• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

62 jazz refinished and refretted

#41
Agree that the Elderly pick guard is nicer.
But it does have bigger frets and is obviously more wear on the body and neck than the GC. Really nice pg and lots of character. It will be about $4800 with shipping, no tax...at least for now.

GC has fall away on the neck and slab board. A replaced pot and some wiring weirdness. I'm trying to work a price that gives me the tax difference...$240. If they can give it to me for $3500 plus tax I think that would be a descent compromise.

There's no clear winner from that stat sheet in my opinion. I wish I could play them side by side. The Elderly does have a lot of character...but it has been there a while and people brought up some good concerns about it...jumbo frets, possible body reshaping, etc.
 
#42
geddy402 said:
Here's one at the Richmond, VA Guitar Center. Hope this works.

Here are the details in this one...

Looks like pickups had been replaced at some point, and then originals put back in. Can’t verify that the pots are original as too much ugly soldering.

-********* Neck matches the body, it is from March, 1962.

-********* My tech looked at the neck and said that is has fall away after the 12th fret, he didn’t see a hump.

-********* String height – 12th fret: E = 7/64 ***G = 6/64,** 20th fret: E = 10/64, G = 8/64

-********* Electronics are good, nothing scratchy and are fully functional.

-********* We have the original hardshell case, but unfortunately the pickguard is the only thing in it. No original ashtray or thumbrest.

They want $3999.
Click to expand...

geddy402-

I thought I'd help you out and go play this thing. The bass is literally 3 miles from my house. I also recorded sound clips of it to help you out with your decision making process :). I’m comparing this to my January 1965 Jazz bass (Clay Dots) which is the best bass I’ve ever played (it’s the Holy Grail IMO)

Cosmetically – The bass has a beautiful dark Brazilian Rosewood slab fingerboard (very dark, looks like ebony). The clay dots are all intact and perfectly centered (my Jan. 1965 has some issues with its clay dots being centered). The headstock looks as if it was shaved down… it’s thin (I’d say 3/4” by my eyes) where as my 65 has a thick headstock (IMO, thickness has an effects on tone). The neck profile was different than my 65. It was wide and flat. It felt like a slim p-bass to me. The neck has that old sticky feel but I think your luither can clean that up. The frets look great. I played all over the neck there is not a dead spot on it. The tuning pegs look great and function nicely. The neck pickup tone knob is slightly raised (stack knob?) The pick guard looks like it will fit. It did not shrink which makes me wonder if it’s original. The body is light and comfortable (ironically not as light as my 65 which surprised me). All the screw holes (mutes, pickup, and add’l strap holes) are filled. The bridge is a little rusty but I play pretty hard, and the saddles didn’t go down on me.

Feel – The bass was set-up nicely and had a nice feel. Well balanced. She def. sings and the notes jump off of her. All basses are not created equal and I don’t feel like I’m being fair to the 1962. I was really hoping that the bass felt better, if not the same, as my 1965 but it didn’t. The 62 didn’t have the acoustic vibration that just went off throughout when she was played. That’s what I love about my 1965. It has the “feel”. With that being said, I think feel is an opinion and the 1962 could be right in your wheel house.

Tone – Here are some sound clips recorded with my Iphone. https://soundcloud.com/#psychobilly-cadillac/sets/1962-fender-jazz-bass-samples

Hope this helps. Good luck with the hunt. I hope you find your Holy Grail. (This could be it)
 
#43
Cool, thanks for the input! They're sending it up to me to try out tomorrow. Looking forward to getting my hands on it. I haven't played too many vintage ones so I don't have a holy grail to compare it to...other than my CS 64 jazz.

What amp did you play it through?

Here's the real question...would you buy it?
 
#44
geddy402 said:
Cool, thanks for the input! They're sending it up to me to try out tomorrow. Looking forward to getting my hands on it. I haven't played too many vintage ones so I don't have a holy grail to compare it to...other than my CS 64 jazz.

What amp did you play it through?

Here's the real question...would you buy it?
Click to expand...

No problem.. my pleasure. Glad to help out and play bass along the way! If you can, write down your thoughts, I'd love to read your review of it. I was playing on a Mark bass amp 1 x 10. Thats a good question..... I think I would. :bassist:
 
#45
Yeah I'll definitely throw down my thoughts tomorrow after I play it. I'm leaning towards the GC one based on what the guys on then forum are saying, but the Elderly one has a hell of lot of character.

I was kinda surprised you said the neck was a little sticky. I wonder why...
 
#46
Oh yeah, when I called to see if they shipped up yet he said someone was in checking it out. After he said you mentioned something about then forum I knew it had to be you! And said you seemed to like it...glad you didn't swoop in and snag it before I came up here!
 
#47
geddy402 said:
Yeah I'll definitely throw down my thoughts tomorrow after I play it. I'm leaning towards the GC one based on what the guys on then forum are saying, but the Elderly one has a hell of lot of character.

I was kinda surprised you said the neck was a little sticky. I wonder why...
Click to expand...

B/c its dirty and hasn't been played. I had to wash my hands after playing, so its coming off. A nice cleaning by your luither and a couple week of solid practicing, "sticky" will not be a problem. When I bought my 1977 J bass it was the same way.
 
#54
J.KEEFE_bass said:
Nice input! thanks JohnK. Does that effect the tone? Or am I making that up?
Click to expand...

IME, yes, it effects the tone. of course different pieces of maple all have a different tone (in density, grain etc), but the mass of the neck, especially at the headstock, can yield a different tone than a thinner or smaller one. also, larger fatter profile necks generally have a different tone than the thin (side to side and front to back ones) do.
 
#55
johnk_10 said:
IME, yes, it effects the tone. of course different pieces of maple all have a different tone (in density, grain etc), but the mass of the neck, especially at the headstock, can yield a different tone than a thinner or smaller one. also, larger fatter profile necks generally have a different tone than the thin (side to side and front to back ones) do.
Click to expand...

Do 62 Jazz necks have different profiles than say a 1964 or a 1965? I always was under the impression that all pre-cbs had the same profile.
 
#56
J.KEEFE_bass said:
Do 62 Jazz necks have different profiles than say a 1964 or a 1965? I always was under the impression that all pre-cbs had the same profile.
Click to expand...

'64 and '65 are not actually pre-cbs (although most were built by the same employees). the '61-'63's had slimmer necks than the '64-'66 j basses. same goes for p basses.
 
#57
I will be in Lansing next week and can check out the Elderly bass. It looks a bit like my 65, which I love. The fact that is a "players" bass adds character in my opinion. I actually desired a "no-fin" for several years before I found mine.
 
#59
Finally listened to the clips. Nice playing! It actually sounds a little woodier than I expected, and not as growly as I thought it would. How were the strings when you played? They have any life left in them?
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back