The 1969 to 1980 Neck Stamps.
This information was documented and written by Greg Gagliano, and was published in a 1998 article in 20th Century Guitar magazine.

About 150 Fenders made between 1967 and 1980 were examined. Of these, less than half had useable information. In most cases, the stamp was smudged beyond legibility or the stamps were incomplete. Many guitars had no stamped codes at all. Some guitars simply had the model name, such as "MUSTANG" stamped on the butt end of the neck in green or red ink.

This means two things for the owner of a 1969 to 1980 Fender. First, the chances of having an intact stamped code is about 50/50. Second, the dataset for making conclusions is relatively small and therefore, subject to change as new information surfaces. However, the interpretation of the two date code systems appears to be relatively straight forward and the conclusions were confirmed by pickup dates and pot dates in most cases.

The 1969 to 1971 Neck Stamps Explained.
This information was provided by Greg Gagliano. The neck stamp used from 1969 to 1971 can be extracted by working from the outside inward. For example, let’s take Telecaster Thinline (s/n 272207) with the code: 3320119B. Starting a the right we have the letter B. This appears to be the same neck width code that Fender had been using since 1962. The next digit denotes the year, in this case 9 = 1969. The next one or two digits denote the month, in this case 11 = November. The first one or two digits of the code, in this case 3, denotes the model. For Telecasters, Telecaster Thinlines, and Esquires that code is 3. For Stratocasters it is 22 and for Precision Basses it is 5. The other three digits (320) are perhaps some kind of batch or lot number. It could also be the number of instruments of this type produced for that month, but I would suspect Fender could make more than 999 of any one instrument type in a month. Hence it is probably a batch or lot number.

Here’s our P-Bass again (s/n 277983) with the code 529129B. Breaking up the code we get:

5 = code for Precision Bass
291 = batch or lot code
2 = February
9 = 1969
B = 1 5/8 inch neck width (correct for a ’69 P-Bass).

Neck Width.
From March 1962 to 1969, Fender marked their necks with an "official" neck width letter at the butt of the neck (in front of the date code). The "B" neck width is the normal width, as used on about 99% of all Fenders from this period. All other sizes were available by special order only. Also all pre-1962 Fender necks have a 1 5/8" nut width (though I'm sure there are some exceptions, but none I have seen).

A = 1 1/2" wide at the nut.
B = 1 5/8" wide at the nut (normal size).
C = 1 3/4" wide at the nut.
D = 1 7/8" wide at the nut.

That's the '69 P-bass that Elderly Music had, right? I'm assuming the neck was refinished, because that headstock decal is wrong for a '69.

you might find this interesting ...





found here: http://www.provide.net/~cfh/fender.html#specs

all the best,

R

I'm hoping they used a Logo from the late 50's instead, but it is hard to know.

I'm 100% sure that Fender did not put that decal on that neck in 1969. I do, however, believe the neck is a '69 Fender neck; it's just been refinished. All you have to do is take a tuner off and see if the finish has a big rust stain to tell if it's original.

....I'd personally like to believe Fender had a big parts bin full of lefty pieces and would knock out the odd lefty body and use whatever was lying around the factory, therefore my '76 P is really a mid 60's neck meets mid 70's !!! Anyway...

How did you find that out for your bass?

Sly