teletail
Friend of Leo's
You can just order a logo from the internet and put it on. My repairman walked me through it and there is no one more inept than me when it comes to these things.
62' Precision Bass- restore or leave it as is?
- Thread starter Patton
- Start date
Harley Wycliff
TDPRI Member
Got rid of my Sportster a couple years ago. Knees shot to hell from too much motocross and tennis, didn't want to drop it at a stop light if a knee decided to let go w/o warning. I miss it a lot. Hope you enjoy dad's bike!
ficelles
Tele-Holic
I had a '63 P that had been refinished in the 70s or 80s, spent ages wondering about getting it refinished to original but eventually parted with it in the condition I got it in. The cost of restoring it would have eaten up any increase in value in any case.
burntfrijoles
Doctor of Teleocity
Having it professionally refinished has nothing to do with increasing its value. It would to "restore" it for aesthetics. It doesn't seem a "rattle can" finish is proper for such a fine instrument. Although it doesn't seem to look awful in the photos I wonder what close inspection would reveal about it (orange peel imperfections etc).
It seems that having a qualified tech clean up the electronics if necessary would also be appropriate and I can't see any reason not to have a Fender decal applied. It's never going to be "all original". That ship has sailed.
It seems that having a qualified tech clean up the electronics if necessary would also be appropriate and I can't see any reason not to have a Fender decal applied. It's never going to be "all original". That ship has sailed.
aging_rocker
Poster Extraordinaire
I would just get it working, clean/set it up and play the living daylights out of it.
Best of luck with whatever you decide, it's a cool bass.
Best of luck with whatever you decide, it's a cool bass.
The 62' is back up and in fine form! I first worked on the neck. Polished the frets which didn't have a lot of wear. Maybe that was due to its full lifetime of flatwounds and not being played very much since 1970 or so. Then I cleaned and oiled the fretboard. Looks nice!
Then I worked on the electrical gremlin. The one pickup lead was barely hanging on, so I had to cut and resolder. A few of the solder joints were not factory due to the 60's rattle can refin so no issues there. Shot cleaner into the pots and still had an issue. Narrowed it down to the original Switchcraft output jack. Dremeled the tip spade and some fine grit rolled up sandpaper into the barrel receptacle. That's it! Problem solved. Here's the pic before stringing up:
As you can see the pickguard has shrunk a bit around the neck end and left a gap. I strung it with pack of Fender roundwound nickle strings I found in my dad's music room, set the height and intonation and she's back in action.
Great deep bass. I mostly have been playing bass on my Squier Bass VI for the last 8 or 9 years so I was reminded how big a full sizer feels to play again. I pulled out my 85' Squier Jazz Bass to compare and they really are very different in most ways, except scale.
I emailed Fender about getting a headstock decal just to see what they will say. I'll post what, if any, reaction I get.
Then I worked on the electrical gremlin. The one pickup lead was barely hanging on, so I had to cut and resolder. A few of the solder joints were not factory due to the 60's rattle can refin so no issues there. Shot cleaner into the pots and still had an issue. Narrowed it down to the original Switchcraft output jack. Dremeled the tip spade and some fine grit rolled up sandpaper into the barrel receptacle. That's it! Problem solved. Here's the pic before stringing up:
As you can see the pickguard has shrunk a bit around the neck end and left a gap. I strung it with pack of Fender roundwound nickle strings I found in my dad's music room, set the height and intonation and she's back in action.
Great deep bass. I mostly have been playing bass on my Squier Bass VI for the last 8 or 9 years so I was reminded how big a full sizer feels to play again. I pulled out my 85' Squier Jazz Bass to compare and they really are very different in most ways, except scale.
I emailed Fender about getting a headstock decal just to see what they will say. I'll post what, if any, reaction I get.
It's already been refinished once. There's no value in the current rattle can finish
kctelegas
Tele-Meister
It probably does need flats back on it.
I did hear back from Fender on the decal. I have to take a few pics, then take the bass to an authorized Fender service center so they can verify its originality and they will get Fender the necessary information. I live about 25 miles from Elderly Instruments so it's going there.
I did hear back from Fender on the decal. I have to take a few pics, then take the bass to an authorized Fender service center so they can verify its originality and they will get Fender the necessary information. I live about 25 miles from Elderly Instruments so it's going there.
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FortyEight
Friend of Leo's
You sir, have been rewarded for your patience. I'd be stoked to have that bass, in the current form of stripped and repainted. It is a beauty!!!!!!! I bet it sounds fantastic. But yeah, Fender rounds, I wasn't a fan. But I do play rounds. I'm in the mode of playing fatter rounds. They work for me. 110s on my P and 105s on my Jazz. But flats would be a good thing on that too.
NICE AMP!
NICE AMP!
If it was a real butcher job I’d say leave it as is. But you have all the correct and original hardware, pickup, and other components. I’d have it restored. Will it be cheap? Nope. But it’ll be real cool when it’s done. And it won’t result in any loss of value. That ship has already sailed.
I’m about to be begin restoration on a ‘66 Black panel Pro Reverb. It would be far easier and cheaper to just make it a head. But I’ve decided it deserves the full treatment. It’s going to cost a decent amount of money. But I’m only into it for $125. When I’m done it will still be worth more than I have into it.
I’m about to be begin restoration on a ‘66 Black panel Pro Reverb. It would be far easier and cheaper to just make it a head. But I’ve decided it deserves the full treatment. It’s going to cost a decent amount of money. But I’m only into it for $125. When I’m done it will still be worth more than I have into it.
Thanks! The cabinet has the original Oxford 12T6-9 speakers which are good for 45 watts each peak power. My dad only played guitar through it so while they are broken in well, they've probably never been pushed too much bass wise. It really is a great sounding bass with a great amp setup. Who would have imagined that!
The paint job, for being rattle can applied, is actually not too bad. The guy may have actually buffed it out way back then, for all I know. It's smooth to the touch and has worn in the right ways. I'm leaving it as is, except I'm buying some flats for it, as nature intended.
I now have a correct decal and will be putting it on as soon as I have enough information. Interesting story on the decal between contacting Fender and then Elderly Instruments. The short version is I have two decals, one with two patent numbers and one with four numbers. In 1961 the two number versions started. The 4 number versions started in late 1962. This neck is dated NOV62. So, the four-patent number is what I assume I should use? I'm trying to research late 62' P-Basses with necks dated the same as mine to get the generally correct decal used but haven't had a ton of luck. Yea, it's a small detail on a refin but I think it's worth the effort to get it sort of right.
Leave it alone!
Don't do it!!?
Don't do it!!?
I'm w/ the 'dog - keep dad's mojo and play the heck out of it, once you get some 'flats.
Peace - Deeve
Well...it looks just fine to me. If I were forced to change anything, it would be to sand it down to natural & seal it with clear.
jrblue
Friend of Leo's
Of course you should do what makes you feel best. IMO, an amateur refin that included removing the decal is nothing that deserves honoring or preserving! Of course people do such stuff, but it detracts rather than adding value. I would absolutely restore either the original finish or paint it in the Fender color closest to the refin color. The electronics are easily sorted out, and you can find a proper decal as well. I would consider this to be an amazing, amazing opportunity to both preserve something from your dad and to make the instrument itself into something very nice -- as your dad and the original owner would have intended.
Personally, I'm opposed to treating every old instrument as though it's a museum piece that people will adore for its backstory. They won't. The value and beauty resides in making music.
Personally, I'm opposed to treating every old instrument as though it's a museum piece that people will adore for its backstory. They won't. The value and beauty resides in making music.
as for stripping the paint and/or a refin... there is no telling whats under the paint. why did the guy decide to paint it in the first place? there is always a possibility of some damage under there thats been filled with putty or something... who knows.
keep it as a player for while
keep it as a player for while
You did the right thing, in my opinion -- no need to spend $$$ turning the bass into a museum piece. In the future, if you decide to sell it, maybe a museum-grade refinish would increase its value? Who knows. As it is, it looks great. Rock on!
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