Fender Telecaster Bass Blonde 1977 Vintage Electric Bass Guitar

This is a Fender Telecaster Bass in Blonde finish. Made in the USA in 1977, this bass comes from the second run of Telecaster Basses which were available from ‘71 up to their discontinuation in 1979. The original version was introduced in 1968, and was largely a reissue of the original Precision Bass, featuring Telecaster inspired features such as the small headstock, solitary single-coil pickup and separate control plate. In 1971 the design was updated to include some of the well-known CBS era appointments including the bullet truss rod nut and 3-bolt micro-tilt neck plate. Additionally the pickguard was re-designed to incorporate the controls and Fender’s new Seth Lover-designed Wide Range pickup. The model was discontinued in ‘79, but has enjoyed several subsequent reissues as part of the Squier Vintage Modified series & Fender’s Vintera II lineup.

Naturally, a bolt-on construction is employed, and comprises an Ash body, Maple neck and 20 fret Maple fingerboard. Chrome hardware is fitted including a top-loading 4-saddle bridge with cover and Fender open-geared tuning machines. A Fender Wide Range Bass humbucking pickup is installed on the 3-ply black/white/black pickguard, and is wired to master volume & tone controls.

The Maple neck plays very comfortably, with what might be described as a ‘U’ profile. This fillsthe hand reassuringly whilst still allowing for comfortable reach in all registers and promoting ergonomic thumb positioning. The double cutaway body design offers extended access into the upper register which works well with the gloss finish to the rear of the neck, allowing for smooth navigation of the 34” scale. The frets are on the larger size, feeling similar to modern medium jumbos. These feel great under the fingers, and provide the versatility required for a wide range of playing styles and techniques.

The Wide Range Bass humbucker installed in this guitar had only been introduced in 1971, so the Telecaster bass was one of the first instruments to feature the pickup as factory standard. The Wide Range Bass humbucker makes use of 4 magnetised pole pieces rather than the bar magnet and screw arrangement of the Gibson PAF. Due to the difficulty of machining AlNiCo (Aluminium/Nickel/Cobalt) into threaded rod magnets, Fender chose to use CuNiFe magnets (Copper/Nickel/Iron) instead. As they produce less output than AlNiCo magnets, more windings were needed to produce enough output- resulting in a much larger enclosure than a typical humbucker. The tone is full-bodied and warm, filling out the bottom of the mix very nicely whilst still capturing all the snap and attack of your playing. A seriously cool instrument in astonishing condition.

This is because between ‘77 and ‘78 Fender switched from using a string-thru bridge, to a top loading bridge. This means the body of the bass does not have holes and ferrules for a string-thru bridge. Please see the pictures of the body and neck attached to the listing.

Luthier Report

Our ID: 1091125152194

Weight: 11.2lbs

Serial: S701439

Aesthetic Condition:

Headstock: Overall very good condition. The top edge demonstrates some scuffing and light indentation that does not pierce the finish. This continues around the treble side, very slightly wearing through the finish on the front edge. Light scratching to all aspects of the headstock is visible under direct light, as is common with high gloss finishes.

Neck: Overall very good condition. The fingerboard demonstrates some chipping of the finish surrounding certain frets, most notably frets 5 & 7. There is a moderate indentation piercing the finish between the D & G string at the last fret.The fingerboard edges show light to mild playwear, discolouring the finish slightly between frets 9-11 on the bass side and throughout the register on the treble side.

Body: Overall very good condition. The front face demonstrates some small chips to the finish around the bridge cover, revealing the wood beneath. The bottom edge demonstrates consistent light indentation that occasionally chips the finish. Some discoloration is also apparent. The rear face demonstrates light scratching and indentation visible only under direct lighting at certain angles. Two chips to the clear coat are apparent beneath the neck plate.

Condition of Frets:

The frets demonstrate moderate signs of use with flattening of the crown throughout the register. This does not affect playability. There is a moderate amount of material remaining for future fret work.

Current Set Up:

Truss Rod: Fully functional. Truss rod tool (1/8” hex) not included.

Hardware: Fully functional with moderate signs of use.

Structural: No concerns or issues to note.

Height of the string from the 12th Fret-mm - Bass mm

Please be aware that the action on a guitar may move slightly in transit and this measurement is the current height.

Strings on Guitar - 45-100

Electrics:

Fully functional.

Case & Accessories:

CNB soft case

The case demonstrates light signs of use. No truss rod tool included.