Real 1965 P Bass? Help appreciated!

S/N is early enough.
Maple FB would be odd for a '65.
Is that a single ply PG?
Got any pics of the butt of the neck or pot codes?

 

Hard to tell from the one relevant pic, but it looks like it has been defretted too.

 

Except for the neck plate, I dont see anything else that looks 1965.
No maple boards
wrong logo
wrong tuners
wrong barrel saddle bridge
wrong knobs
wrong pickguard
those cannot be original pickups.
So whats left? Maybe just the body wood.

 

I don't recall ever seeing a '65 Fender neck plate that wasn't either a late-number "L series", or an early "F" plate.

 

Doh! I didnt see there was no F with that level of number!

Yes, that is a totally bogus neckplate!

 

Hey ya gotta give the seller some chutzpah points for trying to pass that thing off as a '65 (whatever the hell it is). lol

 

Maybe an old MIJ '57 RI neck from the logo and tuners.

 

The serial numbers post Fender's sale to CBS in 1965 saw changes. I always thought the L disappeared sometime in that year and straight 1xxxxx numbers started to be used.

So that number and format should be right for 1965.

 

It would need the "F". They're constantly for sale online, but real ones are not cheap.

 

The string tensioner looks authentic.

 

Interesting. I’ve heard conflicting info.

Up to 99999 there doesn’t seem to be an issue. It’s when it hits the 100000 range that all the disputes start. I’ve been told by some vintage appraisers that an L prefix establishes it’s pre-CBS and must be there. I’ve had others tell me it isn’t a hard and fast rule. Supposedly here were overlaps in serial numbers several times in Fender’s history. And it wouldn’t be unusual to find 10xxxx range plates with and without the L. They were manufactured in bulk ahead of need and installed as necks were added. And (so I was told) Fender was also not above using any old stock components that turned up after the fact on newer instruments rather than just toss them.

As far as the F logo went, although it was the norm for post-CBS instruments, not all of them immediately received the newer neckplates while old stock plates were still available.

I don’t pretend to know how true any of that is. But I did get the feeling there wasn’t always universal agreement among some of the experts as to what the real deal was with some Fender serial numbers.

About the only thing they all seemed to agree on was that Fender serial numbers are generally unreliable for dating purposes and that neck and body marks (or stamps), manufacturing dates on the pots, and various construction details.

Interesting stuff.

 

Yeah a 65 is an L series, each model had its own set of serial numbers until around 63-64 when the whole Fender range came under the 'L' or Leo serial numbers. Neck looks 57-59 with body end truss rod nut, by the time maple fingerboards were back they had a nut end bullet adjuster

 

I agree, the D string isn't though

 

It's always a good idea to to be extra careful when there aren't many pictures and the ones you have don't show much.
This seems to be a mutt.
Some, maybe all the parts might be Fender.
A few might be 65...or not.
The seller could be optomistic and himself misinformed.
He also could be just hoping to lure you into bringing him the money he is asking.
If it is local, you could tell him your amp is in the shop and ask if you could meet at
a large local music store so you could play on one of their amps.
From what little we have to work with, there is nothing that rules out any
chance of it playing and sounding wonderful.
If it turns out to be something you are still interested in
I think that in spite of the contributing member rule about asking the value
we can all narrow it down to a lot less than he is likely asking.

 

Can't see the strap buttons, either.

 

Hi genderblind

A legit $65 Fender!


may the bass be with you

Wise(b)ass