Fender Precision Bass

Year: 1980
Finish/Color: 3-Color Sunburst
Made in: USA
Factory/Plant: Fullerton

The last of the Fullerton giants Hailing from 1980, this Precision Bass is a true Fullerton instrument, born at the legendary original Fender plant before production moved to Corona. This era of P-Bass is celebrated for its sheer authority; featuring a heavy-mass Ash body and a substantial maple neck, it produces a sustain and thump that is physically felt as much as it is heard. Clad in a classic 3-Color Sunburst, this specimen represents the final chapter of the 1970s-style build – complete with the bold headstock logo and the rugged construction that made the P-Bass the undisputed back-line king of the stadium rock era.

Did you know? 1980 was a year of major transition for Fender. While this bass retains the classic P-Bass DNA, it was produced just as Fender was beginning to experiment with Special models like the Precision Special (their first active bass). Interestingly, 1980 was also the year Fender’s ownership began to realize that their Japanese competitors were gaining ground, leading to the high-quality reissue era just a few years later. This specific bass is a rock-solid reminder of what a workhorse bass looked like at the dawn of the 80s.

Vault keepers note: Every collection needs a cornerstone. For me, this 1980 Precision is exactly that – a birth-year bass that embodies some of the the music I grew up with.