NBD: Squier JV '57 Precision

[Teddyjoe1982]

I've never played a bass that has so much "wood" in the tone - even acoustic, the sound almost reminds of a double bass.

Squier Precision '57 Reissue JV from 1983.

I never cared for the old Japanese Fenders, but this one caught my attention and suddenly ended up in my house. It really sounds so warm and punchy - action is a little high though, but I have not made any adjustments yet. I am planning to fit it with flats, so the extra tension will probably require a new setup anyway.

Everything except for the pickguard and screws seems original.
On the edges of the body a lot of the paint is actually missing, which has been repaired some places. But besides from this, it actually seems that the wood beneath was black in the edges of the body. Did they make sunburst basses with a pre-coat of black in the edges, beneath the actual finish?
I can see that it is 2-tone sunburst, the tuners works the "wrong way" and that the body seems to be made of two pieces of wood.
But could anyone give me the detailed specs for these basses?

















I also played it through this amp at high volume - great hairy sound. Is a '77 super lead, with new head case.

[bassbully]

Lucky...those are hard to find over here. I have 3 SQ's but still gas for a JV.

[trunkshope6]

Wow I've only seen the 62' ones, that two tone burst looks great though ,congrats brother!

[Teddyjoe1982]

Thanks! Will be playing its first show this saturday - I still need to adjust and mount flats to it, am planning on doing it this evening. Also the input jack can be noisy, if you rock the jack plug.

It is easy to find detailed specs on the JV Strats and Teles, but I have not found any good source of information for this model bass yet. Help would be appreciated.

[circuitspore]

Originally Posted by Teddyjoe1982

Thanks! Will be playing its first show this saturday - I still need to adjust and mount flats to it, am planning on doing it this evening. Also the input jack can be noisy, if you rock the jack plug.

It is easy to find detailed specs on the JV Strats and Teles, but I have not found any good source of information for this model bass yet. Help would be appreciated.

Nice bass!

Good luck with the details. Tony Bacon just released a great Squier reference book detailing the 30 year history. He goes in to pretty good detail about the start of Fender Japan and all the different guitar models but simply mentions "and there were two basses offered as well" time and time again. Totally infuriating for a JV/SQ Squier Bass lover. Once I finish reading the full book I intend to email him to try to get some of those details.

Have you popped the neck off yet to see what the date is? I'm curious to know how early the Squiers really started. The earliest I've seen (looking at ebay photos) has been early June of 1982. I'd love to find a MIJ Squier or Fender with a May 12, 1982 neck date (the day I was born), but I'm pretty sure they don't exist.

[Shawn Luckman]

The first bass guitar I ever played was one of those back in 1987. At the time it was £199 more than I could afford at the time,always remembered how good that bass felt/sounded.

[Teddyjoe1982]

Originally Posted by circuitspore

Nice bass!

Good luck with the details. Tony Bacon just released a great Squier reference book detailing the 30 year history. He goes in to pretty good detail about the start of Fender Japan and all the different guitar models but simply mentions "and there were two basses offered as well" time and time again. Totally infuriating for a JV/SQ Squier Bass lover. Once I finish reading the full book I intend to email him to try to get some of those details.

Have you popped the neck off yet to see what the date is? I'm curious to know how early the Squiers really started. The earliest I've seen (looking at ebay photos) has been early June of 1982. I'd love to find a MIJ Squier or Fender with a May 12, 1982 neck date (the day I was born), but I'm pretty sure they don't exist.

Yes, I can not find much information via Google. As far as I am informed, the first Squiers had the Fender logo and small Squier logo. Via the serial nr. my bass has been dated to spring-1983, but I will have a look at the neck date also. My birth year was also 1982, and I would love if it was that year.

[Teddyjoe1982]

Originally Posted by Shawn Luckman

The first bass guitar I ever played was one of those back in 1987. At the time it was £199 more than I could afford at the time,always remembered how good that bass felt/sounded.

I have had some basses, also Fender American. This bass is cosmetically worn, so I can not talk about the original quality of the finish, but it really seems like all details are well done - and I have never tried a bass that sounds so much like "wood" acoustically. It also does not weigh a ton.

[chuck norriss]

Score.

[mikbass]

Plenty of info and jv-porn here!
http://www.21frets.com/

[chef wong]

American wood and parts..assembled by superior Japanese craftsmen. I'd rather have a JV than a new American Standard.