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Post subject: 70's jazz bass help?
Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2014 1:13 pm
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Hello - I'm really interested in getting a vintage jazz bass, and I'm currently looking at one that's listed by the original owner as a 1975, but it's got the 4 bolt neck plate. He wasn't really sure of the date, so I guess I can understand that. However the number stamped on the plate is 606241. According the Fender site, the number should be in the 300000 range.

Does this sound suspicious?

Thanks in advance!

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Post subject: Re: 70's jazz bass help?
Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2014 2:18 pm
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It does.

Is the body alder or ash?

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: 70's jazz bass help?
Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2014 2:30 pm
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good question - I doubt the seller will have an answer. Is there any easy way to tell by looking at (not so clear) pictures?

BTW I just referenced the s/n with the guitar dater project and it seems to be legit, contrary to what the Fender site says.

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Post subject: Re: 70's jazz bass help?
Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2014 2:55 pm
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Ash is generally heavily figured, with a very dramatic grain -- especially visible beneath a transparent or sunburst finish. IIRC all Jazz Bass bodies built from 1974 and later were ash. But wait until brotherdave weighs in with a definitive answer, he's really the Fender bass guru here.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: 70's jazz bass help?
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 8:34 am
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Ash is generally heavily figured, with a very dramatic grain -- especially visible beneath a transparent or sunburst finish. IIRC all Jazz Bass bodies built from 1974 and later were ash. But wait until brotherdave weighs in with a definitive answer, he's really the Fender bass guru here.

Arja


Jazz basses were never completely done in ash although it was commonly used throughout the 70's and beyond you cannot say that alder was never used after or before any year. It was the preferred wood for solid color Jazz basses.

Alder bodied Jazz basses are often sought out as real tone monsters too. FYI: Jaco's basses were alder bodied instruments.

I just bought a 1975 Jazz bass with an alder body, a four bolt neck plate and a serial number in the 600000's, so what this guy was told is correct.
My bass is Olympic white and it is an early 1975. Fender didn't switch this bass to a 3 bolt neck until mid-year.

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Post subject: Re: 70's jazz bass help?
Posted: Fri Feb 28, 2014 10:03 pm
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I just got my 75 bass, also with 4 bolt neck, also with a s/n in the 600000's...

I removed the neck and there is no date on the end. There is a round stamp with a hand written "T" in black marker between the 4 bolt holes on the neck.

Is this normal?

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Post subject: Re: 70's jazz bass help?
Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 12:13 pm
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BC is correct. So far as I know, alder is used on opaque finishes almost exclusively for USA Jazz Basses. Only if the finish is natural, translucent and sometimes, but not always, Sunburst or Sienna or similar burst would ash be used stock. Sometimes on certain models during certain periods ash was available as an option at an upcharge. Also certain custom shop models are ash. In my opinion usually alder or the MIM basswood models are the best sounding body woods for a traditional single coil Jazz, but when you get into noiseless pickups frequently the ash helps brighten a duller tone a tad and make the tone pop better on a noiseless/humbucking pickup setup.

Of course that is all subjective as you can have an ash blank that sounds like alder and vice-verse. No two body or neck blanks are exactly alike and they are all going to sound a little different. So instead of comparing alder and ash and saying they sound one way or another, you really have to compare instrument to instrument and try to avoid generalizing about one body wood sounding this way or that way 100% of the time, because they don't! They vary.


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Post subject: Re: 70's jazz bass help?
Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2014 2:29 pm
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Of course that is all subjective as you can have an ash blank that sounds like alder and vice-verse. No two body or neck blanks are exactly alike and they are all going to sound a little different. So instead of comparing alder and ash and saying they sound one way or another, you really have to compare instrument to instrument and try to avoid generalizing about one body wood sounding this way or that way 100% of the time, because they don't! They vary.


Everybody should read this twice. Bro. Dave has made a point that is often over looked when basses are being compared.

If you don't agree with this, just try swapping Fender necks between two basses.

This often results in a better sounding bass or two.

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