Fender Precision US, MIJ or MIM?

[ash]

I’ve been looking at this Precision. Can’t work out is it a bitsa, an MIJ or MIM or a Highway one. It’s got an interesting history for sure however It doesn’t look like a stock ‘96 US bass to me. I thought that the serial number would be on the back of the headstock. The tuners are definitely from an MIM or cheaper US Fender. Opinions? 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-Precision-Bass-1996-50th-Anniversary-Edition-in-Sunburst-Tortoiseshell/202552437180?hash=item2f2910e9bc:g:FwkAAOSwQXlcKW3x

[Max Normal]

USA 50th anniversary did not have a trussrod plug at the headstock end as far as I know.

The MIJ ones did, and the serial would have been at the base of the neck so that checks out.  However, the headstock logo looks wrong for a 1996 MIJ 50th anniversary, it should be a speghetti logo I think (and earlier MIJ ones were black and gold transition logo). Those logos with patent numbers only seem to appear on very early basses or fake decals. Not seen an MIM with this type of logo and no heastock serial either.

So my take - it's an MIJ with a headstock refin or a faker or has had a replacement neck somewhere along the line.

Edited January 6, 2019 by Max Normal

[gjones]

It doesn't show a serial number at all in the photos. Assuming that, if there is one and it actually is a fender, it must be at the body end of the neck , which would mean its a MIJ or CIJ bass. The ones made for export had smaller back plates on the machineheads, and some had the truss access at the headstock.

Maybe worth £500.

 

Edit - I do notice the bass player who previously owned this bass, playing a cheapo Precision, on The Lena Lovich tour,  with a purposely obscured headstock logo (touring with a decent bass can be a risky thing to do). 

Edited January 11, 2019 by gjones