Help Refinish a 1961 Fender Precision Bass

[NigeJ]

Candy apple red relic over shoreline gold.

 

[Pdaddy1978]

SPARKLE !!!!

 

[deff]

I love the lots of black and red on the 3tone sunburst. I love Marty Bell's finish work but I wouldn't do it to that.

 

[HardNHeavy]

i dunno, i'd leave it, but if i were forced, something blue, not LPB, but darker, or the midnight wine color fender use to produce.

 

[MonetBass]

My favorite color is blue, so I'd do one of these:

But any of the above colors would look great!

 

[MrAB4003]

Either Lake Placid Blue or CAR

 

[Jim C]

It will never be more original than it is right now.
But if you must paint it, I'd suggest something a little bit rare like Sherwood Green or Burgundy.

 

[MCF]

If it were mine, I’d leave it or have Wilkins do a LPB refin. Probably flip a coin to decide.

 

[OldFenderPlayer]

I’d leave it as-is. In 2017 I found a 1967 Pbass with a hippie refinish. It’s been my #1 since then. I played on a TV show a week after getting it.

 

[OhDee]

Especially since you have an original guard (nice!), I'd go Olympic White with matching headstock

I think this is a '61 as well

And if you dont like White - I'd go Sunburst or leave as is, it looks nice as is.
most blue/red exotic looks good in photos but often less so on stage imo
harder to match clothes to

Think about it... Sonic blue - nice color, but if your jeans are blue and your shirt is black... meh
White and Sunburst look crazy good no matter what style you dress..

This specific red looks pretty dope something with the aging almost looks like a red-burst or something... but it's kindof a bass that siuts a lead singer-who-plays-bass you know?
Because it's very flashy...

Enjoy your project


edit:

turns out the first pic isn't matching headstock just black and white lol

 

[TheDialog]

Especially since you have an original guard (nice!), I'd go Olympic White with matching headstock

I think this is a '61 as well
View attachment 7051399

Who's that playing bass? Is that JF?

I think it looks nice, but it's just not my style.
I think 3TSB, LPB, Seafoam, Coral Pink, and black are my favs.

 

[Swerve]

Leave it as is! Lotta mojo in that finish.

Kinda got that George Porter Jr vibe like in my avatar.

 

[OhDee]

Thanks for the picture. You may need a new saddle. That is deeper than it should be. Don't despair. Saddles should be relatively inexpensive, even with the cost of a luthier to fit the crown radius and the notches. You mentioned the notch "hugs" the string. The depth of the saddle notch should never be more than 1/2 the diameter of the string. But hey, after 55, almost 60 years, and all you need is a new saddle - great bass!

Who's that playing bass? Is that JF?

I think it looks nice, but it's just not my style.
I think 3TSB, LPB, Seafoam, Coral Pink, and black are my favs.

It's Joe Lally from Fugazi I believe and yes it's JF they are recording Ataxia great record(s).

Anyways my taste says the less unique the better... not cuz standing out is bad it's just somehow these rare color instruments alot of them look corny idk

 

[TheDialog]

Ooo, never heard that record. Joe is a great bass player.
I think of JF with RHCP and Omar/Mars Volta.

 

[OhDee]

you know what... this is absolutely sick:

but the question is can refin people get this hue of like the greenish tint over the LPB accurate?
These specific ones that have yellowed so it turns green are wow... but I honestly think it's not so easy to replicate you don't want it too relic'ed either

 

[Gervais Cote]

I would definitely leave it as is because it looks awesome and makes it unique………………..and badass !

 

[Tim Skaggs]

Had to change my vote. I thought you were going to refinish an original finished bass. Now that I see it has already been refinished, my vote is make it Sherwood Green Metallic.

 

[bikeplate]

Gord Miller. Vancouver

 

[mikeswals]

I love those heavy black-banded 60/61 sunbursts.
I'd let Joe Riggio go for it.

 

[Gecko 5]

I thought I heard Marty Bell wasn't doing finishes anymore, due to health issues????
Do nitro for sure. Let that thing breath. I've used MJT in the past. 11-14 week job took 23 weeks on both jobs.
Last nitro job I had I used Bloom Doom Guitars. 5-6 week quote was done in 6 weeks.
Same price as MJT, Dustin Bloom is a former MJT employee