ddsparx Posted December 21, 2021 Share Posted December 21, 2021 Yo! I have a 1987 fender power jazz bass special owned from new. The user guide says it has a carbon / maple / rose wood tri-laminate neck. There is no info that I can find on the net about this. It looks like there is just a piece of carbon fibre glued to the front side of the headstock. According to the sales literature it is carbon laminate throughout the neck. I don't see any sign of this. Would fender lie? What are your thoughts? Does anyone know what lies within this neck. I smell B.S. but prove me wrong! Cheers y'all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted December 21, 2021 Share Posted December 21, 2021 I’ve never heard of Fender doing this, but I know a Basschatter had one of these, can’t remember who it was tho, think maybe it was @Paul S? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted December 21, 2021 Share Posted December 21, 2021 Twas I but I don't know if it was along the whole neck or not. Nice bass, moved it on of course. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikay Posted December 21, 2021 Share Posted December 21, 2021 According to this thread on TB it had "... a layer of graphite fiber under the fingerboard. The graphite layer extended across the headstock so the fibers were visible under the clearcoat." https://www.talkbass.com/threads/active-power-jazz-bass-special-fender.192864/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddsparx Posted December 21, 2021 Author Share Posted December 21, 2021 yay, Ikay. That's what I read too. The layer on the headstock is only visible on the side up to the nut then is not visible on the side of the rest of the neck. It just made me wonder if it really does go the length of the finger board or stop at the nut. Would be nice to know if anyone has replaced the finger board on one of these and taken a look inside. It has been a real work horse for many years and has stayed true. No complaints, just curious. Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddsparx Posted December 21, 2021 Author Share Posted December 21, 2021 Here's a pic of the top side of the head stock. You can just see where the carbon finishes before the nut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddsparx Posted December 21, 2021 Author Share Posted December 21, 2021 Here's the front of the headstock: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BreadBin Posted December 21, 2021 Share Posted December 21, 2021 @Doodhas a couple of these. He may know more? 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted December 22, 2021 Share Posted December 22, 2021 (edited) Hi! Yes, I do have two Power Jazz Bass Special basses! I adore them. They are the kinda bass that would have to be prised from my rigor morticed hands, you know? I never really cared for the on-board electronics and thus I stripped the lot out and replaced them in true 80's style with a full active EMG circuit. They sound amazing. Interestingly, they actually both sound different - but lets not start the "tone wood" debate here too lol.. As for the Tri-Lam neck, yeah I never really cared for or bothered to chase up what was actually meant in the somewhat vague marketing literature. Being something not visible, I wondered if they had inserted rods in the neck like many brands do today to "stabilise" them. I've no idea, but these are two basses that I don't think I have ever adjusted the truss rods for since an initial set up, years ago. They are rock solid, the necks are amazing and they have a great sound. Gotoh OEM hardware too, if you can find a good example they will p*** over any modern Mexi - and I like some of those MIM basses too Edited December 22, 2021 by Dood auto-corrected 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted December 22, 2021 Share Posted December 22, 2021 p.s. I have an '89 and an '87. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikNik Posted December 22, 2021 Share Posted December 22, 2021 Weren't these kinda rare over here? I think I saw one once, and that was back around '86. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikNik Posted December 22, 2021 Share Posted December 22, 2021 15 hours ago, ddsparx said: Here's the front of the headstock: That's the graphite weave! So it goes through the neck? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassfinger Posted December 22, 2021 Share Posted December 22, 2021 Did Fender ever state in the literature what the purpose of the composite layer was? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikNik Posted December 22, 2021 Share Posted December 22, 2021 19 hours ago, ddsparx said: Here's the front of the headstock: That's the graphite weave! So it goes through the neck? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boodang Posted December 22, 2021 Share Posted December 22, 2021 Hmmm, 'power jazz'!!! Could be a new sub-genre on spotify. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted December 23, 2021 Share Posted December 23, 2021 18 hours ago, Boodang said: Hmmm, 'power jazz'!!! Could be a new sub-genre on spotify. It's like normal jazz, but with curly hair-spray-hell hairdos, lots of lycra, air kicks and lots of lights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted December 23, 2021 Share Posted December 23, 2021 I had one for a short while. Was really blummin nice…but I have an aversion to all black “metal” looking basses. Silly really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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