If I wanted to try to recreate my '65 PBass?

[Steve_Karl]

Hi there,

Just a bit of dreaming caused by starting to re record an old song that I did in the '80s ...
I used to have a 65 PBass with a wider than "normal" nut width. Maple neck rosewood fret board.
It had little micro frets on it.
Not sure what the body was but if I had to guess I'd guess swamp ash? Is that a likely possibility?

About 10 yrs. ago I played a Fender bass at a local Brick'n'Mortar that I believe was called a
"Fender American Original '60s Precision Bass" and the neck had the same feel as my original.

... but ... current specs for that model say 1.73" wide at the nut? Naaa ... that can't be right.
I have a few strats that are 1.75" wide nuts and I think my old PBass was wider.

I couldn't find a web page detailing the original specs of the '65 PBass so if anyone knows where that is it would be nice.

It doesn't seem that warmoth is selling the wider nut with PBass necks as they list only one width at 1 - 11/16".


Oh well ...

 

[mayfly]

Strange that I'd be saying this, but...


... there are other options than warmoth for that wide bass neck... 

 

[PhilHill]

Hi there,

Just a bit of dreaming caused by starting to re record an old song that I did in the '80s ...
I used to have a 65 PBass with a wider than "normal" nut width. Maple neck rosewood fret board.
It had little micro frets on it.
Not sure what the body was but if I had to guess I'd guess swamp ash? Is that a likely possibility?

About 10 yrs. ago I played a Fender bass at a local Brick'n'Mortar that I believe was called a
"Fender American Original '60s Precision Bass" and the neck had the same feel as my original.

... but ... current specs for that model say 1.73" wide at the nut? Naaa ... that can't be right.
I have a few strats that are 1.75" wide nuts and I think my old PBass was wider.

I couldn't find a web page detailing the original specs of the '65 PBass so if anyone knows where that is it would be nice.

It doesn't seem that warmoth is selling the wider nut with PBass necks as they list only one width at 1 - 11/16".


Oh well ...

It might have been made of Swamp Ash, or Alder, or Basswood, or what ever could be gotten the cheapest. They were all considered equal in suitability. CBS had taken over Fender by 1965 but it was still early in their ownership so they might not have changed things too much yet. As far as the neck specs, you didn't say if you were the original owner or got it used. If you didn't buy it new it's possible it could have been a custom order of some type.
I can't remember what the original stock specs were for the neck width, and had no better luck than you finding it out. So I can't help there.

 

[Steve_Karl]

It might have been made of Swamp Ash, or Alder, or Basswood, or what ever could be gotten the cheapest. They were all considered equal in suitability. CBS had taken over Fender by 1965 but it was still early in their ownership so they might not have changed things too much yet. As far as the neck specs, you didn't say if you were the original owner or got it used. If you didn't buy it new it's possible it could have been a custom order of some type.
I can't remember what the original stock specs were for the neck width, and had no better luck than you finding it out. So I can't help there.

I got it used in a hock shop in 1971 or '72 for $175.00 (no case)
It was a really beat up looking sunburst. I carried it home on the bus in winter in a garbage bag.
So, I doubt it was a custom order.
There was too much grain for it to be alder or basswood so I'm holding onto my guess of swamp ash.
After I stripped it the grain looked like this which is swamp ash: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/70/f9/b6/70f9b62cff75e800a000c534c25837a7.jpg

 

[PhilHill]

If the grain is similar to that picture then I'd say your probably right about it being Ash. I have found some nice instruments in pawn shops over the years, especially small shops, and in the mid to later sixties custom orders weren't quite the big deal they are today, they were a bit more common. So while I see your point about it being unlikely, it's still possible that it was a special order and was either stolen or the owner fell on hard times and sold it cheap. Hard to track the lives of older instruments through the years.  :icon_thumright:

 

[Steve_Karl]

On the nut width ... I think I need to go back to the local Brick'n'Mortar, when the lock down lifts, and play the one that has the 1.73" wide nut.