An amazing story of passion, workmanship, artistry, and the love of the the game is what has made this 1952 Fender Precision Bass one of the most special instruments we've ever offered.
If you look through the photos or even have the chance to handle this bass in person, you'd be shocked at how it originally came into the shop.
This 1952 Fender Precision Bass began life like any other early P Bass from this period. A non-contoured Ash body (just like a Telecaster), single center-positioned pickup, and chunky Maple neck made legend of the utilitarian nature of Leo's storied electric bass design. But somewhere along the way, this particular instrument morphed into something entirely different before finding its way back to what you see before you.
We acquired this '52 from a gentleman who'd purchased it from the original owner(s), a husband and wife duo, back c. 1970. As the story goes, the wife played the bass in country bands for years and developed a bit of fatigue from its natural heft and size. Her husband took on the task of giving the bass a bit of a makevoer - relieving it of some of its weight and reshaping the body. The reduction in body size came with an aesthetic upgrade - a silver sparkle countertop-like material was cut and bent to conform to the body's new shape, and the original components were reinstalled.
Where many folks would've seen a complete travesty, abomination, or act of heresy, we saw potential.
For one, we found that almost every original part stayed with the bass through its surgery. The pickup, wiring harness, control plate and knobs, bridge, saddles, even the pickup and bridge covers all remained. The neck had seen better days as well, but it was still structurally solid and had its original tuners and neck plate. In dissecting the instrument, we discovered original pencil dates in the neck pocket and on the neck heel, respectively. We had definitive evidence that this was indeed a Summer of '52 Precision Bass.
With the help of some of the most talented builders, luthiers, and restoration specialists on the planet - Laurent Brondel, Joe Riggio, and Glenn Nichols - we carefully reconstructed the body back to its original spec, using a vital part of the original body and all of the original parts in the process.
Laurent masterfully rebuilt the body, using the center third of the original Ash body - which included the neck pocket, pickup cavity/route, and bridge/ferrule holes - as a template. He sourced some beautiful Ash to grain-match and glue wings to the center section, then cut equally beautiful Ash veneers to sandwich the body back together. All of this was done without disturbing the inside face of the neck pocket and that original pencil date. Laurent's abilities are on full display with this one, and he took on the challenge without skipping a beat.
Once the woodworking was complete, we sent the body off to Joe Riggio, one of the industry's most accomplished vintage guitar refinishers. He expertly shot a beautiful Blonde finish and lightly aged it to perfection. He also fashioned a perfect reproduction bakelite pickguard to match.
Finally, our own Glenn Nichols worked on neck restoration, filling some small holes once used for errant strap button placements and other curious holes we couldn't quite determine the purpose of. He performed some light finish touchup and glued up some stress fractures at the headstock from overtightened screws to ensure a solid and stable neck for many years to come. Glenn also custom made a Maple finger rest to the spec of an original single-screw style.
The result is just astounding. It's the Robocop of vintage basses, really. It's been rehabilitated to its former glory in the best possible way, and is now back to representing its legacy in the best way we could've ever imagined.
This was a passion project on all fronts. We wanted to celebrate the instruments history and put it back out into the world in a way that paid reverence to the impact these early Fender instruments had on music. Without our amazing community of super talented guitar makers and artisans, this 1952 Fender Precision Bass simply would not be here in this capacity, or possibly ANY capacity.
We hope the next owner can appreciate what this bass is the way we do. It's a special instrument with a unique history and incredible story.
Body
Style
Solidbody
Body
Ash | Eddie 7-5-52 Pencil Date
Finish
Nitrocellulose
Color
Blonde
Hardware
Pickup
Original | 7.12k
Electronics
Original | Clarostat Pots 140 220
Controls
Volume / Tone
Bridge
Original w/ Original Rosewood Saddles
Tuners
Original
Pickguard
Riggio Bakelite Repro
Neck
Neck
One-Piece Maple | TG 7-15-52 Pencil Date | Repro decal
Profile
C/V
Inlays
Dots
Nut
Bone
Scale Length
34"
Other
Serial #
0499
Weight
9lbs 12oz
Case
Fender Hardshell
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