uk_lefty Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 Simple question, was 1978 "a good year" for Fender Precision basses? I may have the chance to get one for a not so silly price but just wondering how these are viewed as either investment pieces or playable qualities? Of course I will go and try before I buy, but perception of others can drive cost of I was deciding to sell on after a while Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorick Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 I've played a 78 and the only issue I had was with the weight. Weighed nearly twelve pounds. . Hopefully the one you're looking at is nowhere near that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ras52 Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 I have one (or it might be a '77... Fender dating is a bit vague). It's great but it is, like the one yorick played, heavy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooks79 Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 I can vouch for '79s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbayne Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 I had a 77. It weighed a ton! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Rock Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 Yeah, I had a great sounding and well built 79. As others had said, it was heavy (11.5lbs) but it wasn't really an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
project_c Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 I have a 78 fretless maple neck on one of my Precisions and it's pretty much perfect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 I had an all original 1978 mocha brown Fender Precision bass. It was lightweight (which always used to amuse me reading the comments about them being heavy) and was a genuinely stunning player. I sold it only when I had a change in financial circumstances. A lot is said on forums but you won't truly know until you try it yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary mac Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 [quote name='Burrito' timestamp='1465925127' post='3072187'] A lot is said on forums but you won't truly know until you try it yourself. [/quote] Have to agree with the Burrito Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M@23 Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 I had a 78/79, very cool bass. Looked amazing, but.... weighed a ton. Really, it wasn't as good as the 2014 I had at the same time either. Just was worth twice as much and had more mojo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero9 Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 Used to have a 78 in the 80's, great bass and fairly lightweight too. You can get good or bad basses from any vintage - Caveat Emptor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 You can't tell with any certainty what a bass is going to play like by year of manufacture alone. I had a 1976 P and it seemed fine at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highfox Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 I also had a 77 P very nice bass but weighed a ton like a lot of them from that time seem to. That was the reason it had to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thodrik Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 There are gems and dogs for every year when it comes to Fender basses. Try before you buy. Also be wary, lots of people will market a bass as a '1978' Fender Precision because of the serial number. The serial numbers though do not always tell the whole story. The S9+5 digits serial number was used from 1978 to 1981, for example. This is the serial number on my own Fender. It might be a 1978 bass, it might not. It is a great bass though and I would never sell it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Rock Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 You can get a better idea from the pot codes and the neck heel stamp. Also, it's worth noting that Fender did two runs of the S8 serial number, one in 78 and one in 80. The 80 has a slightly enlarged '8' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 I`ve had two - one weighed 10.5lbs, the other was about 8.0lbs, so they`re not all heavy. I really liked mine, great sounds, but ultimately I couldn`t replicate the sound with any other Precision - must have been the ash body - so I moved them on for alder-bodied Precisiosn so I couldreplicate the sound pretty easily with rented/borrowed gear if necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted June 15, 2016 Author Share Posted June 15, 2016 [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1465938222' post='3072348'] I`ve had two - one weighed 10.5lbs, the other was about 8.0lbs, so they`re not all heavy. I really liked mine, great sounds, but ultimately I couldn`t replicate the sound with any other Precision - must have been the ash body - so I moved them on for alder-bodied Precisiosn so I couldreplicate the sound pretty easily with rented/borrowed gear if necessary. [/quote] Good point... How will I know whether the body is alder or ash? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basshead56 Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 I've got a 77, 3 x 78's and a 79. All off them bar one weigh a ton!!! ALL of them sound and play great. I have played many late 70's P basses over the years. I have come across a few over the years that didn't feel great in the hand and sounded underwhelming (to my mind anyway). Play it as much as you can before you buy it. If you can through your own amp/pedals/setings etc - even better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LewisK1975 Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 [quote name='uk_lefty' timestamp='1465975770' post='3072499'] Good point... How will I know whether the body is alder or ash? [/quote] If it's natural or a see through finish you'll be able to tell - Ash has a much more open grain, just do a google images search of ash vs alder and you'll learn all you need to know. If it's painted and the grain isn't visible, I'm not sure how you'd tell TBH. Although as others have said above, Ash is likely to be heavier. My guess would be it'd more likely to be alder if painted, and Ash if natural/see-through finish. This isn't 100% though obviously, you never know what may have been done to it finish-wise....might have been originally painted alder and then stripped & varnished, or been ash natural and then painted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 [quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1465926260' post='3072202'] You can't tell with any certainty what a bass is going to play like by year of manufacture alone. [/quote] This. Absolutely this. It's not like there was an annual harvest which might be affected by an attack of woodworm or something ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ras52 Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 [quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1465980553' post='3072519'] This. Absolutely this. It's not like there was an annual harvest which might be affected by an attack of woodworm or something ... [/quote] So basses are different from guitars, then....? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Strange fruit indeed ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevsy71 Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 I love my 79 P, despite it weighing so much that my collarbone cringes whenever I look at it. I swapped the pickups for Fender vintage reissues, as the originals weren't for me, and the growl and bite now is amazing - not sure if the weight contributes to that, but worth it if it does! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary mac Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 [url="https://flic.kr/p/Eb8XsD"][/url] How an Alder bodied P bass looks with the finish removed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 (edited) [quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1465985383' post='3072576'] [url="https://flic.kr/p/Eb8XsD"][/url] [/quote] Pah! You can't fool me with that cheap shot ... that ain't no '78 - I can tell. Edited June 15, 2016 by Happy Jack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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