Fender experts: '75 P-bass identification help

[blastoff]

i agree neck and body look good. pickguard and electronics are replaced. be glad nobody ever put in a jazz pickup or a 9v route. my 77 body is also very light, which is nice but does add to neck dive. looks like a great player

 

[elgranluis]

This is more a matter of ignorance of fair market value on my part.
Asking price is $2K and the seller is a personal friend.
I expected it to be more original than it is, and worry about resale value if it comes to that. I also worry about what I may sink into it (pickups, pots, another pickguard, a setup, etc).

Thanks for your opinion - very much appreciated.

Well… if you start putting money into the bass , rest assured that you will not get that back when you sell it.

the only replacement parts are the electronics. The pots do wear over time , and the gray bobbin pickups that should have been original to the bass are notorious for failing.

about that fair market price , shop around and see what 2k buys, both vintage and modern, and that should make the decision process easier.

 

[mikewalker]

This is more a matter of ignorance of fair market value on my part.
Asking price is $2K and the seller is a personal friend.
I expected it to be more original than it is, and worry about resale value if it comes to that. I also worry about what I may sink into it (pickups, pots, another pickguard, a setup, etc).

Thanks for your opinion - very much appreciated.

2K is a pretty smokin deal around these parts (thats a very desireable bass in my neck of the woods...)

 

[SulzerType2]

Could it be something like a Tokai Hard Puncher body on a Fender neck? I'm wondering why somebody would replace the electronics with basically the exact same setup as stock.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

You mentioned its a neck diver, that would drive me nuts. I dont get the vintage pricing on mid 70's Fenders, you could get a better bass for 2k.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

Not sure what would indicate that this vintage fender is 100% authentic from the looks of it... Looks awesome

 

[Lownote38]

Could it be something like a Tokai Hard Puncher body on a Fender neck? I'm wondering why somebody would replace the electronics with basically the exact same setup as stock.

Electronics fail quite often. The pickup and wiring harness are the most common things you see replaced on instruments this age. Whoever did the replacing on this bass probably just wanted it to function as it should rather than trying to upgrade it.

 

[BassFishingInAmerica]

The pots do wear over time , and the gray bobbin pickups that should have been original to the bass are notorious for failing.

Make note that not all pickups during this time were gray bobbins. Around 73-74 and possibly some 75s had black bobbins. So how to tell if they are original (which the OP’s are not)?
Original Fender pickups do not have beveled posts and the wiring around the pickup would be burgundy rather than copper. Here’s a thread regarding the black bobbins of the 70s. I have a set on my 74, that sound incredible.
73-74 Fender black bobbin pickups

 

[bassclef112]

My 75 Pbass is the lightest P bass I've ever picked up.

+1. Light enough to have some neck dive.

 

[Honkey tonk]

Case , neck / tuners, knobs and body look real , fasners guard pups not so much
75 pups are money to bad they pulled em

 

[J-Bass RMR]

Thanks! So - body, neck and pickguard look original but all electronics are replacement. What does this do to the value?

$2K? as long as it plays and sounds good, I'd take it for that.

I really like the stock pickups in my early/mid-70s Ps.
You can find originals for around $450.00 or so if you want to restore it to "period correct"

Pickguard looks right to me - even the aqua markings on the back are consistent for that period.

OP: Do a quick search of "1975" in the TB Classifieds. That we'll give you an idea of the price range over the past several years.

I've played a handful of '75 Ps and all were lighter than expected.

Haha - You've got to play mine sometime... 10lb 6oz

 

[JimB52]

It's a very lightweight bass, but it has neck dive. The body and neck seem to be all original, but the electronics have been replaced. I would say it's a toss up. I would offer $1750

 

[etoncrow]

Put a set of Bill & Becky's P-46 pups in it for less than $100 and you'll be good to go.

 

[J Wilson]

For me personally, neck dive + incomplete OEM parts and $2k price would be a NO. For that kind of money there are many other choices.

Plus I NEVER buy or sell from a friend, it's hard feelings waiting to happen, and they will.

 

[BassFishingInAmerica]

$2000 is high, but there are advantages to buying a (as much as I hate the word) vintage instrument.

1. If kept in good condition, it will continue to increase in value.
2. For these late 70s instruments, the sum of the parts can often be more valuable than the bass as a whole.

 

[Bassnkeys]

Neck dive = non-starter, OP (IMHO). Even my ‘75 P — I wouldn’t have paid $2k for it. Right or wrong, people historically felt 70’s Fenders were their worst period. It’s only recently that they seem to be commanding a high price. My ‘75 does not neck dive at all. I think you can do better for that price tag, especially given the neck dive and non-original electronics. You’ll get hit on resale.

 

[Sharko]

I'm wondering why somebody would replace the electronics with basically the exact same setup as stock.

Lol, why? Ppl on TB do it every day. How many NBD posts start with “I replaced the tuners and the pots and put in an orange drop capacitor and a Switchcraft Jack and now it plays sooooo good.”
Cool, you replaced fine parts with identical parts and now it’s exactly the same.

 

[_Obra_]

Vintagebassworld.com | Fender Precision

 

[jimgray]

Vintagebassworld.com | Fender Precision

Extremely helpful - thanks Obra!

 

[_Obra_]

Extremely helpful - thanks Obra!

It's a great source of infos for vintage basses