Fender celebrates the75th Anniversary of the Precision Bass, one of the most important and universally recognized bass guitars in both tone and aesthetic.
“I tried other basses, but nothing had the balance of a P-bass,” said Geezer Butler.“ It becomes part of you.”
As big band stages grew louder in the early 1950s, upright basses couldn’t keep up. In 1951, Leo Fender introduced the Precision Bass, adapting cues from the Fender Telecaster while debuting a double-cutaway body that improved balance and redefined electric design, later influencing the Fender Stratocaster. Where the Telecaster featured a single cutaway, the P Bass introduced something new: a double-cutaway body with two distinct horns, a practical innovation designed to improve balance on the longer, heavier neck.
This bold new silhouette proved so influential that it went on to directly inspire the body shape ofthe Fender Stratocaster just a few years later. By the 1960s, the P Bass had become a fixture of the studio and stage. Brian Wilson favored the model and it can be heard across the Beach Boy’s discography. Outside the realm of pop, session legends like James Jamerson and Carol Kaye used the Precision Bass on some of Motown’s most memorable hits. As rock and roll became more and more prevalent, so did the P Bass. Behemoths like John Entwistle, DeeDee Ramone, Roger Waters and Geezer Butler helped usher in a new and more high octane era for the Precision Bass and proved that it could still shine against a backdrop of distorted guitars, thunderous drums and wailing vocals.
“The Precision Bass didn’t just change how bass guitar sounded, it changed what was possible in popular music,” said Justin Norvell, Chief Product Officer, Fender Guitars. “75 years later, that legacy is still alive and evolving. With this collection, we wanted to honor every chapter of that story: the swamp ash body and single-coil pickup of the 1951 original, the purposeful evolution that kept the P Bass at the center of music for generations, and the Thunderbolt™ pickup that suggests the best chapter may still be ahead. These are serious instruments built to be played hard, and we’re proud to put them in the hands of the players who will write what comes next.”
The 75th Anniversary Precision Bass Collection draws inspiration from every chapter in the P Bass’sj ourney, from oddity to industry standard. Each of the three limited edition models bring together classic Fender design and ingenuity with a modern flourish to provide players with an instrument that is endlessly capable, regardless of genre,style or technical ability. The American Vintage II 1951 Precision Bass®exudes retro swagger with an ash body, nitrocellulose lacquer and thumpy single coil Precision Bass pickup—just like the authentic model that started it all. The 75th Anniversary American PJ Bass™ is the P Bass at its most finessed, outfitted with a flame maple top, smooth rolled fingerboard edges, “supernatural” satin finish and an additional Jazz Bass pickup for added articulation. Lastly, the Player II Precision Bass® is a testament to the power of modern day Fender craftsmanship. While the striking Diamond Dust Sparkle finish is sure to turn heads, the Thunderbolt™ Precision Bass® pickups prove that this bass guitaris so much more than something pretty to look at. The Player II delivers rich, velvety low end yet retains stunning clarity to ensure players can cut through even the thickest mix.
