Fender Precision Basses: 1951-1954

A really nice book on the uneven history of the Fender bass. One fact remains about the Fender bass. Leo brought the first ones out in 1951, and that era bass is still a 100% usable instrument to this day. The history of the Jazz bass, with early pickup designs first using the Fender Jazzmaster style pickups, to the odd Fender five string bass with a high "C" string, to the Fender named Hootenanny strap button located on back of the headstock, it's pretty much all here. Famed Fender custom shop builder Jay Black was part writer for this book. I knew Jay in Kansas City back in the eighties and had him work on several of my guitars and basses. The guy knows his stuff. You get to see the company trying to find a nitch handhold when a lot of other companies are putting out some fantastic state of the art instruments(Steinberger, Zon, Wal, Yamaha.....). The Fenders just seemed so..yesterdays coffee grounds in the trash. Fender finally started their vintage reissues and the buyers finally got to pick up a fine, original style Precision or Jazz bass without searching for five years to fine the "one". A damned good book on the history of the bass that changed music like no other of its era.

This is about the early Precision Basses Leo brought to life. A wonderful book with lots of detailed pictures of this GREAT bass. Lots of interesting information too. Not aware of its excistence I stumbled upon it in an Amsterdam music shop. Not for sale. As a 1974 P-Bass player I just had to have this book, so I ordered a copy at Amazons. Will I ever play a early fities P-bass? I don't think so! This book just brings me a little closer to that holy grail.

Although there has been much written on the history of Fender guitars never has an author captured the beauty and essence of the early 50's Precision Bass Guitars as Detlef Schmidt has in this publication.Loaded with beautiful photos and great information for the novice as well as the seasoned collector. This book will surely remain as the premier source for information on these early basses for many years to come. Well worth the price of admission. Get your copy today...you won't be dissapointed.

If you love bass guitars, especially Fender Precision Basses... you'll drool cool over these fantastic photo displays of your favorite basses. Detlef Schmidt did an outstanding job relaying this. And he is working on a new book about one of the foremost musicians who played this bass. His name is Keith Ferguson (RIP) formerly of musical bands: Tailgators and Fabulous Thunderbirds from Austin, TX

Excellent history of Leo Fender's first electric bass guitar design for the Precision Bass, with lots of pictures and text. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the genesis of the electric bass guitar, and how it changed popular music forever.

Very good book well written, great stories, great photos and information!

I got my copy from Amazon the other day.Vintage eye-candy for sure!Detlef did a great job on this book. Very nice, detailed photos, along with old B & W photos,some I've seen before but still very cool!- Rick "Bones" Evans

Said it all in the title. I was looking for the one on the telecaster Blackguard that I had been told about. The search brought up this book and without looking more closely at it I just bought it.If you're looking for the definition of DUMB do a search and my picture comes up....Thanks

Ótimo livro.

Bellissimo libro per la storia del primo precision. Centinaia di foto a colori e bianco e nero. Da vero appassionato.

Les photos sont extraordinaires ...

Very good, accurate and detailed information on the development and history of early Fender basses. Great pictures with very sharp detail shots.

Purchased this as I am a Fender bass nut. I own two of the original japanese '51 reissues (with the proper, large, flush rear string ferrules). Am now re-speccing them with the aid of this book. All I need is a tortoisehell pickguard like the beauty on page 29. Gear porno for purists!