I need help from you Fender "experts"....

Mktrat

Mktrat

Seriously, are we not doing phrasing anymore?
Apr 9, 2013
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The Mitten
#1
I can't figure out how to search this so I'll just ask.


I want to get a 1979 P bass (birth year bass) My question is: Did Fender still make maple fretless boards in 79 or am I chasing a Unicorn? Also was sherwood green available?
 
#3
Mktrat said:
I can't figure out how to search this so I'll just ask.


I want to get a 1979 P bass (birth year bass) My question is: Did Fender still make maple fretless boards in 79 or am I chasing a Unicorn? Also was sherwood green available?
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79 is a bad year for anything out of the ordinary. That was about when CBS was leaving and they trimmed the line pretty sharply. There are a lot of things in the Fender catalogue of 78-80 that only exist in the catalogue as they were cutting back production drastically and so they folcused on Teles, Strats, Fretted Ps and Js. I just looked up Fenders Japan catalogue (this is pre-japan production - so its the catalog for what Fender was sending to Japan) and the Fretless isn't even in it.
Unless you have a sentimental reason for that model, it's really kind of a bad idea to have a fretless maple fretboard since they wear and the poly finish ("Thick-Skin") does not repair well. They do have a REALLY cool look, but...
Definitely NOT Sherwood green - Natural, or Sunburst, or Black possibly Walnut - but unlikely.
EDIT - just found the American 79 Catalog - no Fretless. 1and to reiterate, they were selling FEWER variations than were in the catalog right about then, not more. Seriously - some say the Lead I is a legend...
 
#4
danosix said:
79 is a bad year for anything out of the ordinary. That was about when CBS was leaving and they trimmed the line pretty sharply. There are a lot of things in the Fender catalogue of 78-80 that only exist in the catalogue as they were cutting back production drastically and so they folcused on Teles, Strats, Fretted Ps and Js. I just looked up Fenders Japan catalogue (this is pre-japan production - so its the catalog for what Fender was sending to Japan) and the Fretless isn't even in it.
Unless you have a sentimental reason for that model, it's really kind of a bad idea to have a fretless maple fretboard since they wear and the poly finish ("Thick-Skin") does not repair well. They do have a REALLY cool look, but...
Definitely NOT Sherwood green - Natural, or Sunburst, or Black possibly Walnut - but unlikely.
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Awww NUTS!!
 
#6
Mktrat said:
Maybe a '79 sherwood green fretted jazz?
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Fender NEVER made a Fretless JAzz in the 70s - so that's a rainbow coloured Pegasus unicorn! (or more accurately, a Sherwood Green one - 'cause that's even rarer than rainbow - that was a rare colour during the "custom colour" era).
Warmoth could make you the bass you want right quick (and much cheaper than rare vintage) - but it won't be a birth year bass).
 
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#11
They also had walnut/mocha, the red was actually called "wine" and was a translucent burgundy color, and brown Sunburst (brown around the edges instead of black). By the early 80s though, they started the "international color" series and several new colors were available.
 
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#12
thebrian said:
They also had walnut/mocha, the red was actually called "wine" and was a translucent burgundy color, and brown Sunburst (brown around the edges instead of black). By the early 80s though, they started the "international color" series and several new colors were available.
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I forgot about the "wine" - almost had one of those too.
Yeah the "natural" colours were popular at the time (or at least emphasized by Fender) so you had
2 colour Sunburst, tobacco sunburst (though I've never seen it on a bass), Walnut, Wine, Natural, White and Black. I'm not even sure if I've seen a late 70s bass in a solid red. The colour selection and production of less common colours was even more constrained on basses.
You might find a desert sand - essentially Telecaster Blonde but non-opaque - (no woodgrain visible) "student bass" - mustang or musicmaster from 79 - though again, I don't think the musicmaster even existed at that point - and I think the Bullet was launched in 80 or 81 (they were American first for a short run).
If they do go back to 79, the bullet bass is pretty cool - it's essentially a cross between a first version P-Bass (tele-bass style) and a mustang. Cool and unique looking and good sound. Very different from a custom colour Jazz, but still...
 
#13
danosix said:
I forgot about the "wine" - almost had one of those too.
Yeah the "natural" colours were popular at the time (or at least emphasized by Fender) so you had
2 colour Sunburst, tobacco sunburst (though I've never seen it on a bass), Walnut, Wine, Natural, White and Black. I'm not even sure if I've seen a late 70s bass in a solid red. The colour selection and production of less common colours was even more constrained on basses.
You might find a desert sand - essentially Telecaster Blonde but non-opaque - (no woodgrain visible) "student bass" - mustang or musicmaster from 79 - though again, I don't think the musicmaster even existed at that point - and I think the Bullet was launched in 80 or 81 (they were American first for a short run).
If they do go back to 79, the bullet bass is pretty cool - it's essentially a cross between a first version P-Bass (tele-bass style) and a mustang. Cool and unique looking and good sound. Very different from a custom colour Jazz, but still...
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Did you see the new G&L limited editions? Emerald Green Metallic. PRetty sweet - matched headstocks very pretty colour. They are clearly not birth-year basses, but they are commemorating 35 years (so 1980) - so it can be the anniversary of your 1st birthday (or something...).
And while they are not vintage, PBass guys love the L100 - essentially a PBass with a G&L Bridge and G&L quality - which (and I'm a fan of CBS basses) is a LOT higher than a 79 Fender is likely to be, even if it's hasn't been beaten up over the last 36 years.
EDIT - and it has a much of Leo's funk on it as any late 70s Fender too - Leo hadn't owned Fender for almost 15 years at that point and that's only a little less than how long he's been gone and these do celebrate the founding of the company.
Sounds like I'm trying to sell you one of these... I'm really not, just though you might be interested in it because of the colour and the Fendery-ness of them.
EDIT G&L Celebrates 35 Years With New Anniversary Collection | TalkBass.com
 
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#16
danosix said:
Did you see the new G&L limited editions? Emerald Green Metallic. PRetty sweet - matched headstocks very pretty colour. They are clearly not birth-year basses, but they are commemorating 35 years (so 1980) - so it can be the anniversary of your 1st birthday (or something...).
And while they are not vintage, PBass guys love the L100 - essentially a PBass with a G&L Bridge and G&L quality - which (and I'm a fan of CBS basses) is a LOT higher than a 79 Fender is likely to be, even if it's hasn't been beaten up over the last 36 years.
EDIT - and it has a much of Leo's funk on it as any late 70s Fender too - Leo hadn't owned Fender for almost 15 years at that point and that's only a little less than how long he's been gone and these do celebrate the founding of the company.
Sounds like I'm trying to sell you one of these... I'm really not, just though you might be interested in it because of the colour and the Fendery-ness of them.
EDIT G&L Celebrates 35 Years With New Anniversary Collection | TalkBass.com
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If and it's a BIG if, I was to by a pseudo birthyearish replica type bass thing it would probably be a Lakland. But I do not currently own a G&L so i guess it could be an option.


Caca de Kick said:
I'd recommend a '79 StingRay bass, these are killer, and built by Leo.
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But can I get Sherwood Green? (or close to it)
 
#20
Mktrat said:
If and it's a BIG if, I was to by a pseudo birthyearish replica type bass thing it would probably be a Lakland. But I do not currently own a G&L so i guess it could be an option.
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Like I said, I wouldn't ordinarily suggest something that far from what you asked (I hate when people do that), but one of your key ingredients was Sherwood Green and the G&Ls are Emerald Green (which is REAL close) and so I just justified some of the other ways that these are sort-of what you wanted.
 
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