davidmoore Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 (edited) Hi There! This bass was sold to me as an American Fender Jazz bass in 2005 in Denmark Street I have no idea as to authenticity of it but wanted to see if anybody could help in this regard. The neck has a truss rod adjustment on the headstock and is dated 2003 at the bass of the neck. plesae ask if you need more info Many thanks Edited November 8, 2015 by davidmoore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivansc Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 Serial number will tell you all you need to know. Within a year, at least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowieBass Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 Serial number info here http://www.guitarrepairbench.com/guitar-dating/fender-serial-number.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidmoore Posted November 9, 2015 Author Share Posted November 9, 2015 (edited) Thanks very much! However i did check the serial number but can't find match for it on the fender website. Anyone know? It reads on the headstock DES 169062 Thanks for any help Edited November 9, 2015 by davidmoore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlloyd Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 That's not the serial number, but it doesn't look right. DES 169062 is the patent from an original slab bodied 53 P bass. The patent on a Jazz should read DES 187001 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlloyd Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 [quote name='dlloyd' timestamp='1447097492' post='2904865'] That's not the serial number, but it doesn't look right. DES 169062 is the patent from an original slab bodied 53 P bass. The patent on a Jazz should read DES 187001 [/quote] Actually, I've found a photo of an original 64 Jazz with the DES 169062 number. Interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowieBass Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 (edited) [quote name='davidmoore' timestamp='1447095132' post='2904839'] Thanks very much! However i did check the serial number but can't find match for it on the fender website. Anyone know? It reads on the headstock DES 169062 Thanks for any help [/quote] That's NOT the serial number, it's a registered design (patent) number - [url="http://www.google.co.uk/patents/USD169062"]http://www.google.co...tents/USD169062[/url] The serial number is often on the back of the headstock. EDIT: Beaten to it LOL. Edited November 9, 2015 by HowieBass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidmoore Posted November 9, 2015 Author Share Posted November 9, 2015 Ok thanks a lot There is no serial number then! Just this patent thing and 25 May 2003 at the base of the neck which looks authentic. I guess the patent could have been slapped on. Its a really nice neck actually. As for the body ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlloyd Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 (edited) [quote name='davidmoore' timestamp='1447098355' post='2904884'] Ok thanks a lot There is no serial number then! Just this patent thing and 25 May 2003 at the base of the neck which looks authentic. I guess the patent could have been slapped on. Its a really nice neck actually. As for the body ?? [/quote] A few more photos would help, including the date on the end of the neck and the neck plate. Edited November 9, 2015 by dlloyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidmoore Posted November 9, 2015 Author Share Posted November 9, 2015 The plate has nothing on it Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlloyd Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 Hmm. My best guess is that it's a bitsa... The body kind of looks like this American Special: http://www.ebay.com/itm/American-Special-Fender-JAZZ-BASS-BODY-HARDWARE-USA-Candy-Apple-Red-SALE-/361391356221?hash=item54249a793d The neck looks more like a Mexican Jazz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidmoore Posted November 9, 2015 Author Share Posted November 9, 2015 ok Thanks a lot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidmoore Posted November 10, 2015 Author Share Posted November 10, 2015 Any other opinions on this would be greatly appreciated Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlloyd Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 Okay, just to put all my concerns out there... The logo is fairly specific to a late 64/early 65 Jazz bass. Earlier and you would have had one less patent number and the offset contour logo would have been attached to the rest of the logo. Later and the trademark and patent numbers would have been in a different typeface. This is not a 1964 Jazz bass. I don't think it's a US neck. And while Fender Japan bring out some weird and wonderful things, I can't remember seeing a headstock truss rod adjustment with that sort of logo. The logo appears to be an aftermarket decal. The patent numbers look a bit too fuzzy but that might be the photo. The offset contour logo looks to be at the wrong angle, but it might be within normal variation (all detached offset logos I've seen are at the same angle as the Fender logo). The date on the neck is interesting and a bit more smudged than I've seen on US neck dates. But they're all over the place anyway. The body looks like an American Special or Highway 1, which were budget US versions of the Jazz bass. Neither had a headstock trussrod adjuster. The wear on the body looks really strange. Is it maybe a Highway 1 Jazz bass that's been refinished over the original paint (which is known for being delicate)? Is it a pale blue under that orange? The controls look to be wrong. Plastic knobs would be more appropriate for this style of bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidmoore Posted November 10, 2015 Author Share Posted November 10, 2015 Thanks [quote name='dlloyd' timestamp='1447187223' post='2905702'] Okay, just to put all my concerns out there... The logo is fairly specific to a late 64/early 65 Jazz bass. Earlier and you would have had one less patent number and the offset contour logo would have been attached to the rest of the logo. Later and the trademark and patent numbers would have been in a different typeface. This is not a 1964 Jazz bass. I don't think it's a US neck. And while Fender Japan bring out some weird and wonderful things, I can't remember seeing a headstock truss rod adjustment with that sort of logo. The logo appears to be an aftermarket decal. The patent numbers look a bit too fuzzy but that might be the photo. The offset contour logo looks to be at the wrong angle, but it might be within normal variation (all detached offset logos I've seen are at the same angle as the Fender logo). The date on the neck is interesting and a bit more smudged than I've seen on US neck dates. But they're all over the place anyway. The body looks like an American Special or Highway 1, which were budget US versions of the Jazz bass. Neither had a headstock trussrod adjuster. The wear on the body looks really strange. Is it maybe a Highway 1 Jazz bass that's been refinished over the original paint (which is known for being delicate)? Is it a pale blue under that orange? The controls look to be wrong. Plastic knobs would be more appropriate for this style of bass. [/quote] Thanks again Just a few points i think the patent thing looks fuzzy from the photo but its fairly clear in reality Its interesting that you mention Highway one. I read something in another forum about someone having a fender jazz 2003 (matching date on neck ) with headstock truss rod. I also found this which looks similar to the colour /style . https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=fender+highway+one+jazz+bass+2003&biw=1280&bih=682&tbm=isch&imgil=Uq5Issi6hDxXmM%253A%253BvVKeV8-77UMA_M%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.talkbass.com%25252Fthreads%25252Ffs-2003-fender-highway-one-jazz-bass-500-shipping.593603%25252F&source=iu&pf=m&fir=Uq5Issi6hDxXmM%253A%252CvVKeV8-77UMA_M%252C_&usg=__l2h7PYDUlalOgFW3Anow23Ccc-M%3D&ved=0CDwQyjdqFQoTCNDFv5rihskCFYe0DwodtxkAxw&ei=Pl1CVtCuMofpPrezgLgM#imgrc=Uq5Issi6hDxXmM%3A&usg=__l2h7PYDUlalOgFW3Anow23Ccc-M%3D The date on the neck is also fairly clear just my crap camera i think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidmoore Posted November 10, 2015 Author Share Posted November 10, 2015 Pic of body which must be deliberately roughed up Looks like grey/ silver and then white as the first coat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlloyd Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 Well, that's interesting... Have a look a few posts down this page: http://www.talkbass.com/threads/the-fender-jazz-bass-club.445774/page-41 There's a Highway 1 with headstock trussrod adjustment... I think that looks like a good match. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowieBass Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 [quote name='dlloyd' timestamp='1447192835' post='2905759'] Well, that's interesting... Have a look a few posts down this page: [url="http://www.talkbass.com/threads/the-fender-jazz-bass-club.445774/page-41"]http://www.talkbass.....445774/page-41[/url] There's a Highway 1 with headstock trussrod adjustment... I think that looks like a good match. [/quote] The headstock decal on the OP's bass is completely different though (old style). I've read that the control pots can be a guide to the age of the instrument with some form of dating code found on those but this might only be on much older basses... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlloyd Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 [quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1447197755' post='2905800'] The headstock decal on the OP's bass is completely different though (old style). I've read that the control pots can be a guide to the age of the instrument with some form of dating code found on those but this might only be on much older basses... [/quote] Yes, it's aftermarket. Probably applied at the same time the original owner beat it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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