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Odd spec jazz from '78


jimbobothy
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Hi folks, saw this [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1978-Fender-Jazz-Bass-W-OHSC-Super-Clean-100-Original-/230922434538?pt=Guitar&hash=item35c40cb7ea&_uhb=1"]http://www.ebay.co.u...c40cb7ea&_uhb=1[/url] and the bits and bobs on it don't match up with the normal Fender thing in '78, any comments? My first thoughts are that it has a very early 80's spec, but with an odd serial number but not too sure!

Edited by jimbobothy
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Dots? White pickups? and Made In USA on headstock! hmmm
I don't think they started saying "Made in USA" until they started making them elsewhere too (i.e. Japan) which for the early 80s is correct (although you'd want a Japanese one of this vintage) as are dots, white Pickups and scratchplate. This is transitional too because they started the one-piece white scratchplate/control plate fiasco around this time. I think its early 80s.

A 1978 Jazz will look like a Marcus Miller (as his was an off the shelf 78 Jazz before Roger Sadowsky got his hands on it) So white blocks and binding, 3 bolt neck, black scratchplate would be usual...

Looking at Fender serial numbers around this time, the S prefix (for Seventies) was used 1978 - 1981 and the E prefix (Eighties) was also used from 1978. So I expect this is one of those transition era ones made from leftover bits. The neck has white binding but black dots. Strange!

I know these are increasing in value, but the majority of instruments coming out of Fender in this era were only good for fire wood. My dad managed a guitar shop in the 70s and 80s and said that the QC was shocking around this time.

Edited by brensabre79
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That's a proper oddity. My observations...

'78 Decal
A '78 Jazz would have had the bullet truss on the neck ? Unless it's been repaired ?
White plastic parts suggest 80's ?
The 4 Bolt Neck plate suggests 70's P bass (or 82 onwards) as opposed to 3 bolt used on jazz '76-81 - circa '77 they dropped the serial no stamp
Black dots and white bound neck - no idea, erm. actually see the post below!

IMHO and it's difficult to tell from pics but the neck suggests Precision to me.

Assembled from parts or 1983 ?!!! Whatever - it's cool.

Edited by mxm
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