Fender Precision pre-cbs body contour "bump"

[boroman]

I don't know where to start... but - does anyone of you know when Fender did sort of mistake in the arm contours in P-basses? I almost bought a '65 P last week (refin) but it haven't got that bump so I decided to search again. Today with a bit of free time I've done research and found 50/50 percent 64-65 basses with bump and without that (=smooth arm contours). What's going on with this lets say, feature?

Pics of the bump:

 

[Axstar]

It isn't a mistake as such, just an artifact of the limitations of Fender's tools at the time, like the filled nail holes left over from painting the bodies.

The bump probably varies between basses as it probably came down to how confident the operator was when routing the body or adding the roundover. Belly contours are different massively across Stratocasters from this era for similar reasons. There was a recipe for making these instruments, but each worker had their own subtle flare. One guy liked the sand a much smoother transition from the back of the neck into the headstock on Telecasters, for example.

I bet Friday Afternoon basses have the biggest router hump.

 

[bassdude51]

I'm sure a Google search will answer your question.

I have a 1966 P Bass and it does have the router hump.

 

[FranF]

All the Ps and Js should have one, right up until around '70, when it shrunk. Contrary to belief, a normal sanding, or a few refins shouldn't diminish it much. If it's not there, something is usually amiss.

 

[Luckydog]

My 66 p also has it.

 

[boroman]

So, the ones that does not have it are fake resprayed bodies?

 

[Hundred proof]

My 68 had it

 

[FranF]

So, the ones that does not have it are fake resprayed bodies?

Quite possibly

 

[godsey]

My 69 sunburst has it.

 

[mikeswals]

So, the ones that does not have it are fake resprayed bodies?

Maybe, maybe not...you just need to look further into details.

 

[Sparky Mark]

I believe the hump disappeared when production moved from Fullerton.

 

[narud]

many of the refins out there just had the router hump sanded away to some degree. you figure that most of these were professionally stripped back in the day. i remember the first bass i stripped when i was in high school was me attacking the poly with sand paper. total mess.

 

[elgranluis]

I’ve had some squiers with the bump as well. Yes , a CAR squier froom before the CV or VM.

My 72 J has the bump as well if I recall correctly (don’t have it in my hands right now , but I’m pretty sure)