1966 Jazz bass parts

[BassistForHire]

I was one of those people that was enamored of Barry Oakley's bass and the Allman Brothers sound. I had a 1966 Jazz I bought used that had been refinished in someone's garage but it sounded good. Then the neck pickup shorted out. I was in my second year of electronics school at the time and thought, heck, I can do this. I counted the turns and assumed I could rewind it. The smallest wire I could find was 30 awg... not near small enough.

That brings us to Barry Oakley's bass. I decided I would replace the neck pickup with a Gibson big humbucker. I got a local luthier to route out the body and mount the pickup. It sounded like crap. I threw it in the closet and bought a new 1972 Jazz (which I wish I still had).

What I have left, that I found in my mother's attic, is a 1966 Fender Jazz bass neck. I would like to sell it. It has been refinished and does not have any decals but is stamped JAN 66 on the body end. I'm looking for advice on how much to ask and I'll post it in the classifieds this weekend.

 

[Rumblefisher]

I'm pretty sure you can somewhere between $1200 and $1800 for it. Not that I'm an avid vintage Fender enthusiast, but judging by eBay parts prices, that's my ''best guess.''

Of course, condition, the state of the truss rod, fretboard cracks, frets themselves, etc etc all come into play. Details and pics would go a long way to helping TB help you

 

[johnk_10]

IMO, $1200-$1800 is a bit optimistic for a refinned '66 neck with no decal.

 

[TimothyGroovy]

66 blinding/dot neck?

 

[johnk_10]

could be either dot/bound or block/bound depending on when it was made.

 

[Rumblefisher]

IMO, $1200-$1800 is a bit optimistic for a refinned '66 neck with no decal.

True. I hadn't seen that it was refinned/no decal...I kind of just raced through the post the first time...then I added that bit about condition the second time I read it. Still, $1000 doesn't seem out of the question entirely.

 

[BassistForHire]

It is a rosewood fretboard, bound with dot inlays. I'll post pictures when I list it in the classified section this weekend. Thanks to all for the advice.

 

[Spinal Tapper]

Does it have the oval tuners? I've seen those going for a few hundred by themselves on Ebay. That would certainly add to the value you have there.

I'd say $1000 would be a fair price for the neck alone.

 

[TimothyGroovy]

pic pic pic...

Should I disclose I'm 66' dot/blinding neck fans...

 

[johnk_10]

It is a rosewood fretboard, bound with dot inlays. I'll post pictures when I list it in the classified section this weekend. Thanks to all for the advice.

well, that's one of the most rare ones (and very desirable to alot of people). they only made 'em dot/bound for about a year. by the end of '66 they were block bound. as long as it has not been sanded out of shape for the refin, and it is straight, w/o a buried truss rod adjuster nut, has original frets (with plenty of life in them), it would be worth about a grand, possibly more (IMO).

 

[JimB52]

The '66 Jazz necks are really nice in my experience. If the whole neck was refinished in a garage, the value (and playability) will take a hit.

 

[joeyl]

I would be concerned about warping and other wood movement due to the extreme tempretaures in an attic...

 

[BassistForHire]

I would be concerned about warping and other wood movement due to the extreme tempretaures in an attic...

It's straight as an arrow with the naked eye.

 

[johnk_10]

if it's off of the bass, it actually should have a pretty big back bow in it so when it's installed the string tension would pull it straight.

 

[joeyl]

I wonder what the policy from Fender would be to replace the decal on only a neck.

 

[Spinal Tapper]

I wonder what the policy from Fender would be to replace the decal on only a neck.

I think it'd be valid...it's a real 66 neck, right?

 

[joeyl]

I think it'd be valid...it's a real 66 neck, right?

looks like it is, but fender usually will replace the decal on an instrument, so I was just wondering. May be easier to get a bootleg decal for 10-25 bucks

 

[johnk_10]

I wonder what the policy from Fender would be to replace the decal on only a neck.

since it has the date stamp on the end of it and it's obviously a genuine fender there shouldn't be a problem, however, i've seen one guy that makes reproduction/restoration decals that are actually more accurate than what Fender currently produces.

 

[Spinal Tapper]

looks like it is, but fender usually will replace the decal on an instrument, so I was just wondering. May be easier to get a bootleg decal for 10-25 bucks

This would be the way to do it IMO, maybe have some experienced hands helping out, but I'd try this before I ever sent it off to Fender

...I forget, but there's a site/blog where a guy was selling PERFECT repro Fender decals...I had it bookmarked somewhere...hmmmm

 

[BassistForHire]

It is indeed a real 1966 neck. See the following thread in the classifieds for pictures.

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=697476&highlight=1966