After Glastonbury St Edmunds, I realised that my 1962 Fender Precision Bass needed a lot of work. The action was very high and still there was fret buzz above the 13th fret. There was a bad twist in the neck and the body was shambolic after my own bodge job to take the 1960's dark red stain finish out, and there were lots of other minor niggles. Still it had worked its passage over the years and had a bit of a swansong by appearing at Glastonbury St Eds - I certainly had enjoyed playing it again that night!
Anyway, I took it into Guitarlodge at Felixstowe and they quoted a reasonable price to refurb it so off it went for a dismantle, the body to be sanded and re-varnished, the neck to be straightened, shiny bits to be cleaned and control electrics to be replaced!
Got it back today and it is a whole lot better: looking good, but still looking vintage! Sounding good with new D'Addario flat wounds and a real low action making it play good.
This is how it looks now:
This how looked in 1978 when I was using it with Banco plugged into a Vox Foundation Bass rig:
I bought the Precision from Carlsbro in Mansfield in 1972 trading in my Epiphone Rivoli (wish I hadn't!) - here's the Rivoli waking the neighbours in 1970:
Can't find any photos of the Precision in the condition I bought it because I quickly got the neck refurbed from a rosewood to a maple fingerboard by John Birch. Quite innovative then! As I recall Paul Strong took the guitars over and made the decision to go maple, so I didn't know until we got them back. Initially I was a bit miffed but I grew to like it and now much prefer a maple fingerboard on a Fender. Here is the earliest pic I can find: post neck refit along with the other instruments used for a recording session in 1973. It was during this session I took a day out to sand the red finish out and we resumed the next day in natural.
I suspect it might have been sunburst or white when made in 1962.
Anyway, I took it into Guitarlodge at Felixstowe and they quoted a reasonable price to refurb it so off it went for a dismantle, the body to be sanded and re-varnished, the neck to be straightened, shiny bits to be cleaned and control electrics to be replaced!
Got it back today and it is a whole lot better: looking good, but still looking vintage! Sounding good with new D'Addario flat wounds and a real low action making it play good.
This is how it looks now:
This how looked in 1978 when I was using it with Banco plugged into a Vox Foundation Bass rig:
I bought the Precision from Carlsbro in Mansfield in 1972 trading in my Epiphone Rivoli (wish I hadn't!) - here's the Rivoli waking the neighbours in 1970:
Can't find any photos of the Precision in the condition I bought it because I quickly got the neck refurbed from a rosewood to a maple fingerboard by John Birch. Quite innovative then! As I recall Paul Strong took the guitars over and made the decision to go maple, so I didn't know until we got them back. Initially I was a bit miffed but I grew to like it and now much prefer a maple fingerboard on a Fender. Here is the earliest pic I can find: post neck refit along with the other instruments used for a recording session in 1973. It was during this session I took a day out to sand the red finish out and we resumed the next day in natural.
I suspect it might have been sunburst or white when made in 1962.
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