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1977 Fender Jazz Neck Question/Concerns

#21
Blackhawks55 said:
I can see both sides of the coin... I think I'd regret it if I refinished it especially for potential resale value even though many other components won't be original.
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Refinishing that body would be a huge mistake. You can buy replacement parts, you can't buy an original finish.

Pardon me for asking, but how much will the neck and body cost you? I ask because if the neck and body are going to cost you as much as a complete and original '77 Jazz, then it would make sense to stop where you are and buy an aftermarket body.
 
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#22
smcd said:
Refinishing that body would be a huge mistake. You can buy replacement parts, you can't buy an original finish.

Pardon me for asking, but how much will the neck and body cost you? I ask because if the neck and body are going to cost you as much as a complete and original '77 Jazz, then it would make sense to stop where you are and buy an aftermarket body.
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I got both for $1100 shipped. I agree I don't think refinishing is the right thing to do.. My only other expense is going to be the tuners. I have the rest covered
 
#25
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#26
Alper Yilmaz said:
I would be careful about the 3-bolt neck design. There is already an issue with the neck-joint connections (too wide neck joints) of the most Fenders from the 70s even with the 4-bolt versions; if you shake them in one direction while playing, the neck would tilt a little bit and you will see that the string placement on the neck will be quite asymmetrical. In other words, the G string would look closer to the edge at the neck joint and E string way more inside the neck. With the 3-bolt designs, it is even worse. I do not know what they were thinking when they came up with this...
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I can't say what 3-bolt was like on a 77' Fender, but the same design is rock-solid on the old G&L basses. Mine is an 83', don't know what year Leo broke off and formed G&L, but he obviously took the idea with him sometime after 77'. If the neck pocket is as tight as my G&L (pretty damn tight!), I can't see the neck rotating. +1 on buying the old body, nice refin project. The neck tilt feature was well designed, mine looks identical, but I have literally never had to use it in 36 years owning it.
 
#29
The tuners that this neck had originally are still in production. They are made by Schaller in Germany, but are stamped “Fender” on the chrome base plates. You can find them just about anywhere that sells Fender parts, they are the ‘70s reissues. They have your mounting screw pattern and look like this...
https://www.amazon.com/Fender-Pure-Vintage-Tuning-Machines/dp/B00I3XG8RU

I basically did the exact thing you are asking about and converted this 3-bolt 1978 neck to 4, got the reissue tuners like the ones above, and put it on a body I ordered through MJT (and had them paint it a custom chocolate brown that I picked out from a sample in the paint dept. at Walmart). It is one of my favorite basses I have. Contrary to what some believe and regurgitate daily on here, the ‘70s necks, even the 3-bolts are usually amazing necks and the reissues do NOT nail the feel of the real deal.

AB6104F9-3A85-4F14-8DE3-0D38E028603D.jpeg
 
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#30
Blackhawks55 said:
Hi guys!

So I pulled the trigger on a '77 Fender Jazz Neck (3 bolt neck). The seller does have the original body, but the clear coat is in rough shape from the hot Texas climate it was in. The body would need some serious work from what I can see. My questions: I need tuners for this damn thing, and I'll most likely be converting it to a 4 bolt body config. Can anybody recommend what I should do? Pictures are attached below of the neck!
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I have a “white”, (now nearly canary yellow) 77 jazz as well. The body is all checked, and looks pretty close to yours, I play it no issues. It was converted to a 4 bolt many years back because the neck would shift due to the a wide neck pocket gap. I wouldn’t change anything.
9E183000-AB4F-4E35-AEF7-1806BA67A3EB.jpeg
 
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#31
The Bass Clef said:
The tuners that this neck had originally are still in production. They are made by Schaller in Germany, but are stamped “Fender” on the chrome base plates. You can find them just about anywhere that sells Fender parts, they are the ‘70s reissues. They have your mounting screw pattern and look like this...
https://www.amazon.com/Fender-Pure-Vintage-Tuning-Machines/dp/B00I3XG8RU

I basically did the exact thing you are asking about and converted this 3-bolt 1978 neck to 4, got the reissue tuners like the ones above, and put it on a body I ordered through MJT (and had them paint it a custom chocolate brown that I picked out from a sample in the paint dept. at Walmart). It is one of my favorite basses I have. Contrary to what some believe and regurgitate daily on here, the ‘70s necks, even the 3-bolts are usually amazing necks and the reissues do NOT nail the feel of the real deal.

View attachment 3384814
Click to expand...


Listen to bass clef. He knows his stuff. I purchased a 74 4 bolt Jazz locally minus the original tuners, pickguard and pickups. He parted out a 74 and sourced me the components. That bass is still in my rotation and it’s a great bass. Don’t be afraid of 70’s Fenders, there are good and great ones out there

Side note - I had an early 90’s 3 bolt G&L with the micro tilt and had no issues with it.

Put your bass together and try it out before you convert it to a 4 bolt.
 
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#32
fu22ba55 said:
Dude. Get the original body. Have MJT refinish it in any color you want. If you don't buy that body, please sell me that neck and I'll buy that body.
Bass will be heavy though. if it's a typical late '70s Jazz.
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Yes!!!!

Grab the body, MJT refinishes are amazing. I am having one done now on a 1978 Precision body which already had a prior refinish. They do great work. I would rock is as is though. If it’s the original finish.

I agree, I love 70’s Fender necks. And there is just something about that dried out wood that does it for me.

Enjoy the bass!
 
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#33
I wouldn't get stock Fender tuners. They weigh a ton. I have a "77 Jazz bass. I replaced the stock tuners with Hipshot Ultralites. They are actually smaller than the stock tuners so no drilling was needed. The folks at Hipshot said to just put a few wraps of painters tape on the tuner shafts which I did and they fit just right and work as they should. Best of all the bass is now much more well balanced.
 

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