Underrated Bass Guitars: 1972 Fender Telecaster Bass
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- Опубліковано 7 жов 2024
- I seem to have a heart for bassguitars, which are a bit off mainstream. Instruments that may sound quite different to the usual suspects or which look or feel completely different.
One of these special creatures is the second version of the Fender Telecaster Bass, which was introduced in 1972
In this short video I give you some background information, a closer description and last not least a glimpse of an idea how the bass actually sounds. It is a real beast :-)
Enjoy and have a beautiful day
Oliver
©️ 2021 by Oliver Poschmann
Can't wait for Fender to re-release these monsters
Vintera 2
@@MayconZabala-ci9zkmx, I want am vintage 2 piece Ash etc
@@JL-bu8bz you won't get that
Fantastic video, with very accurate information and lovely playing. I have a '72 and '73, the former has been my main bass for over 20 years - they're more versatile than given credit for. Thanks!
Thank you very much for your kind words. Yes, I agree, they are far more versatile than people generally think - which triggered the idea to feature it as "underrated bass guitar"
This is the best video of this bass I've seen! Thanks so much for showing the overdrive sound
Daniel !
Thank you so much for your very kind comment. I am glad you enjoyed it !!! 🙏
I've lusted after these since 1972, never got one - wonderful growl to them
So was I - and when this one showed up I could not resist and happy that I emptied my wallet 😂
I had a new one of these in 1974. Wish I still had it, but at the time I didn't get on with it - and it seemed that affordable amplification then couldn't handle the output! I certainly never got it to sound as good as this!
I moved on to a 1975 Jazz...
a wonderful & informative video thank you
Thank you Craig, glad you found it useful and liked it. Much appreciated. Cheers, Oliver
Danke für die Vorstellung. Der Bass ist wirklich unterschätzt.
Gerne. Ja, er ist schon sehr speziell, sicher nicht universell, aber großartig.
In 1972, all Gibson basses (except the Thunderbird) had come with a big pickup in that neck position. I feel that was the main reason for this pickup configuration.
Great sounding bass and great bass playing - thanks for sharing 👍
Thank you very much for your kind words. Yes, it is a great sounding bass indeed.
Great sounding bass. Thanks for sharing; really enjoying your videos 😊🎶🎵👍🏼
Thank you very much. I am happy to hear you enjoy the videos. All the best !
Ollie
Great! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you ! 😊
Thank you! Love what I learned from you on this video. Subscribed!
Thank YOU ! Glad you enjoyed it and that it provided valuable information.
Fab playing.
Thank you 🙏
I bought a used 72 in 73. Used it for several years. It was a good bass but I traded it away and still regret it. Good sound great sustain. I know of several of my contemporaries who had a telecaster bass and added a p bass pick up at the bridge.
These look really beautiful in black.
Thank you!
I bought my '72 Telecaster Bass in 1986. I still use her. Great video!
Ahh, beautiful and thank you.
So you did acquire it at a time, when these basses were not considered "vintage" yet. Wonderful that it has been with you for all this time. It took me a few more years to get smart/lucky enough to find and buy one myself :-)
Great sounding bass, i think that you can also check it out with flatwound strings, i have a 2007 Squier re-edition called Vintage Modified Precision TB (Telecaster Bass) made in Indonesia and sounds excellent with Rotosound tapewounds and i think that later i will check it out with Thomastik-Infeld flatwounds as it has a beautiful upright-like tone.
Thank you for your comment. Yes, I agree that it will also sound great with flatwounds. However, I have other basses stringed with flatwounds, so there is no need for me to currently change the setup. But yes, there is no doubt that it will also sound amazing with flats :-)
Great. I also have Squier version with Roto tapewounds and with mute…great bass
Yes I have this Squier too with flats and Sounds realy dark
Its Crazy, A few years back I went into the same shop and played a offwhite tele bass... Im pretty sure it was this very bass. how cool!
Hi Joshua,
that might well be. It's a small world. 🙂
My dream bass
Fender needs to make a player series version of this
Telecaster vintera 2
Hello greetings from Holland.I am going to look for such a bass , super sound !!!
Hi Fred,
good decision :-) and good luck and success with the search for a decent one. 👍
They’re really good. I acquired one in a roundabout way.
That pickup can be almost too much but if you like a very creamy bottom heavy sound then it’s right here.
No many name players used them. Seems to be Arthur “Killer” Kane of the New York Dolls and that’s about it.
A proper BASS guitar LOL.
Kenny Gradney of Little Feat also used one in the mid 70s I believe
I've finally had the fortune to get my hands on one of these - just put the deposit down for it today - and it's a Squier body with a proper old Fender neck, looks like it's been loved, used n' abused with all the battle scars on it. It's a beautiful instrument, and when I get to play it on my Laney amp, I bet it'll sound like a fucking monster!
Brilliant video😊
Thank you, you are very kind ❤
Great bass
I have one of these necks (77) on a p bass body, since 1980. Best neck ever!
Hi Chris,
yes, the neck is amazing (if one likes a bit more wood under the fingers). I love it too.
Great sound,reminds me of my old eb2 sound
Hi Colin, it's the humbucker pickup in the neck position, isn't it? Really has some magic.
I had a 1967 Tele back in the late 70's. Put it through an Acoustic 130B into an Ampeg V4-B cab. It would move a house off the foundation, and had tone, tone, tone. It had the original P pickups then because the Tele was the original Precision Bass from Fender until - I think - 1963??? After that they changed the name to Telecaster. I sold it because my smallish hands had trouble with the fat club style neck.
Wow, you must must have owned one of the very first Telecasters, if it really was a 1967. They are really hard to find these days, much harder than the 2nd generation (like the one in my video, but mine probably was a transition model, as it still has a very chunky u-shape neck).
Below is a detailed comparison of the significant differences between the first and second generations.
#### First Generation (1968-1971)
**Pickup:**
- **Type**: Single-coil
- **Characteristics**: Provided a bright, punchy tone similar to the original 1951 Precision Bass.
**Body:**
- **Design**: Slab body
- **Influence**: Modeled after the 1951 Precision Bass, maintaining the classic and simple design.
**Neck:**
- **Shape**: Thicker, "U" shape
- **Fingerboard**: Typically maple
- **Feel**: Substantial and chunky, offering a more vintage playing experience.
**Bridge:**
- **Saddles**: Two saddles (each saddle supporting two strings)
- **Setup**: Simple and consistent with early Precision Basses and Telecaster guitars.
**Neck Joint:**
- **Type**: Four-bolt neck joint
- **Stability**: Provided a secure and stable connection between the neck and the body.
**Production Numbers:**
- **Estimate**: Approximately 7,000 to 8,000 units
#### Second Generation (1972-1979)
**Pickup:**
- **Type**: Humbucking
- **Characteristics**: Offered a thicker, more powerful tone compared to the single-coil pickup of the first generation.
**Body:**
- **Design**: Slab body (continued from the first generation)
- **Influence**: Maintained the classic slab body design but introduced new electronic features.
**Neck:**
- **Shape**: Slimmer, "C" shape
- **Fingerboard**: Maple or rosewood
- **Feel**: Slimmer and more comfortable, appealing to a broader range of players.
**Bridge:**
- **Saddles**: Two saddles (each saddle supporting two strings)
- **Setup**: Continued with the simple two-saddle bridge design.
**Neck Joint:**
- **Type**: Three-bolt neck joint with Micro-Tilt adjustment
- **Adjustability**: Allowed easier adjustability for the neck angle, reflecting Fender's innovations during this period.
**Production Numbers:**
- **Estimate**: Approximately 12,000 to 15,000 units
### Summary of Significant Differences
1. **Pickup Type:**
- First Generation: Single-coil
- Second Generation: Humbucking
2. **Neck Shape:**
- First Generation: Thicker, "U" shape
- Second Generation: Slimmer, "C" shape
3. **Fingerboard Material:**
- First Generation: Typically maple
- Second Generation: Maple or rosewood
4. **Neck Joint:**
- First Generation: Four-bolt neck joint
- Second Generation: Three-bolt neck joint with Micro-Tilt adjustment
5. **Body Design:**
- Both generations retained the slab body design, but the second generation included the new electronic features of a humbucking pickup.
@@oliverposchmannsbassguitar758 It was defintiely a 67, but had Telecaster on the headstock. Blonde, with the chunky club-style neck. Early pick guard with the small chrome mounting plate for the knobs. Now that I've re-researched these basses, I am corrected by the date of switchover to Precision/Tele. That occurred in 68, so why mine had Tele on the headstock is a mystery, but the neck was the original. Haven't thought of it in many years, but I hope it's still thumping somewhere. Back then, they were not that uncommon, and it came to me from a room mate, who got it from a want add in the local newspaper. That's how we did it back then.
Very nice video, dankeschön 😊
Thank you Paolo,
glad you enjoyed it :-)
I have the same bass. It’s all original but the finish was removed. I’m going to refinish it.
Definitely worth the extra effort to preserve it and give it an authentic look. Most of all, it's a great instrument
Ironically the Tele bass has a similar tone to the Squier Bronco bass especially when you turn the tone control down by half on the Bronco.
Dos you hear a Little distorcion in this humbucker?
Oliver - Excellent video. Thank you! I am restoring a 72 Tele Bass. Yours sounds very good. Can you tell me the value of the volume (1Meg?) and tone (250K?) potentiometers, and the capacitor (.022mfd? ) . I have researched, but have found inconsistent info. Thx
Dear Gregory,
thank you for your comment. My apologies. I don't have access to the bass at the moment and won't be able to check on those details. Good luck with your restoration project.
Bass guitars is two separate words but nice job!
Thank you ! You are 100% correct, so I corrected it 🙂🙏
This bass is not underrated. It is exactly on the place which deserves. Sting's variant of P bass is thousand times better.
“Thank you for sharing your thoughts! I completely agree that Sting’s Precision Bass, to my knowledge an original 1951 model, is an outstanding instrument with a legendary sound and a special place in music history. It’s iconic for a reason!
That being said, my video was meant to highlight how the 1972 Telecaster Bass, with its humbucker pickup, brings its own unique voice and feel to the table. It may not have the same universal recognition as the original P-Bass, but I believe it deserves more love for the tonal variety and character it offers. Both instruments have their own strengths, and in my opinion, this 2nd incarnation of the Telecaster Bass brings something special that’s often overlooked. Thanks again for engaging with the content!”
too bad I traded one of these some 30 yrs ago for a Guild Acostic guitar.
Oh, we all have dome silly things over the course of time - me not being an exception
what strings were you using?
Ernie Ball Slinky, but taken from a 5-String set, which is slightly different from the 4-string set they offer. Gauges: 045 - 065 - 080 - 100