Fender Precision Special wiring

[Ethan Battistel]

I have a huge walnut tree that I just cut down, and thought I could use it for a bass build. I really like Fender's Precision Special, and I would love to have a replica of the walnut version. I'm pretty good with small wiring and soldering, but I know the special has active electronics, but that seems a bit daunting to me. I was just wondering if anyone knows how the specials were wired. I found a picture of the wiring underneath the pickguard, but it is way too crowded to see anything. If I can't find a diagram for this, I'll probably go for the look of a late 70s regular walnut p bass.

 

[CallMeAl]

There are all-passive specials as well, so you don't have to go active. I just rewired my Squier special (stock passive, kept it passive) and I love it that way!

 

[JW56789]

First I'd have that walnut milled to lumber, and let is sit for a while. Ya DON'T want to make bodies or necks out of green wood.

I'd offer there are far easier ways to go than to try and replicate that circuit-board based system they used back then. To get that look, it'd be easy enough to use aftermarket pickups from those that offer them in white shells and an accompanying tone circuit. Otherwise, you're going to have to find one and use it as a donor for the electronic bits.

 

[Ethan Battistel]

First I'd have that walnut milled to lumber, and let is sit for a while. Ya DON'T want to make bodies or necks out of green wood.

I'd offer there are far easier ways to go than to try and replicate that circuit-board based system they used back then. To get that look, it'd be easy enough to use aftermarket pickups from those that offer them in white shells and an accompanying tone circuit. Otherwise, you're going to have to find one and use it as a donor for the electronic bits.

sorry for the mixup, I meant that I just brought it in, it had been cut down for about a year, but I just got to it. It's not green at all, so it should be good.

I was considering buying aftermarket pickups if I couldn't get the exact pickups and wiring. I manly though out there special just because I had the walnut. It's not very important that I'm able to replicate the special exactly, it was more of "oh it looks cool" and it's one of the more known fender basses than me needing to get the exact tone

 

[micguy]

A green piece of walnut for a bass body is pretty much guaranteed to feel like a millstone hung around your neck - that stuff is heavy.

 

[ajkula66]

I know this is not what you want to hear...

Having owned both the "regular" Precision Special as well as the Walnut Special - both bought new in '81 and '83 respectively - I'd say that the electronics left a lot to be desired. That would be the very last thing that I'd attempt to replicate from these basses. Brittle and harsh-sounding to my ears. You're much better off using anything "off the shelf" available today, be it Fender, Duncan, Lollar...the world is your oyster.

My $0.02 only...