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I'm not really a bass guy, but when I saw this 1963 Precision bass body on sale locally (with an unbelievably good price tag), I had to pull the trigger. It looks beautiful with its cheap tortoise guard. It has been stupidly routed, but I'm planning on maybe giving it some love



The only original parts are the bridge, pickup, thumb rest, L serial backplate with its screws and one strap button. The paintjob looks like a CAR or even a Dakota Red, but this is a refin, right? Maybe from a sunburst? On this pics you can look at the neck pickup cavity with a little yellow underneath, as well as the worn spot. I'm in no way an expert on Fender paintjobs.







Terrible pic of under the bridge. Is this the original black part of the sunburst or black primer?? and what's up with the "65" marking? Sorry for the confusion, thanks already guys!

Looks to me like a CAR refin over sunburst, but I'm no expert. Probably not a professional job, and definitely pretty old by now. I think one of the previous owners tried to rout it out for a TB pickup or some kind of soapbar based on the shape of that rout.

It was definitely sunburst, originally. I see primer and remnants of other paint colors, or fillers, before the red, which doesn't look to me like a true "candy", but just like a one-shot pearl red.
It needs an oversize guard to cover up the "unpleasantness", as I like to call things like that.

That looks a great bass that's seen some action!

I think if it was mine, I'd leave the worn finish as-is, and get a nice guard made, oversized as Sweetfinger suggests, but try to design it so that it just covers the route and screw holes, but isn't obviously different from a regular precision guard.

Have you got a neck for it?

That's a great looking finish! Fender often did custom colours over sunbursts, so the fact it's wearing through looks legit even if it's not.

I'd fill that hole and touch it up rather than mess with oversized scratchplates... it's only a tiny strip showing

Yes, please patch that hole. Think of the children!