Fender expertise required please...

[dyerseve]

Can the Fender experts here please tell me if this bass is all original. I have plenty of experience with basses, but this is my first Fender! 

It looks all original to me, but I'm just making guesses. That said, the straplocks are Schaller so im fairly certain they arent original. Albeit Musicman were using rebranded Schaller tuners at the same time....

So I'm pretty sure this is a '79 Fullerton....

 

 

 

 

[SurroundedByManatees]

Looks legit (and very clean) to me. Some pretty grain too. The black in the burst does seem to have that typical brownish hue, that you often see during this era. 

 

I see an 8. digit on the pickups, so it probably is dated to 1980 or 1981 (last digit is covered by foam). I've seen these S9 serial on finished basses up to 1982.

Edited July 4, 2023 by SurroundedByManatees

[Reggaebass]

From what I can see it all looks good , some have the black plastic gasket under the neckplate but I’ve also seen many without it , very good condition 

[Burns-bass]

Typically they’d have a matching serial number sticker on the scratch plate.

 

Ask about the history and consider whether there’s much point faking a bass like this (there isn’t).

 

Lastly, at this age they’re usually about 5kg - so see how much it weighs!

[Hellzero]

It's a legit 1981 Fender Precision Bass.

 

This is confirmed by the date code of the volume potentiometer (6th week of 1981) and the stamp at the back of the pickup.

 

The sticker that should be at the back of pickguard has simply been moved in the neck pocket because of the full aluminium shielding.

 

The grain of the wood as well as the typical sunburst is another evidence as well as all the body routings and the two routings at both ends of the neck pocket.

[dyerseve]

thank you to all of you for your input. So it's more accurate to call it an '81 Precision in that case - that's cool because that is my YOB!

Yes it's a bit of a boat anchor at 4,9Kg but I mostly play sitting down. 

I know Fenders from this era aren't that highly regarded but im really digging this bass so far.

[Reggaebass]

28 minutes ago, dyerseve said:

I know Fenders from this era aren't that highly regarded but im really digging this bass so far.

Apparently there’s good and bad from all different years although I’ve never played a bad one, maybe I’ve just been lucky, yours certainly looks great, I’d be well happy with that, congrats 

[Hellzero]

3 hours ago, dyerseve said:

thank you to all of you for your input. So it's more accurate to call it an '81 Precision in that case - that's cool because that is my YOB!

Yes it's a bit of a boat anchor at 4,9Kg but I mostly play sitting down. 

I know Fenders from this era aren't that highly regarded but im really digging this bass so far.

The most important thing is that you like it and if it's a YOB bass, that's even better, especially in this close to excellent condition!

 

These years weren't always the best as it was the total recession at Fender and they were close to bankruptcy, but there were some excellent (heavy) instruments made during that "Dan Smith" period.

 

Some instruments of that peculiar period are really sought after as Dan Smith, who has been heavily criticised, was willing to raise the standards and innovations to what they used to be, but, hélas, totally failed.

 

Congratulations!

[karlfer]

You have a John Torres neck, you are a lucky man! 

 

The sticker that is in the neck pocket (serial number) should be on the back of the scratchplate. The 'plate may not be original, but I would have expected black anyway.

Cracking bass, enjoy.