It's 1969 I'm ordering a Fender Precision bass, what custom colour can I choose?

http://www.provide.net/~cfh/fenderc.html

2/3 of the way down is the custom color chart and years available. I don't know how accurate they are, but the guy seems to know his stuff generally.

 

Lake Placid blue always works, although lately, I have a thing for charcoal frost, though it is harder to come by for a refin.

 

I have "The Fender Bass - An Illustrated History" book. It does not list all the colors available, but there is a picture of several 1969's. The only P-Basses shown (most are Jazzes) are in 2 and 3 color sunburst, some type of blonde, and what looks to be Sonic Blue. There is also a very rare (probably custom shop order) P in Charcoal Frost. What's really rare is that it has black block inlays and black binding on the maple neck. Those attributes were usually only seen on the Jazz.

 

The chart I have for fender colors lists:

Candy Apple Red
Ice Blue
Firemist Gold
Charcoal Frost
Ocean Turquoise
Inca Silver
Firemist Silver
Foam Green
Dakota and Fiesta Red
Sonic Blue
Olympic White
Black
Sunburst
Blonde

With many of them stopping at 69.

 

To me, the great classic color is Olympic White with a Tort pickguard (that's how my '63 started life). However, it has been done. I could be tempted easily by the greens and blues, but then I'd also be likely to paint the headstock to match.

 

I take that book to bed with me, every night .

I suspect that the charcoal frost P Bass in that picture, simply has a standard Jazz Bass neck (look at how narrow the spacing is ) with a "Precision Bass" decal on (done by Fender, of course). It's a helluva piece though . I wonder how much it'd be worth today ?

Also, the John Entwhistle "Bass Culture" book has some seriously tasty custom colour, mid-'60s P Basses in too . Gold, LPB, Burgundy Mist, CAR, etc.

Ah, what the heck, I took a couple of pictures for you instead :




Feast your eyes, Fender fans .

 

dokota red with matching headstock.
Or olympic white with a tort gard.

 

If it's 1969, I'm 11 years old and can't afford a custom Fender on my allowance of 50 cents a week.

 

Man, I was getting 50c a week in 1989 - you must have had it made!

 

No Burgandy Mist!?

 

Nope. Burgundy Mist ran from 61 until 63.

 

Well, if it's really 1969, I'm 19; getting ready to go to Vietnam; and not making much more than your 50 cents a week allowance...

 

I assume you're not stripping the original finish, right?

Foam Green or Sonic Blue, imo.

FWIW, if it's 1969, I'm one year old, and probably downloading something nasty into my diaper.

 

Lake Placid Blue, Candy Apple Red, or one of the Greens. Enjoy that bass Toasted

 

What a tough decision for you!
I'd like Sonic Blue, Ice Blue, Inca Silver, Charcoal Frost. I wonder what Firemist silver looks like?
Those are colors you just don't see around.

 

+1! Love those colors.

If it's 1969, I'm 6 years old, and on my way to getting unfairly lumped in with the Baby Boomers.

 

The firemist silver is silver with red base coats underneath...I haven't seen one for real either, or if I have I haven't noticed...It's the same deal with the firemist gold/shoreline gold...different base coat color (I think Shoreline has silver underneath). I believe the candy apple reds have had both gold and silver underneath the reds at different times IIRC.

Of course, there are some real custom custom Fenders out there. I saw a 59 strat in Chartreuse sparkle at Rumbleseat that was a documented factory job and if you do a search online you'll find a neat story about a very early purple telecaster that's verified.

 

+1

Maybe you've discussed this bass in threads I have not seen, but if this has the original finish currently you'll be deminishing the value by 50%!

Even if it's a completely beat sunburst I'd leave it.

Now, if it had a bad refin or was sanded down when you got it go for it.

As for the color, you can't go wrong with one of the period custom options imho.