Fender Jazz Bass Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar (1964/5)

Fender  Jazz Bass Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar  (1964/5)
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Item # 12595
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Fender Jazz Bass Model Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar (1964/5), made in Fullerton, California, serial # L24522, Ice Blue Metallic lacquer Re- finish, alder body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, molded black plastic hard shell case.

This super snazzy Jazz Bass looks great and sounds fantastic, although it is not an absolutely complete original instrument being a marriage (probably an old one) of a Pre-CBS mid-1964 body with a slightly later 1965 neck. The body and hardware are largely original including the lovely "green" nitrocellulose pickguard, serrated saddle bridge and cloth wiring with a matched set of Pots date coded 6422 (22nd week of 1964). The pickups are the original black bobbin neck unit and a period grey bobbin bridge PU (possibly original to the body, possibly slightly later) which has been rewound. Neither pickup is visibly dated. The body is refinished in Ice Blue Metallic, one of Fender's new Custom Colors for 1965.

The neck is just slightly later, dated on the heel to October 1965. It has an unbound rosewood fingerboard with pearloid dot inlay, having been built just before binding was added to the Jazz Bass at the end of the year. The back of the neck has mostly been taken down to the bare wood; the original finish remains on the headstock rear and the heel. The headstock face has been refinished to match the body with a repro decal. The neck plate is original to the body with an early/mid-1964 L-series serial number.

This bass has all the playability and sound of a true Pre-CBS Jazz bass, and a super sharp look as well in this rare metallic livery. Here's a quick recap of the exact breakdown: ORIGINAL to 1964 - Body, pickguard, bridge, neck pickup, wiring, pots, control plate, knobs, strap buttons, neckplate with serial number. ORIGINAL to 1965 - Neck, tuners, string tree, possibly bridge pickup (Fender was changing to grey bobbins in 1964 but we would assume this is a 1965 era unit, possibly from the same bass as the neck). RECENT: The finish on the body and the headstock (a very nice pro job), the headstock decal, the finger rest, one tuner screw and washer.

Not only a super sharp looker, this bass is a superlative player. At under 9 lbs., this is a fairly light weight 1960s Fender bass and extremely resonant. While always a successful model, in the Pre-CBS period the Jazz Bass was more expensive than the Precision and built in smaller numbers. In this rare color (even as a refinish) this is a cool find in a gigging vintage Fender bass.
 
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.)., 8.8 lbs.

This bass is in excellent playing condition, with a relatively recent refinish that shows some light actual (not artificial) wear overall. There are small dings and dents to the body, and some belt buckle scratching to the back. The tip of the headstock has some decent size chips to the topcoat. The back of the neck was lightly sanded long ago, perhaps slimmed just a hair but it has been well played since. It is down to bare wood, with a that great played-in Fender feel.

The original 1964 pickguard and control plate have scuff marks from being cleaned in the distant past; we wonder if the bass had some sort of psychedelic paint job long ago! The shadow of a rune etched into the ball tip of the headstock can he seen if held in the right light. The original bridge is fairly clean and surprisingly free of corrosion. One of the original tuners has a replaced center screw and washer. The pickups, especially the all-original black-bobbin neck unit sound superb, with a particularly powerful punch for a Jazz Bass. While not a fully original instrument this is a superb gigging or recording bass, and a real looker as well. It resides in a modern molded Jazz Bass HSC. Restored to Excellent Condition.