefer the specs of a 66 to a 72 (required IMO)

+1

The old C neck feel, the tuners and the nitro all make me smile when I play it.

Here is a full body front and back view:

 

[smcd]

Different tuners, different size neck, different fretboard mateial, different finish, different bridge, possibly different body wood, different pickups, but other than that,... yeah, they are the same .

1. Minor differences in the shape of the tuners isn't going to make the bass sound different.

2. The bridge is the same.

3. The difference in neck shape on a '66 and a '72 are insignificant, and won't affect sound or playability.

4. The fretboard material is different? Really? Rosewood is rosewood, last I checked.

5. poly vs. nitro finish won't change the sound.

6. The pickups are the same Fender split humbuckers on both basses.

7. "Possibly" different body woods? Really? So the body wood on the '72 could "possibly" be better than that on the '66??

 

[smcd]

where as a 72 version has had a bunch of changes.

The changes you are talking about are collector minutiae. They in no way affect the functional performance nor the build quality of the bass.

 

[pasta4lnch]

Nice!

 

[Jim Carr]

Some neck wear shots follow. These were hard to do. Too much light,
and the camera can hardly see it. I wonder if this might hint at a neck
over spray?

 

[Matt Dean]

WOW... What a pleasant surprise!

Thanks for the cool pics...

 

[THand]

Beautiful bass!

 

[Jim Carr]

OK, one last mega blast of pixels. I think the evidence is good enough,
though it would be nice to see the pots dates, wiring, and pickups undersides.
Some other time, perhaps.

Time to get this bass back to my cousin Blake Carr--who IMHO has
the coolest P-bass in our family!

Case closed.

 

[Spinal Tapper]

Looks to be 100% original to me. Looks exact same as a 66 P I get to play on all the time. Nice!

So...you found the 66...now you just need a way to make it disappear

 

[4StringedFiend]

wow.


wow.

Putting aside what year/era this bass is from this thing still looks incredible.

 

[savit260]

1. Minor differences in the shape of the tuners isn't going to make the bass sound different.

2. The bridge is the same.

3. The difference in neck shape on a '66 and a '72 are insignificant, and won't affect sound or playability.

4. The fretboard material is different? Really? Rosewood is rosewood, last I checked.

5. poly vs. nitro finish won't change the sound.

6. The pickups are the same Fender split humbuckers on both basses.

7. "Possibly" different body woods? Really? So the body wood on the '72 could "possibly" be better than that on the '66??

True, and functionaly speaking my SX is the same as my 64 Fender, but they aren't the same.

A C neck has a very different feel than a B neck.

A 72 has a fairly good likelyhood of being Ash. A 66 is more than likely Alder. That is certainly different.

There are differences in the pickups. There are differences between a 72 and a 2008 too, but they are both Fender split coils. They do however all LOOK pretty much the same. For that matter a mid 90's MIM split coil is still a Fender split coil too, but not the same.

Rosewood is Roswood? Better check again. Brazillian Rosewood, is different than Indian Rosewood.

The bridge is the same design (and so is my SX bridge) but there are differences in the saddles, so no, not the same.

The tuners work in completely different directions, so no, not the same.

Nitro vs. Poly has been debated at lenght. Regardless of personal opinions on the subject, you can't say they are the same. They are by design different.

Yup, lots of small differences.

So yes, functionaly speaking a 59, 66, 72, 79, 09, and and SX SPB 62 are basicly the same.

That said, my SX does sound remarkably like 64 Precision. .. but they aren't the same.