LeftyBassist.com

If this is the real deal it's a real steal...
Didn't the 76 have a serial number in the neck plate?
This one has one on the neck and it still looks weird...
Also the back of the body is all black... I've never seen that in any sunburst finish...
Looks real fishy specially for that price.
https://reverb.com/item/5823732-vintage ... urst-maple
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_o_oj9B0NQ

Not a factory finish, not a factory decal.

I have a 76 Jazz and the serial number is all the same font. It isn't not on that one.

Guys, that 76 decal/ serial number is legit. I've seen Fender 76 serial number necks on a few occasions on both basses and guitars, and in both matching fonts and the font shown on this bass. IIRC from the Fender forum these were unique to the initial 1976 transition period of serial number from the neck plates to the head stocks.

Here's a couple other examples:

1976 Strat


1976 Precision


... And a thread on Talkbass where this very topic came up:

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/1976-f ... s.1281839/

You know what, I just looked more closely at the decal too. Earlier it looked like it was all black, but now I see that it has a gold outline like it should. Still, that paint job is either a terrible refin or a non-Fender body.

Yeah, it definitely looks like a legit Fender body to me but as the seller pointed out in the listing "The back of the bass was poorly refinished in black by the previous owner"... still as Paulo says, as "the real deal" it's a real steal at that price. I really like the character of the original front finish... good candidate for a better refin job of maybe just the back... or redo the whole body in a Fender custom color?

It's confusing but most of the 76 basses that I've seen had the serial only on the neck plate and not on the headstock but last night I saw one on Ebay that had the same look, even the font was the same on the numbers so I guess that was the real thing.
That was indeed a steal!

I'm assuming there's no such thing as a factory PJ P bass from 1976. The rout looks bad and the controls are poorly spaced.

Yeah, the decal is legit.

Sorry guys but I don't think that decal is original. The numbers following the 76 are the wrong font. I have never seen a thin font like that on any lefty decals. The font should be like this one in the pic below. Board member BBL has a 76 Jazz. He could match the decal if it even matters.

Confusing Jim but I also saw a couple listings of right handed one with the exact same font, the 2 first numbers bigger than the rest... If I find I'll post it here!

Paulo, It's the 5 digit font, not the smaller numbers following the year. Like I said it really doesn't matter but I suspect the decal or serial maybe 3rd party. If I am wrong, no big but I have seen a lot of lefty Fenders from the 70's and it just doesn't look right (<- no pun)

Maybe its a 76 P bass thing (serial ending). I actually haven't seen a real 76 P. I know the Jazz basses use different fonts. Ill leave this thread alone as I am more on top of the Jazz basses.

Yep, no biggie, just playing Sherlock Holmes for the fun of it!
Look at this one, the serial also matches the sticker under the pickguard:

https://reverb.com/item/5872853-1976-bl ... h-nut-ohsc

It's the 76 only on the P (75 had the decal in different location). I just confirmed too. I have never seen an actual 76 P bass. The 77 and 78 are different per my comments. Here's my 78.

Thanks Sherlock for clearing that up

Thanks Sherlock for clearing that up [/quote]
Another mystery solved!