Fender Jazz Bass Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar (1965)
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Item # 13528
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Fender Jazz Bass Model Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar (1965), made in Fullerton, California, serial # L87517, Olympic White finish, alder body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, original black tolex hard shell case.
This is a very nice example of just-CBS Custom Color Jazz bass, played in but fully original and in generally well-preserved condition. While the Jazz bass was a popular instrument in the mid-1960s, the vast majority were sold in the standard sunburst finish. This bass is finished in Olympic White with a matching headstock, one of the more commonly ordered colors but still far rarer than the sunburst, and a super sharp-looking instrument then and now!
The 1959 introduction of the Jazz Bass represented a major step for Fender, and electric bass in general. By that point the Precision Bass had been on the market for eight years or so, and Fender was seeing increasing competition in a market they had pretty much created. The Jazz Bass was designed as an upgrade model, the hot rod of the electric bass world. With the sleeker "offset" body adapted from the Jazzmaster and a much slimmer 1 1/2" nut width, it had a racier look and sleeker feel than the Precision. The two slimmer-cased, multi-pole pickups offered a wider range of sounds, with a sharper attack and more definition to the tone. When finished in a solid color the California Car culture connection is more evident, with the sweeping lines of the offset body and chrome hardware emphasized.
This Jazz Bass dates to summer 1965 and shows typical features for that transitional year. The slim tapered neck has a pearloid dot rosewood fingerboard with no binding; that would be added not too long after this one was made. The headstock sports a gold Fender logo decal and is fitted with Kluson tuners; Fender-made tuners with the unusual "egg" shaped buttons would be substituted in 1966. The alder body and the headstock face are finished in Olympic White lacquer with a clear nitro overcoat that has yellowed somewhat over the years, giving a look similar to the classic "Telecaster Blonde". This is topped off with a tortoise plastic pickguard, still made of the older heavier Nitrocellulose material that was being phased out at the time.
This bass was built just months after the CBS takeover at Fender. The neck is stamped 7 MAY 65A and the pots coded to the 20th week of that year. The bridge pickup is hand dated 8/3/65 on top of the coil, which is an unusual spot for this marking. The serial number is still in the technically pre-CBS "L" series. At just 9 1/2 lbs. (with the covers mounted), this is medium weight for a 1960s Fender bass and quite resonant. It is a superlative player with a typical Jazz Bass tone from the 1965 period, fairly bright with a nice honk when the pickups are blended.
While always a successful model, the Jazz Bass was rather more expensive than the Precision and in the 1960s was built in smaller numbers, and original unaltered custom color examples are rather thin on the ground these days. It is always a pleasure to find one that has weathered the decades well and looks and sounds as fine as this one.
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.)., 9.49 lbs. selling for $16k + shipping awaiting shipping info ask lea
This nicely original Jazz bass shows some typical play wear but is still a very attractive example of an early CBS era custom color bass. The Olympic White finish on the body and headstock shows dings, dents, and scuffs overall -- mostly to the edges -- with some small chipped areas on the back. There is also some light checking, heavier on the headstock than the body. The "Money Side" i.e. the face and headstock present very well with only small marks and chips on the edges. The color has yellowed slightly but is not as heavily "smoked" as some, still retaining a whiter hue than many similar period Fenders. Some lacquer worn off the lower side and spine of the neck, which feels divine.
The hardware appears practically all original to the bass; both chrome covers are included; the large bridge cover is original but the neck pickup cover looks like a later repro. The special flat-bottom control plate screws are still intact; the rear coverplate screws (which would have been the same) are not original. The grey-bobbin pickups are original, as are all wiring components. The control plate has some plating loss from corrosion, and many of the screws on the face show surface rust. The lovely tortoise celluloid pickguard has repairs to the forward tips from shrinkage and some pulls at other screw holes.
The original frets show very little wear and the neck is in excellent condition. This bass plays beautifully still retaining the original feel classic as Leo's crew built it, just before the "bean counters" from CBS management started making changes and altering the classic Fender designs. It resides in the original red-lined black case in worn but solid shape with a scruffy handle. Visually and sonically a stunner, this gleaming white Jazz Bass would grace any stage, session or video and has just enough wear to play without worry! Overall Very Good + Condition.
This is a very nice example of just-CBS Custom Color Jazz bass, played in but fully original and in generally well-preserved condition. While the Jazz bass was a popular instrument in the mid-1960s, the vast majority were sold in the standard sunburst finish. This bass is finished in Olympic White with a matching headstock, one of the more commonly ordered colors but still far rarer than the sunburst, and a super sharp-looking instrument then and now!
The 1959 introduction of the Jazz Bass represented a major step for Fender, and electric bass in general. By that point the Precision Bass had been on the market for eight years or so, and Fender was seeing increasing competition in a market they had pretty much created. The Jazz Bass was designed as an upgrade model, the hot rod of the electric bass world. With the sleeker "offset" body adapted from the Jazzmaster and a much slimmer 1 1/2" nut width, it had a racier look and sleeker feel than the Precision. The two slimmer-cased, multi-pole pickups offered a wider range of sounds, with a sharper attack and more definition to the tone. When finished in a solid color the California Car culture connection is more evident, with the sweeping lines of the offset body and chrome hardware emphasized.
This Jazz Bass dates to summer 1965 and shows typical features for that transitional year. The slim tapered neck has a pearloid dot rosewood fingerboard with no binding; that would be added not too long after this one was made. The headstock sports a gold Fender logo decal and is fitted with Kluson tuners; Fender-made tuners with the unusual "egg" shaped buttons would be substituted in 1966. The alder body and the headstock face are finished in Olympic White lacquer with a clear nitro overcoat that has yellowed somewhat over the years, giving a look similar to the classic "Telecaster Blonde". This is topped off with a tortoise plastic pickguard, still made of the older heavier Nitrocellulose material that was being phased out at the time.
This bass was built just months after the CBS takeover at Fender. The neck is stamped 7 MAY 65A and the pots coded to the 20th week of that year. The bridge pickup is hand dated 8/3/65 on top of the coil, which is an unusual spot for this marking. The serial number is still in the technically pre-CBS "L" series. At just 9 1/2 lbs. (with the covers mounted), this is medium weight for a 1960s Fender bass and quite resonant. It is a superlative player with a typical Jazz Bass tone from the 1965 period, fairly bright with a nice honk when the pickups are blended.
While always a successful model, the Jazz Bass was rather more expensive than the Precision and in the 1960s was built in smaller numbers, and original unaltered custom color examples are rather thin on the ground these days. It is always a pleasure to find one that has weathered the decades well and looks and sounds as fine as this one.
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.)., 9.49 lbs. selling for $16k + shipping awaiting shipping info ask lea
This nicely original Jazz bass shows some typical play wear but is still a very attractive example of an early CBS era custom color bass. The Olympic White finish on the body and headstock shows dings, dents, and scuffs overall -- mostly to the edges -- with some small chipped areas on the back. There is also some light checking, heavier on the headstock than the body. The "Money Side" i.e. the face and headstock present very well with only small marks and chips on the edges. The color has yellowed slightly but is not as heavily "smoked" as some, still retaining a whiter hue than many similar period Fenders. Some lacquer worn off the lower side and spine of the neck, which feels divine.
The hardware appears practically all original to the bass; both chrome covers are included; the large bridge cover is original but the neck pickup cover looks like a later repro. The special flat-bottom control plate screws are still intact; the rear coverplate screws (which would have been the same) are not original. The grey-bobbin pickups are original, as are all wiring components. The control plate has some plating loss from corrosion, and many of the screws on the face show surface rust. The lovely tortoise celluloid pickguard has repairs to the forward tips from shrinkage and some pulls at other screw holes.
The original frets show very little wear and the neck is in excellent condition. This bass plays beautifully still retaining the original feel classic as Leo's crew built it, just before the "bean counters" from CBS management started making changes and altering the classic Fender designs. It resides in the original red-lined black case in worn but solid shape with a scruffy handle. Visually and sonically a stunner, this gleaming white Jazz Bass would grace any stage, session or video and has just enough wear to play without worry! Overall Very Good + Condition.