Fender Jazz Bass Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar (1971)
LOADING IMAGES
Fender Jazz Bass Model Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar (1971), made in Fullerton, California, serial # 320607, black finish, alder body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
This is a nicely original example of an early 70s CBS era Jazz bass in a striking black-and-white "tuxedo" finish, played in but generally in well-preserved condition. While the Jazz bass was a very popular instrument in the mid-1960s, the vast majority were sold in the standard sunburst finish. By the early 70s the official "custom color" chart was discontinued and smaller range of options offered, of which black is one of the less common. The '60s matching headstock was no longer offered, but even so this is a real sharp-looking instrument then and now! This bass has the same livery as the one pictured in Fender's 1972 catalog; the company knew what their sharpest look was!
The features are typical for the era; the body is still finished in a older style lacquer with the poly undercoat, while the neck is clear Polyester with a lacquer coat over the headstock face to seal the decal. There is no date stamp on the neck heel; this is fairly common in this period. Several of the typical inspector's marks are visible in the neck pocket and the original pots are coded to the 16th week of 1971.
The fingerboard is the bound rosewood, pearloid block inlaid style used since 1966, the headstock decal the later black logo that appeared at the end of the '60s. The 3-layer white plastic pickguard with the "tug bar" mounted low and the chrome covers are unchanged since the same period. The signature Jazz Bass characteristics including two 8-pole pickups, the 3-knob control array, narrow 1 1/2" nut and offset contour body are all in evidence, of course. This bass weighs in at under 8 1/2 pounds with both covers on, and is amazingly still fitted with the original (or at least period) Fender green-silk flatwound strings.
Overall length is 46 1/2 in. (118.1 cm.), 14 in. (35.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 34 in. (864 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/2 in. (38 mm.)., 8.35 lbs.
The bass shows some general light wear but plays sounds exactly as it should, one of the coolest early '70s Fender basses we have had. The finish has some small dings, dents and scuffs, but no heavy wear. The body has typical checking and some belt-buckle wear into but not through the finish on the back. The lacquer overcoat on the headstock face has ambered somewhat and has noticeable checking.
All hardware appears original except "tug bar" fingerrest looks like a repro. The pickguard has been notched for easier truss rod adjustment in the expected spot. The plating on the tuners shows some corrosion, and the rear chrome cover has some marking to the plating the top from a player resting their hand there. The original frets have very little wear, and this is an excellent playing and sounding bass, lighter and handier than manty from this era with as authentic an early 1970s sound as can be had; the original Fender strings assure that! Excellent - Condition.
This is a nicely original example of an early 70s CBS era Jazz bass in a striking black-and-white "tuxedo" finish, played in but generally in well-preserved condition. While the Jazz bass was a very popular instrument in the mid-1960s, the vast majority were sold in the standard sunburst finish. By the early 70s the official "custom color" chart was discontinued and smaller range of options offered, of which black is one of the less common. The '60s matching headstock was no longer offered, but even so this is a real sharp-looking instrument then and now! This bass has the same livery as the one pictured in Fender's 1972 catalog; the company knew what their sharpest look was!
The features are typical for the era; the body is still finished in a older style lacquer with the poly undercoat, while the neck is clear Polyester with a lacquer coat over the headstock face to seal the decal. There is no date stamp on the neck heel; this is fairly common in this period. Several of the typical inspector's marks are visible in the neck pocket and the original pots are coded to the 16th week of 1971.
The fingerboard is the bound rosewood, pearloid block inlaid style used since 1966, the headstock decal the later black logo that appeared at the end of the '60s. The 3-layer white plastic pickguard with the "tug bar" mounted low and the chrome covers are unchanged since the same period. The signature Jazz Bass characteristics including two 8-pole pickups, the 3-knob control array, narrow 1 1/2" nut and offset contour body are all in evidence, of course. This bass weighs in at under 8 1/2 pounds with both covers on, and is amazingly still fitted with the original (or at least period) Fender green-silk flatwound strings.
Overall length is 46 1/2 in. (118.1 cm.), 14 in. (35.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 34 in. (864 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/2 in. (38 mm.)., 8.35 lbs.
The bass shows some general light wear but plays sounds exactly as it should, one of the coolest early '70s Fender basses we have had. The finish has some small dings, dents and scuffs, but no heavy wear. The body has typical checking and some belt-buckle wear into but not through the finish on the back. The lacquer overcoat on the headstock face has ambered somewhat and has noticeable checking.
All hardware appears original except "tug bar" fingerrest looks like a repro. The pickguard has been notched for easier truss rod adjustment in the expected spot. The plating on the tuners shows some corrosion, and the rear chrome cover has some marking to the plating the top from a player resting their hand there. The original frets have very little wear, and this is an excellent playing and sounding bass, lighter and handier than manty from this era with as authentic an early 1970s sound as can be had; the original Fender strings assure that! Excellent - Condition.