recently got a 78' p bass

[Jay J.]

I recently got a 78' p bass at a garage sale, it is in great shape and I really love it. the only noticable thing with the wood is that around the edges of the fretboard that is a dark line (like that area of wood has darkened), not everywhere but in some spots. just woundering if this is a problem or a normal thing that the wood does. the neck/fretboard is all laquered.

 

it also has bartolini pickups, not sure if I should try to find some vintage ones or keep those. I am also woundering what strings sound best on these for rock/blues stuff. and any other care/maitinece stuff I should do to keep it in good shape since it is old.

 

thanks for reading all that. and thanks for any advice you give.

[BNC]

I also have a '78 Pbass. It is actually not mine, but I have been borrowing it for over 2 years It has the same exact dark spots on the neck. This happens because the laquer gets rubbed of somehow (hard playing, rings, banging into things etc.), then the dirt and sweat from your hands gets into it and turns it dark. It happens to all of them and is not a problem.

 

I have flatwounds of unkown origin that sound great! Really old school. Just be carful that they don't bend the neck due to the higher tension of a flatwound (either get low tension flats, tune down 1/2 step, or adjust trust rod).

 

If you like the Bartolinis keep them, if you ever decide to change I would get a vintage pickup, they are not too hard to find (my teacher put a 60's era pickup in his brand new Warmouth body, sounds great).

 

There is not much upkeep involved in such a bass. They are built like tanks, so once you get it set up the way you like it, play and enjoy.

[61Pbass]

As far as the pickups go, I'll second BNC's opinion on keeping the Barts unless you don't like 'em. They are the replacement of choice for many J-bass players.

 

If you decide to go the vintage tone route, another option is Seymour Duncan. They have vintage series pickups off the shelf or will custom wind anything you want.

[57pbass]

I have a 78 P Bass with a Maple neck.

It looks like the 50th Anniversary Bass that Fender is now selling.

 

It is a very nice sounding P Bass very bright mids - it has a polished fingerboard which adds to the brightness. I almost sold it a few years ago but glad I did not.

I saw it as a reissue a few years ago.

Cant beat a good P Bass.

[jeremy c]

discoloration seems to be normal on maple fingerboards.

 

For a real old precision vibe, put in a Seymour Duncan Antiquities pickup. Sell the Bart to someone else.

 

La Bella flats or Rotosounds are your two choices depending on whether you want a real thump or a little bit of grind out of this bass, if you want to be a traditional as possible.

 

Maintenance...wipe it down after you play.

 

Have fun!

[davebrownbass]

I also have a a '78 P, which I got for free in exchange for 3 months of bass lessons. It had been horribly abused by having it's poor frets ripped out, the finish taken off and the stripper left in all the cavities. I had the body refinished, but the guy didn't use the nitrocellulose filler, so the grain shows...oh well.

 

Then I had the pots replaced, and I try to play it as a fretless...However it sounds horrible...almost like too much signal is getting through...distortion or something.

 

I suspect the new pots!

 

Since the old "P" will never be vintage, and I don't want to refret the maple neck, I'd just like to make it playable.

 

Could anyone recommend a full electronic package that will sound great fretless, and will not require any routing or other mods?

 

Thanks