NBD: Rare MIJ Late 60s Traditional II Jazz w/ Matching Headstock

[wateroftyne]

Hello!

 

Couldn't resist this one. Never seen another in the UK. Any others out there?

 

A pretty unique spec - ovals, matching headstock, blocks & binding. Board is a lovely bit of rosewood, body is basswood.

 

Pickguard was switched to black at some point, but I've got a correct replacement on there now.

 

It plays and sounds great 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited yesterday at 12:52 by wateroftyne

[nige1968]

That looks proper fancy innit. Please tell me it’s an awful baseball bat of a neck to try ‘n’ play …

[wateroftyne]

10 minutes ago, nige1968 said:

That looks proper fancy innit. Please tell me it’s an awful baseball bat of a neck to try ‘n’ play …

Sorry to say it’s a classic 60s J profile. Nice and fast!

[nige1968]

Not helping 😆

[BlueMoon]

Nice! Fender Japan seems to have quite a bit of flexibility to issue “local” models that are both desirable and well screwed together. 

[Shambo]

I used to have a Jap Jazz in this configuration. It was a 75RI. Bought it from a Basschatter in France.

 

 

 

I absolutely love the look, still do. You don't see it very often.

It reminded me of my first proper bass, an original black '75 Jazz... but I just didn't play it enough to warrant keeping it.

I sold all the basses in my collection a few years ago, but kept the Pro Precision that usurped it as top bass in my stable.

 

Did you import yours?

[uk_lefty]

Very nice! I was watching a documentary a while ago and saw a bassist using an original like that with the ashtrays on and ever since thought it was a very tasty looking combination on a Fender Jazz.

[wateroftyne]

1 hour ago, Shambo said:

I used to have a Jap Jazz in this configuration. It was a 75RI. Bought it from a Basschatter in France.

 

 

 

I absolutely love the look, still do. You don't see it very often.

It reminded me of my first proper bass, an original black '75 Jazz... but I just didn't play it enough to warrant keeping it.

I sold all the basses in my collection a few years ago, but kept the Pro Precision that usurped it as top bass in my stable.

 

Did you import yours?

Almost the same - ovals is the main difference, I think. Maybe bridge pickup position too? Lovely bass, though!

 

I didn’t import it. Bought it locally, but don’t know its history before that…

[PaulThePlug]

Have you still got the BWB, as it really ties in the blocks

[wateroftyne]

25 minutes ago, PaulThePlug said:

Have you still got the BWB, as it really ties in the blocks

I do. Don’t like it, tho.

[King Tut]

Beauty!

[HeadlessBassist]

Congrats WoT. Looks lovely. I like those vintage Jazz necks too - just that extra little bit of depth to them, making them really comfortable.

 

Having a look around, these come in some lovely colour combinations. Is it Will at BassBros bringing these in?

 

Edited 10 hours ago by HeadlessBassist

[Shambo]

12 hours ago, wateroftyne said:

Almost the same - ovals is the main difference, I think. Maybe bridge pickup position too? Lovely bass, though!

 

I didn’t import it. Bought it locally, but don’t know its history before that…

Mine also had a 3 bolt neck, but I don't think it had the 70's bridge pickup spacing.

I saw one around the same age (2008) with a white body and matching headstock, which looked fabulous contrasting with rosewood, blocks and binding.

 

If I'd won the lottery last night, I'd fly to Tokyo and try a few out to see which one spoke to me.

I considered importing one but, buying one blind, I'd be concerned it might end up being another perfectly good instrument that I just didn't 'bond' with.

 

But if you decide to move this one on, I'd certainly like to give it an audition. 😉 

I think I'm probably quite local to you these days.

 

Great looking bass.

[Shambo]

37 minutes ago, HeadlessBassist said:

Congrats WoT. Looks lovely. I like those vintage Jazz necks too - just that extra little bit of depth to them, making them really comfortable.

 

Having a look around, these come in some lovely colour combinations. Is it Will at BassBros bringing these in?

I'm thinking about the white version and you post one whist I'm writing! 

[HeadlessBassist]

Just now, Shambo said:

I'm thinking about the white version and you post one whist I'm writing! 

 

Oops. Sorry!  🫣 🤣

[wateroftyne]

And also, which I'd REALLY love:

[HeadlessBassist]

How does the basswood body compare sound-wise to the American Vintage/Original alder bodies?

 

I ask, as I'm just in the middle of having a set of Fender Pure Vintage 66 pickups put into silky999's prototype nitro bass, which has the okoume body.

[wateroftyne]

40 minutes ago, HeadlessBassist said:

How does the basswood body compare sound-wise to the American Vintage/Original alder bodies?

 

I ask, as I'm just in the middle of having a set of Fender Pure Vintage 66 pickups put into silky999's prototype nitro bass, which has the okoume body.

Honestly, I can’t tell the difference. Had I not known it was basswood from the spec, I’d have assumed alder.

Edited 8 hours ago by wateroftyne

[Dood]

One word. Lush. 😍

[HeadlessBassist]

That's good to know. I know a lot of people pooh-pooh basswood as a cheap alternative, but I've never known a bad sounding basswood instrument. They even use it on top-of-the-line Music Man basses, so can't be bad  

[wateroftyne]

I’ve just lined it up with my others, and just noticed how dark the board is.

It really pops.

[jd56hawk]

https://youtu.be/9W771fpWKsI?si=KC0vSHlWVjb4NoXG

 

Edited 6 hours ago by jd56hawk

[Misdee]

What a lovely bass.

 

In the late 1960's black was a custom order colour option for Fenders, as was the matching headstock. The original bass that inspired this reissue would have been a spare-no-expense flagship example at the time.

[Mrbigstuff]

12 minutes ago, Misdee said:

What a lovely bass.

 

In the late 1960's black was a custom order colour option for Fenders, as was the matching headstock. The original bass that inspired this reissue would have been a spare-no-expense flagship example at the time.

It’s a shame so few examples exist!

[Misdee]

29 minutes ago, Mrbigstuff said:

It’s a shame so few examples exist!

It's the custom order business why so few examples exist. You had to physically go to your local  guitar shop, order the bass from a paper catalogue, then wait forever with no news of when it was arriving. The old days, before the internet. 

 

Funnily enough, I saw some archive footage  from the late 1960's on t.v recently, Johnny Cash or someone of that ilk, can't remember who, and the bass player had exactly this bass. It was colour footage from American t.v and the bass looked brand new and stunning.