Rick's Fine '52

This looks like an Encore to me, with a repro '69 neckplate, and appalling decal. This is at £225 at the moment, already £125 more than its worth. Tuners and string tree are real cheap, and look at that sunburst....fender sunburst...errr...No. The pickguard is also the wrong shape (Apart from the wrong colour), its too wide around the control plate, and too rounded on the top section above the fret board. Soooo wrong. Avoid. Someones gonna get hurt.

Truss rod access at the headstock? Look no further, but the £5 tuners, and £2 string tree also give it away. Its an £80 bass, as stated above. Body looks quite nice though, with a 60's reissue Jazz neck, would be a nice LPB looker.

[quote name='slobluesine' timestamp='1335515065' post='1632339'] seems they shrunk the scratchplate to fit the contoured round edges on the horns of the 54 Precisions. the reisuue plates are for slab 51's and cant be modified as the screw holes are too near the edge, BUGGA so, can anyone on here make me one? [/quote] This is correct. I'm told the Fender Squier Mike Dirnt bass has a blackguard, that fits the contour body, like this (This ones a B/W/B, but you could shop around for a single ply?); [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/B-W-B-pickguard-fits-Mike-Dirnt-Signature-Fender-P-bass-/250977885691?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item3a6f729dfb#ht_620wt_1185"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/B-W-B-pickguard-fits-Mike-Dirnt-Signature-Fender-P-bass-/250977885691?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item3a6f729dfb#ht_620wt_1185[/url]

Simply lovely (Not the hideous strap!).

[quote name='Bassman Rich' timestamp='1335537186' post='1632842'] Thanks again guys, however due to a family illness, this is going on the back burner for a while. Best wishes to all Rich [/quote] Sorry to hear that fella, hope things improve for you.

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1335534531' post='1632790'] I do that when I'm practising - facing the corner. [/quote] Is that because you're made to?

[quote name='BassBod' timestamp='1335526255' post='1632580'] Actually... at last calculation any one of my current basses was worth more than my car. Think I should be saving for a new (old) car, rather than looking at nice old Fenders! Or maybe just get another job..... BTW the Jazz in my pic is mostly Bravewood! [/quote] Looks nice, looks like a late' 65/'66 looker with that 'target' sunburst finish?

[quote name='BassBod' timestamp='1335523825' post='1632519'] Oh yes...that's the one. But I wouldn't ever trust myself with a real one....its worth about ten times more than my car! Nice job on the relic version - that must have taken some time and effort on the modern poly finish! [/quote] I sold it last year, not sure how much your car's worth, but it wasn't cheap. Thanks, poly is not the easiest to work with, it's a slow process, worth it though.

[quote name='stinson' timestamp='1335471271' post='1631844'] I always thought that 60's/early 70's neck dates looked like this? [attachment=106187:images.jpeg] [/quote] they did? The first 2 digits, or single digit is the model code, not the day. 5-Precision 7- Jazz etc

[quote name='stinson' timestamp='1335468335' post='1631788'] Agreed, but that type of date stamp was used later in the 70's [/quote] 5 CODE for Precisions used from '62 until '72, then it was 01.

Agree with others above. Although I think its at least a 1970. Pot codes will help firm up the year, the pickups could also be dated underneath. The green numbers stated don't add up for a precision of this era. [size=3]Pbass example (s/n 277983) with the code 529129B. Breaking up the code we get:[/size][list] [*] [list] [*]5 = code for Precision Bass [*]291 = batch or lot code [*]2 = February [*]9 = 1969 [*]B = 1 5/8 inch neck width (correct for a ’69 P-Bass). [/list] [/list] For that money though, you'd get a nice transition decal Precision. It's big money, and not in great condition if you look closely at the body on the pic with the guard off, and it has a replaced pot. Personally, I'd be looking at much more guitar for this spend, plenty out there too.

[quote name='slobluesine' timestamp='1335464778' post='1631702'] did Fender even ship early guitars with straps? has your strap any logos on KiOgan? [/quote] Yes they did. You can see pictures from the Fender factory in the late 50's showing finished guitars with straps attached. They also appear in the Fender catalogs from '51 to present day. The reissues also have the same logo'd clasp as the originals, as that's the point, they are vintage reissues; this is a pic of my strap and cable from '58 (not the best pic), the same style of both that appear as the case candy in the reissues, as shown in the pic above.

[font=arial, sans-serif][size=3]John, this doesn't have the Fender buckle, so i think this is either;[/size][/font] [font=arial, sans-serif][size=3]1) Not a Fender strap, unless its a pre-56 strap, which would look very much like this.[/size][/font] [font=arial, sans-serif][size=3]2) It could also be a 'no-mark' strap from '64 made by some other manufacturer, as you said it came with a '64 Jazz bass.[/size][/font] [font=arial, sans-serif][size=3]This style of strap is very generic though, and was probably typical of the 50's and 60's. Most manufacturers though (Except Fender), used to brand their straps, Fender didn't start branding until late '56/'57. [/size][/font] [font=arial, sans-serif][size=3]I have an original strap with my '52, and it looks similar to yours. My '58 Precision strap has the logo on the clasp, as does my 1/57 Precision strap. [/size][/font] [font=arial, sans-serif][size=3]Not an easy one. Hope this helps??[/size][/font] [font=arial, sans-serif][size=3]Rick[/size][/font]

[quote name='BassBod' timestamp='1335459491' post='1631603'] Lovely....but I'd prefer a pristine one, just like Monk Montgomery's Mastersound bass. [/quote] Like this? 10/55 body and neck;

Was it the 'Live in Pompeii' thing they did??

[quote name='police squad' timestamp='1335445061' post='1631237'] nice, did you relic the poly finish? how did you get the checking? [/quote] yes, its poly, the checking is done with great patience.!! PM'd.

Good luck with the bass. I assembled, and relic'd my own last year, delighted with it, saves my original from wear too. I have one of Johns creations (Not this one), and he does a great job. Here's pics of my attempt at a '55; Before shot: (after buying a Sting bass-for the contours, and a '51 reissue, swapping the necks, and selling the 'solid-body' Sting); After; Rick.