GuyR

I think some people heat the head of the screw with a soldering iron to expand it and break the grip of the thread as it cools. I’m sure there are other techniques.

That is an authentic looking bass. I would be inclined to give it to a professional to get the bridge off. luckily, period replacement parts for mid 70s Fenders shouldn’t be too prohibitive if required, but I think the bridge plate could be made to look ok if cleaned up. Congratulations on a handsome purchase.

https://www.guitar-auctions.co.uk/sale/234/147/1971-Fender-Competition-Mustang-Bass-guitar-made-in-USA what a shame - a really good looking mustang. Why would you do that to the scratchplate? it’s been made “player grade”

Couldn’t agree more. I’m referring to buying instruments already fitted with replacement parts.

Agreed. To me, players grade means something irreversible has been done to the instrument, fundamentally and permanently reducing the desirability as an original example. A refinish or body route alone would render an instrument “player grade” for me. A combination of “lesser sins” such as changed tuners (worse if extra holes), changed electric components, might attract the description player grade, but if so, there is hardly a vintage Fender ( I’m concentrating on 60s here) that is fully original, without some minor component, or frets replaced. It is a simple matter to substitute components like-for-like with period replacements and it isn’t too great a concern for me as a buyer. If a seller volunteers such information at the point of purchase, my confidence in the integrity of the instrument is enhanced. I’m still taking it apart, of course..

In my opinion, it’s more likely to be a warranty neck replacement or bitsa than a factory original. 2 years difference in neck & body dates for a standard production model would create enough doubt to prevent me paying the value of a full original, as it inevitably would were you to sell it on. It wouldn’t stop me buying the bass, but I’d make clear before trying it what my position money wise was. There will always be another matching numbers bass to buy if the seller won’t be reasonable.

Working fine

I have had two jazz basses professionally defretted. One rosewood board in the early 80s, which had the frets filled with fillets of a darker wood. It was fine for 30 years and I subsequently had frets reinstated by Bass Gallery. It’s still fine. Board did need a little levelling. I had a modified 62 Jazz bass which had in the past received a new incorrect maple board. I had that replaced with an unlined Brazilian rosewood board which looked lovely. I never connected with it but was not out of pocket when sold on. I recently acquired a lovely 70 maple board Jazz bass, which I’m very pleased indeed to have had the opportunity to buy. Maybe the attack is a little more “snappy” than rosewood. Maybe. I don’t think the fingerboard choice is too high on the list of factors that affect the tone. What would I do in your position with the benefit of hindsight? Sell the Squier for the best price you can and buy a used Sire, Tokai maybe a Westone or similar unfashionable fretless bass. In modification, You’ll spend significant money on your current bass and reduce its value at the same time. In addition, you will create an opportunity to go bass-shopping. Never a bad thing.

My current Jazz Bass contingent, captured for posterity. Jazz Basses are absolutely the best!!

He can clearly read the neck date, pot codes and serial number on his 1961 VVT Jazz Bass.

I don’t assume the expertise of anyone making definitive statements about vintage Fenders. I’m simply interested to know the source of your information, being keen to improve my level of knowledge if you have access to information I don’t. I have all the usual written material so yes, please do share a list, that would be much appreciated. I’m certainly not after an adversarial exchange, quite the reverse, I’m always keen to know more and I don’t consider myself more knowledgeable than anyone else here. The Blasquiz book has a perfunctory half page entry about the first version Jazz Bass where the opening statement is that the first version was introduced in December 1960, when there are neck dates as early as July 1960. He may have met Leo Fender, but his opening statement is wrong. There are multiple examples of pre-December 1960 Jazzes. We are all open to making an error. Re the late 1961 VVT examples, assuming the changeover of concentric-VVT wasn’t the last day of 1961, I don’t recall having seen a 1962 concentric pot model and all the 1961 VVT examples seem to have 1961 dated pots and late 1961 body/neck dates. Do you think the Andy Baxter examples are modified? Seems a lot of trouble to go to in order to reduce the value of your bass. I’d genuinely be very keen for you to share your insight into evidence of modification to the Andy Baxter 61 VVT examples Like everyone lease, I’m keen to be better informed.

You make some interesting points here. I tried it for ten minutes and found it a fabulous player, There weren’t pictures online at that point and, not having £18k spare, I was just casually enjoying comparing how it played in comparison to my own various examples, not scrutinising it as a serious prospect, particularly having just bought the more attractively-priced ‘70 fretless from the same consignment seller. Under the guard the paint finish does look more textured than would be expected, so maybe there is overspray, although the screw holes are free of paint or lacquer. Of course any refinishing could have been done with screws in place. I don’t see it as having belonged to the type of owner who would go to any level of effort to deceive. It was just a tool, hence the Badass. Looking closely at the back of the neck when I had it in hand, most of the back of the neck is down to bare wood, it would still greatly surprise me if that was anything other than the authentic finish. I can see now the decal looks to be in a more ‘1965’ position- is the decal not of the right 4 number type for the period? I wasn’t aware there was a different colour variant for 1962, I haven’t seen that in any of the reference books - I’d love to know the source of the information re the decals as, like anyone posting here I’m sure, I am always interested to know about any new authoritative sources of information of which I was previously unaware. Re the pickguard, I’m familiar with the correct pre-64 tort guards. You don’t think the guard is right? It certainly looks exactly the same as on my ‘62 and 64 examples, the wear is the same, the sunken tug-bar impression. Are all celluloid guards glossy on the back? Again it would be great to know the source of your knowledge to share the resource. Where I respectfully disagree with you, is that the controls must be concentric in 1961. Andy Baxter has recently sold two 61 Jazzes on his site, both VVT. One has a neck date of 8/61 and pots 20th week/61. The other has a neck date 9/61 and two original pots 20th week/61. Our own @Ricksfine52 has a 1961 VVT. The example currently for sale has one correctly dated 1961 pot and two replaced. It defies reason to go to the trouble of sourcing a sixty year old component to fake a configuration that never existed. Particularly when the concentric pot version is the more valuable. If you were going VVT to make a Jaco-alike example, you would just add a new VVT with new pots and put the stackers in the case pocket. The Bass Gallery example is being sold on behalf of executors, relatives of a session player who died. They know nothing about vintage basses and are relying entirely on the advice of the shop. The shop have no significant incentive to jeopardise their reputation in return for 15% (commission) of the uplift in value of an optimistic misdescription. Of course, all of us have the potential to make a mistake.

I’ve tried the 61 at Bass Gallery. It’s as good as vintage Jazz as you will find. It came from the same very long-term ownership as the 70 fretless Jazz and the Jazz-neck Precision. I have no doubt it is original apart from the bridge, the original one was retained and will be supplied with the bass. I’m not sure why BG don’t put a little more information in the description, but the turnover of stock suggests they manage ok as they are. I have bought 3 basses from them, ex-Pino 79 fretless stingray, oly 62 Jazz and the aforementioned 70 fretless. They get some absolutely stellar stock and they are solid to deal with.

Thanks Gents, My wife is 100% excused from buying me a present this Christmas. Thanks to Kazan for his valued second opinion & expertise.