1962 Jazz Bass Value

[rheuser]

Can anyone help me with determining the value of a 1962Fender Jazz Bass, serial number 77697.

This is a great bass. I made my living with it for many years. However, it shows the wear of all that use. It is the best sounding bass that I have ever heard. I am also a string bass player so I am picky about the sound.

I also have the original case but it also shows the wear of traveling the world with me.

However, I must sell it now and need help determining its value. Any suggestions?

[rheuser]

Here are a couple pictures of the back.

[glivanos]

I would move this thread to the "Basses" section of the Forums thread. With that said, in this market and in that condition your probably looking at $9-$11K IMO of course. I have the same bass all original except body refin which I've had appraised at $6K.

[rheuser]

Thank you for the advice. I will move it.

[MR PC]

Call "Real Guitars" in San Francisco The have been dealing vintage guitars for a long time now, they have a little shop right off of Market Street. They probably have a waitng list of potential customers for a bass such as yours. I've sold many instruments through them, and they have always been straight business.

Nice looking axe, sorry you have to part ways with it now.

[rheuser]

Mr. PC -

I contacted "real Guitars" and had a good experience. They think that they can get $10,000 for it, so, I am going to sell it through them on consignment.

[MR PC]

Well then, I hope the '62 finds a good home with a player! I know that some pretty well known bassists have found their favorite old Fenders at Real Guitars.

[Schlyder]

Man, I would love to dig the frets out of that. :P very nice.

[MR PC]

Yea, Pre CBS Jazz basses sometimes make good fretless basses! You won't know until you rip them out and play it. After that operation though, you might deduct about 5000 dollars from the value. But who cares, if it's the bass you're gonna love.

[purpletornado]

Originally Posted by MR PC

Yea, Pre CBS Jazz basses sometimes make good fretless basses! You won't know until you rip them out and play it. After that operation though, you might deduct about 5000 dollars from the value. But who cares, if it's the bass you're gonna love.

What makes them so great as a fretless? Is it the body wood or the neck, the pickups or a combination of factors?

[AA63]

Originally Posted by purpletornado

What makes them so great as a fretless? Is it the body wood or the neck, the pickups or a combination of factors?

Besides the fact that they play like nothing else, the reason they are most desired is because of Jaco.

Since he was probably the most famous and arguably the master of the electric fretless players, that sound became the defacto standard to which all were measured.

As you well know, nothing you will ever play will feel like that bass, nor sound like it. You can get 80% of the way there with a boutique or custom, but as you speculated, that combination of now aged woods, neck profile, frets and pickup winding/materials were indeed something special.

If it were in the stars, I would snap that up from you and add another to my collection, who cares if the finish is worn!!!

[MrBassist456]

It's also the fact that the rosewood fingerboards on 1959-1963/64 Fenders are thicker since it's a "slab" fingerboard rather than a curved cap (laminate). The curved laminate was switched on guitars because players thought that the thicker fingerboards were too dark in tone (the thinner rosewood laminate was used to brighten the tone), and this new fingerboard method then migrated to their basses as well. Hence, a slightly darker sound for fretless on the early '60s Fenders...that Jaco made popular.

[Rumblefisher]

Originally Posted by MrBassist456

It's also the fact that the rosewood fingerboards on 1959-1963/64 Fenders are thicker since it's a "slab" fingerboard rather than a curved cap (laminate). The curved laminate was switched on guitars because players thought that the thicker fingerboards were too dark in tone (the thinner rosewood laminate was used to brighten the tone), and this new fingerboard method then migrated to their basses as well. Hence, a slightly darker sound for fretless on the early '60s Fenders...that Jaco made popular.

I think they changed to a thinner fretboard midway through 1962...

[AA63]

Correct. I have seen a Jan. 63 with one however.

[JTE]

Originally Posted by MrBassist456

It's also the fact that the rosewood fingerboards on 1959-1963/64 Fenders are thicker since it's a "slab" fingerboard rather than a curved cap (laminate). The curved laminate was switched on guitars because players thought that the thicker fingerboards were too dark in tone (the thinner rosewood laminate was used to brighten the tone), and this new fingerboard method then migrated to their basses as well. Hence, a slightly darker sound for fretless on the early '60s Fenders...that Jaco made popular.

Not really. Leo changed from the slab board to the round-laminated board because of how the glue joint affected neck stability. They were having some warranty problems with slab board necks staying true. The rosewood has a much different compression/expansion rate in temperature and humidity changes than the maple, and he felt that the big slab of rosewood was the cause. The round-laminate board involved a lot more work, but it reduced the warranty cost so they did it.

BTW, the change started in 'mid 1962, and that's why Fender's Vintage Series uses the '62 name. When CBS/Fender started the Vintage series in 1981 they weren't sure how the slab board would work with modern glues so they left themselves the option of switching to the round-lam necks and still be able to call them '62.

John

[passionbass]

This will really make a REAL JACO BASS without the pick guard, pickup covers, and fret!

[fenderhutz]

Originally Posted by passionbass

This will really make a REAL JACO BASS without the pick guard, pickup covers, and fret!

And really ruin a good/rare bass.

[davidprice]

Originally Posted by rheuser

Mr. PC -

I contacted "real Guitars" and had a good experience. They think that they can get $10,000 for it, so, I am going to sell it through them on consignment.

Good way to go. I've sold a number of vintage basses on consignment through them (disclaimer being I worked there in the early '90s - and I can say they were always ethical from what I saw on the inside).

[AA63]

Did you come to your senses and keep this beast?

[Low Class]

Originally Posted by AA63

Did you come to your senses and keep this beast?

The OP hasn't logged in since July '10, so I doubt you'll get an answer.