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Post subject: Jazz Bass tuning posts, chromium plated?
Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2010 11:15 am
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Hi All,
I recently purchased a 1964 Fender Jazz Bass. It's in fine condition throughout for it's age and apart from a body refinish in the nineties and a newer pick guard it's all original. But I have a question. The tuning posts are losing their (what looks like) chrome plating, are they/were they chrome plated? (See pic below). I've never seen this before on a vintage guitar, this might show how many vintage guitars I've had dealings with. Is this a common trait and what're your respective opinions on whether I should get them re-chromed or not? I can publish pics if necessary.

Thanks to any who can help me with this......Kegs.


Last edited by Kegs on Fri Apr 16, 2010 2:42 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2010 7:24 pm
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Chrome wear not uncommon. Skin salts....I once had a 69 precision for 20 years (85-2005)and watched the chrome gradually flake and wear off. Actually I had 2 sets of identical tuners and used the best looking 4 and they still had valued vintage patina. I'm SURE you could find someone willing to trade perfect chrome tuners for vintage looking ones as they are actually worth more money than new reproductions to the right people.


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Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2010 10:27 pm
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Thanks for your input there, Musicfox. I agree, the flaking chrome does no injustice to the instrument, it enhances it to my mind. I wouldn't swap them out or sell them but it's nice to get others' opinions. Cheers......K.


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Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 2:10 pm
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FYI: Original 1964 style riveted machine heads are nickel plated. The lollipop tuners that came out in late 1965 are chrome plated.

Fender went back to nickel plating on the larger clover leaf tuners of the seventies and then went to chrome plating on the Schaller made tuners starting in 1977.

All kinds of nasty things happen to tuners depending on the body chemistry of the person playing the bass over time.

IF you want your bass to be original specification, replace or replate your tuner posts with nickel plated posts.

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Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 12:52 am
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Hey thanks there BCbassman, I appreciate your help. That's the information I was looking for, it's amazing how little there is out there concerning the nitty gritty. I take it that your info is for the complete tuner assembly? It looks to me like the cloverleaf itself is a different coating to the posts, the posts are shiny the cloverleaf is matt, or dull. I'm still trying to decide whether or not to have them re-plated but I'm leaning towards not....I think. I'm finding it a tough call as it would take the history away from the instrument. I'll bury my head in the sand and come up with the right answer.
If I can find out how to do it, I'll post a pic of the headstock.

Thanks again.........Kegs.


Image


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Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 5:08 pm
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I will take another look at my 66 Precision bass, but I thought that the posts were nickel plated too. I can see that yours are more shiney than the tuning keys.

Why do you leave the ends of your strings out to scratch the headstock?
There are holes in the center of the posts to insert those strings so that the cut end does no damage to your bass.

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Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 3:36 am
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That's a toughie, Bassman, and one that I can't answer; why do you wear black socks? Actually, the guitar is new to me, I didn't string it and it's away now being set up, restrung and a new headstock decal fitted by Fender in Germany. With any luck they'll do the job more to everyone's liking.


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Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 6:41 am
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I don't mean to lecture.

I just wonder why people string basses that way.
I see it all of the time.

Good luck on getting your 64 set up with a new decal.

It sounds like a sweet bass.

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Post subject: Update.
Posted: Fri Apr 30, 2010 10:13 am
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And here she is, back from Fender Germany having been authenticated, overhauled and a new decal fitted. Note the decal is the one they use on their '62' re-issues so it isn't exactly right but it's as close as they can get and the main point is that I have the paperwork to prove it.

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Posted: Fri Apr 30, 2010 2:10 pm
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That decal looks great to me . I don't know of the small differences, if any, between that one and an original 64 Fender Jazz bass decal.

The Jazz bass never had what is commonly called the spaghetti logo, or the original style Fender logo as used on the 50's Fenders.

The Jazz bass and Jaguar guitars started out with the style logo you now have on your bass, so it looks correct to me..

Nice bass. Good luck with it.

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Posted: Sun May 02, 2010 7:02 am
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You're right, the Jazz never had the spaghetti style logoo but out of interest here's the proper one Image

The difference is mainly in the intensity of the gold colour in the word Fender and the amount of, and numbers in, the patents pending, four in 1962 vs. five from mid '64. Also, the 'offset contour body' part of the logo was detached and moved out to the ball end of the headstock in early '64. The main problem would be if I were to sell at any time, there are so many fakes out there now that people look for the slightest problem when paying the worth of this lady. She looks nice though.

Cheers & thanks for your interest, Lads........Kegs.


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