32" Scale Jap Fenders

[Oggy]

Hi Guys

I've recently got my hands on a 32" Scale Jap Fender Jazz - I love it. It's not just the shorter neck scale that I love, it also has a scaled down body so that it looks in proportion.

I'm wondering if any of you basschaters know of a 32" scale P-Bass - do / did / has Fender (or anyone else for that matter) ever produced one ??

Oggy

[Paul S]

That is very interesting. Especially the scaled down body aspect. I don't suppose you are able to weigh it, are you?

The Precision Lyte has a scaled down Precision body - more Strat sized. But 34" scale (and 22 frets, too) so not exactly what you asked about.

[AntLockyer]

There is a pink one on Ebay.

[LeftyJ]

Fender Japan made 32" Squier Precisions in the early and mid 80s.
And of course at the moment Squier is making these two which are supposedly great instruments and a lot of fun:
[url="http://www.fender.com/en-NL/squier/basses/telecaster-bass/"]http://www.fender.com/en-NL/squier/basses/telecaster-bass/[/url]

Edited November 14, 2013 by LeftyJ

[Oggy]

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1384433247' post='2276590']
That is very interesting. Especially the scaled down body aspect. I don't suppose you are able to weigh it, are you?

The Precision Lyte has a scaled down Precision body - more Strat sized. But 34" scale (and 22 frets, too) so not exactly what you asked about.
[/quote]

Hi Paul

Anything of a fellow Basschatter - On the bathroom digital scales = 3,6 Kg's.

Link address to an ebay site that sells them - [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-Japan-Medium-Scale-Jazz-Bass-JB62M-/251377387694?pt=Guitar&hash=item3a874288ae"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-Japan-Medium-Scale-Jazz-Bass-JB62M-/251377387694?[/url][url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-Japan-Medium-Scale-Jazz-Bass-JB62M-/251377387694?pt=Guitar&hash=item3a874288ae"]pt=Guitar&hash=item3a874288ae[/url]

Link to Fender Japan site - [url="http://www.fenderjapan.co.jp/jb62m.html"]http://www.fenderjapan.co.jp/jb62m.html[/url]

A couple have been sold on this very web site, do a search on JB62M - you'll get more details.

Oggy

[Oggy]

[quote name='AntLockyer' timestamp='1384433332' post='2276591'] There is a pink one on Ebay. [/quote]

Hi AntLockyer

I dare not even look - Agggggggggg

Oggy

[AntLockyer]

I've been tempted by it a couple of times. For my daughter of course :-D

[Oggy]

[quote name='LeftyJ' timestamp='1384441059' post='2276727'] Fender Japan made 32" Squier Precisions in the early and mid 80s. And of course at the moment Squier is making these two which are supposedly great instruments and a lot of fun: [url="http://www.fender.com/en-NL/squier/basses/telecaster-bass/"]http://www.fender.com/en-NL/squier/basses/telecaster-bass/[/url] [/quote]

Hi LeftyJ

Yup, I had a Telecaster Bass a wee while ago and sold it on, the body was way to big for my liking. If the body had been scaled down I'd definitely have kept it, it had a great sound with flats on it.

I'll keep an eye out for one of those 32" Squier Precisions from the early and mid 80s you mentioned, do you know if it had the body scaled down in proportion?

Oggy

[Oggy]

[quote name='AntLockyer' timestamp='1384465705' post='2277177']
I've been tempted by it a couple of times. For my daughter of course :-D
[/quote]

You know what AntLockyer - I've just had a crafty peep If I had the cash I'd buy it and have the body re-finished in a colour something a tad less errrrrrr yup.

Oggy

[KK Jale]

..

Edited April 4, 2019 by KK Jale

[Paul S]

[quote name='Oggy' timestamp='1384465260' post='2277169']
Hi Paul

Anything of a fellow Basschatter - On the bathroom digital scales = 3,6 Kg's.

Link address to an ebay site that sells them - [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-Japan-Medium-Scale-Jazz-Bass-JB62M-/251377387694?pt=Guitar&hash=item3a874288ae"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-Japan-Medium-Scale-Jazz-Bass-JB62M-/251377387694?[/url][url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-Japan-Medium-Scale-Jazz-Bass-JB62M-/251377387694?pt=Guitar&hash=item3a874288ae"]pt=Guitar&hash=item3a874288ae[/url]

Link to Fender Japan site - [url="http://www.fenderjapan.co.jp/jb62m.html"]http://www.fenderjap...o.jp/jb62m.html[/url]

A couple have been sold on this very web site, do a search on JB62M - you'll get more details.

Oggy
[/quote]
Cheers Oggy. That makes it even more interesting!

[tedmanzie]

[quote name='Oggy' timestamp='1384432814' post='2276581']
Hi Guys

I've recently got my hands on a 32" Scale Jap Fender Jazz - I love it. It's not just the shorter neck scale that I love, it also has a scaled down body so that it looks in proportion.

I'm wondering if any of you basschaters know of a 32" scale P-Bass - do / did / has Fender (or anyone else for that matter) ever produced one ??

Oggy
[/quote]

i've got a 32" precision MIJ squier from 1984. has the most fantastic neck, weight is very light, and sounds great - although i should add it doesn't sound as good as my full size P.

[Oggy]

Hi John

Is the body scaled down in proportion to the neck? What would you say makes the sound 'less' than your 34" Precision, is it to do with the shorter scale length or just the quality of the pickups?

Oggy (Tim)

PS. The harness you made for the Jazz works a treat - no more bunched volume.

[tedmanzie]

[quote name='Oggy' timestamp='1384613052' post='2278747']
Hi John

Is the body scaled down in proportion to the neck? What would you say makes the sound 'less' than your 34" Precision, is it to do with the shorter scale length or just the quality of the pickups?

Oggy (Tim)

PS. The harness you made for the Jazz works a treat - no more bunched volume.
[/quote]

Hi Oggy

(I think you're directing that question at me, but I'm not called John and I didn't make you a harness! )

Yes the body is scaled down, so even though it's only a few inches shorter end to end, it feels very much smaller and lighter. When I'm back in the studio I'll take a comparison shot. We don't have scales so I can't weigh it, but maybe I'll pop round to the post office as I'm curious as to what it weighs. It also has scaled down headstock, tuning pegs, and a 40mm nut width. Neck profile is quite rounded, frets are fairly jumbo.

Mine is an Axxxx serial squier, the order of production I believe went JV, SQ, E, A. The pickups weren't great, so they had definitely started to make the spec less compared to JV era. Other than that the build quality is very nice.

I replaced the pickups with USA Fender Vintage (pickups are same size) and also the pots and jack socket. Pots were same spec (250) but I changed the capacitor to the orange drop one (can't remember the value).

The strings are Thomastik Jazz Flats 32" scale. My full size JV P is also strung with TI Flats. So its not a scientific comparison as the 34" has original JV pickups on and is maple neck, while the 32" has USA Fender pickups and rosewood board, but its near enough I think.

The 32" tone is good and very useable, but is noticeably less defined than the 34". The longer scale seems to be richer, more complex, more twangy. Maybe you hear the overtones more or something, I'm not too sure. I'm sure that its the scale length that makes the difference. The TI Flats at 34" feel noticeably more twangy than the 32".

To be honest if you play with the tone rolled off (I do) then its pretty similar. However the TI strings do have a very particular sound so maybe with other strings it might not notice so much.

If you're interested then I can record them both and you can have a listen.


Cheers
Ted

Edited November 16, 2013 by tedmanzie

[Oggy]

Hi Ted

Sorry about the mix up, it was you that I bought the Fender strap from and John that I bought the harness from - must be an age thing:-)

Thanks for all the info on the 32" Precision, it''s confirmed a lot of hearsay.

When I started playing bass I had a standard 34" Fender P-Bass. I never really liked it as I found the 34" scale a bit of a stretch and the body size a tad on the large size for my 5' 6" frame. Over time I found that short scale basses were the answer so I ended up with a Mustang and a Gibson SG re-issue, until I found the 32" Jap Jazz that is. I did also try the Squire Custom Telebass, liked the sound and the 32" scale length but the body size was just to big for me.

From what I know now it looks as though the 32" P-Basses are in short supply so getting my hands on one isn't going to be easy. I have had the Mustang up for sale on the site but up to now no real interest, I'll have to re-visit my add and perhaps lower my expectations on price. I think I'll also put the Gibson up for sale and if either of them sell I'll try for a 32" P-Bass in the 'wanted' forum.

Thanks again for all your info.

Oggy

[tedmanzie]

Hi Oggy

I'm always looking for other 32" P basses just out of curiosity but I've haven't found one for sale in the UK over the past 18 months or so. I saw one for sale but it was in the USA. It might be worth contacting Ishibashi in Japan as that was where they were made and is the most likely place they'll turn up second hand.

Good luck!

Ted

[iiipopes]

Twenty-five or so years ago I got to play a Precision like the one posted above. Great bass. Find the most flexible 45-105 strings you can for the best tone.

[TPJ]

You can put together a 32" bass with [url="http://www.warmoth.com/Bass/ShortScale/"]Warmoth[/url] stuff now.

[Oggy]

[quote name='TPJ' timestamp='1384945649' post='2282531']
You can put together a 32" bass with [url="http://www.warmoth.com/Bass/ShortScale/"]Warmoth[/url] stuff now.
[/quote]

Hi Tom

I did have a look at doing just that. Only problem being that I wouldn't get the body scaled in proportion to the neck. I have had a P-Bass in the past and I can almost hide behind the body - it looks BIG hanging off me. That's why I'm so taken with the Jap 32" Jazz - the whole thing is scaled down in proportion.

I have a Dr Feelgood thing coming off and I'd have just loved to do the gig with a black P-Bass.

Oggy

[Paul S]

My Fender Precision Lyte has a strat-sized body - smaller but similarly proportioned to a Precision. I don't know how feasible it would be to use a strat body with regards to the neck pocket/bridge position/routing etc.