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Anorak question about Jazz bass colours


4 Strings
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I'm interested in a Fender Jazz for a bargain price, Arctic White, owner says US made. However, a Google search came up with loads of Mexican Jazzes that colour but not MIA. Is there anyone who knows about colours etc can let me know if Arcti White is a US made colour? All else I know i a rosewood fingerboard.

Its a bit of a journey to find an MZ serial no.

(Nothing against Mexican basses, a blind test in a shop resulted in one being favoured, but this one wouldn't be a bargain if Mexican)

thanks

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[quote name='4 Strings' post='1081689' date='Jan 8 2011, 12:12 AM']I'm interested in a Fender Jazz for a bargain price, Arctic White, owner says US made. However, a Google search came up with loads of Mexican Jazzes that colour but not MIA. Is there anyone who knows about colours etc can let me know if Arcti White is a US made colour? All else I know i a rosewood fingerboard.

Its a bit of a journey to find an MZ serial no.

(Nothing against Mexican basses, a blind test in a shop resulted in one being favoured, but this one wouldn't be a bargain if Mexican)

thanks[/quote]
Can't you ask for the serial number?

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[quote name='EssentialTension' post='1081691' date='Jan 8 2011, 12:14 AM']Can't you ask for the serial number?[/quote]


Yes, I've now got a 'phone no., but, to be honest, I wasn't going to bother if it clearly isn't a made in US. This will be the second, another owner stated clearly in an ad that it was US made, then when it came to it it was Mexican. Some people get a little odd when challenged about where their guitar was made. (And, to be frank, I feel a little anal about it, but the price difference is marked)

My little Google session seemed to show Arctic White being a Mexican colour and Olympic White being American (Olympic being a little more creamy than Arctic)

Is that Olympic or Arctic in your little signature pic?

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[quote name='4 Strings' post='1081724' date='Jan 8 2011, 12:57 AM']Is that Olympic or Arctic in your little signature pic?[/quote]

Fender started offering olympic white around 1961 as a standard colour (before this it was a case of custom ordering), so I'm positive that picture will be of Elvis holding an olympic white P-Bass with a 3-ply tortoiseshell pickguard. No mention of arctic white in earlier Fender colour charts that I can find as early as that.

You're best finding the serial of the bass out so you can determine which side of the border the bass hails from.

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[quote name='4 Strings' post='1081724' date='Jan 8 2011, 12:57 AM']Yes, I've now got a 'phone no., but, to be honest, I wasn't going to bother if it clearly isn't a made in US. This will be the second, another owner stated clearly in an ad that it was US made, then when it came to it it was Mexican. Some people get a little odd when challenged about where their guitar was made. (And, to be frank, I feel a little anal about it, but the price difference is marked)

My little Google session seemed to show Arctic White being a Mexican colour and Olympic White being American (Olympic being a little more creamy than Arctic)

Is that Olympic or Arctic in your little signature pic?[/quote]
I believe Elvis's P bass was olympic white and that is definitely a US colour and is creamier. My AV62 is that colour and looks even creamier than in the avatar of Elvis.

I suspect you are correct to think that arctic white is a Mexican colour.

I'd say that if a seller gets a little odd when asked about where their guitar was made then it's best not to buy from them.

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Have you got any pictures? Am I right in thinking Mex will have the serial on the front of the headstock rather than the rear like on modern strats or are they both on the front like older Fenders, I'm presuming it's fairly modern. I have seen many strats on eBay listed as USA when I can see it hasn't got enough frets from the picture!

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[quote name='4 Strings' post='1081689' date='Jan 8 2011, 12:12 AM'][color="#0000FF"][size=4]Its a bit of a journey to find an MZ serial no.[/size][/color]
thanks[/quote]

Do you mean it has a MZ serial number? If so then it is Mexican.

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