'73 Fender Precision on CL

[Dave W]

That means the neck was made in the 13th week of 1973.

Could be a natural finish, could be another color that was stripped. I think you did very well for $650.

[ilan]

That means the neck was made in the 13th week of 1973

On a Thursday, which means the neck was finished on March 29, 1973.

So you have what looks like a 1974+ body, a March '73 neck and a '72 neck plate. Even if it is a period-correct parts bass, that was a very good deal - and let's not forget that in essence, all Fenders are parts basses. Or it  could have been assembled this way at the factory using 2 year old parts, I wouldn't rule that out, stranger things have happened at Fender in the 70's. You will know more after you strip the body and see if there are plugged tug bar screw holes on the treble side, like Dave wrote.

Did you look under the pickup halves? The stamps there should give more clues.

Congrats on the new bass!

[Denis]

I like that alot ! I have a '73-'74 black with maple. I'd just put a new guard on her and call the job done ! Cool bass ! The headstock on these have laqeuer on the face while the back of the neck is shot in poly, that is why the face of the headstock is so amber in color, it has aged over time.

Forgot to mention it earlier, but yours is gorgeous!

[Dave W]

Parts of an instrument definitely could hang around the factory for awhile. I had a 77 Tele Bass (77 serial number on headstock) which had a 73 neck stamp. From the s/n, it couldn't have left the factory before 77. It also had 73 pot date codes (1 meg pots).

No particular reason to think yours is a parts bass, a 72 s/n neck plate on a bass with a neck made in 73 isn't unusual at all, and who knows, you may find plugged screw holes when you strip it.

[Denis]

Okay, I've been using naptha on the crappy house paint on the body and here it is so far. The naptha is taking a lot of work but it's not raising the grain and I might be able to save a lot of. the original clear finish. Circled Area A looks like the thumbrest holes. Circled Area B appears to contain 2 pickguard screw holes. Would this indicate it's a '73 or later body? There are no plugged holes below the G string where earlier models had the thumb rest.

The pot numbers are: 03236 250K-A 137-7405.

[ilan]

'74+ body IME. Control cavity route shape and size is also 73+. What is the total weight of the bass?

[Pilgrim]

I agree, there don't appear to be holes for a tugbar on the G side.

[Hornisse]

A great score for $650!  I love the tone of those 70's P basses with Maple necks.

[Dave W]

Pots are 5th week of 1974. Body is post-73 as Ilan noted. Despite the 72 s/n and the 73 neck manufacture date, I see no reason to assume this is a parts bass. It's just the way this parts combination happened to get put together in 74. Nothing wrong with that. You got a deal at 650. Refin, play, enjoy.

[nofi]

i had a few pre 75's and none of them had the routing for the p/u wires.

[ilan]

That routing appeared in '73 or '74 IIRC.

[Denis]

So I've found some original P-bass pickguards. Are the the '70s pgs with the thumb rest above the E string interchangeable?
Thanks!

[Dave W]

I'm not sure. Keep in mind that even Fender-made replacement guards from the same year don't always fit perfectly. Sometimes a little modification is necessary.

[ilan]

So I've found some original P-bass pickguards. Are the the '70s pgs with the thumb rest above the E string interchangeable?
Thanks!

IME they are. You are talking about the ones with the extra screw hole in the center, right?

[Denis]

Hmm, not sure,
Here's one of them I was looking at: http://cgi.ebay.com/1977-Fender-precision-bass-pick-guard_W0QQitemZ390077942594QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar?hash=item5ad2750b42&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14#ht_2522wt_1143

I did dig up an earlier thread concerning OEM Fender pgs which are not exact replacements, and that's one reason I was thinking about trying out an original one. Thoughts?
Thanks!