Grewster Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 (edited) So here’s my trusty Jazz .... I’m downsizing in every way, so I think it could be time to say goodbye. Truth is though, I’ve always been a bit dubious about this bass ... I bought it in 1999 from a big bass store in east London with the understanding that it was from 1969. That’s what the neckplate suggests, but we all know about those. As you can see from the pics, there is no neck stamp, the pocket looks a bit rough and the scratchplate has been hand-cut around the plate for some reason. Having said that, the bass FEELS, plays and sounds old Fender, if you know what I mean ... the pots look right from my limited knowlege. I’d appreciate any thoughts from you guys before I put it up for sale. All comments welcome! Edited July 13, 2020 by Grewster Added pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 This is going to be an interesting read in a few posts time. The Fender experts will want some gut shots and pot codes I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burns-bass Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 Can’t believe I lost my lengthy post first time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aidan63 Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 Was maple fretboard with blocks available on a Jazz in 1969 ? I thought that was a early 70's onwards thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 (edited) Looks like the end pot date is 4266, is that week 42. 1966 Edited July 13, 2020 by Reggaebass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbiscuits Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 (edited) My two bobs worth as the owner of a 1970 P. I’m pretty sure there weren’t pearl blocks offered in 1969 - more like early 1970s. Im also pretty certain that the machine heads only started featuring a little circled ‘R’ next to the Fender stamp in 1973 (my 1970 has no ‘R‘ stamp.) The 1966 pot codes are common for many basses for a few years after 1966 (mine also has them). Apparently Fender had too many and so used them for a few more years, so can’t be tied to an exact date. The cut scratchplate could simply be a later replacement so not really significant. Overall tho it does look like an original old Jazz, but unlikely to be a 1969. I think they went to three bolt neck plates in about 1974 so I’d guess early 1970s - 73/74ish. Happy for anyone to add to these observations - they are just my opinions. EDIT - alternatively it could be the body and neck plate are from a 1969 but paired with a different, later neck from up to 1974. Edited July 13, 2020 by bassbiscuits Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 There’s some info here that might be of use 🙂. http://guitarhq.com/fender.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbiscuits Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 The pickup spacing looks like 1960s, not 1970s, so I’m leaning towards thinking it could well be an early 1970s neck attached to an earlier body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbiscuits Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 The book I’m looking at is The Fender Bass - An Illustrated History, by Hal Leonard. It’s a good resource for this sort of info. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 2 minutes ago, bassbiscuits said: The pickup spacing looks like 1960s, not 1970s, so I’m leaning towards thinking it could well be an early 1970s neck attached to an earlier body. I have to say, that was my first thought as I alluded to in my first post i.e. that it could be an interesting thread, but I’m pretty far from any expert on these things. It begs the question tho, that if that is the case, how did ‘that shop in East London’ not know? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 i wasn’t sure when maple boards were introduced, this is according to google, One of the Jazz Bass's most lauded innovations came in 1974, when the neck – with maple fingerboards – received white binding and block inlays. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4000 Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 As someone who isn’t a Fender aficionado, when did those bridges come in (i.e. the ones with the single bridge slot, rather than the type with threaded saddles)? I once had a P Bass - a long time before I really knew anything about guitars - that I thought was early ‘70s that had the threaded saddles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 Didn’t the bridge have a longer intonation screw in the early 70s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbiscuits Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 8 minutes ago, Reggaebass said: i wasn’t sure when maple boards were introduced, this is according to google, One of the Jazz Bass's most lauded innovations came in 1974, when the neck – with maple fingerboards – received white binding and block inlays. Sounds about right yeah. Three bolt neck joints also came in around 1974, which suggests this could be a neck from early 1974 featuring the blocks and binding but not yet the three bolt neck joint. The age of the body is harder to gauge. The single thread bridge saddles like these came in in 1970 apparently (according to the book at least) but again they could just be a simple later swap. If the bridge, pots and neck plate are all from the original body then it could well be the 1969 it was described as being, but with the 1974 neck added. Looks like a cool bass either way. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbiscuits Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 2 minutes ago, Reggaebass said: Didn’t the bridge have a longer intonation screw in the early 70s They did yeah up till 1973/4 when they all went back to normal length. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbiscuits Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 9 minutes ago, 4000 said: As someone who isn’t a Fender aficionado, when did those bridges come in (i.e. the ones with the single bridge slot, rather than the type with threaded saddles)? I once had a P Bass - a long time before I really knew anything about guitars - that I thought was early ‘70s that had the threaded saddles. 1970 apparently was when the single thread replaced the multiple threaded 60s style. Mine has the single thread saddles and the long G intonation screw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4000 Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 6 minutes ago, bassbiscuits said: 1970 apparently was when the single thread replaced the multiple threaded 60s style. Mine has the single thread saddles and the long G intonation screw. The bridge on mine was definitely original to my bass, so I guess it was earlier than I thought. Cost me £150 around 1983, sold it for £180 (?) a couple of years later. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 We need some Fender Guru’s on this. Paging @Sibob, @AndyTravis, @Chiliwailer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chiliwailer Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 It’s all been said really. My guess is a neck replacement, on a bass that has seen some serious mileage. No dates on the neck is common for around 74, so that fits the bill with the 4 bolts and white markers (not black). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 Well it's obviously a fake probably worth about 30 quid I do feel bad for the op so I'll offer him 50 as I'm nice like that lol On a serious note I am no Fender expert but most of what's already been posted seems about right 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 I concur - 74 neck, unknown maybe Mid/late 60’s body. it’s owed a nicer pickguard/scrachplate - a nice player grade jazz of various vintages. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbiscuits Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, 4000 said: The bridge on mine was definitely original to my bass, so I guess it was earlier than I thought. Cost me £150 around 1983, sold it for £180 (?) a couple of years later. I owned a blue Fender Japan E Series 1957 reissue Strat at one point which I sold for £250 eventually to pay for another Strat. Some time later realised it was some rare custom colour etc etc. Bummer. Edited July 13, 2020 by bassbiscuits Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burns-bass Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 Fender didn’t offer natural bodies in the 60s (first in the 72 catalogue apparently) so it’s either refinished or it’s actually a 70s Jazz with a swapped out neck plate. Early 70s basses had a long G intonation screw, so that would fit with this being a 74. The pickups should be dated on the bottom if they’re original. It doesn’t look like cloth wiring from the pickups, which suggests 70s. It’s not an exact science this, but I’d say it’s worth taking the whole thing to bits and going over it properly. I know some people don’t like to do this, but if you’re expecting a premium for a vintage instrument it comes with the territory. I remember seeing a fair few parts basses on the late 90s as they vintage market took off. The stuff at Musicground is worth looking at. Sometimes these basses are built from multiple donor instruments and can be hard to piece it all together. That doesn’t stop them being great instruments and having some value, but obviously less than a 100% honest instrument. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbiscuits Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 1 minute ago, Burns-bass said: Fender didn’t offer natural bodies in the 60s (first in the 72 catalogue apparently) so it’s either refinished or it’s actually a 70s Jazz with a swapped out neck plate. Good point - tho the pickup spacing in this looks decidedly 60s, suggesting it’s possibly a stripped 60s jazz body paired with a 1974 jazz neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 I agree that the body is likely stripped rather than originally natural; I'd expect a natural finish to be over an ash body, but this looks like alder. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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