1990 Fender PB70-US ’70 Reissue Precision Bass, Cherry Sunburst (MIJ)

Year: 1990 (carrying an 88-89-series serial)
Finish/Color: Cherry Sunburst
Made in: Japan (MIJ / Made in Japan)
Factory/Plant: Fujigen Gakki

The PB70 recreates Fender’s 1970s Precision Bass with period-accurate details. This Cherry Sunburst example from Fujigen’s late-’80s MIJ era represents the early years of Fender Japan production when quality control and attention to vintage specs were exceptional.

This PB70-US left the Fujigen factory as an Order Made instrument. Fender Japan ran a custom-order programme alongside their standard catalogue, letting dealers and customers spec instruments outside the regular line-up: non-catalogue colours, alternative woods, hardware tweaks. Most PB70s of this era came with basswood or alder bodies in standard finishes. This one is ash, in Cherry Sunburst – a finish far more often seen on the Telecaster Bass lineage and certain Jazz Bass models than on a Precision – which makes the configuration the kind of one-off that almost never resurfaces in the same combination.

This bass did not come off a catalogue page. It came off a request slip.

Explore the history Want to know why the PB70 is the “giant killer” of the reissue world? See how to decode the serial numbers and factory origins in the Field guide to Fender Japan: Navigating MIJ & CIJ eras.