59 Fullerton Red P Bass

[jersey bluesdude]

https://www.gbase.com/gear/fender-precision-1959-red

[Bootsy]

Ahhh they put a price tag on now

[bbl]

1959.

Is this the earliest lefty P we know of?

Anyone remember an earlier one?

[gravesbass]

I saw this listing a bit ago. What a gem. I think it's the earliest I have seen. Only this and 1960's P basses in lefty. The price is a lot but its a rare bass... for the wealthy collector.

[jersey bluesdude]

1959.

Is this the earliest lefty P we know of?

Anyone remember an earlier one?

My old friend Albert Molinaro who used to own Guitars R Us in LA
owns a lefty 55 2 tone sunburst P.

[paulo]

I've once bought a 76 P from a guy who said he had a 53 P lefty.
But I've never got to see it so that doesn't count

[crescenze]

There's a picture of a sunburst 55 on page 13 in " The Fender Bass" an illustrated history.

[Bootsy]

Alberts 55 sunburst is definitely the top favourite for the earliest lefty fender bass built and existing
Then comes this nice custom colour red 59 which is for sale for quite a while
I have then seen 2-3 1960 sunburst within the last months
Then there is this awesome 1960 lefty Jazz bass in blonde from Joe LaBracio (The Four Seasons) which was for sale in 2002 I guess

[bbl]

Joe Long's 60 Jazz and the 60 P currently for sale in Japan.

(Both apparently were owned previously by VintageSalesInc (tune_o_matic).)

https://www.instagram.com/p/6p0BLFC_-G/

Another sunburst 60 P sold by Lefty Vintage Guitars:

http://www.leftyvintageguitars.com/left ... fty-basses

Then Albert Molinaro's 55 P.

Then this 59 P on Long Island in the OP.

The only thing more fun to me than Fender history is lefty Fender history.

[jersey bluesdude]

That 60 P bass sold by LVG was mine for about 12 years.
I bought it from Norm Harris in 1980 for $1250. and sold it to Mandolin Bros in around 1992.
It had a great flamed maple neck.
I also owned another 1960 P I got from Frank Lucido at Hollywood guitars.
I traded that one for a 1984 Lefty Steinberger L in 1987.

Albert who I went to high school with plays righty and says he'll hold the 55 for me
in case I ever win the lottery. Spoke with him last year and he was looking for 50k for it.

[Bootsy]

Thanks for these great stories jersey bluesdude.
In my opinion the story of an old vintage bass, who played it, who traded it for what and the people who got to know each other is more important than the crazy price tags these days. No normal musician can ever afford these prices…

[jersey bluesdude]

You're welcome Bootsy.
Here's the website for Albert's current endeavor Elite Guitars

https://www.eliteguitars.net/about

[Bootsy]

@bbl:
Do you have a link/website for the Japanese offers on the Joe Long's 60 Jazz and the 60 P, as you wrote they are currently for sale in Japan.
Can't find anything
Thanks

[jersey bluesdude]

@bbl:
Do you have a link/website for the Japanese offers on the Joe Long's 60 Jazz and the 60 P, as you wrote they are currently for sale in Japan.
Can't find anything
Thanks

Don't want to step on BBL's toes.
Here's the link for the 1960 P bass that PJ Muck posted
https://www.ebay.com/itm/266239971743?h ... R7L29a36YQ
Don't know about Joe Long's 60 Jazz except it was sold quite a few years ago

[bbl]

It's just the P up for sale from Japan right now.

I missed a comma or a period there.

[bbl]

also owned another 1960 P I got from Frank Lucido at Hollywood guitars.
I traded that one for a 1984 Lefty Steinberger L in 1987.

So that makes 3 lefty 1960 Precisions that we know of? And you've owned 2 of them?

And the one you haven't owned is currently for sale.

[jersey bluesdude]

also owned another 1960 P I got from Frank Lucido at Hollywood guitars.
I traded that one for a 1984 Lefty Steinberger L in 1987.

So that makes 3 lefty 1960 Precisions that we know of? And you've owned 2 of them?

And the one you haven't owned is currently for sale.

In the late seventies/early eighties lefty early to mid 1960's fenders were pretty easy to find and only cost between 600-1250.
They weren't called vintage but rather Pre-CBS.
We Buy Guitars on 48th St always had a few lefties and all the many Los Angeles/Hollywood dealers had at least one.
I bought a 65-66 Candy Apple Red Jazz with matching headstock, blocks and binding in 1982 from Frank Lucido @ Hollywood Guitars for
$650. Can't imagine what that would go for in today's market.

[jersey bluesdude]

also owned another 1960 P I got from Frank Lucido at Hollywood guitars.
I traded that one for a 1984 Lefty Steinberger L in 1987.

So that makes 3 lefty 1960 Precisions that we know of? And you've owned 2 of them?

And the one you haven't owned is currently for sale.

Found this photo from 1986
l/r 1960 P BASS 1966 JAZZ 1969 REISSUE GIBSON EB-1 (FLIPPED TO LEFTY) AND ANOTHER 1960 P

[wolfkeller]

Man so awsome. I just want a 73 and I'll be a happy camper

[bbl]

also owned another 1960 P I got from Frank Lucido at Hollywood guitars.
I traded that one for a 1984 Lefty Steinberger L in 1987.

So that makes 3 lefty 1960 Precisions that we know of? And you've owned 2 of them?

And the one you haven't owned is currently for sale.

Found this photo from 1986
l/r 1960 P BASS 1966 JAZZ 1969 REISSUE GIBSON EB-1 (FLIPPED TO LEFTY) AND ANOTHER 1960 P

Lawdy, this is one of the best pics I've ever seen on this site. Thanks for sharing!

I'd be so happy to own those. Pete, is this your happy face?