FS 1973 Fender Jazz all original! Perfect Neck! - Page 2

portraitoftracy · #21 10-15-2009, 09:48 AM

I'll take more and better pictures later today for the talkbass jury!

basses55 · #22 10-15-2009, 09:49 AM

The fretboard is quite a different color than the headstock...so it could have been refretted. My 70s Jazzes pretty much age the same on the fretboard and headstock.

I did get an opinion from an experienced luthier that its probebly alder..but again, it would be helpful if we could see any grain pattern on the back

GDCX · #23 10-15-2009, 09:56 AM

Well.. I may be wrong, but I am pretty sure that I owned this bass years ago, so perhaps I can help here.

Happy to compare serial numbers.

My old bass was obtained by me from a local, family-run music store where it had sat for many years. There was very little wear on the neck - frets were original and just about perfect.

Here is my old bass. look close at where the binding meets the frets. I do understand that frets may have been dressed or replaced since I sold it about five years ago.

Also: here is the picture of the back - check out the grain.

If this is my old bass - it is a great one. I miss it, and would buy it back in a minute if I could.

Hope this helps,

Greg

portraitoftracy · #24 10-15-2009, 10:11 AM

That is 100% the bass I have, thanks for chiming in. Do you know what the body would is? It all makes sense now as to why the neck is so pristine! Maybe I shouldn't be selling this baby!

lamarjones · #25 10-15-2009, 10:11 AM

some here are saying that their early 70s basses had the same tint on the headstock as the fretboard. My experience with a few early 70s one are that the headstock turns darker than the fretboard.

Can't say there wasn't a refret, just that I don't agree that a different headstock color from the fretboard doesn't necessarily mean work was done on the fretboard.

Ronen · #26 10-15-2009, 10:16 AM

It is definitely the same bass that was for sale at the LowEnd.
Gained a little extra honest mojo though. Beautiful bass!

portraitoftracy · #27 10-15-2009, 10:26 AM

It looks like this bass is a swamp asher folks. I guess I should have known by the thumb tone.

GDCX · #28 10-15-2009, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lamarjones

some here are saying that their early 70s basses had the same tint on the headstock as the fretboard. My experience with a few early 70s one are that the headstock turns darker than the fretboard.

Can't say there wasn't a refret, just that I don't agree that a different headstock color from the fretboard doesn't necessarily mean work was done on the fretboard.

I have to agree. I have owned quite a few 'black-blockers" and many have had this basic presentation.

Here is another 1973 that I owned (and sold

) and you can see it on this one here too:

Regarding my opinion of the wood, I dunno...I am no wood expert... it could be ash or alder too.

RockBoxBass · #29 10-15-2009, 10:38 AM

geez...sorry for what i started with the pics....theres now more pics of other basses than your bass for sale. good luck with the sale. shes a beauty...

Kenny Allyn · #30 10-15-2009, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by portraitoftracy

It looks like this bass is a swamp asher folks. I guess I should have known by the thumb tone.

Well maybe, but that kinda grain shows up in alder too ...

A closeup of my alder 68 P bass shows a similar look either way at 9 lbs it's one of the good ones! My 73 is LPB so can't see the grain on it to compare, but it's alder and 8.5 lbs.

... BUY this bass!!! (the 73 Jazz)

basses55 · #31 10-15-2009, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GDCX

I have to agree. I have owned quite a few 'black-blockers" and many have had this basic presentation.

Here is another 1973 that I owned (and sold

) and you can see it on this one here too:

Regarding my opinion of the wood, I thought it was swamp ash. It certainly had that snappy, ash tone....

I agree on many Jazzes, but I have an early 70s Geddy that also has the same tint on the fretboard as the headstock too..I guess it just depends what the bass has gone through or exposed to.
The other thing I was looking at is the fret shape as a clue..do the frets on the current bass for sale appear to have rounder crowns than the bass in the older pic? The two pics are at different angles so I'm not sure if I can tell from comparing difference in profile between the end of the frets and the binding.

Portrait....hope you dont mind all the investigation on the thread here ...its a beautiful bass and I'm SURE its going to sell if its ash or alder (or has had some fretwork) ...

GDCX · #32 10-15-2009, 11:19 AM

"I guess it just depends what the bass has gone through or exposed to."

Exactly right, in my opinion.

Interestingly enough, my early 1970's "geddy" black-blocker also had no difference in the tint between the headstock and neck.

I could post a picture

..but I think this thread already contains too many pics of my basses

Cheers,

basses55 · #33 10-15-2009, 11:24 AM

For whats its worth I just heard back from my experienced luthier again ( who also works with alder as well as ash), and after seeing the pic of the back of the bass from TLE said its alder because of a tell -tale knot he saw. Of course , he is not inspecting the bass in person so it still could be ash.

However, looking the pic above of the Pbass..this is the kind of alder grain pattern that can happen that throws me off from afar..until closer inspection shows more detail like the kind of knots and smaller grain characteristics etc. Given the weight too....

In any event its a gorgeous bass and if it plays as the OP reports someone should really pick this up !

peterpalmieri · #34 10-15-2009, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GDCX

I have to agree. I have owned quite a few 'black-blockers" and many have had this basic presentation.

Here is another 1973 that I owned (and sold

) and you can see it on this one here too:

Regarding my opinion of the wood, I dunno...I am no wood expert... it could be ash or alder too.

I used to own a '73 in that exact scheme, it looks darn close. I sold my to GC (Glen Cove) back sometime around '99 maybe as late as '01.

Could it be the same bass?

portraitoftracy · #35 10-20-2009, 01:53 PM

One more bump before I take an offer I have on the table

shrimpflea · #36 10-20-2009, 07:10 PM

70's Fenders had Poly finished maple necks but Nitro finished headstocks due to ill effects the poly had on the decals. That's why the headstocks usually turned darker than the neck over time.

portraitoftracy · #37 10-20-2009, 07:30 PM

Sounds like a reasonable and intelligent explanation.

portraitoftracy · #38 10-28-2009, 03:28 PM

This bass has been sold! thanks TB nation