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Post subject: What exactly do I have?
Posted: Thu May 21, 2015 8:29 am
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Okay - I picked this bass up in trade yesterday (for something I had $100 in). The owner didnt' know much about it - It is candy-apple red, with a maple neck (dots, not blocks). The headstock logo looks '70's era Jazz...but tuners didn't look right. Upon closer inspection, I found filled in screw holes (very nice job - pro) on the headstock. Then I pulled the neck...

Date stamp says April 01, 1989 (April Fool's Day) - so that doesn't match the logo. There are also five "extra" holes drilled in the base of the neck, and random inspection tags and sharpie writing on base. The serial number tag is missing about half of it - including most of the ID number. It leads me to believe that this is some kind of bastardized replacement neck from an '89.

The neck plate has a very squared-off "Fender" name stamped on it, which looks like a MIJ style. There are no other serial numbers anywhere on the thing. It had an aftermarket pick guard (10-screw) with no additional holes drilled for it. I believe the pickups and wiring harness have been replaced with a "Texas Mojo" set (from what the seller told me, but I'm not sure how believable he is).

At the end of the day, it's a very comfortable, playable bass. It matches the color combination of my '13 Precision, and I'm gonna play it...I'd just like to know more about what exactly it is.

Pics:

http://s280.photobucket.com/user/HossPete/story


Last edited by HossPete on Thu May 21, 2015 9:20 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Post subject: Re: What exactly do I have?
Posted: Thu May 21, 2015 8:45 am
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You will want to post pictures if you want to get some good answers.

Photobucket is a good pic hosting web site that allows remote linking.

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Post subject: Pic Link
Posted: Thu May 21, 2015 8:58 am
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Link to pics:

http://s280.photobucket.com/user/HossPete/story


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Post subject: Re: What exactly do I have?
Posted: Thu May 21, 2015 10:01 am
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Here are my questions...why a 70's logo on the headstock? This is clearly the neck from an '89...

Why dots on a maple board instead of block inlays? Did they even MAKE jazz necks with dots in '89? Could this be a P-bass neck?

Why the square "Fender" stamp on the neck plate? Is this a MIJ Jazz bass?


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Post subject: Re: What exactly do I have?
Posted: Thu May 21, 2015 10:12 am
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Something very weird here
Image

This looks legit, but anyone can have a stamp made
Image


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Post subject: Re: What exactly do I have?
Posted: Thu May 21, 2015 10:15 am
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Image

and last
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Post subject: Re: What exactly do I have?
Posted: Thu May 21, 2015 10:26 am
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Do you have a real camera? One without a ringtone?
Need clear well focused close ups of both the front and back of the headstock. Pull the control plate and once again clear well focused close ups of the controls and wiring to include the pot codes.

If you are lucky, you have a 100% authentic Mexican made Fender. That neck is most definitely not American. It appears to have been deliberately mutilated in an attempt to counterfeit an American made Fender.

If you are unlucky you simply have a cheap parts bass counterfeit that you indeed got for cheap. And you say it plays well and you like it.

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Post subject: Re: What exactly do I have?
Posted: Thu May 21, 2015 10:33 am
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Cool... thanks for the insight. I'll try and get some better pics tonight.


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Post subject: Re: What exactly do I have?
Posted: Thu May 21, 2015 1:04 pm
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OH, and the manufacture date...April Fool's Day. 4/1/89 fell on a Saturday. Did the production facility run on weekend?

LOL this bass is hilarious. You should never lift the skirt on a good looking woman - it ruins all the magic.


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Post subject: Re: What exactly do I have?
Posted: Thu May 21, 2015 3:23 pm
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I also look forward to seeing the detailed pics.

No serial number?

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Post subject: Re: What exactly do I have?
Posted: Thu May 21, 2015 7:42 pm
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Lots more pics posted in my Photobucket album... let me have it. What IS this thing? A guy on Talkbass suggested a Squire neck on a Japanese body....plausible?

Somebody else said it was "completely Chinese"...

http://s280.photobucket.com/user/HossPete/story


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Post subject: Re: What exactly do I have?
Posted: Fri May 22, 2015 10:27 am
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And here is the wiring harness: http://www.ebay.com/itm/CUSTOM-TEXAS-MO ... 1266069584

Congrats to me - I now own Frankenbass!


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