FelixGubbins Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Hi Guys, I'm after some help with a possible purchase. I've been offered what is meant to be a fully loaded JV Jazz bass body that someone bought 10 years ago. As I've been after a Jazz for a while now, obviously I'm a bit excited, but I wondered how I could tell if it's a real Fender/Squier without a neck on it. Not sure it the neck plates there or not. The body is sunburst apparently and my friend reckons it's basswood. Any thoughts? In some ways it's academic as I think I'll probably buy it anyway, judging by a friends opinion of it, but I'd like to know what I'm looking at beforehand ... Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Wazoo Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Without a neck it's a difficult task, I did have a JV Jazz in '83 and there were no marking on the body except the date stamp in the neck pocket, which in those days used to be in red ink stamp similar to that they used to have on American Fender basses. There was not a JV mark in the neck pocket or anything only on the headstock and neck plate. One thing I can tell you for sure, is that they used to be made of either alder or ash and never basswood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KK Jale Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Lots of pics – neck pockets, routing, electronics etc – at the JV forum at [url="http://www.21frets.com/cgi-bin/forum/Blah.pl"]http://www.21frets.com/cgi-bin/forum/Blah.pl[/url]. You'll need to sign up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 [quote name='Grand Wazoo' post='1197901' date='Apr 13 2011, 10:52 AM']Without a neck it's a difficult task, I did have a JV Jazz in '83 and there were no marking on the body except the date stamp in the neck pocket, which in those days used to be in red ink stamp similar to that they used to have on American Fender basses. There was not a JV mark in the neck pocket or anything only on the headstock and neck plate. One thing I can tell you for sure, is that they used to be made of either alder or ash and never basswood.[/quote] no, JV squiers were either sen ash for earlier ones and then basswood. If you see figuring like the one in my profile pic it is sen ash, if not prob basswood. Otherwise look for a slightly more curved radius on the body than current fender, the 'router hump' they copied... then if jazz it will have (off the top of my head) the grounding wire on top between the bridge and bridge pup cavity, spiral bridge, cloth wiring on the wires in the cavity no extra routing under the pickguard.... i wouldn't pay too much for it mind, really the JV squier export stuff is good, but there were many other JV guitars being made for the domestic market too, not knowing what it is at best it is a basswood body, nicely finished with vintage type hardwear and USA made pups. any stamps in the neck pocket and how does your friend know what it is? and where has he put the neck... maybe kill him to get the neck? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FelixGubbins Posted April 13, 2011 Author Share Posted April 13, 2011 [quote name='LukeFRC' post='1197970' date='Apr 13 2011, 11:48 AM']i wouldn't pay too much for it mind, really the JV squier export stuff is good, but there were many other JV guitars being made for the domestic market too, not knowing what it is at best it is a basswood body ... ... how does your friend know what it is? and where has he put the neck... maybe kill him to get the neck?[/quote] I was hoping for £100-150 maybe? The friend who has seen it is a friend of the guy selling it so it's a bit of a cold trail, but I do trust my friend's judgement. There never was a neck - I think the guy bought it as a body only (he collects guitar bits) but seeing as I'm more interested in it as a player bass rather than anything else (it's either this or buying a new Squier VM or CV Jazz seeing as I can't run to a proper Fender without express authority from management!). I'm hoping I can try it out first as I actually already have a jazz-style neck from eBay (£49) that I'm using on an old Jarock P bass that feels very nice (a bit like a VM neck, actually) so I can stick that on for now. Proper necks are a pretty penny to get Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FelixGubbins Posted April 20, 2011 Author Share Posted April 20, 2011 (edited) I've got the body now, getting a chance to try before I buy. Don't know how much it'll be yet but I'm gonna see wht I can find out in the mean time. And, good news, my jazz neck should fit straight on as well ... Edited April 22, 2011 by FelixGubbins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 [quote name='LukeFRC' post='1197970' date='Apr 13 2011, 11:48 AM']no, JV squiers were either sen ash for earlier ones and then basswood. If you see figuring like the one in my profile pic it is sen ash, if not prob basswood. Otherwise look for a slightly more curved radius on the body than current fender, the 'router hump' they copied... then if jazz it will have (off the top of my head) the grounding wire on top between the bridge and bridge pup cavity, spiral bridge, cloth wiring on the wires in the cavity no extra routing under the pickguard.... i wouldn't pay too much for it mind, really the JV squier export stuff is good, but there were many other JV guitars being made for the domestic market too, not knowing what it is at best it is a basswood body, nicely finished with vintage type hardwear and USA made pups. any stamps in the neck pocket and how does your friend know what it is? and where has he put the neck... maybe kill him to get the neck?[/quote] You sure the early ones didn't come in Alder? I could swear that my first JV (bought new when they were released) was Alder! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillbilly deluxe Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 [url="http://jvsquier.blogspot.com/"]http://jvsquier.blogspot.com/[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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