Fender Vintage Case Question

[Frank Orlando]

I bought a 1975 Fender Jazz Bass from the original owner a few years back. It was bought new in Missouri in 1975 and owned the whole time by a nice lady who was in her 70's at the time I bought it. The bass was 100% original and had never even had a screw removed. She still had the original flatwound strings in the case and an almost equally old set on the bass. It came with the Fender strap and manual. It came with the covers on. Black bass, white pickguard, original case. It's a 4 bolt neck with a stamped neck date of very early '75 and pots and pickups dated '74. Nice example of a transition bass from the period they were switching to the 3 bolt neck and bullet truss rod.

I recently was reading about Fender cases (here: http://home.provide.net/~cfh/fender.html#cases) and I see that, according to this website, the mid 70's Fender case logo didn't have a "tail" but rather it just had the "R" (for Registered). Well I looked at my case and the logo has a tail indicating that the case was an older case made from 67 to 71. I contacted the original owner and she is positive that it's the case that the bass came in from day one.

I can see that Fender installed parts from different years off the assmbly line to assemble a bass. I think that is pretty much been documented over and over again but what about cases? I totally believe this family when they say that the bass and case came as a set in '75. Anyone ever see this before?

[panama]

The only thing I can think of is that the shop that sold it wasn't matching the cases to the basses. It could have been a "do you want a hard case? ok let me grab one from the back" type of thing? And whatever fender branded one was on the top of the stack was the one it left with.

[panama]

p.s. HOLY MOLY that's a sweet as pie lookin' bass.

[Frank Orlando]

Yep... that's what I figured too. But every once in a while paranoia sets in...

The bass is really as sweet as it looks. Plays like a dream. No issues at all. I put on a set of Fender nickle rounds and set it up when I got it. Other than that it's just like the day she sent it to me.

[panama]

So, was the old lady the person who bought the bass or was it her son or husbands?

[ReBass]

I think its not at all unusual to have a case that doesn't match the year of the bass. Like the previous poster said, the shop could very easily have just found a case in the back room somewhere and sold it with the bass. I wouldn't worry about it at all.

[hasbeen]

that case looks pre-70's. I'm basing that on the handle end "thin" interior and padding. The inside of Fender cases got "plushier" by the mid-70's.

I'm afraid I don't have a clue on the logo release dates though. I'll have to yield on that one.

[bassbully]

Nice score! FWIW cases are not a huge deal with vintage Fenders so don't worry about it. The bass if it is original along with the shape is all that matters.

[Frank Orlando]

Originally Posted by panama

So, was the old lady the person who bought the bass or was it her son or husbands?

Her husband bought it for her in '75. I spoke to him when I was negotiating a price. He said he bought it with the case at Hovers Music store in Springfield, Mo. I gotta check and see if that place still exists...

[Frank Orlando]

Originally Posted by hasbeen

that case looks pre-70's. I'm basing that on the handle end "thin" interior and padding. The inside of Fender cases got "plushier" by the mid-70's.

I'm afraid I don't have a clue on the logo release dates though. I'll have to yield on that one.

Check out the link in my original post. It has some good Fender dating info.

[panama]

It's not Hover it's Hoover!

http://www.hoovermusic.net/index.html

[EagleMoon]

My first bass was a '75 Fender Precision and it's case had the "R".

[Frank Orlando]

lol.... Hoover. Thanks. You think their records go back that far??

[Caca de Kick]

Yes that's an older tail logo case, but it's obvious the dealer had it around when the store sold the bass and randomly grabbed it. A case was a case back then (just as it is on most modern basses), nobody cared about details as long as it was a factory unit.

But wow, that's a nice looking Jazz!

[savit260]

Originally Posted by Caca de Kick

Yes that's an older tail logo case, but it's obvious the dealer had it around when the store sold the bass and randomly grabbed it. A case was a case back then (just as it is on most modern basses), nobody cared about details as long as it was a factory unit.

But wow, that's a nice looking Jazz!

I'm sure that's the case.... no pun intended. My Tele came with springs and a vibrato bar in the case when I bought it brand new back in 89. Never even questioned it. I'm sure most dealers just grab a hardshell Fender case that fits the instrument, and out the door it goes. It's not like cases are serial numbered to the instrument.

[savit260]

Originally Posted by Caca de Kick

Yes that's an older tail logo case, but it's obvious the dealer had it around when the store sold the bass and randomly grabbed it. A case was a case back then (just as it is on most modern basses), nobody cared about details as long as it was a factory unit.

But wow, that's a nice looking Jazz!

I'm sure that's the case.... no pun intended. My Tele came with springs and a vibrato bar in the case when I bought it brand new back in 89. Never even questioned it. I'm sure most dealers just grab a hardshell Fender case that fits the instrument, and out the door it goes. It's not like cases are serial numbered to the instrument.


My 82 G&L S-500 according to the internet should NOT have a blue interior, but I bought the guitar new, and that's case that came with it. Slightly different than the ones on the G&L page.

[Frank Orlando]

Yeah it's a nice old case too. Don't smell or have any bad latches or vinyl damage. I keep the old case in a safe place and use a new Fender TSA case that I bought for it. Protects it better. Thanks for all the responses.

[hasbeen]

Originally Posted by Frank Orlando

Check out the link in my original post. It has some good Fender dating info.

yes. I'm very closely affiliated with sourcing and design on Fender small goods: cases, strings, picks, polish, straps, cables etc. I'm in charge of that "sector".

So with that in mind, I don't pay too much attention to on-line dating schematics, because of individual sourcing and supply of "parts" and at what time they might go into finished goods.

[hasbeen]

oh...and BTW, that is INDEED a beautiful looking instrument. An authentic "closet relic".

[Frank Orlando]

Originally Posted by hasbeen

oh...and BTW, that is INDEED a beautiful looking instrument. An authentic "closet relic".

Thanks!