If the thread title drew your eye, you’re no doubt aware that early 1960s Jazz Basses had a top-mounted brass earthing strip running from bridge pickup to bridge, visible when the ashtray is removed.
True bass geeks will also have spotted that there are at least two versions of this now-decorative strip on 1960s RI basses: the Japanese (thinner, running at a slight angle) and the American (fatter, running straight (perpendicular to bridge / pickup).
Oddly, an unscientific trawl of genuine original 1960s Fender basses seems to indicate that the Japanese style is more accurate.
Can anyone shed any light on the discrepancy? And for bonus points, when exactly did the change to internal grounding happen?
(With thanks to virus panic for finally allowing me time to pose this long-pondered but horrifyingly trivial question).
Thin strip:
Thick strip:
(Both basses pictured are said to be genuine 1962 instruments)