Fender Jazz authenticity?

[tomthebass]

Hi folks,

Just bought a Fender Jazz American and have some doubts about the authenticity. Missing lacquer from the headstock suggests addition of transfers, and the stamp in the neck pocket 'S47843' doesn't match the serial number on the headstock N900765.

Any advice on validating? It's a decent instrument but obviously resale value will be hit hard if it's not authentic...

Thanks for any suggestions,

Tom

[Muppet]

Have you got any more photos?  Straight on headstock front and back, full body etc? You've only provide two that are a bit abstract, but.....

Looks like an American Traditional to me.  It was a sort of budget American model halfway between an Mexican and USA model at the time. The tuners will look like mexican ones if so. I think these  Jazzes came with one piece pickguard and stratocaster type knobs originally...

[Muppet]

Those tuner bushes look mangled and the truss rod adjustment is at the headstock which would fit with a Traditional model. No idea why the decals are rubbed off in those places...The Fender logo looks legit but better photos would help. 

[ikay]

Here's an American Traditional headstock for comparison. The small decal at the top should read 'American Traditional'. The tuners in the original post look like they've been upgraded to vintage tuners with straight posts.

In the neck pocket, above the S47843 there's a faint date stamp - looks like 1999 which would tally with the N9 serial number.

Edited June 17, 2020 by ikay

[Beedster]

I had one of the Trads and it was a very nice bass

[ClassicVibes]

The neck pocket looks like it says JAN 06 1999 to me. This would check out with the serial number on the headstock. 

[Beedster]

1 minute ago, ClassicVibes said:

The neck pocket looks like it says JAN 06 1999 to me. This would check out with the serial number on the headstock. 

Well spotted

[AndyTravis]

As with a lot of these things - it’s so niche you you wouldn’t bother faking it.

If you could get that close - you’d either make sunburst p basses all day pretending to be 62’s

or you’d make a name doing your own basses.

It’s legitimate. Although the pickguard has been replaced.

[Reggaebass]

4 hours ago, tomthebass said:

Missing lacquer from the headstock suggests addition of transfers,

That looks like genuine lacquer wear on the headstock, this is my 1998 P bass special,    and I’ve had many us jazzes and the serial number in the neck pocket isn’t always the same as on the neck, some haven’t had a number in the pocket, only a date, it looks legit to me 🙂

[Muppet]

8 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

That looks like genuine lacquer wear on the headstock

That's a really good point. It could be the lacquer has lifted and flaked off where it's been applied over the decal as it's not taken properly.

[tomthebass]

Wow you guys are the best! 😊

Thanks for such a quick and knowledgeable response everyone - my mind is at rest. But not my fingers!

Have a virtual beer on me

Tom

[Jimbogubson]

The lacquer delaminating on the neck is a fairly common issue on 90’s models .