NBD! '74 Precision, super clean black & maple!

[HardNHeavy]

sweet find......that closet queen is free to be played now huh....I bought my 83p with HSC in 84' with exact color combo except white pup covers for $427, it was basically brand new, yours being a 74' i can only guess what it cost..but worth it.

 

[bcbassman]

WOW- that's a genuine case queen. Nice Bass!
i should tell you that those blue cables were often sold as step up cables by many stores back in the 70's.
Technically that bass is a custom color, since the standard Precicion Bass color in '74 was sunburst.

Have fun playing it.

 

[bhoff5150]

'77 would have the S/N on the headstock.

Agree. I'm wondering if that pot has been replaced. The solder looks original to me - or at least a much cleaner job than I can do!!

 

[cnltb]

I found a great reason to bump my own thread: based on the date codes found on the neck, inspection tag, and potentiometers it looks like this bass is actually a '74

- Steve

I'd really like a '74 P!

 

[39-Bassist]

Wow SWEET! Which SA? I am in the TPA area also.
Haven't been to many stores lately, wish I would have known about that bass. Wish I could have played it too.
Oh well glad you are happy with it and it will not be a closet only bass. Those NEED to be played!
I always wanted a 77 era Walnut stained and Maple neck P bass. Played one and loved it...(I should have bought it when able too)

 

[MIMike]

If I'm reading it right 137-740 is a CTS pot made the 40th week of 1977 - if it's original of course....

if I’m not mistaken, the proper way to read that date code is 137-7405 = CTS pot, manufactured in the 5th week of 1974. So, that jives with the serial number pretty close.

beautiful bass! I scored one that looked just like this (I would say mine was VG condition and not the Excellent condition that yours appears to be) that I though would become my main P-Bass. Ended up getting sold because the neck was just too chunky for me...much bigger than my 73 P.

 

[Sam Dingle]

thats awesome! Unless you want those old flats on it...looks like a bass that needs some bright rounds. great score

 

[bhoff5150]

if I’m not mistaken, the proper way to read that date code is 137-7405 = CTS pot, manufactured in the 5th week of 1974. So, that jives with the serial number pretty close.

beautiful bass! I scored one that looked just like this (I would say mine was VG condition and not the Excellent condition that yours appears to be) that I though would become my main P-Bass. Ended up getting sold because the neck was just too chunky for me...much bigger than my 73 P.

Ahhh, I see the "5" covered up by the solder. That jives with Gruhn's as well (both date code formats are listed in there). Good eye!!

Cool bass, and light too. Nice score. I owned a 75 Jazz as one point and it was a pretty dang cool instrument.

 

[burpgun]

I've got a 1975 and the only way I could truly nail it down was by taking off the neck and checking the stamp.

 

[Killing Floor]

Dang! Fortunate score. That’s looks incredible. Enjoy.
And you can use that creepy cable in a kidnapping movie.
Play the heck outta it.

 

[Thundertips]

New Bass Day! A friend told me there was something special at the local Sam Ash, and he wasn't kidding! This '75 Precision is in great shape with clean & bright maple neck and a nary a scratch on the black finish. Only the oxidation on the frets and tuners bely it's age. Three of the strings look like factory Fender flatwounds and the foam mute is still intact under the bridge cover! Even with this setup, it sounds great and it weighs a comfy 8.75 lbs. When they brought the case I was glad to see that it was original. In the accessory compartment was the chrome pickup cover, inspection tag, case keys (attached to a shower curtain hook), a pitch pipe, a well-worn felt pick, a screwdriver, and a homemade cable made with telephone plugs. It was obvious that this bass saw relatively little action and hadn't been played in years. That's about to change!

- Steve

Wow! That's nice! Can I have one too? Haha.

 

[Jack Butler]

Sweet my man

 

[Bassnkeys]

I have a ‘75 P. You can look up the serial number online and it will tell you the date and location of manufacture. My pots say “73” — I think Fender could have just had an over inventory from ‘73 and put them into my ‘75. I’m deferring to the plate serial here. Also, agreed with point of looking at neck stamp. Mine is a mutt with a ‘69 J-neck — yours will likely have the answer.

 

[Kukulkan61]

And... for less than the price of a new Schecter... RIGHT? (go ahead, break my heart)

There is always something "going on" in Florida.

Where does he state what he paid for it?

 

[Dr. Keebs]

So awesome! Congratulations on the score!

 

[leonard]

Beautiful! Gotta love the TV logo.

8,75 kg is a lot!

 

[bassfiddlesteve]

That bass may be a 77 if that potentiometer is original. According to Gruhn's book, the first 3 digits of the pot code are the manufacturer (137 = CTS on your pot), then the 3 numbers after the dash are the YWW, noting the year, and the week of that year that the pot was manufactured. In your case this pot was manufactured the 40th week of 1977 which means the bass would have been assembled some time after that.

If I'm reading it right 137-740 is a CTS pot made the 40th week of 1977 - if it's original of course....

The code is 137-7405. The 5 is partially covered by the solder. This would indicate the 5th week of 1974. The tone pot also ends in 05 and both have virgin solder joints. The features of the bass are consistent with a 1974 Precision and the neck stamp and inspection tag also indicate this year.

- Steve

 

[bassfiddlesteve]

It`s a 1975 according to serial # on the plate

I look at the serial number as being more of a ball park figure. The neck stamp, pot codes and inspection tag all date it to 1974. I doesn't make that much difference to me and the features were pretty consistent those two years.

- Steve

 

[bassfiddlesteve]

Wow SWEET! Which SA? I am in the TPA area also.

The Clearwater store that used to be the Kapok Tree restaurant.

- Steve

 

[39-Bassist]

Hmmm sounds like a 25 min road trip down McMullen-Booth LOL