Purchased new and was essentially unplayed. Stayed in case for duration of ownership.

The Fender Custom Shop guitars are really something else. With these hand-built instruments Fender makes it very clear that they are unmistakably the boss when it comes to building the most tone-full, authentic sounding Strats, Tele's, offset's, Jazz and P basses. The degree of output, tonal range and the specific character of the Custom Shop instruments is unprecedented and incomparable. Fender's master luthiers know better than anyone how to recreate the looks and vibe of the vintage Fender's so coveted by many. The quest for that one unique vintage instrument has probably become impossible; the vintage Fenders that are still in out there an which are good and original are often priceless. On top of that, it is questionable whether you would want to actually play with such collector's items! And in that respect, Fender Custom Shop offers the ultimate solution; all the sound, look, feel and vibe of authentic Fender guitars, without the worries about playability, damage or wear (and therefore value reduction) and -relative to the pricing of vintage guitars- in a realistic price range. The Time Machine guitar collection is an incredible ode to the original pre-CBS Fender guitars. The guitars are reissues of specific years, built historically correct with impressive eye for detail and with exceptional precision. The craftsmanship is present in everything. From the materials used, to the building techniques and the looks. Time Machine guitars are available in a variety of finishes with varying degrees of aging: - N.O.S. (New Old Stock); as if the guitar came new out of the Fender workshop in the specific year it was built. - Closed Classic; as if the guitar had been stored away and forgotten since the specific year of manufacture. Unplayed, but slightly aged by time. - DLX Closet Classic; proudly owned and maintained in perfect condition. Played, but damage free and only slightly aged by time. - Journeyman Relic; played and used, but not abused. Lightly damaged and signs of wear. - Relic; played intensively for years and scarred by a life full of rock 'n roll. - Heavy Relic; the guitar has survived many years of heavy use since the 50's or 60's and has come out of it substantially battered but stronger none the less! This 1959 P-Bass has a two-piece select alder body and a tinted quartersawn maple neck. The neck and fingerboard are one piece so the trussrod is inserted through the back into the neck and covered with a "skunk-stripe". The radius is 9.5" and the neck profile is a 60's P-Bass oval C-shape. The bass has 20 Medium Jumbo Frets. The pickup is a remake '62 P-bass splitcoil with the traditional, passive volume and tone control. The bridge is a vintage P-Bass bridge with threaded saddles and the tuners are vintage style reversed. Fender's Custom Shop luthiers have mastered the craft of applying the aged look like no other. This Time Machine features a tasteful and Journeyman Relic chocolate 3-color finish with gold anodized pickguard; arguably the ultimate classic P-Bass! 1959 is a transitional year in pre-CBS Fender history; starting mid-1959, Fender introduced various changes and new production techniques. For this Time Machine, however, Fender Custom Shop have chosen to keep it in a classic 50's style. The '62 reissue pickup insinuates that this would be a bass which initially was built early 1959 and would not have been finished until 1962, which was quite common at the time. This Timemachine sounds as you might imagine from a 50's P-bass; raw, with that typical, P-bass growl, vocal mid character and a rich low end (due in part to the maple fingerboard). Included is the deluxe, original Fender case, matching accessories and, of course, the certificate.