You might need to add a Zero there dude.
I'll add a zero if it out-performs it's contemporary equivalent that significantly.
I'm not a collector.
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As cool as it gets; early Jazz
- Thread starter Tim Skaggs
- Start date
I'll add a zero if it out-performs it's contemporary equivalent that significantly.
I'm not a collector.
Best I can remember, it has a 5 digit serial number beginning with either 56 or 65, but I'm certainly not positive about that. It's been at least 10 years, and I think more like 13 since I saw it, so I definitely don't remember for sure. I do remember that Crocker was sure it was a '61 model when I talked to him on the phone, and then I looked up the number later on a non-Fender web site that also indicated '61. I'll see if I can get the number again, because I'm curious and ther are a lot better resources nowadays.
Bass is a 1963. I remembered wrong; Dave doesn't make mistakes like that...
In my opinion it does. I play a '65 Jazz and the sounds that come out of that bass are substantially different from the sounds that come out of a current standard AM Jazz.
Unfortunately, there's no way to gauge 'how much better', but to me the difference, through my setup was enough to spend the $, and I consider it money well spent.
Wow. Thanks for sharing.
was there an appraisal on the bass? Just curious. You don't have to answer that.
It's not a 61, but one from the 2nd half of 1962, since it has a veneer fretboard (making it impossible to be before August 1962), and it lacks the 4 holes for the springmutes between the bridge & bridgepickup, which were phased out in the fall of that year. My safest guess would be october/november/december 1962. There should be a date-stamp on the back of the neck, at the trussrod.
It's not for sale at any realistic price, I've asked. My cousin (twice removed) has never priced it and I've never made an offer. I figure if he would sell it, he *might* sell it to me, but there would be no distant cousin discount.....and I have 13 basses today, but I would part with several of them for this one....
I'm just sharing pics with those who can appreciate them.
Dave offered $6000 from the description on the phone and that was in '97 or '98.
You are correct on the spring mutes; it did not have them. It had foam rubber on the underside of the bridge cover (that was disintegrating when I saw it). I must be remembering something else from this time period that was a '61 model. I called Dave a few times during this period & we discussed a few early '60's Strats.
I'll see if I can get the serial number. There's no way he would take the neck off the bass or let me do it. It's got me wondering now.
Tim, I appreciate them very much. Thank you for sharing.
And you know... If that were my late father's bass, there is no way I'd sell it either. There are just some things money can't buy and cherished memories is one of 'em
Just got a text reply from the owner. He didn't send the serial number, but he apparently looked it up.
I looked at a Fender site that breaks down the years according to the numbers on the neck plate. There are also a year date on the bottom of the neck but I'm not going to take it apart to find out. So, according to the #'s on the neck plate I'm going to say its a '63 model.
I looked at a Fender site that breaks down the years according to the numbers on the neck plate. There are also a year date on the bottom of the neck but I'm not going to take it apart to find out. So, according to the #'s on the neck plate I'm going to say its a '63 model.
It will have to be "or what". It's not for sale. I'm just sharing pics. I haven't seen it in person for years & it's only about 25 miles away. I don't want to hold and play it again; causes stupid, irrational thoughts
Never mind commerce for a minute I like the story that your uncle was a cool cat & played a fine bass.
It has the original tweed case, but it was pretty rough when I saw it.
One thing I didn't mention, he also has an old Fender Bassman head an cabinet from the same era that has white tolex with "oxblood" grill cloth. It wasn't working when I saw it back in the 90's, but it looked good, not too beat up.
Huh. Well, tweed wouldn't be original to that year. If he had the typical '63 white tolex case, he'd have an awesome matching bass and amp setup. Too cool.
Weren't early 1980s Tokai jazz copies patterned on the 1963? They included a candy apple red with matching head stock, and the deluxe model serial numbers were L12000 AFAIK. Coincidence?
I say it was tweed, it was a light tan looking color with red / orange fur lining. It could have been really dirty white tolex. It's was '97 or '98 when I saw it last, so I don't really remember. I think the handle was missing and perhaps a latch or two was broken. I'll see of I can find out, cause I'd like to know also.
