Fake Fender Precision USA 2003?

[rebo213]

Hi,

Another thread asking about a presumably fake Fender Precision USA 2003.

 

I bought it in a pawn shop, without case. The things that make me worry about it:

- Bad decal placement in the "i" of Made in USA.

- Body with satin finish, made of 4 pieces (not 2).

- Jack not switchcraft brand.

- Bad solder connections.

- Thin neck plate, cheapish looking hardware.

I had some USA P´s in the past, but being a EBMM guy, I´m not really sure with this one. Should I return it?

Thank you!

[Aidan63]

According to Fender's website serial number registration that bass should be a Highway One™ Precision Bass

and The Highway One Precision was a US-built bass with a satin lacquer finish. Available in Cherry, Sunburst, and Blonde.

Years of Production: 2003 - 2011

Body Style: Solidbody double cutaway

Wood Composition:  Alder body, Maple neck with Rosewood fingerboard

Design Elements: Bolt-on neck, dot inlays, 34-inch scale length 

 

I suspect what you have is correct, but it is just possible some of it may have been changed, later Highway ones had badass high mass bridge and greasebucket tone circuit but the first ones like yours didn't here's the link  LINK to the parts list the numbers look good and silver with black edge logo is correct for the year 

Looking at other photos on google the body looks right from the stamps and marks and the label under the neck pick-up

[SurroundedByManatees]

Indeed it looks correct for a first run highway series. The threaded saddle bridge is a replacement though. 

[rebo213]

Cool, thank guys! It looked different but not ultra-cheapo chinese one.

[KiOgon]

I have a 2003 Highway One in Crimson Wine IIRC, I'll dig it out and check it out if you like 😎

[KiOgon]

Here's mine, 41mm nut BTW, I added the Hipshot Dtuner, apart from that I believe it's all original.

Maybe the socket, cap. and pots have been replaced on yours, not sure about them.

They're very good basses, never heard a bad word said, hope your's plays well and you get to love it, should be a keeper 😎

Cheerz, John

 

[SurroundedByManatees]

It appears I'm wrong about the threaded saddle bridge. Didn't know they came stock on these basses. 

I owned a 2003 that had a regular type bridge as seen on Mexican Fenders. 

Edited September 13, 2018 by SurroundedByManatees

[AndyTravis]

Interestingly, the jazz version of these have a nicely hole free body - so you can go without a Pickguard, the badass bridges versions had all those awful divots under the Pickguard space.

there was a satin daphne or sonic blue available too.

[LukeFRC]

One of the best basses I ever played was a honey blond HW1 jazz in a shop comparing it to loads of fenders and Sadowsky etc it was lovely 

[Lozz196]

If a HW1 then from what I`ve read you have your hands on a good bass, not really read anything to the negative about these.

[donslow]

My first thoughts were that this is a highway one! 

i have one of the later ones (2007) with the badass II bridge, and it’s my go to bass these days, it’s quite common for people to adjust the wiring in them as the grease bucket tone circuit isn’t for everyone as I have done myself also

you got a good one there, definitely a keeper!

[bazzbass]

ooh I've learnt something today, I thought ALL MIA Fenders had the truss nut adjustment at the heel not the headstock. Was this just for this model bass?

[donslow]

6 hours ago, bazzbass said:

ooh I've learnt something today, I thought ALL MIA Fenders had the truss nut adjustment at the heel not the headstock. Was this just for this model bass?

They must’ve changed it at some point as the truss rod adjustment on mine is at the heel

[gjones]

6 hours ago, bazzbass said:

ooh I've learnt something today, I thought ALL MIA Fenders had the truss nut adjustment at the heel not the headstock. Was this just for this model bass?

It may have been assembled in the USA but the parts were mostly manufactured in Mexico, if I remember rightly. Just as the Traditional and California models before the HW1 were.

Probably USA pickups.

The later models had an American standard, neck with graphite rods, and a Badass bridge. 

[donslow]

9 hours ago, gjones said:

It may have been assembled in the USA but the parts were mostly manufactured in Mexico, if I remember rightly. Just as the Traditional and California models before the HW1 were.

Probably USA pickups.

The later models had an American standard, neck with graphite rods, and a Badass bridge. 

The highway one models were all American made

the neck and body were cnc machined in corona California, they were then put on a lorry and sent down “highway one” to the factory in Mexico where they were painted and lacquered, the parts were then sent back up “highway one” to corona where they were then put together, assembled and setup

i believe the reasoning for this was largely to do with some rule / law regarding the types of paint / lacquer used was more relaxed in mexico

thr later models, like my 2007 did indeed have American standard pickups, badass II bridge and dual?! Graphite rods in the neck, the decal was also changed for these models as was the positions of the truss rod adjustment from headstock to heel

Happy to be corrected if I’m wrong 

 

[grenadillabama]

I have an early HW1 and it sounds better than my glossy Precisions. It has a thin neck and threaded saddles. Probably not with graphite reinforcement rods in the neck. I also have a later Highway 1 and it has a slightly fatter neck (average) and Badass II bridge . It does not sound any better and just goes to show "heavy-duty" may not be better than "regular-duty".