70's Fender Precision timeline

[Musky]

There's been an awful lot of threads querying the authenticity of some P bass auctions recently, so I thought I'd stick up a timeline to help with IDing the year or even if it's a genuine Fender.

I've doubtless missed plenty of stuff, some of which I've thought too obvious for inclusion and some that a just don't know about. I've probably got some things wrong as well - there's a lot of contradictory info about, even in specialist publications, so if anybody has more info or wants to chip in please do. Hopefully between us we can come up with a definitive guide.

I'm going to add some photos when I can get round to it, but if anyone has their own that will illustrate the descriptions stick them up.

Edit: I haven't added any info on serial numbers, neck codes or pot codes as they're well covered at [url="http://home.provide.net/%7Ecfh/fender.html"]http://home.provide....cfh/fender.html[/url]

[b][size=4][u]Precision Bass timeline[/u][/size][/b]
All 70's basses should be found with 5 screw bridges, body end truss rod adjustment, a plastic neck plate cushion (from about 1968 to 1982), grey bottomed pickups with 4 or 6 digit serial codes. On the 6 digit code the last 2 are the year and on the 4 digit code the last number is the year. If no covers are in place screw holes should be evident.

Note that not all colours were standard, and the Custom Colours may not have actually been applied to any particular model in any given year.

[b]1951 - 1983[/b]
From it's inception in 1951 until the introduction of the second version of the Standard, the Precision had it's truss rod adjuster at the body end.

[b]1962 - 1980[/b] Fender used a what is known as a veneer fingerboard for their rosewood boards (replacing the much thicker 'slab' board). These can be spotted from the body end by the curved bottom of the fingerboard and at the headstock end by their concave line (bows toward the nut), just above the nut, whereas slab boards bow upwards.

[i]Slab boarded '61 bass with upward bow (see photos below for examples of veneer boards).[/i]


[b]1968 - 1971[/b] Fender tuners were simply stamped with the Fender logo.

[b]1968 - 1980[/b] 'Thick Skin' Polyester finish replaces nitro-cellulose. Headstock still finished in nitro due to issues with the decal - this is why the headstock on 70's basses will discolour more than the rest of the neck.

[b]1969[/b]
Fender changed the maple necked basses back to the one piece used in the 50's. These had a walnut skunk stripe down the back. By the around 1979 Fender were installing truss rods from the rear as standard on all basses, regardless of fingerboard, so all will be found with a skunk stripe and a walnut plug above the nut. Prior to this rosewood necked boards could be found either with or without a skunk stripe.

Strap button at the rear of the headstock is no longer fitted.

Introduction of new black 'TV' logo.

[b]1970[/b]
Sunburst, Blonde, Olympic White, Lake Placid Blue, Sonic Blue, Firemist Gold, Firemist Silver, Black, Ocean Turquoise, Candy Apple Red.

Fender began offering the option of either maple or rosewood boards.

Fretless made an option.

Bridge saddles with a single notch replace threaded saddles. Until 1973 the G string saddle has a longer intonation screw.


[b]1971[/b]
Firemist Silver, Firemist Gold and Ocean Turquoise metallics dropped as Custom colours.

Tuners with ® symbol appear.



[b]1972[/b]
Fender Colour Chart (available early in the year)
Sunburst, Blonde, Olympic White, Lake Placid Blue, Black, Candy Apple Red, Natural[Fender Bass: An Illustrated History gives the date as 1970 for Natural], Walnut

B width necks (1 5/8" at the nut) begin to replace the C width (1 3/4" at the nut).

[b]1973[/b]
Lake placid blue and Candy apple red dropped.

Tug bar moved above the strings to provide a thumb rest(apparently late in the year). Screw added to centre of the 'guard to keep it flat.

Late '73 routed channel added between pickup and control cavities and an oval rout added beneath bridge.


[b]1974[/b]
Black pickguards becoming standardised, replacing white or tortoiseshell.

[b]1975[/b]
Custom colours discontinued. All remaining finishes now at the same price.
Sunburst, Blonde, White, Black, Natural, Walnut.

[b]1976[/b]
Chrome Schaller tuners replace nickel plated items. Easily identified by a distinct 'shoulder' at the base of the head, more pronounced curves, a notch on the bassplate where the shaft meets it and a more squared off thread. NOTE: The nickel plated tuners were sometimes used on Precisions up to around 1978.

Thinner black logo.

Model name changed to sans serif font.

Addition of 'Made In USA' below model name.

PAT No.'s replaced by Serial number. Early '76 models had a 76 prefix in bold - later replaced by the 'S' prefix. Neck plate now just has 'F' logo.



About mid '76 a circular router locating hole appears beneath the bridge, the routed channel between pickup and control cavities becomes slightly curved and the control cavity is slightly modified in shape.

[i]In this picture there's been additional routing to deepen the channel - until the control cavity it should be the same depth as the pickup cavity.[/i]


About this time Fender changed the pickup cover to have more curved sides. [I'm not entirely sure when this change occurred, so input would be welcomed!]


[b]1977[/b]
Tobacco sunburst and Wine finish introduced.
Walnut discontinued.
Option of Antigua finish with matching pickguard (discontinued '79/'80).

Stickers with the serial number appear, usually on the pickguard but sometimes in the neck pocket.



[b]1978[/b]
S8+6 digits serials (rather than S+6 digits) occasionally show up.


[b]1979[/b]
3 Tone Sunburst and Walnut discontinued.
Blonde finish discontinued in September.

Shielding paint used in cavities.

[b]1980[/b]
Standard colours: Black, Natural, Wine, Tobacco Sunburst.Custom colours (sometimes called 'International Colours'):
Capri Orange,
Monaco Yellow,
Morocco Red,
Sahara Taupe,
Maui Blue,
Cathay Ebony,
Arctic White;
Sienna sunburst (3 tone).
Cherry sunburst (2 tone).
Other colours -
Precision Special - Lake Placid Blue, Candy Apple Red.

Fender reintroduced the slab board.

About this time hex head screws are used for the bridge saddles.

Around '80 an additional channel is added from the control cavity running for about 3" towards the neck pocket. An earth wire is screwed into here. Control cavity shape is modified again. Router locating hole moved to beneath the neck pocket. Some Precisions around this period have a shallow circular notch to allow better access to the truss rod.

[i]1982 routing - the same as a 1980 model (the colour is Sapphire Blue)[/i].


[b]1982[/b]
American Standard introduced - slightly heavier bridgeplate, no thumbrest, 3 ply white pickguard

Edited November 18, 2013 by Musky

[Ou7shined]

Excellent idea.
This needs to be stickyfied.

[karlfer]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1171364' date='Mar 21 2011, 09:31 PM']Excellent idea.
This needs to be stickyfied.[/quote]

Absolutely, brilliant work Musky, many thanks.
Karl.

[Happy Jack]

Another useful (and very quick) resource: [url="http://www.guitardaterproject.org/fender.aspx"]http://www.guitardaterproject.org/fender.aspx[/url]

[iconic]

has this information been verified by Norfolk Vintage Guitars...?





well done, long overdue, many thanks for taking the time out to do this

[gary mac]

Good man, this will be much visited. Thanks

[Noisyjon]

Thanks Musky and nicely laid out.

Regards,
Jon

[voxpop]

many thanks for doing this....it will make my hunt for a vintage P bass much easier.

[skankdelvar]

Masterly. Thanks for that.

[BB3000S]

Awesome, thanks a lot!
Very interesting read and potentially invaluable information.
Realize it's asking a lot, but a similar timeline for the Jazz Bass would be really cool as well.

[stinson]

Top man

[tauzero]

What was the situation with rosewood board neck truss rod adjusters? Were they all heel end adjustment, with no plug at the headstock end (no sign of anything, just a blank scallop), or did that vary through the years?

[tredders]

Excellent work - thanks for posting. Deffo needs to be stickified.

[Musky]

[quote name='tauzero' post='1172128' date='Mar 22 2011, 02:22 PM']What was the situation with rosewood board neck truss rod adjusters? Were they all heel end adjustment, with no plug at the headstock end (no sign of anything, just a blank scallop), or did that vary through the years?[/quote]
All the 70's Precisions had the truss rod adjustment at the body end, however they came in both skunk stripe/walnut plug and plain unadorned variants. I've no idea why, although the rosewood necked ones with a skunk stripe share the same neck code as the maple necks.

I did consider adding in info about the Jazz, but I don't have as much interest in them so decided to steer clear.

Edited March 23, 2011 by Musky

[3below]

My 1977 P bass (bought new September 77) had the more rounded pickup cover. No skunk stripe as far as I can remember - that was a disappointment at the time.

[brensabre79]

Brilliant to have all this info in one place. It needs to be stickied immediately!!

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1300803749' post='1172128']
What was the situation with rosewood board neck truss rod adjusters? Were they all heel end adjustment, with no plug at the headstock end (no sign of anything, just a blank scallop), or did that vary through the years?
[/quote]
All heel adjusters until early 80s I think, check above. No plug indicates no skunk stripe either, meaning the route for the truss rod was done from the top before the rosewood fretboard was added.

[Telebass]

My first P was a transition piece. 1975, it had black guard, E side thumb rest, sans serif logo. However, there was no serial under the logo, it was on the neck plate as normal up to that era.
Of course, you never realise these tbings at the time...