1962 FENDER PRECISION BASS
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By March the neck butt pencil date changed to an ink stamp date. By August Fender had phased out the rosewood slab fretboard in favor of the thinner curved radius rosewood fretboard. By late year the neck pocket painting stick method was introduced, which left marks in the neck pocket. Before then, there were no paint stick markings in the neck pocket.
Other 1962 Precision bass characteristics: spaghetti logo including four individual patent numbers applied on top of the finish, Kluson no-name riveted clover reverse tuners, strapholder on headstock back, clay dot fret markers, fifth hole on neck butt for hanging while painting, body nail holes (for painting/drying), laminated tortoise shell/white/black/white pickguard, or white/black/white nitrocellulose pickguard on custom colors, ground shield under pickguard, thumb rest under G string, black bobbin pickups, ground shield under pickups, pickup cavity pencil date, chrome pickup cover and bridge cover with foam rubber string mute, Stackpole potentiometers, round orange tone capacitor, cloth wiring, ground wire route underneath bridge, coarse threaded bridge saddles, light brown tolex case with orange interior.
Serial numbers ranged from roughly 72000 to 93000, although there are many overlapping exceptions. For more precise dating cross reference the neckplate serial number with the instrument's neck butt, body date and pot codes.