Anyone know what the deal with these are?

[dudex12]

Saw this locally today:
http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/van/msg/4248454575.html

Does anyone have a guess as to what the Jazz bass is? He says it's a MIA body and a MIM neck, but to me it looks nearly identical to the Squire vintage modified jazz:

Invalid Link Removed

What do you guys think? How can I tell if the body is indeed a US body? Or that the neck is actually a MIM neck?

 

[DeliriumTremens]

no way that's anything but a Squier

 

[SirMjac28]

I don't trust it and this would make me run "It was never actually sold by Fender so has no serial number".

 

[smcd]

What's stamped into the wood in the back of the headstock under the small "Fender" decal?

 

[dudex12]

What's stamped into the wood in the back of the headstock under the small "Fender" decal?

I just has an engraving saying "USA". The neckplate says "Fender, Corona California". But the electronics look US made. The wiring is shielded and the pots are made in the US.

 

[landau roof]

I just has an engraving saying "USA". The neckplate says "Fender, Corona California". But the electronics look US made. The wiring is shielded and the pots are made in the US.

Is this your assessment or the seller's?

Complete and utter büllshchidtt. Dude sanded off everything but the flattering part on the back of the headstock.

 

[Steveaux]

It's a Squier VMF-J.

The seller lies.

 

[dudex12]

Yeah that's what my suspicions were. I went to try them out, they both play well are seem like a good deal for $500, but the J bass isn't a Fender.

I think he upgraded the pickups though, is there an easy way to tell? As I said above, the wires are shielded, does that mean anything? I thought that normally meant U.S. pickups as the MIM basses I've had don't have shielded wiring.

 

[Justice]

1) why would USA be stamped on the back of an MIM neck.
2) If Fender went to the trouble to put the little "Fender" decal on the back, why couldn't the put one on the front.
3) at minimum it looks like the pickups and knobs have been changed on the Jazz.

Here are pics of my VM Fretless for comparison.

If you are serious about them, offer him $400 for the pair. He may be undervaluing the P bass while over valuing the jazz. Hell, he may be being completely honest and the guy he got them from fed him a load of bull about the jazz at the time.

 

[tjh]

He seems to be accurate in his description of the P ... Black Label Squier Series, with the stock single ply pickguard, would have been circa 93-98 range, cant read the serial # ...

Jazz is indeed a Squier VM Fretless with the ebanol neck ... the couple of these I had, the neck uses the 'flat bottom' tuning machines, so they may have been changed ... as mentioned pups have definitely been changed, but the body is original Squier ... I hate to give away one of my little ID secrets, but if you are checking for a pot upgrade, look at the knobs ... if there is no set screw, they are splined shaft, and would be Squier stock pots ...

 

[Justice]

the serial number on the P bass looks like it starts MN4 which would make the production dates 1994-1995 according to Fender

Invalid Link Removed

 

[tjh]

the serial number on the P bass looks like it starts MN4 which would make the production dates 1994-1995 according to Fender

Invalid Link Removed

Yup, I couldn't read it .. I am old ...

Edit to add: forgot to mention, the 'Squier Series' at the end of the headstock denotes a slightly lower quality than the 'Black Label's' that do not have that ... the Squier Series basses came with the one piece pickguard stock (as this appears to have) and lower quality hardware than the non Squier Series black labels (often referred to as 'Traditional Series') ...