Vintage Fender Jazz Questions

[Sparky88]

Hi all,

As a project for lockdown I've decided to refinish and rewire my Roadworn Fender Jazz (I've never liked the fake looking wear). I'm trying to make it as close to vintage accurate as possible so was hoping someone here might be an expert of 60s Fender Jazzes and be able to answer a couple of questions? 

1) I am refinishing it in a vintage style 3 colour burst, with an almost opaque amber centre, wide red band and black. I've seen a video where a painter from the Fender Custom Shop explains the black they use for bursts isn't actually black but instead a very dark brown (Dark Salem I think he called it) but was unsure whether this was the case back in the 60s too? I've collected a bunch of reference images and in some they look black, others look dark brown, so does anyone have any experience whether the black on a genuine 60s Jazz bass is black or dark brown?

2) I'm making a brass oval shielding plate for inside the control cavity. The brass plates under the pickups solder to this too, but I've noticed in a number of photos that the oval plate has two large blobs of solder at either end that don't appear to attach to anything. Does anyone know what these 2 solder points were for? I can't imagine Fender would have done them without good reason? 

Thanks!

 

 

[Jonse]

I can't really comment on the paint colour, but I've heard of it being dark brown and not black before. 

Regarding the solder, the control cavities are often coated in a metallic shielding paint. Looks as though those blobs of solder could be connecting the brass plate to the paint, so as to retain continuity. 

I could be totally wrong of course. 

[Sparky88]

24 minutes ago, Jonse said:

I can't really comment on the paint colour, but I've heard of it being dark brown and not black before. 

Regarding the solder, the control cavities are often coated in a metallic shielding paint. Looks as though those blobs of solder could be connecting the brass plate to the paint, so as to retain continuity. 

I could be totally wrong of course. 

Thanks for your reply. 

I did wonder if the solder on the ends was to connect it to a side piece, but from what I've seen it's just one piece with no shielding paint in the cavity. 

 

[Muppet]

At each end of the brass plate are two triangular bits of aluminium called glazier points I think. They are driven horizontally in to the wood over the plate to hold the plate in place and stop it rattling around. The solder is applied over the top of the little wedges to hold them in place. You can see them in your photo once you know what you’re looking for!

[Sparky88]

13 minutes ago, Muppet said:

At each end of the brass plate are two triangular bits of aluminium called glazier points I think. They are driven horizontally in to the wood over the plate to hold the plate in place and stop it rattling around. The solder is applied over the top of the little wedges to hold them in place. You can see them in your photo once you know what you’re looking for!

Thanks!