Rick's Fine '52

Here's my latest addition, which is the result of a 20 year quest, and 3 years of negotiating......and almost begging, on this particular example. 1966 Slab Precision, maple-cap. 1 of 16 examples left, and 1 of only 8 examples that are 100% original stock.

[quote name='ukulelelab' timestamp='1400877552' post='2457907'] My '66 LPB [/quote] What a fine example, lovely, lovely transition bass!

Hope you're better soon Howard! Rick.

The problem is, the value of the parts are probably more than people would pay, so I may have to strip many of the parts out to make it saleable, I need to think on it.............

As you can see, the fretboard needs a clean, its a bit grimey, as is the body, and the strings are ooooooold, but I quite like the charm of all that!

OK, here's a quick pic, not great, as its by iphone, but gives a taster. I'll be taking it apart at the weekend, for a full autopsy.

I've just bought one, after 3 years of harassing the owner!! Playing it today, it is definitely more responsive, and brighter toned than my other P's. I played another one late last year and that was also much brighter. I took pot readings on that one, which I will find, and i'll do the same on this, once I've finished noodling, and dribbling on it!!

Just bought a real 'slab', very happy boy, so this one will probably be for sale soon.

[quote name='Green Alsatian' timestamp='1401214075' post='2461335'] The term 'Telecaster Bass' in the context of the slab Precision, according to Barry Matthews' book 'Fender Bass for Britain: The History of the 1966 Slab-Bodied Precision Bass', came from Arbiter, who imported Fenders at the time. On page 9 of the book, there is a print of the 'Instrumental News' page from an issue of 'Beat Instrumental' harking from July 1966 and it features an article, titled 'New Telecaster Bass'. It reads: [i]Arbiter announce that they are now handling a new Fender bass. It costs 147 gns and has a Telecaster type body. Interest has been shown in it by many top group bassmen.[/i] The author's comment at the foot of the page states that this is the only advert that ever appeared for the slab Precision. It's likely that on reading about the slab's body, Arbiter assumed it was a new model and not just a unique run of Precisions. [/quote] All true. Written by a journalist in '66, from an alleged quote from Arbiter, of which no-one at Arbiter has confirmed. I'm very aware of the history, and quotes etc, but its a Precision, every single part of it.

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1401203200' post='2461138'] I get your point but in '66, the '51-'54 Precision was called ... er ... a Precision Bass and there were no Telecaster Basses until '68 when the '51 Precision was renamed and reissued. So if he did want a bass based (no pun intended) on the Telecaster guitar it should have been a single cut with two single-coil pickups and Telecaster Bass on the headstock. But he got a slab-bodied Precision Bass instead. [/quote] Exactly. All reference to these rare instruments and the word telecaster should be stopped. Even the guy who was in charge of production when they made them (virgilio simoni), said it was nowt to do with making a telecaster bass!

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1401195516' post='2460991'] I bet he was pissed off when he saw what they had sent him... [/quote] I doubt it, he got exactly what he wanted. If he wanted a telecaster bass, then he would have asked for a reissue of the original single coil P-Bass from '51-'54, that would have been far easier to have described and requested. In fact, in '66, he probably could have bought one of those for less than the price of a new custom order Precision.

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1401179396' post='2460757'] OK, thanks for the explanation but I still don't quite get it because "the lack of contours, the maple neck and the black pickguard" are all typical of an early '50s Precision bass just as much as a Telecaster guitar. As for the colour of the finish, surely that's just a custom colour, as you say "aesthetic change", in the normal way. In fact there is nothing about it which could not be considered Precision bass in one way or another; which is probably why it's always been known as a Precision bass. Still, like I said, people can call it what they want. [/quote] This. It's a Precision, all day long. It has a precision shape body, like the originals, and like all other precision shapes (albeit uncontoured) It has precision pickups and electronics It has a precision neck (maple cap was an option at this time, and can be seen on many regular sunburst contour precisions of the era) It has Precision on the headstock, applied by Fender. Regardless of what some bloke wanted when he went into a shop, all story, what was built, was a Precision. You can call it what you like, but thats what it is.

Recently sold another fine Fender to Mark, who i know will appreciate, and love this one, on eof my all-time fave's!! Always a pleasure, always easy. Cheers! Rick.