Holy cow! It’s a hometown 1959 Fender Precision Bass! Purchased at a Chicago garage sale in the early ‘70s, this beautiful Three-Tone Sunburst Precision Bass is now in the capable hands of a North Side native, our vintage buyer Mike Larsen. He details for us the essential features of the ‘59, like the anodized aluminum pickguard, as well as what separates it from earlier models and why this Precision Bass is one of the finest of its kind.
The double bass, as a very large instrument, is often regarded as physically cumbersome and difficult to transport compared with smaller instruments. It was also becoming hard to hear in large bands or those that used amplified instruments, and it requires specialized skills to play that are distinct from those required to play the guitar.
The Precision Bass was designed to overcome these problems. The name "Precision" came from the use of frets to play in tune more easily than upon the fretless fingerboard of the double bass. The electric bass, however, lacks the distinctive acoustic qualities of the double bass, offering a more solid, harder-edged sound with more sustain. The bass guitar became more dominant and transformed the beat and rhythm of pop music from jump blues and swing to rhythm and blues, rock, soul and funk.
Acceptance of the electric bass was initially slow, as upright bassists looked at this new instrument with similar contempt, as guitar players did with its solid-body sibling, the Telecaster. It was vibraphonist/drummer Lionel Hampton's band that was among the first to incorporate the new instrument, with subsequent help by the endorsement of Elvis Presley's bass-player Bill Black, who was beginning to use a Precision Bass during the filming of Jailhouse Rock. It was reputed that Black became so frustrated over his initial inability to get used to playing it, he angrily threw it on the floor. Fender also delivered an early Precision to Los Angeles session bassist and arranger Shifty Henry. Monk Montgomery became the second jazz player to popularize the "Fender Bass"; first, while playing with Lionel Hampton; and then with his brother, guitarist Wes Montgomery. By the end of the 1950's the "P-Bass" was finally gaining acceptance with both rock 'n roll and country bassists, as well as guitarists who would double on the instrument; most notable, was Carol Kaye, a jazz guitarist, who as a bassist, became best-known for her work as part of the consortium of L.A. session musicians, known as The Wrecking Crew.
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Gear used in this demo:
- 1959 Fender Sunburst Precision Bass
- Fender Custom Shop 1957 Stratocaster "Chicago Special" Heavy Relic Aged Sherwood Green
- 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard: Call us for details!
- Keeley Synth 1
- Fender Rhodes Stage 73
- Ludwig Classic Maple Aged Oynx
- Ludwig 5x14 Raw Brassphonic snare
- Divine Noise Cables
Songs played in this demo:
0:00 - 01:34: Chonks by Snarky Puppy
03:15 - 04:34: One Way Out by the Allman Brothers
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