Vintage Bass Guitars – Fender Precision Bass (1951-Present)
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The Fender Precision Bass is one of my all-time favorite vintage bass guitars. It’s really just a basic instrument having such a simple design yet there is so much to love about it. After all, how could you not love something that was so elegant in its simplicity but also revolutionized the music world.
History 101
In late 1951, Leo Fender introduced the Precision Bass (P-bass) to the world. With the assistance of George Fullerton, his long-time friend and employee, they would unknowingly change music history forever.
1951 Telecaster
1951 P-bass
Fender’s Precision Bass was basically a four string version of his Telecaster guitar which he had released earlier that year. They both shared similar looking headstock with a slab body which was squared off at the sides. The main difference in appearance between the two guitars was the double cutaway body of the P-bass.
As the story goes, Fender got the idea for his bass from some of his friends who were guitarist. They also wanted to play the bass but didn’t want to learn, or lug around, a big upright. His ingenious solution was a 34” scale, 20 fret bass guitar with a bolt-on neck and single coil pickup.
Within a few years many bass players dumped their upright basses for the new guitar-like equivalent. The biggest turning point for the P-bass came when Monk Montgomery used it on tour in Lionel Hampton’s Orchestra. In addition, it enjoyed enormous popularity with many blues and jazz bands.
Design Changes
In 1954 the design of the Precision Bass received a little tweaking. The problem that bassists had with the original was that it wasn’t comfortable to hold against the body and play for hours, this was the due to the squared off sides. So in 1954 the bass was given contoured edges making it more comfortable to play.
The P-bass received a major design change in 1957 when the pickguard and headstock were reshaped to look more like their Fender Stratocaster electric guitar. The pickguard was made from gold anodized aluminum and a split-coil humbucking pickup replaced the single coil pickup.
These vintage bass guitars received other minor appearance and technical modifications through the years. During this time the Precision Bass was renamed the Standard Precision Bass in 1981 and then became the American Standard Precision Bass from 1988-2000.
The name would change again, and from 2000-2007 it became known as the American Series Precision Bass. But starting in 2008-present, it reverted back to being called the American Standard Precision Bass. Confusing…yes, necessary…no, it was and still is a great bass no matter what you call it.
1951 Precision Bass Specs
• Slab double cutaway ash body
• One piece maple 34″ scale length
• Blond finish
• Black flat pole single coil pickup
• Black fiber pick guard clear coated with lacquer
Collectibility
The Precision Bass was the first bass to be mass-produced and even now it’s one of the best selling basses. Without question, it is one of the most famous and respected vintage bass guitars ever manufactured.
If you are looking for a 1951 original Precision Bass I hope you have deep pockets. These are historic and highly revered instruments and will run you about $20,000 in excellent condition, and the value of the 1952 & 1953 models are only slightly less.
Note: The original price of a Fender Precision Bass in 1951 was $199.50.
If you’re interested in just the model itself, and not the original, the 1951 P-bass was reissued starting in 2003 and can be had for under $1k. But the more desirable 1957 P-bass was also reissued and will run you about $1,500.
Even though the first electric bass guitar dates back some 16 years prior to Fender’s P-bass, his was the first to achieve commercial success. And in spite of some modifications its current form is still very similar to Fender’s original vintage bass guitars.
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