I just got my new 1960 Custom shop Precision! I ordered it february last year and just got it a week ago. The specs are just like a 1960 p bass in olympic white. 
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Most likely a reference to neck width.
Demystifying Fender Neck Sizes Based On Letter Designations | eBass
Nice! What aging package did you get on it.I just got my new 1960 Custom shop Precision! I ordered it february last year and just got it a week ago. The specs are just like a 1960 p bass in olympic white.
Its a relic, but pretty subtle. Nothing crazy
Hey Fellow Fender CS owners!
I have a 2023 CS '55 Precision Heavy Relic in 2 Color Sunburst and am making it my "Sting" bass. I removed the white pickguard only to find that the CS stamped the body underneath the pickguard with the word "RELIC" and the custom shop "V" logo. Fortunately, the tugbar covers up most of the stamping and you'd have to look right up close to see part of it. No biggie. The one thing that has me scratching my head though is that for a "Heavy Relic", the control plate, knobs, and bridge plate look new and shiny and have no remnants of "relicing" done to them. The bridge saddles, intonation springs, screws, and tuners are all properly reliced.
So, I set out to find replacement "reliced" parts for the aforementioned items to complete the look. I found a nice set of "reliced" dome knobs, but am having problems finding a reliced control plate and bridge plate.
I did order this.....but it turns out it didn't fit. The pots didn't fit through the holes and even the screw holes didn't quite line up. It was slightly shaped differently too.
Real Life Relics Fender® Aged 51 Precision P Bass® Control Plate | Reverb
Were control plates on '51 and '55 P basses slightly different?
Does anyone have a line or suggestion on a reliced control plate and bridge plate that would fit a '55 P?
I have a 2023 CS '55 Precision Heavy Relic in 2 Color Sunburst and am making it my "Sting" bass. I removed the white pickguard only to find that the CS stamped the body underneath the pickguard with the word "RELIC" and the custom shop "V" logo. Fortunately, the tugbar covers up most of the stamping and you'd have to look right up close to see part of it. No biggie. The one thing that has me scratching my head though is that for a "Heavy Relic", the control plate, knobs, and bridge plate look new and shiny and have no remnants of "relicing" done to them. The bridge saddles, intonation springs, screws, and tuners are all properly reliced.
So, I set out to find replacement "reliced" parts for the aforementioned items to complete the look. I found a nice set of "reliced" dome knobs, but am having problems finding a reliced control plate and bridge plate.
I did order this.....but it turns out it didn't fit. The pots didn't fit through the holes and even the screw holes didn't quite line up. It was slightly shaped differently too.
Real Life Relics Fender® Aged 51 Precision P Bass® Control Plate | Reverb
Were control plates on '51 and '55 P basses slightly different?
Does anyone have a line or suggestion on a reliced control plate and bridge plate that would fit a '55 P?
I just got my new 1960 Custom shop Precision! I ordered it february last year and just got it a week ago. The specs are just like a 1960 p bass in olympic white.
Love it!!! I've always wanted a '60 or '61 P in Oly White, somewhat reliced. Nice bass! I presume a slab board too if it falls in line with 1960 specs!
You can always take the parts off and send them to MJT guitars, MJT Aged Guitars they will relic them for you.
Added this gorgeous '64 Limited Jazz to the collection. Amazing shoreline gold finish, nice chunky neck, sounds almost as growly as my original 1966. Awesome.
Yes it is a slab board! I’ve used it on a handfull of gigs now and it is amazing!Love it!!! I've always wanted a '60 or '61 P in Oly White, somewhat reliced. Nice bass! I presume a slab board too if it falls in line with 1960 specs!
Just got a “New” CS 55 Nocaster P Bass heavy relic to add to the collection. I guess this should qualify me for the custom shop club.
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TLDR: do custom shop basses feel like broken in vintage basses, or just like any well made new vintage style bass?
Hello ladies and gents, I have a question that I need your help answering! Do your custom shop basses have a similar feel to broke in vintage instruments? If so, how close do they get to that feel?
I have played many vintage fenders at guitar shows and in shops, and almost all of them feel like they play themselves. Just super easy to play, it feels like the strings are molded to the instrument and there is no ‘stiffness’ to the feel at all. I have a ‘74 mustang bass that has this exact feel, but with how high vintage prices have gotten over the last 5 or so years I can’t justify spending the $8-$15k that a nice 60s p currently commands. I’m hoping that a custom shop will get me as close to that feeling as possible. I do have a 2016 American Vintage ‘63 P that comes pretty close to that feeling, but still feels a bit newish and lacks that comfy broken in feel. Would anybody with experience say the custom shop would be even closer?
Hello ladies and gents, I have a question that I need your help answering! Do your custom shop basses have a similar feel to broke in vintage instruments? If so, how close do they get to that feel?
I have played many vintage fenders at guitar shows and in shops, and almost all of them feel like they play themselves. Just super easy to play, it feels like the strings are molded to the instrument and there is no ‘stiffness’ to the feel at all. I have a ‘74 mustang bass that has this exact feel, but with how high vintage prices have gotten over the last 5 or so years I can’t justify spending the $8-$15k that a nice 60s p currently commands. I’m hoping that a custom shop will get me as close to that feeling as possible. I do have a 2016 American Vintage ‘63 P that comes pretty close to that feeling, but still feels a bit newish and lacks that comfy broken in feel. Would anybody with experience say the custom shop would be even closer?
I would say yes it will feel much closer, but with the qualifier being that they ALL might not. My CS '57 Journeyman Relic does, and as such, has been my #1, going on 3 years now at about a 30-40 gig/year clip.
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I don't have Custom Shop experience but can pass along a few things that help give new instruments "that feel."
First thing is to get a good set up done with fret level and dress. Frets should be properly crowned (i.e. not flat) to replicate an instrument that has been played a lot. When dressing the frets pay particular attention to the fret ends; they should be rolled like the end of a hot-dog as that's how they wear naturally over time.
Next up is rolling the fretboard. Here you are taking the edge off the fretboard, again to replicate natural wear, and can be done in a number of ways. I start with the edge of a screw-driver up and down the fretboard edge to knock the wood back than maybe use fine sandpaper for touchup areas.
Then you want to take off some or all of whatever coating was applied to the back of the neck. I'm seeing new instruments coming with this part of the neck done with a matte-type finish instead of the thick, glossy poly so it won't be necessary with those. Otherwise use fine sand paper or steel wool - go slowly and do it in multiple passes until you get it the way you like.
Doing the above will get you real close to that played-in feeling without spending anything but a bit of time.
Thanks, that’s all good advice! I’m not really taking about the proper set up and fret dressing though. There is a certain feel that some vintage basses have that I can only describe as ‘broken in’. Maybe that’s exactly it and can only come from years of being played…
I can only speak by own experience, but when I first played my Custom Shop bass (a P-bass heavy relic), I was immediately struck how 'lived in' it felt. I had always harboured a fair amount of disdain for 'relic' basses, but bought the bass as it was in the exact colour I wanted and at a very good price. I have to say that it was an eye-opening moment when I played it for the first time, and it's a brilliant bass with flats.
If you buy one with a relic finish your bass should feel more broken in but if you get it NOS it’s going to feel like a new Fender bass.
This is my experience as well. That said the one custom shop NOS I had was a Jazz bass that was 10 years old. It was definitely a step above the American line, but generally felt more like a modern Fender.
Yeah I bought a NOS P-bass new back in 2008, and in the past 15 years it's seen its share of gigs and playtime, but only in the last maybe 3-4 years has it started looking "relic'd". In fact, at a rehearsal a few months ago with a new band the drummer asked me if it was a relic finish.
