NOBD - 78 Fender Precision

[peteb]

Just picked up a 78 P bass and not just any old Precision, it’s my first decent bass, the one that I cut my teeth on and then sold about 33 years ago.

I sold it back in the 80s when I started using active basses. I had two precisions and sold the good one as it was worth a few quid more! Always wished that I had sold the other one instead. It just came up for sale by a guy who's got a studio in Leeds. The only problem is that I paid five times what I sold it for all those years ago!

I remember somebody here posting about buying back their old P bass. Like him, I’ve had a couple of precisions, but they never seemed to compare to ‘my’ old P bass. To me, Fender Precisions define what an electric bass is, despite me happily using many other basses over the years. I remember that when I originally bought this bass, I knew that I was now going to be a proper bass player! You have to remember that when I started playing, virtually all of our heroes played a precision! A few played Ricks and the odd one played a jazz bass, but me finally having my own P bass was a big thing!

Quite emotional to get it back...

 

Edited November 28, 2020 by peteb

[AndyTravis]

Ooh looks yummy. Nice story too!

[Lozz196]

Nice one 

[Jonesy]

Gorgeous and nice to hear that the one that got away ended up coming back! 

[howdenspur]

Is that Mocha? Nice bass, great story and glad it worked out for you 👍. Think you might have sold it more than 23 years ago though! Tempus fugit and all that😊.

[peteb]

7 minutes ago, howdenspur said:

Is that Mocha? Nice bass, great story and glad it worked out for you 👍. Think you might have sold it more than 23 years ago though! Tempus fugit and all that😊.

Tempus fugit indeed - I meant 33 years...!  

[LukeFRC]

Yay you got it!!  

it it helps you feel any better - if you take inflation into account you only probably payed 2x not 5x what you sold it for.

glad it’s come home! 

[peteb]

2 hours ago, howdenspur said:

Is that Mocha?

That might well be the name they give it. To be fair, it's not the nicest colour you will ever see on a 70s precision! But then again, its the same finish as Michael Anthony's P bass in the early days of Van Halen, which makes it pretty cool in my book...! 

[LukeFRC]

When this was advertised locally @mark_ir , knowing I’m looking for a P bass, pointed me in its direction. I was sat next to my wife when I opened the picture and it’s the first time she’s ever told me I’m not to buy a bass! She was not a fan of mocha 

I think my conclusions are, I’m glad it’s gone home to Pete and my wife isn’t a Van Helen fan

[Nibody]

On 28/11/2020 at 19:51, peteb said:

Just picked up a 78 P bass and not just any old Precision, it’s my first decent bass, the one that I cut my teeth on and then sold about 33 years ago.

I sold it back in the 80s when I started using active basses. I had two precisions and sold the good one as it was worth a few quid more! Always wished that I had sold the other one instead. It just came up for sale by a guy who's got a studio in Leeds. The only problem is that I paid five times what I sold it for all those years ago!

I remember somebody here posting about buying back their old P bass. Like him, I’ve had a couple of precisions, but they never seemed to compare to ‘my’ old P bass. To me, Fender Precisions define what an electric bass is, despite me happily using many other basses over the years. I remember that when I originally bought this bass, I knew that I was now going to be a proper bass player! You have to remember that when I started playing, virtually all of our heroes played a precision! A few played Ricks and the odd one played a jazz bass, but me finally having my own P bass was a big thing!

Quite emotional to get it back...

 

ohhhh.... 70's Mocha P basses get me moist. There was an amazing bass player on YouTube (who doesnt post anymore) "BassManOnTheHill" I think, who played one pretty exclusively. Not keen on the bridge choice but oooh myyyyy....

[peteb]

9 hours ago, Nibody said:

ohhhh.... 70's Mocha P basses get me moist. There was an amazing bass player on YouTube (who doesnt post anymore) "BassManOnTheHill" I think, who played one pretty exclusively. Not keen on the bridge choice but oooh myyyyy....

I'm not quite sure how to comment on your reaction to brown 70s Fenders!  

As far as the bridge goes, that's the reason I immediately knew that it was my old bass! It's a Scahller (the one with the roller saddles so you can adjust string spacing) that I put on the bass in the early 80s. It's not the standard bridge replacement for a Fender, so that together with the year and unusual finish make it quite unique. The old BBOT ended up on another P bass I had when I converted it back to the original spec before selling it. The BBOT from that bass was eventually sold to a guy I know who was putting together a bitsa for someone using old Fender parts. 

The bass is going down to Jon Shuker tomorrow to be cleaned, set-up and to swap out the bridge for an old badass I have in my spares box. I'm also going to swap the pickup for a Bart that I had on another P bass (I'm going to switch between that and the original pickup to see which I prefer). All in the spirit of what we used to do in the 80s, getting 70s Fenders and modding them! 

I shall post another picture when I get it back from Jon. 

Edited December 1, 2020 by peteb

[Nibody]

6 hours ago, peteb said:

I'm not quite sure how to comment on your reaction to brown 70s Fenders!  

As far as the bridge goes, that's the reason I immediately knew that it was my old bass! It's a Scahller (the one with the roller saddles so you can adjust string spacing) that I put on the bass in the early 80s. It's not the standard bridge replacement for a Fender, so that together with the year and unusual finish make it quite unique. The old BBOT ended up on another P bass I had when I converted it back to the original spec before selling it. The BBOT from that bass was eventually sold to a guy I know who was putting together a bitsa for someone using old Fender pats. 

The bass is going down to Jon Shuker tomorrow to be cleaned, set-up and to swap out the bridge for an old badass I have in my spares box. I'm also going to swap the pickup for a Bart that I had on another P bass (I'm going to switch between that and the original pickup to see which I prefer). All in the spirit of what we used to do in the 80s, getting 70s Fenders and modding them! 

I shall post another picture when I get it back from Jon. 

Yeh realised it was a Schaller - great bridges just look "wrong" on a p-bass to me. Good choice with the Badass though. I have 70's P bass envy - I had to sell my 76 the late 90's for a lot less than even the solid brass pickguard was probably worth - needs (and rent) must at the time. Doubt I'd afford to replace it any time soon though (it had been refinished in a sort of "Cadbury Wrapper" blueish/Purple burst by the previous owner, looked gorgeous with the brass guard) - prices are crazy. Give me a 70's maple neck P bass with a black guard over anything. If you are going full on 80's modded 70's you'll need a set of original DiMarzio's.

[peteb]

I've got the bass back from Jon Shuker yesterday. 

He's cleaned it up (a lot, it was in a bit of a state), sorted the scratchy pot, installed the badass and the bart p/up. Jon reckons that it might need a re-fret at some point, but that can wait for a while. 

It looks the part now, pretty unique and sounds great. Plays nicely too...  

[peteb]

On 01/12/2020 at 18:11, Nibody said:

Yeh realised it was a Schaller - great bridges just look "wrong" on a p-bass to me. Good choice with the Badass though. I have 70's P bass envy - I had to sell my 76 the late 90's for a lot less than even the solid brass pickguard was probably worth - needs (and rent) must at the time. Doubt I'd afford to replace it any time soon though (it had been refinished in a sort of "Cadbury Wrapper" blueish/Purple burst by the previous owner, looked gorgeous with the brass guard) - prices are crazy. Give me a 70's maple neck P bass with a black guard over anything. If you are going full on 80's modded 70's you'll need a set of original DiMarzio's.

Do you mean the ones with the cream covers?? If I remember correctly, we were all putting EMGs in our Fenders at the time. I recall that the Bass Centre in Wapping used to keep a P bass in the shop that had been stripped / refinished to natural, with an EMG pickup and a badass bridge to show people how you could mod your bass.

I got the Schaller as Badass bridges were not readily available in the north of England at the time. Of course, a few years later you could order one from your local music shop and I got a black one to put on the other P bass I had by then (originally as a spare). That’s the same bridge I have just put on this bass, after it appearing on a number of different basses over the years.

[Nibody]

8 hours ago, peteb said:

Do you mean the ones with the cream covers?? If I remember correctly, we were all putting EMGs in our Fenders at the time. I recall that the Bass Centre in Wapping used to keep a P bass in the shop that had been stripped / refinished to natural, with an EMG pickup and a badass bridge to show people how you could mod your bass.

I got the Schaller as Badass bridges were not readily available in the north of England at the time. Of course, a few years later you could order one from your local music shop and I got a black one to put on the other P bass I had by then (originally as a spare). That’s the same bridge I have just put on this bass, after it appearing on a number of different basses over the years.

Thats the puppys - with the hex adjustable pole pieces...probably more late 70's early 80's (I know Phil Lynott used a set on his number one P bass). Oddly enough I just ordered a Schaller 3D-5 for my FrankenSpector (turns out its one of the few bridges that will fit the rout for the bridge without trying to use a router on a curved body!!

I notice Squier has released a 70's style P with a Mocha body recently - tempting but it also comes with black block inlays, and I think they look great on a Jazz, just not on a P bass.