Fender Bass Guitars A brief history and popular models
Fender introduced the Precision Bass (P-Bass) in 1951. The P-Bass was the first electric bass and was a smash hit. The Precision bass included a Slab double cut away ash body, a single coil pickup, one piece 34" neck (Maple). The early Pbass also featured large Kluson tuning machines heads. These were later replaced by conventional geared tuning machines. In 1957 the pickup was upgraded to a split double coil pickup and a wider head stock was added.
The Fender Jazz Bass was introduced in 1960. The Fender Jass Bass was designed to provide a mellower tone and featured 2 pickups and a 34" neck. The fingerboard was tapered and narrower than the Precision bass and the body was Alder rather than Ash.
These are both excellent collector basses.

We Buy
Vintage Guitars
|

1963 Lake Placid Blue Jazz Bass
|
The 1963 Fender Jazz Bass
This Jbass features 2 pickups and an Alder body. The fingerboard was originally solid Rosewood of the 1960 model however by 1962 the fingerboard was replaced with a veneer Rosewood fingerboard.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
1966 Fender Jazz Bass
This has several changes. The inlays changed from clay to pearl in 1964 then from pearl dots to blocks in mid 1966 (this is an early 66 model). Binding to the fingerboard was added in 1965.
|
1966 Jazz Bass |
|
|
|
 |
1972 Fender Jazz Bass
Notice the block markers, they were standard starting in 1971. |
1972 Jazz Bass |
|
|
|
| |
|
 |
1958 Fender Precision Bass
This bass is work in all the right places and is a great looking vintage Fender bass. The Precision bass featured a single pickup and an Ash body. This model also had the upgraded split double coil pickup which was introduced in 1957. |
1958 Fender Precision Bass |
|

This is a 1971 Precision Bass |
The 1971 Fender Precision
This is an olympic white example of a precision bass. The style remains essentially intact since it's introduction in 20 years earlier 1951.
|
|
|