Vintage Fenders

[bakerster135]

6 hours ago, SurroundedByManatees said:

Dear vintage lovers. I am looking into a '65 Jazz Bass. The seller says the logo and headstock finish are original. Though it all looks a bit pale to me, compared to most I've seen.

 

Any opinions on this? Second picture is under uv light.

 

It looks pretty legit to me for an early-mid 65. I know what you mean about it somehow looking a bit off, but I think the "Fender" has just faded a bit and everything else about it looks right. The PAT numbers are correct and in the right place, which is something 99.9% of the repro decals seem to get wrong. 

Also, yes, it should be a waterslide decal sitting on top of the finish, which it looks like it is as I can see the edges. As far as I know, they didn't start spraying over the decal until late 60s when they brought the poly finishes in.

Edited yesterday at 22:19 by bakerster135

[SurroundedByManatees]

The decal itself looks pretty good indeed. I expected it to look more like this though when being original:

 

 

All examples I've found have these vivid outlines of the decal surfaces. But I don't know if there are the occasional deviations.

[Steve Browning]

On 02/04/2025 at 08:40, Steve Browning said:

 

Just looked and they're distributed in the UK by Rotosound. Happy days!! I sent my newly delivered 1983 '62 Precision reissue back to Fender because the scratchplate looked so awful. I was put off Spitfire by an extraordinary tale of woe on BC a few years ago.

Just ordered a couple of the scratchplates and will see what they're like in the flesh. 

[Beedster]

Crikey, I return to this thread to find the forum has changed to pickguardchat.co.uk 

 

[Steve Browning]

What's a nice vintage Fender without a nice tort pickguard? 🙂

[mowf]

8 minutes ago, Steve Browning said:

What's a nice vintage Fender without a nice tort pickguard? 🙂

Just a vintage Fender.

[Rick's Fine '52]

16 hours ago, SurroundedByManatees said:

 

Its for sale at a shop.

 

its a refin btw.

You mention it being a refin, do you know what the original colour was? 
only asking because Jazz basses were almost always matching headstock for custom colours in ‘65, so if it was originally a colour, then very likely the headstock was stripped at the same time as the body, so very possible to be a new decal.

If it was originally sunburst, then very likely the decal and headstock is original.

Just a consideration. 

[SurroundedByManatees]

Good suggestion. Will ask, thanks!

[bakerster135]

I see this image on the website which gives a bit of a better view of the decal, and this looks more convincing to me. You can see the decal edges better and the grain in the gold of the "Fender".

Also, no offence to the photographer, but the blacklight photo isn't the best. I think if they did it face on and in a much darker room then you'd see something closer to the strat photo you posted.

I'd bet money on it having been refinished from sunburst.