70's Fender Precision Bass help

[Jahn]

Hi all, I googled like mad trying to find accurate info but I'm coming up craps. I have a 1975 P-Bass in the shop right now getting a setup and I was wondering if you could help me shed some light on what I have on my hands.

1) It's black, from the factory, with a maple neck/board. Was this really a custom color option? I see tons of "Black and Tan" fenders from the 70's out there.

2) What color was the original pickguard? This one is black, but I see pics with white ones. In '75 did they ever come from the factory with black, maybe a custom option?

Thanks for the help all!

[tkozal]

Anything other than Sunburst was really a custom color at the time, IIRC....Black was a common color

Mid 70's Fender pickguards are known to crack and break up, not unusual to find they have been replaced, is the thumbrest still there? I can usually tell if the guard is a replacment based on what you see when you take it off, have the screws ever been loosened, etc..

I think a black guard was the std for maple boards later, the guard for my black 72 jazz, rosewood neck with blocks, is white, a Tuxedo bass....

pics?

[JoeYello]

I have a 76 that I bought new. It is black with a black pick guard. I think they even used black pickguards on the sunburst and natural models during that time period. My thumb rest is on the top portion of the pickguard......

[Jahn]

hi mine will be back this week - i do think the pickguard was original since it indeed cracked near the jack. i'm going to put a fender-approved repro blackguard on there. don't worry, I'll save the old one! and the thumbrest is still there, it's on the top.

[Zim]

Jahn, you lucky guy you, thats the exact year I wish I could afford. (the year I was born!) Enjoy, if you get sick of it, look me up, I might be able to scrounge up some $$ or trade pluse $$.

[AL30]

There may be some info here

http://www.provide.net/~cfh/fender.html


You may just have an odd '75. Fender is notorious for just using whatever was lying around. I have a '75 Jazz Bass - sunburst, 4-bolt neck, black pickgaurd. Apparently that's not supposed to exist. :confused: Whatever - it sounds great and I just chalk it up to being "the last of the '75's". They must've been cleaning out the parts bin that month.

AL

[JohnSS]

My brother has a late 70's Precision - blonde w/black pickguard and maple neck/fingerboard. Appears to be stock. Badass bridge added later.

[Griz]

[quote=Jahn;3298964]Hi all, I googled like mad trying to find accurate info but I'm coming up craps. I have a 1975 P-Bass in the shop right now getting a setup and I was wondering if you could help me shed some light on what I have on my hands.

1) It's black, from the factory, with a maple neck/board. Was this really a custom color option? I see tons of "Black and Tan" fenders from the 70's out there.

2) What color was the original pickguard? This one is black, but I see pics with white ones. In '75 did they ever come from the factory with black, maybe a custom option?


I had a '74 sunburst/maple that I bought new in '74. Black pickguard. But I saw other colors back then, for instance natural, with white pickguards.