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Fender 57' or 62' P bass?? Whats the difference??

I do not own both but have owned a 62 and played numerous 57's.

Specs from Fender say the profiles are the same. Also I will have to find it but I seem to remember someone from Fender saying that the necks were the same on the FenderForum. I will do a search for that.

The specs from Fender also say that all 57's minus the blonde are alder. That would make sense as historically in 57 all basses were alder except for the blonde model. If yours was ash (and I am not saying I doubt it) then I would presume it to be an anomaly all around.
 
I remember playing some L series Precisions that had wide, but relatively thin front-to-back dimensions (Post '62?). I'm not sure what year Fender started that neck though. I've got a '57 reissue Mary Kaye (ash body) P bass and the neck is 13/4, pretty thick front-to back...a plank.
 
I remember playing some L series Precisions that had wide, but relatively thin front-to-back dimensions (Post '62?). I'm not sure what year Fender started that neck though. I've got a '57 reissue Mary Kaye (ash body) P bass and the neck is 13/4, pretty thick front-to back...a plank.

When did they make a Mary Kaye reissue?
I thought the 57 Blonde was it.
I never knew they issued it with gold hardware.
The thickness of the neck you describe is interesting also.
 
When did they make a Mary Kaye reissue?
I thought the 57 Blonde was it.
I never knew they issued it with gold hardware.
The thickness of the neck you describe is interesting also.

My Mary Kaye was built late '88-early '89. Acquired it recently. I'm not sure if they were offered in other production runs or not. I've read somewhere that these Mary Kayes were one of the early Fender Custom Shop creations. Not sure if that's true or not...but the finish on it is exceptional.
 
Historically speaking, the real 57 and 62 necks were both 1-3/4, but the 57 necks had a soft V profile on the back which made them a little thicker, while the 62 had a pretty flat C profile on the back. If I remember right, the fullerton reissues copped the different profiles including the fretboard edges. But I think FMIC got lazy since the 90's and just runs both with similar profiles.

sedan_dad said:
When did they make a Mary Kaye reissue?
I thought the 57 Blonde was it.

The Mary Kaye models were made 88-89, and maybe early 90, and they had gold hardware.
But trans blonde over ash as a regular production color was always available on the 57RI since 1982 through today.
 
so basically no one knows because everyone is arguing about it?

I think if you read the thread carefuly, you'll find the answer.

Regarding the American Re-issues.

Different build method on the necks.
Maple neck-rear loaded truss rod w/ no separate fingerboard and skunk stripe. 1 3/4 @ the nut.
Rosewood board- Front loaded truss rod, Slab, ie. flat bottomed rosewood board, no skunk stripe. 1 3/4" @ the nut. w/ clay dots.

57-raised A pole pieces and aluminum anodized p/g. Alder body, with the exeption of some blonde ash models. Older versions may have soft V shape neck profile.

62- Tortoise guard. Alder bodies. no raised A pole pieces. Usually Tortoise guards, particularly on sunburst ones.

That should cover the basic differences between the two.


Throw all of this out the window for the CIJ/MIM reissues, as those aren't particularly historicaly accurate.
 
Historically speaking, the real 57 and 62 necks were both 1-3/4, but the 57 necks had a soft V profile on the back which made them a little thicker, while the 62 had a pretty flat C profile on the back. If I remember right, the fullerton reissues copped the different profiles including the fretboard edges. But I think FMIC got lazy since the 90's and just runs both with similar profiles.

That could be why. My 57 RI is from 1982 and my new (to me) 62 RI is from 1997.
 
Thanks. I am struggling with a decision to buy an older '57 RI US Vintage P in a discontinued color (I am not overly fond of the two current offerings) or a 2008-edition of the same '57 RI in blonde. I am hearing so many good things about the '08's that I could get over my preference for a different color.
As these are pricey (for me) I can only have one. Not a bad problem to have I guess since either way I wind up with a '57 RI but still one that is driving me crazy.