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What differences might you find between a 75 vs a 78 Fender Precision?

I know the headstock logo will be different. 75 is probably & less chunky neck.

collicsws6z28 wrote:What differences might you find between a 75 vs a 78 Fender Precision?

I know the headstock logo will be different. 75 is probably & less chunky neck.

I think the necks are pretty much the same from those years. The logo on the 75 is only the Fender logo below the A string and the 78 Logo is at the far headstock below the G string (or E if your strung righty ). If there is a difference in neck, I am unsure. I thought they were the same chunkier necks. The chunk "IS" a big part of the killer tone of the older basses.

My '73 and '77 Precisions have nearly identical "B" necks in look and feel, but with different style headstock logos. In fact both basses are more similar than different.
There may be more heavy weighing late 70's P basses, but I think that's only because I think there are more left handed '78 Fender basses than the rest of the 70's years put together. But you can find lightweight examples throughout the 70's too. Both of mine are quite light weight.

andrew wrote:My '73 and '77 Precisions have nearly identical "B" necks in look and feel, but with different style headstock logos. In fact both basses are more similar than different.
There may be more heavy weighing late 70's P basses, but I think that's only because I think there are more left handed '78 Fender basses than the rest of the 70's years put together. But you can find lightweight examples throughout the 70's too. Both of mine are quite light weight.

Very good info. So it sounds like in your case one doesn't play or sound better than the other.

Still looking to close a deal on a late 70s. Still haven't found exactly what I am looking for

collicsws6z28 wrote:Still looking to close a deal on a late 70s. Still haven't found exactly what I am looking for

What are you looking for? Specific year, wood, or color combination?

last Tuedsay i tried a 78 P and it was sonically consistent with the one i owned in the past. Maybe just a little more mids and highs. Anyway my opinion of late 70s Ps (expecially on the ash / maple ones) is that they are great but they are not for every musical situation. They work well with tone full open, great Rock / Punk / Alt / Wave sound, but if you close the tone, everything disappear and you get a quite useless tone IMHO. I'd like to give a try to a early 70s P but i never had the chance.

cangaroo wrote:last Tuedsay i tried a 78 P and it was sonically consistent with the one i owned in the past. Maybe just a little more mids and highs. Anyway my opinion of late 70s Ps (expecially on the ash / maple ones) is that they are great but they are not for every musical situation. They work well with tone full open, great Rock / Punk / Alt / Wave sound, but if you close the tone, everything disappear and you get a quite useless tone IMHO. I'd like to give a try to a early 70s P but i never had the chance.

Agree. I play classic rock and have a '79 maple and its perfect. I have the tone just short of full open. It's heavy, 4 hrs of practice today and I started feeling it some in my back, but worth it. I might be having a fire sale very soon of my other basses...