'57 fender precision
japanese re-issue circa 2004
Another before and after job. Fender Japan don't take their re-issues to the N-th degree like the Americans. When I bought this last year it had no ash trays, finger brace or the period-correct anodized pickguard. Candy apple red was a bit of a worry too but I loved the maple neck so I bought it anyway. I got the ash trays and stuff easily enough but the single ply starkly white pickguard was giving me the shits and had to go. Next to the yellow gloss lacquer of the fingerboard it stuck out like Dolly's knockers! I found a guy on the internet to make me a custom guard. Tony Dudzik of Pickguardian in Columbus Ohio is worthy of my highest praise. He doesn't charge extra for lefties though many of his competitors do, he answers each and every question in one email which nobody else does and does a superb job. He's a Rickenbacker fan and after seeing a 330 on his site I went for a clear plexiglass guard with a gold painted back. Much more serviceable than the flimsy aluminium plates but with the retro look I was after.
When the white one is finished I will figure out which one to sell
but knowing me I'll probably keep them both and buy a jazz as well!
A few years down the track and 2010 seems a good time to update the story of this bass.
It now looks like this....(and I found out it's ten years older than I thought it was!)
