Surprise NBD: 1969 Fender Precision

[selowitch]

Phenomenal.

 

[No Malarky]

Victory Is Yours!

 

[Killing Floor]

Congrats.

 

[tb-player]

I will add one more thing if when you look in the mirror that guy is smiling back at you, you know you did alright kid ha ha ha

Yeah. Grinning ear to ear. I just spent the day cleaning it up, taking the relief out of the neck and getting that low spanky action I love. It plays perfectly and sounds amazing.

 

[jimmydean]

There I was , just minding my own business .....not a care or need in the world ......and you had to show me that 1969 P-Bass !

 

[tb-player]

There I was , just minding my own business .....not a care or need in the world ......and you had to show me that 1969 P-Bass !

That's how it happened to me… well, sort of.

 

[coreyfyfe]

I don't remember exactly but seems like I read either here on TalkBass or somewhere that in 1966 Fender overproduced the Precision Bass and not very many were made in 1967, 68, 69.

So, any P Bass from those years are kind of rare. Your 1969 is WONDERFUL! (I graduated from HS in '69.) Just fantastic how you found this beauty!

Someone chime in on over production year, please?

(I was surprised to see the "hootenanny" strap button on the back side of the headstock. I thought that those were gone after '66.)

Dont know if it's related but one thing fender did do in 1966 was make a large purchase of pots. 66 dated pots were used through 1970 on a lot of instruments. That may have been misinterpreted by some as an overproduction of instruments? Before grabbing my 69 I had also looked at some 67 and 68 models, too pricey or in poor condition for me, but they did have the appropriate date stamps for 67 and 68.

This one is neck stamped as March 1969. I too was also surprised, but pleased, to see the hootenanny button

I don't have the hootenanny button on either of my 69 fenders, but do on my 66. Not sure when they went away but I was also under the impression it was earlier than 69. Could have been added later?

Also, on the neck stamp. Given its March 69 do you have the stamp style 5MAR69 or the code style? Both seem to pop up in 69 though mine is a November 69 with the code. I think my jazz has the month stamp style but I forget.

 

[brian579]

I know I just had an NBD last week but I swear I'm not reverting to my old ways. I decided not to keep that bass. Nothing wrong with it. It was practically perfect in every way. It just wasn't me. Apparently I am not so perfect… lol.

I've been on the hunt for a very specific bass, and I found it this week, just a couple of hours away, tucked away in a vintage bluegrass guitar shop. It's a real gem: a 1969 Fender Precision bass. All original and it just oozes p-bass vibes. Weighing in just under 8 pounds, it ticks every box. It even came setup with Dunlop flats (edit: or maybe not ), which are my favorite flatwound strings. Straight neck, low action, clean frets with plenty of life left in them and classic tone for days. Really great bass. I should have this one for life.

I don't know exactly when it happened, but I've fallen in love with Precision basses. My #1 is still my active jazz Lull M5, but I just can't beat the nice, warm, thick tone of an old Precision.

Enjoy!

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Beautiful congrats

 

[JKB1957]

Nice score. Now you just need a 60's Ampeg B-15N to complete the James Jamerson vibe. Enjoy.

 

[jmlee]

I don't remember exactly but seems like I read either here on TalkBass or somewhere that in 1966 Fender overproduced the Precision Bass and not very many were made in 1967, 68, 69.

So, any P Bass from those years are kind of rare. Your 1969 is WONDERFUL! (I graduated from HS in '69.) Just fantastic how you found this beauty!

Someone chime in on over production year, please?

(I was surprised to see the "hootenanny" strap button on the back side of the headstock. I thought that those were gone after '66.)

My '68 has that button.

 

[Chickenwheels]

I love a happy story. Congratulations and enjoy!

 

[tb-player]

I don't have the hootenanny button on either of my 69 fenders, but do on my 66. Not sure when they went away but I was also under the impression it was earlier than 69. Could have been added later?

Also, on the neck stamp. Given its March 69 do you have the stamp style 5MAR69 or the code style? Both seem to pop up in 69 though mine is a November 69 with the code. I think my jazz has the month stamp style but I forget.

I have the neck stamp style. S/N also dates to 1969

My '68 has that button.

Something tells me the builders in the late 60's didn't know that 50+ years later we'd be analyzing every little thing they did on a bass or guitar build. Can you see Fred in QC creating an issue bc someone put the strap button on the wrong year of bass? Maybe. Maybe not. I kind of doubt it. I'm sure there was a little cross-pollination back in the day.

 

[tb-player]

That looks awesome ... congrats! You never know when and where those gems will be found. I accidentally stumbled into my '76 Stingray in about '80 in a little bluegrass shop in Fredericksburg, VA while up there for work. Totally unexpected.

Same shop, I think. Pickers Supply in Fredericksburg, VA? Great to deal with, even decades later… lol.

 

[Relsom]

Same shop, I think. Pickers Supply in Fredericksburg, VA? Great to deal with, even decades later… lol.

Yep, that's the place!

 

[wraub]

You can't go wrong with a good old P Bass. Mine's only a MIJ Squier but it's so good I don't care.

Enjoy yours.

 

[denton57]

It really sucks that the prices just went crazy these past couple of years. I think the 68-72 era is a great time for Fender Precisions. B width neck, incredible tort, cool faded sunbursts. I had a 71 body 70 neck parts bass I built about a decade ago and it's the one bass I want back. The sunburst had almost a green tint where the yellow was…just so beautiful with the contrasting dark tort.

Congrats! Maybe someday the prices will get back down to where they were a few years ago and I can maybe get another.

 

[tb-player]

It really sucks that the prices just went crazy these past couple of years. I think the 68-72 era is a great time for Fender Precisions. B width neck, incredible tort, cool faded sunbursts. I had a 71 body 70 neck parts bass I built about a decade ago and it's the one bass I want back. The sunburst had almost a green tint where the yellow was…just so beautiful with the contrasting dark tort.

Congrats! Maybe someday the prices will get back down to where they were a few years ago and I can maybe get another.

Yeah it's nuts how pricey basses like this have become. I listed this for a while because that's a lot of money sitting there. But the thought of it selling almost made me feel sick. It plays so well and has such a classic tone I don't think I could ever let it go. In fact, I recently found its matching jazz bass counterpart that is relatively affordable. It could likely be mine when a couple more of my high-end basses sell. Time will tell I guess.

 

[denton57]

I just miss the days when $2500 could get you a 71 P. That was not that long ago.

 

[tvbop]

Sold my 71 burst as I needed the money but if that's a good one then they are superb basses. Interesting you've got the correct bridge position...just after 69 the bridges were incorrectly fitted needing the longer G screw.

 

[Jeremy Crockett]

1) It's extremely lovely.
2) What is the over/under on the amount of time @tb-player keeps this 'un?