MIJ/MIM Fender Precision 70's Project

[luckman67]

Last year I got a Fender Precision bass from a good friend of mine,who built it from a MIJ PB-57 body that was left battered and beaten in the back yard of a pub. He bought a 2008 MIM neck & an Alnico P pickup & an active Basslines J pickup,wired it together then I got it from him. Anyhow the PJ look was not for me & as the body was in a bad way, I started to think about turning it into my own Road worn 70's rocker.

The plan was simple take out the active J pickup and battery holder,fill in these holes just spray where they had been (this didn't have to be perfect) add a b/w/b scratchplate, CTS pots & orange cap and jack socket, and a early 1970's decal and neck plate. My friend Andy who I got the bass from set to work for me and I have the bass back now and it plays great, and as it is beaten I do not have the worry of knocking it or anything happening to it. And Andy has given it a great set up low buzz free action,intonation spot on,and as it's lighter than my Ric 4003 it is being used more often.

I am tempted to add the 2 screws either side of the bridge for a more authentic look,and maybe some vintage style tuners down the line. If anyone has an early 70's P and notices that I have missed something please let me know, any how here is some before and after pictures.

Before

[tredders]

Not sure if it helps, but I've got a couple of pics of early/mid 70's P basses. Don't know if you can glean anything from the pics, but they are in this thread: -

http://basschat.co.uk/topic/94149-tredders-current-4/page__p__980549__hl__tredders__fromsearch__1#entry980549

Mark.

[luckman67]

And After thanks Andy now I have a battered 70's styled Fender Precision bass, for less than the cost of a Squier CV and never having to worry about looking after it I love it, just waiting for the head stock to darken a little.

[luckman67]

Thank you tredders this is the look I'm going for.

[Fat Rich]

Pickguard looks a bit too shiny, going over it with wire wool will take the shine off and cover it in tiny scratches. [b]But take it off the bass first or your pickups will forever be covered in iron filings![/b]

To look more road worn leave the area under the strings fairly unscratched, but focus the scratches around the top of the pickup where your thumb rests and maybe below the G and D strings where you'd get your fingers in playing slap. You may be able to match up the wear on the original white pickguard that came off.

[luckman67]

See what you mean about the scratchplate.

[Fat Rich]

And make sure no iron filings find their way into the pots.....

Bass is looking good though, a few years of no polishing will take the shine off the hardware and start to build up some crud in the nooks and crannies.

[skej21]

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1330177360' post='1553745']
Pickguard looks a bit too shiny, going over it with wire wool will take the shine off and cover it in tiny scratches. [b]But take it off the bass first or your pickups will forever be covered in iron filings![/b]
[/quote]

Or you can use a brilo pad! Does the same job but you don't get iron filings everywhere

[discreet]

[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1330183232' post='1553847']
Or you can use a brilo pad! Does the same job but you don't get iron filings everywhere
[/quote]

A Scotchbrite pad is good, doesn't remove too much material at once.

[Gust0o]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1330184100' post='1553860']
A Scotchbrite pad is good, doesn't remove too much material at once.
[/quote]

+1 on the Scotchbrite.

[SidVicious1978]

your missing the thumbrest

[discreet]

[quote name='SidVicious1978' timestamp='1330192323' post='1554020']
your missing the thumbrest
[/quote]

If it's a pre-74 Precision it's called a tug bar.

[SidVicious1978]

really. Awesome

[luckman67]

[quote name='SidVicious1978' timestamp='1330192323' post='1554020']
your missing the thumbrest
[/quote]

Yes above the E string I'm going to a guitar show in May might pick one up just for the overall look, I'm a pick player myself though.