1963 Fender Precision Bass – Candy Apple Red Sparkle

With an original sparkle finish, this 1963 Fender Precision Bass in “Candy Apple Red Sparkle” is an incredible piece! As we’ve written about before, most of these original Sparkle finishes were outsourced to local automotive and furniture shops as Fender was unequipped to paint using such thick flakes. This particular bass is in fantastic condition, with a couple of chips to the body that reveal the layers of paint. The reason we are calling this CAR Sparkle is due to the way the paint was applied. It is most likely a Sunburst base, followed by Fender’s signature Grey primer, layered with Black, then Silver Sparkle, and then a translucent red overcoat to finish it off. Fender also used this method with Candy Apple Red guitars, spraying a silver (or gold in later years) undercoat first, then applying a translucent red to complete the finish. This original tortoiseshell pickguard is a great contrast to the red sparkle. The neck itself is extremely comfortable in the hand, and the overall playability is excellent. This bass is entirely original, without any modifications or repairs whatsoever. 

Overall Condition: 9, light wear to the body

See it on Instagram here!