1964 Fender Presicion Bass Question

[drstrange]

Hi from Germany

I have here a 1964 Fender Precision Bass, see pictures & review (german):

http://www.guitarmaniacs.de/cgi-bin/...allery&id=4440

serial Number L20070. (Might be 1963 ?? I don't know)

Color is not original anymoore but the rest is. Originally it was foam green. (NC)



Question:
There is the Sphagetti Logo on the Headstock and three Patent Numbers.
But there is also a "DES" Number DES 187.001 . I never heared about this
DES Number and also found nothing. So please can you tell me what DES
means and what the DES Number means?

Best Regards from Germany
drstrange

[Wilko]

DES is a design patent/copyright.

Here are many of the numbers used (sorry, not the one on your bass):

Fender Patent and Design Number Guide

PAT/DES # (grant date) = Description on Application -- What it really is.
DES 186,826 (??/??/??) = ???
PAT 2,573,254 (10/30/1951) = "Combination Bridge and Pick-up Assembly for String Instruments" -- Telecaster Bridge Plate
DES 169,062 (3/24/1953) = "Original and Ornamental Design for a Guitar" -- Precision Bass Body Shape
PAT 2,741,146 (4/10/1956) = "Tremolo Device for Stringed Instruments" -- Stratocaster Synchronized Tremolo
PAT 2,817,261 (12/24/1957) = "Pick-up and Circuit for Stringed Musical Instrument" -- Humbucking Pickups used on Lap Steel Guitars
PAT 2,960,900 (11/22/1960) = "Guitar" Contour Body
PAT 3,143,028 (8/4/1964) = "Adjustable Neck Construction for Guitars and the Like" -- Adjustable Neck
DES 204,098(?) (??/??/??) = ???
PAT 3,241,418(?) (??/??/??) = ??? -- Dynamic Vibrato (probably)
PAT 3,290,980 (?) (??/??/??) = ???
PAT 3,550,496 (12/29/1970) = "Tiltable Guitar Neck Incorporating Thrust-Absorbing, Pivot and Locking Element" -- Micro Tilt Neck

[Wilko]

Found it:

DES 187,001 is a trademark for the contoured body. It seems that in 1968 they were given a patent for the contoured body (the PATENTED appeared underneath the "Contour Body", so the DES-number became obsolete, and was dropped.)

[drstrange]

So this DES 187.001 Number appears only from 1954 (first redesign of the P-Bass and shaping introduced) until the year 1968?

Thanks and regards
drstrange

[Wilko]

That number wasn't on headstocks until the mid 60s. Pat. numbers didn't show up until mid '62. IIRC.

[Wilko]

Ah... here ya go:

[drstrange]

Thanx.

This is real good stuff.

Regards from Germany

drstrange