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

[bassfiddlesteve]

By the time I got my '75, any of the covers were gone. I know at one point there was a cover over the bridge based on holes in the body, never spotted holes for a cover over the pickup. When did Fender stop with the chrome covers as a standard offering, assuming the covers were something that had come on most everything.

Fender stopped installing the chrome covers and thumb rests in 1982. They came installed from the factory all through the 70s.

- Steve

 

[hypercarrots]

how does it sound?

 

[bassfiddlesteve]

how does it sound?

With the ancient flatwounds and foam mute it had a dark, thumpy sound as expected, but it still maintained good punch and clarity. I installed a set of GHS Pressurewounds which sound close to roundwound strings. I still hear the punch and clarity, but it has some midrange grind to it. Not quite as scooped as a modern P-Bass. The pickup has a strong output and good balance.

- Steve

 

[mtdkingstonheir]

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

Nice! That's in really good shape for a 46 year old bass.

 

[bassfiddlesteve]

A few pics of the '74 alongside my sunburst '72 which shows signs of regular use and has the typical yellowed lacquer on the headstock:

- Steve

 

[hypercarrots]

A few pics of the '74 alongside my sunburst '72 which shows signs of regular use and has the typical yellowed lacquer on the headstock:

- Steve

it’s interesting how the lacquer darkening varies so much with exposure to elements.

 

[RedMoses]

Nice and light! Congrats

 

[The Hook 1988]

Got one in '75 new with a black pickguard though. Hated to trade it,but went to something way better...my first Alembic. Wish I could have afforded to keep it back then.

 

[bassfiddlesteve]

I got my ‘74 Precision back from the shop a few weeks ago. This is the first time this bass has been set up since it left the factory 46 years ago! It’s a pleasure to play now that the nut has been lowered and the frets have been dressed, and the electronics are trouble-free now that the pots have been replaced and a ground wire added. I would’ve liked to have kept the original pots in the instrument, but it wasn’t meant to be.

I also took a picture of my bass with a matching '74 Stratocaster that happened to be there. So tempting!

- Steve

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

I got my ‘74 Precision back from the shop a few weeks ago. This is the first time this bass has been set up since it left the factory 46 years ago! It’s a pleasure to play now that the nut has been lowered and the frets have been dressed, and the electronics are trouble-free now that the pots have been replaced and a ground wire added. I would’ve liked to have kept the original pots in the instrument, but it wasn’t meant to be.

I also took a picture of my bass with a matching '74 Stratocaster that happened to be there. So tempting!

View attachment 4233592

- Steve

Classic!!​

 

[bassfiddlesteve]

My first gig with this bass was in April (see pic). Most of my work these days calls for double bass, but I try to play this one whenever I can.

- Steve