Vintage Fenders

[Piers_Williamson]

16 minutes ago, Old Man Riva said:

Even though it doesn’t say it’s a Refin in the description, based on The Gallery’s previous/recent prices for similar pre-CBS refinished Precisions, I think it’s safe to say it is… 

 

I think I would be more worried about catching septicemia playing that one!

[Reggaebass]

Can’t be sure but it looks like a refinish to me, and unless I’ve missed it there isn’t a description , is there 

[Beedster]

8 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

….and unless I’ve missed it there isn’t a description , is there 

 

1 hour ago, Beedster said:

 

I wish I had the length of time required to read The Gallery's extensive descriptions........ 🤔

 
Gallery appear to avoid descriptions 

[GuyR]

3 hours ago, Beedster said:

 

 
Gallery appear to avoid descriptions 

You certainly avoid a misdescription that way

[Beedster]

9 minutes ago, GuyR said:

You certainly avoid a misdescription that way

 

Yep, i imagine it's for exactly that reason, it gives them deniability, which at their prices and with their reputation, they should not need. Poor form

[briansbrew]

Have a look at this video and let me know what the eagle eyed among you think...

 

 

 

[miles'tone]

Just woke up but at first glance:

 

New looking neck with block inlays and a '64 or earlier decal = nope.

 

60s tuners? Nope.

 

Original era pickguard? Nope.

 

The body looks nice but wary of it all now to be honest. 

[Burns-bass]

34 minutes ago, miles'tone said:

Just woke up but at first glance:

 

New looking neck with block inlays and a '64 or earlier decal = nope.

 

60s tuners? Nope.

 

Original era pickguard? Nope.

 

The body looks nice but wary of it all now to be honest. 

This.

[SurroundedByManatees]

What year is it supposed to be? The decal with the offset part on the ball of the headstock was done from 1964-1968 I think. . 

 

The combination of this type of decal with clover tuners could only be a '68 I think, if authentic. Usually of the ones with the older logo have lollipops though, and the later '68s TV logo with clover tuners. But as it's Fender, there can always be a few that we're assembled in between transition.

 

Pickguard doesn't look authentic at first sight

[Alanko]

The pickguard looks like modern Fender tort. Dark, with small cream or yellow blobs. The edge might have been dyed to look older, but it isn't vintage tortoiseshell of any marque.

[Reggaebass]

Hi Brian a couple of things I noticed and I could be wrong 😁 , block inlays were introduced in mid 66, looks like a 67/68 but the tuners have the small R which are early 70s ( my 71 doesn’t have it on the tuners) , pickguard looks like a reissue one at first glance , neck is very clean for the year, nice jazz 

[Beedster]

Funny old thing, I always go on gut instinct when I look at a bass, and while I can't tell you why, as far as my gut is concerned the neck says no. No help at all in real terms Brian 🤔

[Belka]

It's not an original neck in any way. That's a slab fingerboard, not a veneer, which it should be on any Fender from 1962-1983. Those tuners are the Fender branded Schallers that came out in 1976 and are still used in Fender's '70s reissue basses today. The guard is a clear repro. 

 

The body, electronics and bridge could be real, you'd need to a closer look inside to verify. 

Edited Friday at 08:32 by Belka

[wateroftyne]

I’m confident the guard is legit.

 

The tuners, though.. I don’t recall seeing those gaps at the bottom of the plate before..?

 

 

 

 

[wateroftyne]

^^^ Ah… late 70s. That’s why I’ve never really noticed them.

[briansbrew]

This is a deliberate attempt to make a 70's Jazz bass to look Vintage at a fraction of the cost, he is not trying to sell it as a Vintage Jazz but offering it to anyone not in a position to afford the real deal but want to have a bass close to a Vintage looking one

But if you had never seen a Vintage bass before or what to look out for then you could easily be fooled...

 

 

 

[Burns-bass]

Just now, briansbrew said:

This is a deliberate attempt to make a 70's Jazz bass to look Vintage at a fraction of the cost, he is not trying to sell it as a Vintage Jazz but offering it to anyone not in a position to afford the real deal but want to have a bass close to a Vintage looking one

But if you had never seen a Vintage bass before or what to look out for then you could easily be fooled...

 

 

 

 

In one sense, that's admirable.

 

On the other hand, unless this is clearly marked as such, it could end up being sold as genuine. 

 

I've mentioned it several times on this thread, but two of my vintage basses sold with changed parts clearly mentioned to new buyers. Unfortunately, they have subsequently appeared for sale with all of those things not mentioned.

 

The price was almost double (in one case, triple) what I'd sold the basses for.

 

I know Limelight clearly mark their fakes, but Bravewood doesn't. I think I'm more supportive of the former approach than the latter. 

[bakerster135]

1 hour ago, Belka said:

It's not an original neck in any way. That's a slab fingerboard, not a veneer, which it should be on any Fender from 1962-1983. Those tuners are the Fender branded Schallers that came out in 1976 and are still used in Fender's '70s reissue basses today. The guard is a clear repro. 

 

The body, electronics and bridge could be real, you'd need to a closer look inside to verify. 

How can you tell that's a slab fingerboard, it's got binding around it? 🤔 

[bakerster135]

3 hours ago, SurroundedByManatees said:

What year is it supposed to be? The decal with the offset part on the ball of the headstock was done from 1964-1968 I think. . 

 

The combination of this type of decal with clover tuners could only be a '68 I think, if authentic. Usually of the ones with the older logo have lollipops though, and the later '68s TV logo with clover tuners. But as it's Fender, there can always be a few that we're assembled in between transition.

 

Pickguard doesn't look authentic at first sight

100% agree, the clover tuner and decal was the first red flag for me. Every pre-TV decal late 66-68 block inlay Jazz bass that I've seen has the lollipops. 

Edited Friday at 09:51 by bakerster135

[Belka]

22 minutes ago, bakerster135 said:

How can you tell that's a slab fingerboard, it's got binding around it? 🤔 

When he shows the headstock. Clearly a slab.

[ossyrocks]

25 minutes ago, Belka said:

When he shows the headstock. Clearly a slab.

 

I have two '73 Jazzes here and neither of them have a board like that. Mine are clearly thick veneers and follow the radius of the board which results in a slight curve in the rosewood at the headstock end.

 

I'd like to know when Fender started putting slab boards on Jazz basses in the 70's......

[bakerster135]

28 minutes ago, ossyrocks said:

 

I have two '73 Jazzes here and neither of them have a board like that. Mine are clearly thick veneers and follow the radius of the board which results in a slight curve in the rosewood at the headstock end.

 

I'd like to know when Fender started putting slab boards on Jazz basses in the 70's......

It's a good spot, I really don't think they did? Also bear in mind the bullet truss rod came in later 74 and stayed until the start of the 80s, so it rules that period out. Definitely casts further doubt on the authenticity...

[Reggaebass]

I thought the slab boards were only an early 60s thing, up to about 62 ?

[Belka]

1 hour ago, ossyrocks said:

 

I have two '73 Jazzes here and neither of them have a board like that. Mine are clearly thick veneers and follow the radius of the board which results in a slight curve in the rosewood at the headstock end.

 

I'd like to know when Fender started putting slab boards on Jazz basses in the 70's......

 

38 minutes ago, bakerster135 said:

It's a good spot, I really don't think they did? Also bear in mind the bullet truss rod came in later 74 and stayed until the start of the 80s, so it rules that period out. Definitely casts further doubt on the authenticity...

They didn't - as I think I mentioned, slab boards were phased out in '61/62, and didn't show up again until 1984. That neck is in no way authentic. I'd guess Warmoth/Allparts with Fender Pure Vintage tuners.

 

Actually, thinking about it,  one of my statements is inaccurate- slab boards would have featured on the original Fullerton reissues, so 1982 was when they came back, not 1984. 

 

The neck in question is not in any way a Fullerton reissue however.

 

 

Edited Friday at 11:47 by Belka

[ossyrocks]

14 minutes ago, Belka said:

 

They didn't - as I think I mentioned, slab boards were phased out in '61/62, and didn't show up again until 1984. That neck is in no way authentic. I'd guess Warmoth/Allparts with Fender Pure Vintage tuners.

Blimey.

 

Now I want to see if it has been stamped at all.