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CBS-Era Fender Precision Bass Value Guide: 1966 to 1979
A 1966 to 1979 Fender Precision Bass usually sells for about $1,900 to $3,200 if it is from the 1970s and about $3,400 to $8,400 if it is from the late 1960s, based on Reverb sales. Edgewater Guitars, based near Cleveland, Ohio, gives free appraisals nationwide. Call or text (440) 219-3607 or text us photos.
What is a CBS-era Precision Bass worth?
Reverb's price guides split vintage Precisions into 1965 to 1969 and 1970 to 1983 builds. The figures below are retail sold prices for used basses, read in November 2026, not offers.
Years and finish | Reverb estimate | Recent Reverb sales |
|---|---|---|
1965 to 1969, original finish | $3,364 to $8,426 (246 orders) | July to October 2026: $2,600 (Good) to $7,000 (Very Good) |
1965 to 1969, refinished | $3,025 to $5,967 (80 orders) | March to June 2026: $2,650 to $6,299 |
1970 to 1983, original finish | $1,904 to $3,220 (1,750 orders) | October to November 2026: $1,600 (Good) to $3,700 (Very Good); most $2,100 to $2,300 |
Two things stand out. A late-1960s Precision is worth well over a 1970s one, and the gap is widest at the top: the best original-finish 1960s basses reach $7,000 and more. And a refinish caps the price: Reverb's refinished 1965 to 1969 guide tops out near $6,000, against about $8,400 for original finish.
Edgewater's offer lands about 20% under those sold prices, and less for a refinished or modified bass. For a 1970s Precision in Very Good condition that would sell for around $2,200, that means an offer near $1,750.
What changed after CBS bought Fender
CBS bought Fender in January 1965. The Precision Bass kept its basic design, a split-coil pickup on an offset body with a bolt-on neck, but the details changed through the late 1960s and 1970s:
Logo. The heavier transition decal of the mid-1960s gave way to the black Fender logo around 1968.
Tuners. Tuners stamped with an F arrived in late 1968 and 1969.
Finish. Thick polyester finishes replaced nitrocellulose lacquer in the late 1960s.
Fingerboard. Rosewood stayed standard, with a maple fingerboard offered as an option by 1970. The dots are pearloid, which replaced the earlier clay dots in 1964.
Body wood. Ash became the common body wood in the 1970s. A natural or blonde finish means an ash body; sunburst basses were usually alder.
Pickguard. Tortoise and white pickguards gave way to black as standard in 1974, when the thumb rest also moved from below the strings to above them.
Fretless option. Fender introduced a fretless Precision in 1970.
Why CBS-era basses sell for less than pre-CBS
Collectors pay most for pre-CBS Precisions, made before 1965. Quality is widely seen as having slipped under CBS: 1970s basses are criticized for heavier bodies, thicker finishes and uneven quality control. Late-1960s basses keep more of the pre-CBS features and hold their value better, which is why the 1965 to 1969 prices sit so far above the 1970s ones.
That does not make a 1970s Precision a bad bass. Weights vary a lot from one to the next, many play and sound excellent, and they have been gaining value as they reach 50 years old. If yours is older than 1966, see our pre-1966 Precision Bass value guide instead.
How to date a 1966 to 1979 Precision Bass
Serial number. From late 1965 to 1976 the serial is on the neck plate, a six-digit number under a large F, running from the 100,000s in the mid-1960s to the 500,000s through 700,000s by 1976. From 1976 it moved to the headstock decal, with prefixes such as 76, S7, S8 and S9 for the late 1970s.
Neck date. Remove the neck and look at the heel for a stamped or penciled date. It dates the neck, not the whole bass, and it was not applied consistently after 1973.
Pot codes. Original CTS pots carry a code starting with 137 followed by the year and week. It tells you the earliest the bass could have been wired, not the exact year.
Fender's own records say serial numbers overlap by two to four years, so use all three clues together. A neck dated years apart from the body is a sign of a replaced neck. Our Precision Bass dating guide walks through each one.
Original or modified: what we check
Finish. Original finish with honest wear is worth far more than a refinish, even a good one.
Pickup, pots and wiring. Replaced electronics lower the price. Solder joints, pot codes and the pickup tell us whether they are original.
Neck and body. A neck from a different year, extra routing in the body or new holes from swapped hardware all cost value.
Small parts. Original tuners, pickguard, bridge and covers each add to the price. Replacement parts are common on basses this age and each one counts.
What to photograph for a free estimate
The front and back of the body, the headstock front and back, the neck plate with its serial number, and the pickup and bridge. If you can, add a photo of the neck heel date and the inside of the control cavity. Send them through our free estimate form. If you also own a Jazz Bass from the same years, see our 1970s Jazz Bass value guide.
What customers say
"A VERY positive experience! ... easy to work with and no pressure ... I highly recommend them as a great resource for both selling or buying a vintage guitar." Dick Koch, Google review
"One of the absolute best people to deal with in the guitar world ... can't beat the price they offer!" Michael Kilgore, Google review
Frequently asked questions
How much is a 1970s Fender Precision Bass worth?
Reverb estimates a 1970 to 1983 Precision at $1,904 to $3,220, based on 1,750 orders, and most original-finish basses sold in October and November 2026 brought about $2,100 to $2,300. Edgewater's offer lands about 20% under those retail sales.
How much is a late-1960s Precision Bass worth?
Reverb estimates a 1965 to 1969 Precision at $3,364 to $8,426, based on 246 orders. 2026 sales ran from $2,600 in Good condition to $7,000 in Very Good condition, and refinished basses sell for less.
Is a CBS Precision Bass worth less than a pre-CBS one?
Yes. Precisions made before CBS bought Fender in January 1965 bring the most. Late-1960s CBS basses come next because they keep more of the earlier features, and 1970s basses sell for less, partly because of heavier bodies and thicker finishes.
How do I tell what year my Precision Bass was made?
Check the serial number on the neck plate (late 1965 to 1976) or on the headstock decal (from 1976), then confirm it with the date on the neck heel and the codes on the pots. Fender serial numbers overlap by a few years, so no single clue is proof.
Does Edgewater buy 1970s Fender basses?
Yes. We give free appraisals on 1966 to 1979 Precision and Jazz basses from photos, from anywhere in the country. Call or text (440) 219-3607 or use our free estimate form.
Sell your CBS-era Precision Bass to Edgewater
Edgewater Guitars looks at late-1960s and 1970s Fender Precision Basses from anywhere in the country, original or modified, with free appraisals from photos. Call or text (440) 219-3607 or request a free estimate online, and we will reply with what your bass is worth and the sales behind the number.
By Stephen Pedone, co-owner of Edgewater Guitars.
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