My 1976 Fender Precision

[Linnin]

It's a modified player class CBS Fender Precision in damaged condition. $1K at best, and that's being generous.

 

[johnson79]

$1,000 seems to be about right, I'd think less since it's been stripped and without original parts. Looks like a cool player if the frets get taken care of.

 

[JGbassman]

I'd say fix it up, but don't don't sell it. I have a beat to hades mid 80's precision I bought new, toured with, and most of my professional career it's been around. It's long in the tooth, and not the most pretty thing sitting on a guitar stand.

It sounds pretty good, and after a bad divorce I had a guy that offered me quite a bit more than it was worth. I really needed the money, and got close to selling, but I declined the offer.

I am so glad I didn't sell. I would have truly missed this bass, as it's more like a war buddy, one that survived along with me. Only the two of us know our past kind of thing.

So even though you aren't playing, you will know when it's time to sell. Right now it's really not worth a lot of money, so that temptation won't cloud your gut feeling.

You can think about selling it a thousand times, but once it's gone, it's gone.

 

[39-Bassist]

Just buy new Fender 70's tuners and a black pickguard of course. That aside I say it looks killer. I'm a Badass bridge fan so no complaints on that. You have a very nice bass. Oh... and put new frets back in.

I would tend to agree...fix frets, blk/wht/blk pickguard and a good setup.....you can keep or sell or hey just give it to me and I'll be happy to give it a good home. And when you want it back let me know...lol

Actually with stripped paint and fixed frets...these are SELLING @ $750-$1100. FYI
I know this because I have been looking for one like this for some time. Then I just ended up parts building my own...and love it.

So bottom line is PLAY THAT THING!

 

[yodedude2]

probably worth more as separate parts. might as well keep it. it is unlikely to depreciate, and there must be some significant amount of irreplaceable sentimental value for you personally.

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

I'm talking about the missing frets. As it is now there are gaps in the wood. I really don't know but I'm thinking that takes away from the strength of the neck.

What do you use for filler? If hardwood then that should give you back pretty much what you may have been lost.
Wood filler? Not so much. How about fret metal that sits flush with the FB? That seems the best.
If you convert to fretless, does that affect tone?

I vote to keep it. I think it looks really cool. I like that PG with the wood finish.
Besides, after all this time and the things you've done to it, it might die if someone else has it.

 

[jjmuckluckjr]

Here's Rosie. 1977 Precision I bought brand new for $415 (a lot for a 13w/o). I removed the frets @ 1982. Took them out side ways towards the G string. No chips, dings, pivots, or scratches. The fill was regular wood epoxy and India ink. 35+ years later and I'm pretty sure about the neck's stability and tone. Remember, this is a punk era axe (literally) that on occasion it was used as a broad sword. And never went out of tune, well...

 

[Wfrance3]

With the history of this instrument, I would advise to keep it. Have someone put the missing frets back on it and if the buzz is still there, that can be fixed with a good setup. Probably from whoever you trust to put on the new frets...

Once that's accomplished, play it!! There's 0 wrong with having a bass and an practice amp around the house. You want the bug to play back? - Turn on the radio to a good station and play the next 5 songs you hear as best you can. You HAVE to play all of them one after another or it won't work. No skipping the ones you don't care for...

 

[king_biscuit]

mid to late 70s fenders arent worth a ton. You can check on reverb (the website) for the going rate, but i often see 70s P basses in good condition for ~1500 on craigslist.

You'd probably get a bit more if you get the frets put back in. Value def takes a hit for not having the original finish. but id say its worth around $1000? im no expert, and that 70s vintage market is all over the place though, so keep that in mind.

No way it's worth $1000. Non original tuners, bridge, PG, stripped finish (twice apparently) and the op pulled the frets to stop buzzing whatever that means. There are plenty of nice mid 70s Fender basses out there, so they aren't rare. This is worth $650 tops as a project -- and that's only because the pickup is original and he has the case (maybe -- it's described as a "nice case" so maybe not original either).

With regard to pulling the last three frets to reduce buzzing, that screams ski jump to me, and when you pull frets out of a maple fingerboard that also damages the finish on the fingerboard. If it is ski jump, the neck would have to be defretted, stripped, planed, refretted, and refinished -- cost prohibitive for a mid 70s Fender bass neck. That leaves a twice stripped body that likely has the original contours altered/damaged from sanding, an original pickup, and maybe an original case.

 

[RiZzBot]

With the money you spend buying parts and fixing the frets, you're better off keeping it; or giving it to me. Welcome to TB!

 

[Ghastly]

Yea, I'd say $1000 to $1200… maybe.

 

[static0verdrive]

No matter what you get for it, it will be less than it's worth to you, for a myriad of reasons. The cash will disappear and nothing will be that bass. I'm not sure you can get as much for it as you'd hope anyway after what it's been through, and you'd miss it more than what cash you'd get for it. My 2 cents...

 

[static0verdrive]

and I'd agree with $1000, maybe, with original parts back on it (including frets). If the buyer wants it bad enough despite the frets business.

 

[gjohnson441496]

I'll be honest with you man. You're not going to get a lot for that bass. Too many mods and you can't find the original equipment. Is there anything between the volume and tone knobs? Looks like some kind of switch...

 

[callofcthulhu]

It's priceless.

 

[big_fundamental]

If you like your bass, you can keep it.

I was guessing $800 before I read others comments. Myself, I have an 80's P that I don't play much cause of the wide pancake neck. But I recently had frets recrowned and its in playing shape. The handful of times I actually played a few bar gigs were with that bass so I hate to think of selling it. Suddenly playing a lot on a new Jazz parts bass so watch it, you never know when the bug will hit again!

 

[REMBO]

keep her

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

Too many modifications to make the bass a target for people looking for vintage instruments ... I'd rather keep it or try to:

1) Place on it period correct new hardware.
2) Refinish it with a rare vintage colour using lacquer.
3) Put it on sale trying to recover at least the cost for the above interventions.

Cheers.

 

[Mosfed]

If this is not permitted in the forum, then I beg forgiveness and I'll delete this post.

I recently decided to sell my amp and speaker since I haven't played professionally in over 30 years, and it doesn't look like I'll be doing it in the future either. But I still have my bass and practice amp although, I'll sadly admit, I haven't played it in several years. I did recently buy some new strings though...

Part of me wants to sell it, let someone else enjoy it. The other part of me wants to keep it, as it was a big part of my life. I'm not sure, but I suspect it's post-CBS which means that it's not as collectible as a pre-CBS Fender. Any idea of what a fair price would be?

I bought it new. It was originally white. As a teenager, I couldn't deal with that and stripped it off (started by chipping it off - ugh!) and painted it black. That looked like crap, so years later when I learned more about wood finishing, I stripped it back to raw wood and put a few coats of poly on it. Just the body - I never touched the neck. The finish on the neck is worn from use, I pulled off 3 of the higher frets to reduce buzzing, I don't know if I can find the original bridge, tuning keys or covers. I'm sure that the original pick guard is long gone. The pickups are original. I also have a nice case. I added the finger rest and there are spots where the black paint got into screw holes and so the finish has, shall we say, character. LOL

View attachment 1040955

Thoughts?

I bought my all original 1975 P from guitar center for $1500. Given all the work on the bass, non-original finish, new bridge etc, I would say you could probably get about $1k. I'd keep it.

 

[micguy]

mid to late 70s fenders arent worth a ton.

Yeah, but sometimes they weigh that much.

Somewhat more seriously, The instrument looks in decent shape as far as playability, assuming you get the frets fixed. I concur with the consensus that you should keep it, get it fixed up, and play the thing.