The Precision Bass first appeared in 1951 and gave bass players a fretted, amplified instrument in place of the upright. The Vintage Custom 1951 Precision Bass recreates that first year: a slab two-piece select ash body in Nocaster Blonde flash coat lacquer, a quartersawn maple neck with a maple fingerboard, and a single '55 P-Bass pickup with master volume and tone.
The 1951 "U" carve is a full, rounded neck, the nut is 1.70" wide, and the 7.25" radius feels round under the fretting hand. The 2-saddle bridge has fiber saddles, as on the early basses, and the pickguard is single-ply black. The finish is unaged, with the grain showing through the thin lacquer.
For an aged early P Bass, look at the 1954 Precision Bass Journeyman Relic. The Vintage Custom '57 P Bass moves to the split pickup design that came later.
It comes in Nocaster Blonde with a maple fingerboard.
The photos show one example. Wood grain and aging vary from bass to bass, so the one built for you will differ in the details.
SPECIFICATIONS
BODY
Country of Origin: USA
Body Material: 2-Piece Select Ash
Body Finish: Flash Coat Lacquer
Body Shape: Precision Bass
Pickguard: 1-Ply Black
Aging: NOS
NECK
Neck Material: Quartersawn Maple
Neck Finish: Flash Coat Lacquer
Neck Shape: 1951 "U"
Fingerboard Radius: 7.25" (184.1 mm)
Fingerboard Material: Maple
Position Inlays: Black Dot
Number of Frets: 20
Fret Size: Vintage-Style
Truss Rod: Vintage-Style Heel Adjust
Nut Material: Bone
Nut Width: 1.70" (43.2 mm)
Scale Length: 34" (864 mm)
ELECTRONICS
Bridge Pickup: '55 P-Bass
Pickup Configuration: S
Controls: Master Volume, Master Tone
Switching: None
HARDWARE
Bridge: 2-Saddle Vintage Precision Bass with Fiber Saddles
Hardware Finish: Nickel/Chrome
Tuning Machines: Vintage-Style
Control Knobs: Knurled Flat-Top
Strap Buttons: Vintage-Style
Strings: Fender USA 7250M Nickel Plated Steel (.045-.105 Gauges), PN 0737250406
CASE
Case: Deluxe Hardshell