Fender Announces Limited Edition Collection and Original Video Series to Celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Precision Bass®

Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC), based in California and led by CEO Edward 'Bud' Cole, has announced the '75th Anniversary Precision Bass Collection' to celebrate the 75th birthday of the Precision Bass®, one of the world's most significant and widely recognized bass guitars. Alongside this, an original video series titled 'Lowdown on the Low End,' featuring renowned bassists discussing the instrument's allure, has been released.

'I've tried other basses, but none are as balanced as the P Bass. It becomes like a part of your own body,' said Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath.

In the early 1950s, as big band stages flourished, it became difficult to secure enough volume with upright basses. Consequently, founder Leo Fender developed the Precision Bass in 1951, incorporating the design philosophy of the Telecaster while adopting a double-cutaway body to improve balance during play. This became the world's first mass-produced electric bass and a presence that changed the history of music forever.

While the Telecaster used a single cutaway, the Precision Bass introduced a double-cutaway body with two sharp angles—a practical innovation designed to improve the balance of the longer and heavier neck. This bold new silhouette had a massive impact and, just a few years later, became the direct inspiration for the Stratocaster's body shape.

By the 1960s, the Precision Bass had become a staple in studios and on stages. Brian Wilson was a devotee of this model, and its tone can be heard across all works by The Beach Boys. Beyond pop music, legendary session musicians like James Jamerson and Carol Kaye played the Precision Bass on numerous Motown classics. As rock and roll became more prevalent, the presence of the Precision Bass grew as well. Legendary bassists like John Entwistle, Dee Dee Ramone, Roger Waters, and Geezer Butler led the instrument into an aggressive and energetic new era, proving it could hold its own amidst distorted guitars, thundering drums, and powerful vocals.

Today, the Precision Bass remains as vital as ever, used by some of the most highly regarded bassists in modern music, including Mike Dirnt (Green Day), Duff McKagan (Guns N' Roses), Nate Mendel (Foo Fighters), Steve Harris (Iron Maiden), Pino Palladino, and Tony Franklin.

Justin Norvell, EVP of Product at Fender, stated: 'The Precision Bass didn't just change the sound of the bass guitar; it expanded the possibilities of popular music itself. 75 years later, its legacy lives on and continues to evolve. From the swamp ash body and single-coil pickup of the original 1951 model to the steady evolution that kept it at the heart of music for generations, and now the Thunderbolt™ pickups that make it feel like the best chapter is yet to come—we wanted to honor the entire story through this 75th Anniversary Collection. These models are authentic instruments built for intense play, and we are proud to deliver them to the players who will write the next chapter.'

Launched at the 75-year milestone, the '75th Anniversary Precision Bass Collection' features three global models and two Japanese models inspired by the instrument's journey from an outlier to an industry standard. These limited models combine classic Fender design and originality with modern elements, offering infinite possibilities to players regardless of genre, style, or technical level.

The '75th Anniversary American Vintage II 1951 Precision Bass®' features an ash body and a nitrocellulose lacquer finish.