1962 Fender P bass authientic?!

[sambecker1]

Hi folks,

I have been offered this bass and I am wondering if it is an authentic 1962 Fender P?  I have attached pictures. It all seems period correct (apart from wrong label and refinished hardware, added pickup and all that jazz) but I'm not an expert on these things. Been modded like crazy but I don't mind. Serial is 74510.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! 

Best wishes,

Sam

[acidbass]

The burst doesn't look very 1962, also it would be very rare for a nitro finish to withstand 60 years of gigging without any wear!  Also, thru body stringing on a 60s bass?

I can't make out if there's a hole at the back of the headstock for a strap button - or if it's just the wood grain.  A 62 should have this button

[Sibob]

Refinish body and neck (including decal)
Through-body mod
Replacement hardware
Replacement pickguard
Added Jazz pickup

I suppose really, if the body and neck woods are genuinely '62, depends how important that is to you....and how expensive it is.
There's not a lot of the original 'vibe' left in my opinion.

Si

Edited April 28, 2021 by Sibob

[Sibob]

1 minute ago, acidbass said:

I can't make out if there's a hole at the back of the headstock for a strap button - or if it's just the wood grain.  A 62 should have this button

Looks to have been filled to me.

Si

[acidbass]

Really the only things that would mark this as a genuine 62 are the neck plate and clay dots.  How else would you tell with the amount of work that has been done?

[sambecker1]

4 minutes ago, Sibob said:

Refinish body and neck (including decal)
Through-body mod
Replacement hardware
Replacement pickguard
Added Jazz pickup

I suppose really, if the body and neck woods are genuinely '62, depends how important that is to you....and how expensive it is.
There's not a lot of the original 'vibe' left in my opinion.

Si

Yeah it's definitely been modified beyond the original in a very big way!

I'm mainly interested if anyone thinks the body and neck are original!

Thank you for all the replies so far!

[Mrbigstuff]

3 minutes ago, sambecker1 said:

Yeah it's definitely been modified beyond the original in a very big way!

I'm mainly interested if anyone thinks the body and neck are original!

Thank you for all the replies so far!

It’s a slab fingerboard with clay dots and I’ve seen markings like that before. I would be surprised if the body is original so then I’d be questioning if the neck is a replacement too. It’s easy to attach an original neckplate and tuners to another bass. 
 

if it sounds/ plays good then that’d be the best way to judge its value.

[Reggaebass]

Sacrebleu, why would anyone do this to a 62 P 

[sambecker1]

Here's a picture of the pots too!

[Hellzero]

I will only say two words : RUN AWAY !

[Lfalex v1.1]

I might not run away. Just walk quickly away.

Just the way the bridge is strung tells you everything you need to know about this instrument. 

Edited April 28, 2021 by Lfalex v1.1

[AndyTravis]

It may have been a legit 62 at some point.

if it’s a realistic price... might be a decent player grade.

but I’d want a sympathetic neck/headstock refinish done as that decal is pure toilet 

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

Irrespective of what it actually is, whoever thought that bridge/through body thing was a good idea needs a slap 🤠

[AndyTravis]

34 minutes ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

Irrespective of what it actually is, whoever thought that bridge/through body thing was a good idea needs a slap 🤠

I do it on all of my basses? What’s wrong with you?!

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

The strings going over the back of the bridge and into holes behind the bridge doesn't look very well thought out.

[sambecker1]

Just now, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

The strings going over the back of the bridge and into holes behind the bridge doesn't look very well thought out.

I'm with you there!!

[Marc S]

Hi @sambecker1
Just wondering whether you went for this bass?

As others have said - that body could be a refin. And that adaptation to make it a body-through string arrangement is all wrong. I'd have thought the break-angle at the saddles may cause problems. Also, as you tune + re-tune, it would put stress on the strings - they're at a 90 degree angle.... on a sharp (ish) edge, rather than a curved, grooved slot.

Having said all of that - if the neck was genuine, and the bass felt good and sounded good, and critically - if the price was right.... it could be worth going for
But again, that would depend on it being priced as a '62 neck on a replacement body. The bridge is easy enough to sort, and the holes in the body could be filled.
As others have also said - a better replacement decal would be something I'd want to sort out.
Finding out whether it's a genuine neck is another matter....