Earliest Known P/J?

[Dr. Cheese]

My question is two part:
what is the oldest known picture of a PJ Fender (Precision or Jazz,) the other question is what is the oldest known production PJ bass, Fender or otherwise?

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Bump, I'm really curious about this.

 

[Flaked Beans]

Probably this is not the oldest picture of a Fender P/J bass but it's an old picture of geddy lee with his heavily moddified '69 p bass.

 

[M.R. Ogle]

Well, so far, that's the winnah!

 

[Tanner5382]

I believe the great Rob Grange of Ted Nugent had one of the earliest ones. It was definitely used on the "Ted Nugent" album (a la Stranglehold, for example), but could have even been featured on Amboy Dukes albums earlier than that, not sure.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

in the '70s, it was super common for guys to grab their dad's router, cut a hole and pop a J pickup in a P-bass. So far as I know, that is where it all started.
The first PJ I configuration that I owned was my 1980 Kramer 6000B, that I bought new at the San Diego GC with DiMarzios. I recall it was HEAVY and sounded really cool. But that was... uh... 37 years ago, so who knows!

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Probably this is not the oldest picture of a Fender P/J bass but it's an old picture of geddy lee with his heavily moddified '69 p bass.

What year was that picture?

 

[petrus61]

What year was that picture?

Whatever year, I'd bet my cat that there are some funk/R&B artists whose use of the modded PJ probably predates it by a few years.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

in the '70s, it was super common for guys to grab their dad's router, cut a hole and pop a J pickup in a P-bass. So far as I know, that is where it all started.
The first PJ I configuration that I owned was my 1980 Kramer 6000B, that I bought new at the San Diego GC with DiMarzios. I recall it was HEAVY and sounded really cool. But that was... uh... 37 years ago, so who knows!

I am old enough to remember when PJ basses were pretty new. Either the Yamaha BB2000/3000 were the first I remember, the Fender Jazz Specials, Kramer, or maybe the Spector NS-2.

I wonder what the earliest concert or album picture with a PJ is?

 

[petrus61]

I am old enough to remember when PJ basses were pretty new. Either the Yamaha BB2000/3000 were the first I remember, the Fender Jazz Specials, Kramer, or maybe the Spector NS-2.

I wonder what the earliest concert or album picture with a PJ is?

Maybe even BC Rich?

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Whatever year, I'd bet my cat that there are some funk/R&B artists whose use of the modded PJ probably predates it by a few years.

Maybe, Verdine had a single coil Telecaster bass with a Jazz pickup added in the early 1970s. Chuck Rainey had a DeArmond pickup added to his P, but it was not a Jazz pickup. I saw that bass in a 1977 issue of Guitar Player.

 

[petrus61]

Maybe, Verdine had a single coil Telecaster bass with a Jazz pickup added in the early 1970s. Chuck Rainey had a DeArmond pickup added to his P, but it was not a Jazz pickup. I saw that bass in a 1977 issue of Guitar Player.

You've got guys like Berry Oakley and the guy from Grand Funk that I think added Guild singles or Gibson buckers to their J's too. Guess that's early/mid 70's? Still not a PJ!

 

[garp]

Here's a J/P/J from 1973:

 

[Flaked Beans]

What year was that picture?

He used that bass on the "All the World’s a Stage” tour before he switched back to his rickenbaker so it should be '76/'77, i guess.

 

[Joe Nerve]

I went out with a girl named PJ before I even played bass. That was the first that I knew. She was very petty, but equally evil. I'd tell the story but it's long and only really gets good at the end.

 

[jaybones]

I believe the great Rob Grange of Ted Nugent had one of the earliest ones. It was definitely used on the "Ted Nugent" album (a la Stranglehold, for example), but could have even been featured on Amboy Dukes albums earlier than that, not sure.

 

[Gluvhand]

He used that bass on the "All the World’s a Stage” tour before he switched back to his rickenbaker so it should be '76/'77, i guess.

It only came out for a song or two by that time.

 

[Tanner5382]

View attachment 1105268

Huh?

 

[Dr. Cheese]

He used that bass on the "All the World’s a Stage” tour before he switched back to his rickenbaker so it should be '76/'77, i guess.

That's getting closer! I am betting there are pictures of P-basses from the 1968-71 period.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Here's a J/P/J from 1973:

Moving in the right direction. That Precision that Walter Becker was playing actually is a JPJ, as Garp noted, (a great set of initials for a bass!)