Was there ever?

[Simon.]

Holla folks,

One for those who know the histories of Fender better than me, but I was wondering if there was ever a stock model P-bass made which had a neck with block inlays and binding, as you see on many Jazz models?

Am I being unrealistic in holding out hope of ever finding a Fender P-bass with a rosewood board and block inlays? Is something like the Lakland DD the most likely option?

Cheers.

[Low End Bee]

There's the Big Block. But it's got a funny pickup, control plate and bridge thing going on.

Oh and on binding.....It's me age.

Edited March 24, 2010 by Low End Bee

[wateroftyne]

Not in the standard line, but there have been a couple of late 60s / early 70s examples which MAY have been early custom orders...

Fender = never say never

[The Bass Doc]

Duck Dunn created a mongrel some years ago simply by fitting a Fender Jazz neck to a Precision body. I've seen quite a few 'mix and match' ones over the years and indeed played the opposite version myself - Jazz body, Precision neck (both 1962s).

As WoT was alluding, we'll never know what custom orders escaped via the 'side door' in the early days.

If you really want that look, people like Allparts can supply the bits to create your custom bass a bit cheaper than a Lakland.

[Simon.]

Thanks for the info folks.

Bass Doc - that Duck Dunn bass is the inspiration, hence the considering a Lakland.

Having played a Jazz for years (an prior to that a P-Lyte), I'm too accustomed to a thinner neck to wholly embrace a Precision. Plus I just love the look of the block inlays & bindings. I'm suspecting that retro-fitting a Jazz neck onto a P-body is going to be the solution.

Cheers,

Simon.

[AndyTravis]

yeah, the only common example i knew of was Duck Dunn's candy apple red and rosewood blocked Fender.
Which made it all the wierder when Fender did a sig model with maple and dots.
The Lakkie isn't far off.

[~tl]

I've seen a Japanese Fender Precision with black blocks and binding, but I'm not sure if it was a standard model...

[JTUK]

Not for me...but who knows who swapped what out.

Can't see the point of a P-bass with Jazz neck but a Jazz with P-bass neck makes more sense... IMV.


Blocks and P-bass don't add up either..

[AndyTravis]

I think D.D.Dunn liked Jazz necks, but didn't like the sound, and preffered the Precision sound, but found the big necks tiring on long gigs and sessions. There was an interview in Bassist Mag years ago...

I've seen the Japanese reissue Precision with the block necks too, come to think of it.

Timmy C from Rage Against The Machine/Audioslave uses Jazz Bodies with Precision necks. He does this as he came from Stingrays and got used to the bigger necks.

I seem to be ok with either, but then again, i'm not Duck Dunn, or Timmy C, meaning i must be a dunce...

[Doddy]

I not aware of Fender making a Precision Bass with block inlays as standard-other than the Big Block
Even Fenders short lived Duck Dunn model had a maple neck with dots.

There have been block inlay Precisions,but they were most likely custom orders.

Incidentally, Duck Dunn once said that he hated that Precision body/Jazz neck bass and only used it a
few times,but he became associated with it because of the famous picture of him that appeared in the
book 'The Fender Bass'.
Most of the time he used a stock sunburst with maple neck Precision.

[AndyTravis]

A Japanese PB-70...these are littered around the jap websites, Same time as the fretless 70's Precision reissue - which, i need.

Bonkers - meant to be a P-Neck profile though.

I like it, a lot.

Edited March 24, 2010 by AndyTravis

[Bloodaxe]

Chap I know down my way has what he claims is a '69 P with a J neck that he bought in Manny's in NY in 1970 or thereabouts. Sunburst, bound & blocked. He says he was told at the time that there had been a bit of a fad for these on the NYC scene at the time & Fender had responded by supplying a small quantity of PJs to meet the demand.

I've no reason to doubt his anecdote - the bass is genuinely roadworn, the headstock is filthy with many years of accumulated nicotine & yuk, & he's not the kind of bloke who'd be capable of swapping them out himself.

I should be seeing him next Tuesday, If I can remember I'll bung a camera in the gigbag & bring back some evidence.

Pete.

[OldGit]

[quote name='AndyTravis' post='785268' date='Mar 24 2010, 11:33 PM']A Japanese PB-70...these are littered around the jap websites, Same time as the fretless 70's Precision reissue - which, i need.

Bonkers - meant to be a P-Neck profile though.

I like it, a lot.[/quote]


Oh not seen a PB70 with blocks before. Interesting