Do all CBS Fullerton’s have micro tilt?

[099451057947]

I have a killer deal of a 1983 Precision Bass on layaway (because having a 1.75” width nut and that super shallow wafer thin neck was just a joy to play on), but I have a few concerns as to it’s authenticity.

All of the searching I’ve done on here and elsewhere says that the Fullerton basses all had micro-tilt, and the one I am about to acquire does not have a micro-tilt hole on the neck plate. It also has a fully glued in and smooth truss rod plug on the headstock.

The original hard shell case also has the original signed and Fender stamped owner’s card, as well, with the matching serial number, but I know those could easily be faked, too. As to who would go through so much trouble, I’m not sure, but the whole thing is almost too good to be true.

Besides taking the neck off, were there any non-micro-tilt basses built? I’ve heard some accounts of the ‘62 Vintage reissue body being used on an E serial neck by accident, but nothing verifiable.

 

[Whale]

if I remember right Fender USA put out three versions of their bases in 1983... the base models, the Elite, and the Vintage Reissues (now known as the AVRIs). None of the AVRIs were equipped with the micro tilt, but I believe all of the other Fender Basses from 1983 did have microtilt.

The Base and Elite models have the truss rod access plug in the headstock. The AVRIs have the truss rod adjustment in the heel.

Also, the AVRI P Basses were typically equipped with an anodized pickguard. The base models have a very plain single layer pickguard.

The AVRI P Basses were 57 reissues. The AVRI Jazz Basses were 62 reissues.

You’ll want to check for the router hump on your body. That specific feature to Fullertons was phased out after the company moved to the Corona factory and began using different jigs/machines to cut the bodies.

Pics of your bass would help, of course.

 

[099451057947]

I’ll have to go to the store and have them grab it from the back, but it’s a heel adjust truss Rod, single ply white PG, white pickup covers and E serial number, no micro tilt. Original sale date from the owner’s card is March 29, 1984

 

[Jazzbassguy]

I don't know about the '83 Fullerton basses, but my 1983 Standard Tele definitely has the microtilt.

 

[099451057947]

Here is the only picture I took when I put it on layway... it was of the original owner’s card so I could brag to my wife about a great find.

Does anyone know if this looks period correct? I have not been able to google image search many, and the one’s that I have look different.

edit: I have found on another site that 70’s p bass bodies were four bolt. If the documentation with the bass is accurate it could be an 82-83 neck on a late 70’s body. I will get more pics when I visit the shop and put some more money down on my layaway.

also what is this router bump?

Link Removed

 

[ajkula66]

edit: I have found on another site that 70’s p bass bodies were four bolt. If the documentation with the bass is accurate it could be an 82-83 neck on a late 70’s body.

At that point in the game they were using a lot of old stock parts and chances are that your bass may have very well left the factory that way. If they let you pull the neck off taking pictures would be recommended, but Fender did a lot of weird stuff during that era.

If the neck adjusts at the heel, I wouldn't expect to see a micro tilt on it.

 

[099451057947]

At that point in the game they were using a lot of old stock parts and chances are that your bass may have very well left the factory that way. If they let you pull the neck off taking pictures would be recommended, but Fender did a lot of weird stuff during that era.

If the neck adjusts at the heel, I wouldn't expect to see a micro tilt on it.

I convinced my wife this is an investment purchase, but only because I really really want to play it, and that excuse previously worked on buying an old Ford Thunderbird 302 with an 8.8 rear end as our “spare car” if one of our’s was in the shop. So would it being a “legitimate” bastard help value? She really wants us to buy a house eventually, and I know how baseball card “misprints” are.

 

[ajkula66]

I convinced my wife this is an investment purchase,

As long as you don't convince yourself that's an investment purchase all is well IMO.

I'd rather not speculate on the value of the instrument without seeing any pictures.

Good luck.

 

[099451057947]

25124652[/URL], member: 298212"]As long as you don't convince yourself that's an investment purchase all is well IMO.

I'd rather not speculate on the value of the instrument without seeing any pictures.

Good luck.

I will have pictures tomorrow when I visit the shop, and I have a 30 day return policy after my layaway is paid off. I have a regionally trusted tech (shout out J Kennedy) that I use for my other bass that I plan on taking it to. I was just hoping to temper my expectations by inquiring to others and doing a lot of research.

I’m mostly questioning the authenticity because it doesn’t have a single scratch on it, but the bridge and pickups and neck all match up to 1983. It’s just weird finding something that could be considered NOS from that age.

EDIT: my Thunderbird doubled in value the first year after I bought it, and people want it all the time, lol. I can’t drive it anymore because people put their info under my wipers. Also, 17mpg sucks, but 300hp v8 rocks.

 

[7dollarbologna]

Here is the only picture I took when I put it on layway... it was of the original owner’s card so I could brag to my wife about a great find.

Does anyone know if this looks period correct? I have not been able to google image search many, and the one’s that I have look different.

edit: I have found on another site that 70’s p bass bodies were four bolt. If the documentation with the bass is accurate it could be an 82-83 neck on a late 70’s body. I will get more pics when I visit the shop and put some more money down on my layaway.

also what is this router bump?

Link Removed

So you had the Fullerton reissue line which this instrument isn’t, they were built in the original Leo Fender facility, those bodies have a router bump in the lower cutaway near the side of the neck pocket. This instrument was built next door in the mega factory that CBS built. All CBS instruments were manufactured in Fullerton, CA so it’s kind of redundant to refer to these as “Fullerton’s” that term is normally applied to the reissue line.

 

[ajkula66]

Here's an '82 with no tilt and heel adjustment

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Just as a point of comparison for OP

 

[2F/2F]

if I remember right Fender USA put out three versions of their bases in 1983... the base models, the Elite, and the Vintage Reissues (now known as the AVRIs). None of the AVRIs were equipped with the micro tilt, but I believe all of the other Fender Basses from 1983 did have microtilt.

The Base and Elite models have the truss rod access plug in the headstock. The AVRIs have the truss rod adjustment in the heel.

Also, the AVRI P Basses were typically equipped with an anodized pickguard. The base models have a very plain single layer pickguard.

The AVRI P Basses were 57 reissues. The AVRI Jazz Basses were 62 reissues.

You’ll want to check for the router hump on your body. That specific feature to Fullertons was phased out after the company moved to the Corona factory and began using different jigs/machines to cut the bodies.

Pics of your bass would help, of course.

Actually, AVRI means something more specific than that, not what the early reissues are now called.

The line was called the U.S. Vintage Series up till 1998, when it became the American Vintage Series.

At no point was "Reissue" an official part of the American made repro series name. However, in commonly accepted forum nomenclature, "AVRI" is used for 1998 through late 2012 AVs, and "AV" is used for the late 2012 through 2017 ones (even though both are AV Series, technically). "AVRI" or "AV" should not be used for the pre-1998 variants, as they were not ever called that by Fender. They were the "U.S. Vintage Series," or just "Vintage Series."

 

[7dollarbologna]

Here is the only picture I took when I put it on layway... it was of the original owner’s card so I could brag to my wife about a great find.

Does anyone know if this looks period correct? I have not been able to google image search many, and the one’s that I have look different.

edit: I have found on another site that 70’s p bass bodies were four bolt. If the documentation with the bass is accurate it could be an 82-83 neck on a late 70’s body. I will get more pics when I visit the shop and put some more money down on my layaway.

also what is this router bump?

Link Removed

Here’s my registration card from my Squier bullet (first bass)

 

[micguy]

IIRC, the micro tilt was a Jazz bass thing that didn’t migrate to P’s. That would mean reissues wouldn’t have it.

I’d be much more impressed with necks and bodies that were made with tight enough tolerance so that shims or the micro tilt weren’t ever necessary. Bit that’s me.

I could be wrong about the history. I’m sure there are dozens of folks here that know it better than me.

 

[brianrost]

Microtilt was only for Precision Elites in the 80s. In the 1970s it was only for 3-bolt Jazzes.

80s single ply guard/white pickup Precision Standards may be going up in price...they are now starting to sell for more than the hugely superior Elites of the same era...but I would never consider them super desirable. I had an Elite and played a bunch of Standards, nice but nothing special. I sincerely hope you are not looking to pay $1000 or more for this bass. A "killer deal" for me would be $500, maybe $700 if it was near mint with the case.

 

[sylvanbass]

In my 31 years of playing bass, I am just now learning about this lol. I have had several basses with that little hole on the neck plate, and had no idea it served a purpose!

 

[ajkula66]

. In the 1970s it was only for 3-bolt Jazzes.

And second generation (1972-79) Telecaster Basses as well.

80s single ply guard/white pickup Precision Standards may be going up in price...they are now starting to sell for more than the hugely superior Elites of the same era...but I would never consider them super desirable.

This is what happens when the majority of *real* vintage instruments end up in the vaults half way around the world. The vintage dealers had to move attention of the buying public to something new...

 

[099451057947]

... I sincerely hope you are not looking to pay $1000 or more for this bass. A "killer deal" for me would be $500, maybe $700 if it was near mint with the case.

Is that USD or Canadian?

I made sure to do a lot of research before starting this thread because I don’t just throw my money around. The average selling price is currently $1400-$2000. I have even found some sold classified ads on Talkbass (which is notorious for people selling to each other at lower prices than the rest of the market) for $1100 back in 2012.

I had it looked at under a UV light and there isn’t a scratch anywhere on it. It was clearly forgotten about in someone’s closet, and they must have died, and had their spoiled grandchildren found it, for it have sold to this store for so cheap that I’m getting it this cheap.

 

[acroce]

I have a Fender Precision from 1983 (serial E3xxxxx on the headstock with silver Fender logo). It was called Standard Precision in the 1983 catalog.
By the way this is a very well-made instrument from the so-called Dan Smith era that's often overlooked. It has wide nut (4.30cm/1.7") and very shallow neck, it's light (around 8.4 lb) and well balanced. All in all a very nice instrument and with a great sound.
Both Jazz and Precision basses from this short period (1983-84) had a four-bolt neck plate with micro tilt adjustment and the truss rod accessed from the headstock, and a three-screw slightly thicker bridge, but as someone suggested here Fender often mixed parts from different years during that time. Maybe the one discussed here can have these mixed parts.

 

[099451057947]

It has wide nut (4.30cm/1.7") and very shallow neck, it's light (around 8.4 lb) and well balanced. three-screw slightly thicker bridge,
View attachment 4221646 View attachment 4221647

It was how wide the neck was at the nut that sold me on it. I’ve never ever been a Fender or passive bass person, but this blew me away. It’s literally as wide as my 5 string Warwick.

Also the one I’m looking at does have that 3 bolt bridge and it sustains for days.

So with all the information I have here I’m pretty convinced mine is a late 1982. Before micro tilt, but new enough for the three bolt bridge and the Dan Smith era 1.74” nut.”, and got an 83 serial. I’m happy the owner’s card was with it to verify some things.

I’ll have pictures after work tonight