Fender P Bass Body Routing

[BigDaddyO]

What year did Fender start routing between the pickup cavity and the control cavity instead of drilling a hole?

 

[tjh]

I had a '72 that I refin'd, and I dont remember, but I am pretty sure no routing, and a '78 that I am pretty sure did ...

Edit to add: .. I checked some notes I had, and I think Diabolus is accurate .. I have '74/75 written as earliest channel routing on a P I had seen ...

 

[hover]

I'mma go with "shoulda been never", but so it goes.
I don't have a definitive answer, but it's up there on the aggravation scale as much as heel adjust trussrods with no keyway access for the adjusting tool.

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

72 has no surface routing. I am pretty sure it started in 74 but I am sure an expert will chime in.

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

Inquiring minds want to know bump.

 

[danalogue]

I would also like to know. I have two '74s (i think they're 74s - with bass side tug bars) and they are both channel routed.

 

[wraub]

'73 iirc...

 

[ukulelelab]

yes '73-'74 and prob coincides with the pickguard change from tort to black

 

[wraub]

Thought the black pickguards were 76 or so...