Now this is a rare one...
Not because there aren't many vintage Fender guitars or basses that match your school bus; it is the very short production run of the "International Series" colors Fender offered only for the 1981 model season (some 1982 serial numbers have appeared also-but the line was discontinued by then). Yes, most of these guitars have a 1979 serial number but these guitars were not assembled until late in the year, 1980. with that out of the way, what exactly is an International series Fender? The easy answer is: it was a marketing ploy by Fender to try out some new colors and name them after exotic places like Maui, Sahara, Monaco, Capri and Morocco. The Monaco Yellow finish was one of the best, although many people missed their chance to get one because it was such a limited run. Fender did bring it back soon for the 1987 model year-although it was renamed "Graffiti Yellow" and was once again only available for a year or so, disappearing once again in 1989. So there you have it. Get on with it!
This vintage Fender Precision Bass was made at the original Fender factory in Fullerton California U.S.A. in late 1980 for the upcoming release of the "International Series" Custom colors for 1981. The bass shows handling evidence all over-and it appears to be 100% original condition. The bass is solid with no issues and it has been professionally set up-it is ready to go. It has just the right amount of wear: enough patina so no one will mistake it for a newer custom shop, yet still nicely broken in.
The body has the familiar Precision Bass double cutaway with front and rear contours-pretty much the design is unchanged from 1957-and why mess with perfection? The finish is bright-really bright! It has chips, scratches, superficials, dings, mars and whatever else you want to call "playing wear"-see photos. There is some wear into the finish between the pickup and fridge in a few spots-see photos. Overall, the finish looks good, and let's just say it: the color is just awesome! The backside has more of the same wear. There are a few black pecks from a strap or something near the edge-see photos. The neck pocket features the matching serial number sticker that is also on the headstock. The neck is a good fitment-a small piece of black felt is present on the treble side of the neck pocket. It's not really dong much of anything but also isn't in the way and not really visible so we left it alone. Neck joint is solid.
The neck itself is smooth and straight. Truss rod functions smooth and everything looks nice. The neck profile is the standard Precision Bass vintage C shape. The nut measures 1.63" wide. The neck girth measures .885" at the 1st fret and .960" deep at the 12th fret. The neck is very nice feeling and has that classic P-Bass feel. The tuners all function smoothly and the bass stays in tune perfectly. The headstock and logo both display excellent. The maple fingerboard is clean and very smooth-see photos. The frets have been professionally leveled, crowned, cleaned and polished, so they appear near-new condition-see photos. They are an excellent height. The action is set low for an easy playing experience. Currently, The string height is .010" at the 1st fret and .075" at the 12th fret. Of course, you can easily raise the strings with the adjustable saddles if you prefer a higher action. The bass plays like butter up and down the fingerboard. It feels smooth everywhere and the string spacing is excellent.
The pickups have an excellent signal and measures 20.29 ohms through the circuit. The circuit is in excellent condition and the controls function smoothly and quietly. The potentiometers date to the 25th week of 1978 and the 35th week of 1980 and the solder joints between them are original. The pickguard is nice and flat and the original finger-rest is present. The tone is quintessential Precision Bass: smooth highs and a thick and full low end rumble that only a Fender Bass can seem to deliver. The bridge show some patina but everything functions nicely.
The bass weighs 10.19 lbs. and it feels nice and comfortable in your lap or on a strap. The body has clean lines and looks fabulous in every light. This is a really rare Precision Bass-as I can't ever recollect seeing another one in this striking finish.
Comes with soft case for your enjoyment.
