pobrien_ie Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Last week I bought a P Bass cover on ebay. It was advertised as a 'Fender 1964 USA Nickel Precision Bass Pickup Cover', and it cost around £50 after customs etc. Very expensive for a run of the mill pickup cover, probably cheap if a genuine vintage one. Anyway, what I was looking for was the pickup cover with the more squatred edges, which I thought this would be. From the pics below, can anyone tell if this looks legit? Anyone have a real '64 or '65 with covers to compare it to? [url="http://s1249.photobucket.com/user/pobrien_ie/media/Pickup%20Cover/2013-07-02224303-1_zpseb36b844.jpg.html"][/url] [url="http://s1249.photobucket.com/user/pobrien_ie/media/Pickup%20Cover/2013-07-02224318_zps429395ba.jpg.html"][/url] [url="http://s1249.photobucket.com/user/pobrien_ie/media/Pickup%20Cover/2013-07-02224254_zpsb496492f.jpg.html"][/url] [url="http://s1249.photobucket.com/user/pobrien_ie/media/Pickup%20Cover/2013-07-02224345_zps556d29fd.jpg.html"][/url] Here are some pics of '64 and '65 P Basses I found on the web. Note they all look to have the straighter edged pickup covers. [url="http://s1249.photobucket.com/user/pobrien_ie/media/Pickup%20Cover/fender-precision-bass-1964-500768_zps74672375.jpeg.html"][/url] [url="http://s1249.photobucket.com/user/pobrien_ie/media/Pickup%20Cover/p1_u04xa4ule_so_zpsda84bb91.jpeg.html"][/url] [url="http://s1249.photobucket.com/user/pobrien_ie/media/Pickup%20Cover/2011-04-03131144_zpsf2642ec6.jpeg.html"][/url] [url="http://s1249.photobucket.com/user/pobrien_ie/media/Pickup%20Cover/1965_Fender_Precision_Bass_008_zpsb68e3eb1.jpeg.html"][/url] If this is not genuine, I would obviously like to return it. I have since bought a couple of sets of the new '63 AVRI pickup covers which look to be what I was looking for. I'd appreciate any help with this. Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franzbassist Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 I am no vintage Fender expert, but I am pretty certain you have answered your own question above! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pobrien_ie Posted July 3, 2013 Author Share Posted July 3, 2013 [quote name='walbassist' timestamp='1372838750' post='2130436'] I am no vintage Fender expert, but I am pretty certain you have answered your own question above! [/quote] Thanks. I suppose my question should be when did Fender move from the square edged pickup covers to the rounder edged ones we see today? A lot of Fender changes seem to be unclear, so I was hoping somebody could point me in the direction of where I'll get an unequivocal answer (if one exists). I know ebay generally side with the buyer, but I'd like to make sure I'm in the right before I dispute this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrFingers Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Vintage Fenders have the square covers, the first ReIssues (1981 I guess) had the round ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pobrien_ie Posted July 3, 2013 Author Share Posted July 3, 2013 [quote name='MrFingers' timestamp='1372846652' post='2130542'] Vintage Fenders have the square covers, the first ReIssues (1981 I guess) had the round ones. [/quote] Thanks William....I knew the some P Bass anoraks would come out ...and I mean that in a good way! For some reason I thought they became rounder at some point in the 70's. Looking at the above pics I posted so, is it safe to conclude that this isn't a genuine 1964 pickup cover? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bh2 Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 No it aint... I managed to get a vintage squared off one for my Squier from allparts... about 20 notes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pobrien_ie Posted July 3, 2013 Author Share Posted July 3, 2013 [quote name='bh2' timestamp='1372858146' post='2130767'] No it aint... I managed to get a vintage squared off one for my Squier from allparts... about 20 notes. [/quote] Yeah that's exactly what I wanted. I think the ones I've ordered since from a 63/58 reissue should do the job too. Thanks for that. I'll just get abck on to the seller and see how I get on. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 (edited) [s]I'm not sure what you mean by "squared" edges, but[/s] my 68 cover isn't as round as the one in your photo. The bit covering the strings has a flatter profile. ps I get it now!! Edited July 3, 2013 by chris_b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bh2 Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Here's the linkie for the allparts plate... http://www.allparts.uk.com/online-shop/guitar-bass-parts/bridges-parts-tailpieces/bridge-parts/metal-bridge-pickup-covers/pickup-cover-for-p-bass-p-3084.html Bob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4-string-thing Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 [quote name='MrFingers' timestamp='1372846652' post='2130542'] Vintage Fenders have the square covers, the first ReIssues (1981 I guess) had the round ones. [/quote] My 77 has the original and it's curved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pobrien_ie Posted July 4, 2013 Author Share Posted July 4, 2013 [quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1372867323' post='2130948'] [s]I'm not sure what you mean by "squared" edges, but[/s] my 68 cover isn't as round as the one in your photo. The bit covering the strings has a flatter profile. ps I get it now!! [/quote] A saw a few similar threads on TB and lot's of people posted pics of single coild P Basses, so I wasn't sure how clear I was being. I'm just being too pedantic about things anyway. [quote name='bh2' timestamp='1372867621' post='2130952'] Here's the linkie for the allparts plate... [url="http://www.allparts.uk.com/online-shop/guitar-bass-parts/bridges-parts-tailpieces/bridge-parts/metal-bridge-pickup-covers/pickup-cover-for-p-bass-p-3084.html"]http://www.allparts....ass-p-3084.html[/url] Bob. [/quote] Great, thanks for that. will sue for future reference. It looks great on your bass. [quote name='4-string-thing' timestamp='1372876546' post='2131092'] My 77 has the original and it's curved. [/quote] Thanks. That makes me think I might have been right about them becoming more curved at the edges in the '70's. Of course with Fender there's no real way to back this up. As an update, I contacted the seller about my concerns. For some reason ebay automatically opened this as a dispute, even though I just wanted to see what they had to say. The seller will except a refund, but ebay say I must pay the return postage and incur the customs fees. It seems a bit unfair when the pickup cover is clearly not as advertised. I'm starting see what all the anti ebay sentiment is about. c'est la vie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bh2 Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 (edited) Yes... I think the squared off covers (60s) were rounded off in the seventies sometime... documentation is hard to find on this though. I have the rounded covers on my 2002 P bass. Edited July 4, 2013 by bh2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikay Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 Vintage style square covers area available here - [url="http://www.grguitars.com/parts_5bass.htm"]http://www.grguitars.com/parts_5bass.htm[/url] [attachment=138261:Vintage P pickup cover.jpg] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pobrien_ie Posted July 4, 2013 Author Share Posted July 4, 2013 [quote name='ikay' timestamp='1372924557' post='2131587'] Vintage style square covers area available here - [url="http://www.grguitars.com/parts_5bass.htm"]http://www.grguitars...parts_5bass.htm[/url] [attachment=138261:Vintage P pickup cover.jpg] [/quote] In my long search for the vintage correct cover I actually bought this exact cover from the same company. Unfortunately, it's not a Fender product and is therefore a little too wide. It's not as moldable as the Fender ones so when you bend it to fit the holes it goes up in middle and looks a bit too high off the strings. I bought two sets of pickup covers and bridge covers (58 AVRI and 63 AVRI) from the Stratosphere on ebay, and I from what I can see from the pictures they look to be the most vintage correct reissues I've seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickster Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 [quote name='bh2' timestamp='1372922797' post='2131574'] Yes... I think the squared off covers (60s) were rounded off in the seventies sometime... documentation is hard to find on this though. I have the rounded covers on my 2002 P bass. [/quote] My 1973 precision has the squared off cover, so looks like we're narrowing down the change to mid-late 1970s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
q_of_doom Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 Hiya. My 2cents. Attached is a pic of my '64P when i bought it. It has since been restored to 3-colour Sunburst and refretted. All was original except for the paint job, so it should give you an idea of the covers. If need be I can get some better shots when I get home tonight if this doesn't answer your question. I hope it helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pobrien_ie Posted July 15, 2013 Author Share Posted July 15, 2013 [quote name='mickster' timestamp='1373367355' post='2136661'] My 1973 precision has the squared off cover, so looks like we're narrowing down the change to mid-late 1970s. [/quote] Thanks for confirming. I thought they may have been phased out int he mid 60's and that there might have been a transition period. You've proven that not to be the case. [quote name='q_of_doom' timestamp='1373898190' post='2142816'] Hiya. My 2cents. Attached is a pic of my '64P when i bought it. It has since been restored to 3-colour Sunburst and refretted. All was original except for the paint job, so it should give you an idea of the covers. If need be I can get some better shots when I get home tonight if this doesn't answer your question. I hope it helps. [/quote] Hi. Thanks for posting the pic. That's bass really is lovely looking? Is that the original blonde/black tolex case too? I've since received the '63 reissue pickup cover, and it looks a lot closer to your one than the one I bought that purported to be from 1964. I've returned that one, although the seller at no point conceeded that they had incorrectly advertised it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
q_of_doom Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 Whoops. Only just saw this now. Yep, that's the original case. Glad you got sorted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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