Fender Precision Bass Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar (1971)
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Item # 12099
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Fender Precision Bass Model Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar (1971), made in Fullerton, California, serial # 295055, Lake Placid Blue lacquer finish, alder body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, original black tolex hard shell case.
This Precision Bass is a late example of a 1960s style custom color Fender that dates to the start of the 1970s but still maintains the vibe of the previous decade. The original Lake Placid Blue lacquer finish is little changed from '66-'68 era examples; the dreaded Fender "Thick skin" Poly has not taken over yet. While originally blue, the color has faded to a lovely very even almost turquoise hue very similar to many aged Pelham Blue Gibsons. The neck is finished in thin Poly with a lacquer coat over the face of the headstock to preserve the decal.
Old-school P-Bass features like the chrome bridge and pickup covers, white plastic pickguard, and the fingerrest below the strings still lend this bass a classic look. The bridge with solid, non-serrated saddles and the long "G" string screw and the narrower nut width on the neck are the notable newer features that began around this time, as the '60s turned into the '70s. The laminated white 'guard has a tortoise shell underside, something we have not seen that often.
The serial number on the neck plate is typical for 1970-71. The neck is stamped "5 DEC 71 B" the last letter signifying the Precision is now being built with the slimmed 1 5/8" "B" nut width instead of the older 1 3/4" used in the 1960s. The underside of the neck heel is stamped "Special C/C 6100" with the K. Krausfeldt inspector's mark; there is even a bit of flame figure to the neck and headstock. The grey pickup bobbins are still 1960s style coded on the underside and the pots are stamped for the 42nd week of 1966, lingering leftovers from the enormous CBS buy that year.
This bass looks fantastic, with its yellowed lacquer overcoat yielding a look almost like a cross between Sherwood Green and Ocean Turquoise. Under the pickguard it still retains the original blue hue. By the "Hippie natural" early '70s these flashy metallic finishes were considered outdated and rarely ordered; only a miniscule proportion of Precisions from this period still sport a classic Fender hot rod look. This one is also a great player, lighter than many at well under 9 lbs. with the comfortably slimmer neck of the period. This fairly rare bass with a '60's look and more '70s feel is a great-handling with the very strong bright midrangey sound, absolutely one of the nicest '70s Fender basses of any sort we have had.
Overall length is 45 3/4 in. (116.2 cm.), 13 in. (33 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 34 in. (864 mm.). Width of nut is 1 9/16 in. (40 mm.)., 8.81 lbs.
Overall this is a nicely clean and original bass showing just some light finish wear overall. The body has some scattered dings and dents, only a few of which go all the way through the lacquer. The back of the neck also has some small dings and dents, with one noticeable deep dink behind the 4th fret. Everything appears original inside and out, in fact we appeared to be the first ones to open it up and go inside since it was assembled. There is some light corrosion to the metal hardware, notably the tuners and a spot on the upper edge of the center handrest where someone did rest their thumb. The original frets show hardly any wear and this is a superb playing and sounding bass, beautiful to be hold and a delight to play, complete in the original HSC. Overall Excellent Condition.
This Precision Bass is a late example of a 1960s style custom color Fender that dates to the start of the 1970s but still maintains the vibe of the previous decade. The original Lake Placid Blue lacquer finish is little changed from '66-'68 era examples; the dreaded Fender "Thick skin" Poly has not taken over yet. While originally blue, the color has faded to a lovely very even almost turquoise hue very similar to many aged Pelham Blue Gibsons. The neck is finished in thin Poly with a lacquer coat over the face of the headstock to preserve the decal.
Old-school P-Bass features like the chrome bridge and pickup covers, white plastic pickguard, and the fingerrest below the strings still lend this bass a classic look. The bridge with solid, non-serrated saddles and the long "G" string screw and the narrower nut width on the neck are the notable newer features that began around this time, as the '60s turned into the '70s. The laminated white 'guard has a tortoise shell underside, something we have not seen that often.
The serial number on the neck plate is typical for 1970-71. The neck is stamped "5 DEC 71 B" the last letter signifying the Precision is now being built with the slimmed 1 5/8" "B" nut width instead of the older 1 3/4" used in the 1960s. The underside of the neck heel is stamped "Special C/C 6100" with the K. Krausfeldt inspector's mark; there is even a bit of flame figure to the neck and headstock. The grey pickup bobbins are still 1960s style coded on the underside and the pots are stamped for the 42nd week of 1966, lingering leftovers from the enormous CBS buy that year.
This bass looks fantastic, with its yellowed lacquer overcoat yielding a look almost like a cross between Sherwood Green and Ocean Turquoise. Under the pickguard it still retains the original blue hue. By the "Hippie natural" early '70s these flashy metallic finishes were considered outdated and rarely ordered; only a miniscule proportion of Precisions from this period still sport a classic Fender hot rod look. This one is also a great player, lighter than many at well under 9 lbs. with the comfortably slimmer neck of the period. This fairly rare bass with a '60's look and more '70s feel is a great-handling with the very strong bright midrangey sound, absolutely one of the nicest '70s Fender basses of any sort we have had.
Overall length is 45 3/4 in. (116.2 cm.), 13 in. (33 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 34 in. (864 mm.). Width of nut is 1 9/16 in. (40 mm.)., 8.81 lbs.
Overall this is a nicely clean and original bass showing just some light finish wear overall. The body has some scattered dings and dents, only a few of which go all the way through the lacquer. The back of the neck also has some small dings and dents, with one noticeable deep dink behind the 4th fret. Everything appears original inside and out, in fact we appeared to be the first ones to open it up and go inside since it was assembled. There is some light corrosion to the metal hardware, notably the tuners and a spot on the upper edge of the center handrest where someone did rest their thumb. The original frets show hardly any wear and this is a superb playing and sounding bass, beautiful to be hold and a delight to play, complete in the original HSC. Overall Excellent Condition.