Leo Fender's Original Design
Leo Fender created the Precision Bass to give upright bass players a more portable and amplified option, releasing the first model with a single-coil pickup that was later updated to the split-coil P-bass pickup in 1957.
Design Refinements Through the Decades
The 1950s models featured a one-piece maple neck, while 1960s versions added rosewood fingerboards and bound bodies; CBS-era instruments from 1965 onward introduced larger headstocks and three-ply pickguards before Fender returned to vintage specs in the 1980s.
Notable Artists and Signature Models
Paul McCartney popularized the P-Bass on Beatles recordings, Sting used a 1950s model throughout his Police and solo career, and Fender has issued artist editions for players such as Mike Dirnt and Nate Mendel.
