Fender Boxer PB-555 is a Japanese bass guitar, manufactured in 1987 at the FujiGen Gakki factory. The instrument belongs to the Boxer series, which stood out in Fender's lineup with modern design solutions. This unit features the absence of a pickguard, a dual Precision pickup layout (Double P), and an all-black finish, including the neck and hardware. After our service work, which included fingerboard leveling, refretting, and full copper foil shielding of the electronics, the bass is ready to play.

Technical specification

• Manufacturer: Fender
• Model: Boxer PB-555
• Year of production: 1987
• Body: Basswood
• Neck: Maple
• Fingerboard: Rosewood
• Frets: Medium Jumbo (Condition: 100% – new)
• Pickups: 2x Hot Rod P-4D Split-Coil
• Electronics: Passive (2x Volume, 1x TBX Tone, 3-way Pickup Selector, Series/Parallel Switch)
• Visual condition: Very good (details in description)
• Finish: Black
• Weight: 3.88 kg / 8.55 lbs

Body and construction The solid body is made of basswood. The instrument is finished in black lacquer, foregoing a traditional pickguard to showcase the pickups mounted directly into the wood. A traditional Bolt-on construction is used. In our workshop, the electronics cavities were completely shielded with copper foil. The lacquer coating went through a cleaning and polishing process.

Neck and ergonomics The maple neck features a profile similar to a "C" shape. The neck, as well as the front and back of the headstock, are finished in black lacquer. The neck is paired with a rosewood fingerboard. As part of the service work, the old frets were removed, the fingerboard was leveled, and brand new Medium Jumbo size frets were installed. The fingerboard surface was cleaned and conditioned.

Sound The instrument is equipped with two Hot Rod P-4D pickups with oversized pole pieces in a passive circuit.

• Characteristics: The dual Split-Coil (PP) layout and oversized magnets generate a signal with a strong, legible bottom end and distinct mids. The TBX (Treble Bass Expander) system allows for an additional cut of high or low frequencies depending on the potentiometer's position.
• Dynamics: The passive electronics respond to articulation strength. The use of an additional switch (Series/Parallel) allows for changing the coil connection, expanding the tonal range of the instrument, and the applied shielding lowers the circuit's susceptibility to noise.

Additional information

The Boxer series was a Japanese line of Fender instruments aimed at musicians looking for modern specifications at the time, such as PP layouts, oversized pole pieces, or all-black hardware.

The instrument retains original construction details, including the characteristic rubberized potentiometers with a stamped "F" logo (F-logo knobs).

The electronic circuit, despite its passive design, offers tone-shaping capabilities similar to active circuits, thanks to the pickup selector switch, Series/Parallel switch, and the TBX system.

The service work we performed included: fingerboard leveling, complete refretting, full copper electronics cavity shielding, finish polishing, fingerboard conditioning, and scale length setup.

Hardware

• Bridge: Fender Standard (Black) – a steel construction ensuring proper intonation and vibration transfer, finished in black.
• Tuners: Vintage Open Gear (Black) – open-back mechanisms with classic buttons. The hardware went through a cleaning process and retains its full mechanical efficiency.

Instrument condition

• Technical condition: The instrument is mechanically and electronically functional after a luthier verification. The truss rod works properly, and the frets are brand new. The switches and TBX system function correctly.
• Visual condition: The guitar is preserved in very good visual condition. Minor dings on the edges and scratches appropriate for the instrument's age (nearly 40 years) are visible on the lacquer. The instrument has no structural wood cracks.
• Setup and Modifications: Complete refretting (Medium Jumbo), fingerboard leveling, full copper foil shielding of the electronics cavities, finish polishing, and a setup of the string action for a new set of strings (45-105) were performed.

Why choose this instrument

• PP Configuration: The use of two split-coil pickups is a rare layout, offering a different characteristic than standard P or PJ configurations.
• TBX System and switches: The passive electronics with the Treble Bass Expander circuit and phase switch (Series/Parallel) provide wide tone-shaping possibilities without the use of a battery.
• New frets and leveling: The complete fret replacement and fingerboard leveling eliminate the wear resulting from use and ensure proper intonation.
• Ready to play: After our service work, the bass is fully prepared for regular playing.