Not often do '60s Fenders come up for sale that you don't need to mortgage the house for. This one has non-original pickups (the previous owner fitted Seymour Duncan Antiquity II pickups, and on playing it I can't say I blame him - they're amazing!), replacement pickguard, replacement pots (but genuine CTS - the originals were shot), and has had what was left of the original Sunburst finish rubbed off (but not underneath the pickguard and neckplate!), but otherwise this old battleaxe is all original. Cloth wiring, tuners, bridge cover, neckplate, body and neck are all genuine 1969.

The previous owner stripped the remaining finish off the guitar as the original Sunburst had nearly worn off in any case. I must say it has revealed a very, very nice body. 2-piece, not 3, and with a very cool patina and grain to it. Real vintage Alder. Weight is a shade under 4kg (about 8 3/4 pounds), and the bass is very resonant and 'alive'.

The frets on the bound rosewood fretboard are still the originals, and have been recently shaved and dressed. They are getting low (probably 50%), but this neck plays like butter. The frets have plenty of years left in them yet.

The body shows some cracking in the neck pocket (see the detailed pics in the 'more pictures' link below), but there is no movement at all, nor any sign that there ever has been. I'd wager that the cracks appeared in the first few years of its life, and have simply existed ever since.

So there you have it. A rough diamond, but still a diamond! And I can assure you, when it comes to both sound and street cred, this diamond shines as brightly as ever!

Case that came with this bass is a near-new SKB.

Sold to Martin

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