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Will this 1972 pickguard shrink?


BassAgent
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[color=#EEEEEE][font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif][size=4]
[color=#000000]I have this gorgeous 1972 Precision:[/color][/size][/font][/color][color=#EEEEEE][font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif][size=4]
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[color=#000000]And I'd like to know a bit more about it, especially the production week. I am a bit hesitant to take the neck off (not a rational thing, just errrr let's say I'm a bit clumsy), so I want to check the pot codes to date them. Now I know that many Fender pickguards tend to shrink and not fit the bass anymore, but will this one? I believe the celluloid pickguards shrink and the plastics don't, but I'm not sure of which material this is made of. Who can shine a light on it?[/color][/size][/font][/color]

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This one will be fine to take off without any need for worry.

Keep in mind, the pots don't often have the same dates as the necks as they could be old parts.

If you do get that neck off, it may be stamped and therefore...

http://guitarhq.com/fender.html#specs

1972 to 1980 Neck Stamps Explained.
This information was provided by Greg Gagliano. The 1972-1980 eight digit code is similar to the previous 1969-1971 system. Example, Music Master (s/n 595121) with code 49002153. The first 6 digits are paired off and the last two digits are taken singly. So that gives us 49 00 215 3 where:

49 = model code (Musicmaster, Mustang, Bronco)
00 = neck code (rosewood fingerboard)
21 = week code (week 21)
5 = year code (1975)
3 = day of the week code (Wednesday)
Model Codes Used from 1972 to 1980.
Model codes (first pair of digits):
01 = Precision Bass
02 = Jazz Bass
04 = Mustang Bass
08 = Telecaster Deluxe
09 = Stratocaster
13 = Telecaster, Telecaster Custom, Telecaster Thinline
49 = Musicmaster, Mustang, Bronco
Neck Codes Used from 1972 to 1980.
Neck codes (second pair of digits):

00 = rosewood fingerboard
01 = rosewood fingerboard
03 = fretted maple neck OR skunk stripe neck with rosewood board
10 = fretless maple neck
Now try and decode a Precision Bass (s/n 647149) with code 01031051. You should get:
01 = Precision Bass
03 = fretted maple neck
10 = Week 10
5 = 1975
1 = Monday

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Thanks a lot! I took the PG and neck off. Unfortunately, due to unknown causes (I suspect the bit wonky refin) the neck stamp is impossible to read. It does have the name "X. Armenta" on the neck. The pots indicate the 18th week of '71, so does the serial. So I guess it's not a '72.

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[quote name='BassAgent' timestamp='1496160004' post='3309220']
Thanks a lot! I took the PG and neck off. Unfortunately, due to unknown causes (I suspect the bit wonky refin) the neck stamp is impossible to read. It does have the name "X. Armenta" on the neck. The pots indicate the 18th week of '71, so does the serial. So I guess it's not a '72.
[/quote]

Some of the stamps can be hard to read, especially on the lighter coloured ones. Some weren't stamped at all. 1971 seems a good guess. (The only other thing to date is the pickup, but I personally wouldn't take it out unless you really needed to).

Congrats, it just gained a year! ;)

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