Hello,
Welcome back to one of my recurring GAS attacks
Last week, I bought a bass listed as a 1972 precision bass, for a great price too (less than $2,000). It has been modified with a refin by MJT, a lollar pickup, a purple pickguard, and a badass 2 bridge. Truss rod spins nicely too. I soon disassembled the bass to shim the neck and change the pickup. I changed the pickup with a 1971 Fender P pickup I got here on TB. When I opened the pickguard, the routing underneath surprised me as it was routed in the 1973 pattern, never to be found on 1972 fenders. I used the green stamp on the neck to date the bass to the 28th week of 1973, made on a Wednesday to be exact
. The serial number dates to very late 1972, so I’m writing it off as the all too common serial number overlap which was commonly found in the 70’s.
Ok, no big deal, I still got it for a great deal for a 1973 Precision. The owner stripped the neck with sandpaper. I know this because the neck is still sealed, I can’t feel the grain. Also, a part of the headstock was rounded in the sanding process (still looks good, and hey, it was the 70’s). I strung it with rotosound swing bass 66’s, set the neck relief and string action to factory spec and headed off to band practice.
My band likes it, hip hip hooray! Through my rumble 500 combined with my Seymour Duncan Studio compressor, this thing roars! With the sanded down neck and B profile 70’s neck, this thing is surprisingly very fast and dynamic for a P bass. Very light too, I seriously doubt this thing weighs more than 8.5 lbs.
Overall, I’m tempted to leave it just the way it is now. The only thing I would replace is the bridge of the saddles corrode together, which these old Leo Quans are know for. In a week, it’s getting road tested with some gigs in Kansas City and Iowa.
Here is a pic! (It’s the bass all the way to the right)
Welcome back to one of my recurring GAS attacks
Last week, I bought a bass listed as a 1972 precision bass, for a great price too (less than $2,000). It has been modified with a refin by MJT, a lollar pickup, a purple pickguard, and a badass 2 bridge. Truss rod spins nicely too. I soon disassembled the bass to shim the neck and change the pickup. I changed the pickup with a 1971 Fender P pickup I got here on TB. When I opened the pickguard, the routing underneath surprised me as it was routed in the 1973 pattern, never to be found on 1972 fenders. I used the green stamp on the neck to date the bass to the 28th week of 1973, made on a Wednesday to be exact
. The serial number dates to very late 1972, so I’m writing it off as the all too common serial number overlap which was commonly found in the 70’s.Ok, no big deal, I still got it for a great deal for a 1973 Precision. The owner stripped the neck with sandpaper. I know this because the neck is still sealed, I can’t feel the grain. Also, a part of the headstock was rounded in the sanding process (still looks good, and hey, it was the 70’s). I strung it with rotosound swing bass 66’s, set the neck relief and string action to factory spec and headed off to band practice.
My band likes it, hip hip hooray! Through my rumble 500 combined with my Seymour Duncan Studio compressor, this thing roars! With the sanded down neck and B profile 70’s neck, this thing is surprisingly very fast and dynamic for a P bass. Very light too, I seriously doubt this thing weighs more than 8.5 lbs.
Overall, I’m tempted to leave it just the way it is now. The only thing I would replace is the bridge of the saddles corrode together, which these old Leo Quans are know for. In a week, it’s getting road tested with some gigs in Kansas City and Iowa.
Here is a pic! (It’s the bass all the way to the right)
