Johnnysonic

[quote name='Green Alsatian' post='1248656' date='May 28 2011, 09:12 PM']Cheers! Regarding the headstock decal on Norman's bass, it looks correct according to 'The Fender Bass: An Illustrated History'. On page 34, there is a side-by side explaining the differences between logos on the 62 and 65 headstocks. The 62 (pictured immediately to the right of the text) has five patents under the Fender logo (only four under the 1960 Jazz, earlier in the book) and the 'Contour Body' logo in the same position as on Norman's. On the 65, the 'Contour Body' logo is on the ball of the headstock.[/quote] That isn't right. Jazz Basses between 1961 and mid '64 had four sets of patent numbers, not five. The Jazz Bass immediately to the right of the text on page 34 of the book you mention has only four numbers, not five. The bass on the far right does have five numbers, but that's a '65. (Jazz basses in 1960 had no patent numbers.) The '62 on page 34 does have the closer spacing of 'original contour body ' decal, but it is on the same decal 'island' as the 'Fender' part of the decal. In other words, it's a one piece logo. After mid '64 the logo is in two pieces. The logo on Norman's Shoreline is unquestionably a post mid '64, with the five patent numbers and two pieces!!!!!!!!!!!! J

[quote name='neilb' post='1248017' date='May 28 2011, 10:44 AM']Prior to 1964, the two parts of the logo were this close, it was in 1964 that the offset bit moved to the far end of the stock.[/quote] I realise that. Before mid '64 the 'offset contour body' part was not only close to the 'Fender Jazz Bass etc' part, it was in the same decal 'island'. In mid '64, as you say, the 'offset' part separated and was placed on the ball end of the headstock. What we have here is a post mid '64 heastock decal, with two separate parts placed uniquely together. J

Plus 1 on the decal not being right for a '62. That type of logo, with the separate 'offset contour body' part, dates from mid '64, and I have never seen the two parts of the logo placed so close together. Sorry to be so anal, but this raises some serious doubts about the bass. Johnny

Just saw this post - fascinating. I just watched Herb Alpert on BBC 4 and his bass player, Pat Senatore, did indeed have a black precision with a painted headstock and a painted neck! This footage was around '66/ '67 Does anybody know anything about this amazing piece? Never seen a matching neck from this period! Johnny

Maxrossell: "However - and this is a big however - the extent of the weathering does suggest that some of the parts aren't original, specifically the knobs and the pickup and bridge covers. If the paint job is in that bad a shape, I would expect to see an equivalent degree of wear on the metal surfaces, and these just look far too clean. A lot of the screw heads also look suspiciously rust-free. Look at the string retainer on the headstock, and the strap buttons. That's consistent. " What nonsense! The finish on the body has flaked somewhat because of exposure to moisture, but the pickup/bridge covers and knobs are unaffected because they're chromed. You've been looking at too many Fender relics where they wirewool the chrome parts to get an old look. But real chrome from the period remains shiny. The string retainer is rusty and faded because it's nickel plated. Think about it for a moment. Clean chrome and faded nickel is precisely what you would expect to see on an orginal bass with this amount of wear. It's 100% right. Johnny