Need Help With Info Re Vintage PB

[bobbybigmac]

Hi Folks,
I recently picked up a 65/66 Pbass. My goal is to do some restoration to the wiring and look for some vintage pickups, hopefully original 65's or 66's.

I have 2 questions I hope someone here can answer :

1) If anybody has a late 65/early 66 PBass in original condition, can you post a picture of the bridge ? Mine has an '70's style bridge but looks like it could be original to the bass. It has lots of wear and aging but has the smooth slotted saddles instead of the earlier grooved saddles. I've seen a mint 68 Jazz with the same bridge as mine but Ebay also has a few 65 and 66's with an old style grooved saddle bridge. Maybe my bridge was early in the transition period ?

2) Pot codes - Gruhn has advised that my bass is a late 65/early 66. The neck is dated October 65 and the serial number is 65-66. Gruhn commented that neck dates went on early in the neck manufacturing process, well before the final assembly by many months. Makes sense to me. This got me wondering about the pot code dates. I can't get a good look at the pots due to the previous owner's funky wiring but would it make sense that 65-66 bass have pots dated early 65 and not later than early 66 ? I'm wondering what dates I should be looking for if I decide to restore the pots with some original era pots ?

[fidopunk]

As far as the bridge is concerned, according to "The Fender Bass: an Illustrated History," the deep grooved saddles were used from 1959 - 1969. The single groove was introduced in 1969. Another thing to look for is that the height adjustment screws on these bridges should be flat-head screws, not the modern Allen screw.

It seems as if you're ahead of the transition by a half decade for the bridge, so we can rule that out.

The book comments that most potentiometers from 1966 - 1969 are date coded for 1966.
They do say with great certainty that the neck dates are the most reliable. Body dates in the neck pocket were phased out somewhere in the mid-1960's.

[bobbybigmac]

Originally Posted by fidopunk

As far as the bridge is concerned, according to "The Fender Bass: an Illustrated History," the deep grooved saddles were used from 1959 - 1969. The single groove was introduced in 1969. Another thing to look for is that the height adjustment screws on these bridges should be flat-head screws, not the modern Allen screw.

It seems as if you're ahead of the transition by a half decade for the bridge, so we can rule that out.

The book comments that most potentiometers from 1966 - 1969 are date coded for 1966.
They do say with great certainty that the neck dates are the most reliable. Body dates in the neck pocket were phased out somewhere in the mid-1960's.

Thanks for the info Fidopunk.
I seen several references to that Fender Bass book you quote. I think I gotta gets me a copy.

I was hopeful that my suspicions about the bridge were wrong. but you've confirmed my suspicions.
Looks like I'll be shopping around for vintage bridge if I want a true 66 look.

I think I'll try to look under the pick guard and sneak a peek at the pots. I'm hopeful they're original and dated early-mid 65. Seems about right to me.