Fender 60th Anniversary Jazz Bass

[stuntbass77]

Gonna be honest here...as awesome and iconic the bass is, the whole "Xth anniversary" thing is a huge money grab.

It literally looks and probably plays like any AVRI/American Original Fender bass that has been constantly on the market for the last two decades.

Yes, this one has stack knobs to not make it so obvious, but still...

I guess there's no way Fender can win, their whole marketing and design strategy is based around nostalgia and rehashing the same product by giving it a different name. It just doesn't appeal to me.

There's so much cool and innovative stuff being done nowadays that I just don't see how someone can spend 2.2k on what is essentially a J-Bass like many others. You can get a Mexican Vintera for 1300$ less and it's pretty much the same. Hell, you can even get a Squier and mod it for 500$ to get a replica of that.

Just my 2 cents, obviously I respect everyone's choice and taste and in the end everyone spends their money the way they want to.

It pains me in a way but I kinda have to agree. I have owned some really nice basses in my day and had a guitarist buddy that had a MIM jazz just for kicks and it sounded as good as any passive Fender jazz bass. Now, the fit and finish was not as nice as my MIA but it had the sound. Some sound great and other not so much. Found this out when I went jazz bass shopping back in 08’. Also when I purchased my Geddy. I found one that really sang and the sales guy made a deal with me and was wiping it down and getting it ready and then was called away and came back and said the manager said he couldn’t sell it at that price so I walked. I went to a different store ( Sam Ash ) and was able to get a Geddy for the price I was original promised but didn’t sound as good. It was a fine sounding bass just not as sweet. I don’t deal with GC or Sam Ash anymore for instruments.

 

[Pet Sounds]

I don't know how the anniversary model can be a "cash grab" that's no better than the American Original Series when it's priced exactly the same as the AO Series, with similar features.

 

[Yahboy]

The PV 62 pickups sound thicker and fuller than PV64, like Booster Version of PV64.

 

[Bebo2020]

Just got mine... its is surprisingly good, sweet sounding, full of body and very open; the neck does'nt feel chunky at all. It is a fine Jazz Bass. Light weight, great build quality, perfect finish. Got a very good deal with Beaver at Bass Central...

 

[Tbone76]

Just got mine... its is surprisingly good, sweet sounding, full of body and very open; the neck does'nt feel chunky at all. It is a fine Jazz Bass. Light weight, great build quality, perfect finish. Got a very good deal with Beaver at Bass Central...

Glad you like it. Post some pics! Mine has a nice chunky feeling neck. It’s Not thick at the nut, per se, but to me it feels thick front-to-back. Definitely feels thicker than my AO 60’s Jazz Bass did. Maybe there’s some variation from 1 to another. And I agree with you 100% regarding the sound. Congrats!

 

[Pet Sounds]

I wonder if the '65-style binding-with-dots necks of these basses are the same as the necks for the Fender American Rarities Jazz. They look and feel the same.

 

[Tbone76]

I wonder if the '65-style binding-with-dots necks of these basses are the same as the necks for the Fender American Rarities Jazz. They look and feel the same.

Unfortunately, I haven’t seen/handled one of those, so I can’t help you there! Interesting observation, though. Has anyone posted on the Fender Jazz Bass Club thread with one? It might be a good place to check if you haven’t already done so.

 

[bobyoung53]

I liked it until I saw that it has a 7.25 radius.

 

[Tbone76]

I wonder if the '65-style binding-with-dots necks of these basses are the same as the necks for the Fender American Rarities Jazz. They look and feel the same.

@Pet Sounds, if the Fender spec sheet is correct, then the neck profile is not the same. It’s showing the “slim C” profile with a 9.5” radius fretboard. It’s the same spec as the AO 60’s Jazz Bass. As I noted before, the AO Jazz I owned had a thinner feeling neck than my 60th Anniversary does. I know that the Fender site sometimes botches their specs, but I hope this helps.

 

[bobyoung53]

Just got mine... its is surprisingly good, sweet sounding, full of body and very open; the neck does'nt feel chunky at all. It is a fine Jazz Bass. Light weight, great build quality, perfect finish. Got a very good deal with Beaver at Bass Central...

I wondered what happened to The Beav.

 

[Tbone76]

I liked it until I saw that it has a 7.25 radius.

Understandable. Does every 7.25” fretboard just not agree with you in general, or is it on a bass-by-bass determination? I know that some players just find that curvier radius uncomfortable, and others just prefer a flatter board. Just curious is all.

 

[Pet Sounds]

@Pet Sounds, if the Fender spec sheet is correct, then the neck profile is not the same. It’s showing the “slim C” profile with a 9.5” radius fretboard. It’s the same spec as the AO 60’s Jazz Bass. As I noted before, the AO Jazz I owned had a thinner feeling neck than my 60th Anniversary does. I know that the Fender site sometimes botches their specs, but I hope this helps.

Thanks. I didn't play the Rarities and the 60th side by side, so I was going from memory. The ones I played seemed to have chunkier necks along with the binding and dots.

 

[Dynacord]

Yes, it's like a new 'parts bass' - early J stacked knobs, no copper strip, '66 bound & dot neck, pre CBS tuners and hs decal (contour section still attached to Fender Jazz Bass decal), PV '62 pu's? So is the bridge pu '60s or '70s location? Otherwise, looks nice, probably sounds good.

When I think of a bound neck, I think mid 60s to 70s usually with blocks, but occasionally dots. The issue for me is that this seems to be a nod to the original jazz. I believe a 60-62 Jazz would not be bound. Also likely not a u shape (although I like that) and also Olympic white not Artic white.

Yeah, sort of a fantasy build mash up of greatest hits elements of Jazz Basses from different years. No matching headstocks on original stack knobs (and they would have the mute holes) and dots and binding were only early '66 (if doing that, I'm sort of surprised they didn't also use lollipop tuning machines).

 

[DirkP]

When I lived in Japan, sometime between 2002 & 2006, Fender Japan had a ‘66 (?) reissue with the bound neck with dots - I thought it was so cool, I think it’s a transitional year. Almost got one but ultimately did not. This one looks pretty cool!

Someone at Ebay classifieds is offering one, looks sweet. Lollipops!!!:

 

[DirkP]

Does anyone know if there's a difference (other than the year) between the Pure Vintage 62 pickups and the Pure Vintage 64s that were discontinued?

I hardly doubt this. Would be interesting to ask a Fender Tec: what exactly was the difference between a '62 and a '63 JB Pickup?
Are you sure, they are discontinued? They are on the Flea Jazz (the Mexican copy of his old JB) and on the American Originals 60s Jazz. I own two AVS '64 Jazz and love them.

 

[Dynacord]

Someone at Ebay classifieds is offering one, looks sweet. Lollipops!!!:
View attachment 3957175

They did two Fender Japan reissue versions (though both are finished in poly IIRC) - one they called a JB65 [sic] with dots and binding and the other a JB66 with blocks and binding. The original dots and binding started in January of '66 (there are unbound dot neck Jazz Basses with neck stamps from that same month) and switched to blocks later that same year - so there were actually three different variations for '66.

 

[DirkP]

Is the anniversary nitro-finished?

 

[DirkP]

They did two Fender Japan reissue versions (though both are finished in poly IIRC) - one they called a JB65 [sic] with dots and the other a JB66 with blocks. The original dots and binding started in January of 66 (there are unbound dot neck Jazz Basses with neck stamps from that same month) and switched to blocks later that same year - so there were actually three different variations for '66.

Not to forget the Noel Redding '65 Jazz they did in 1998. No binding, dots, no lollipops, no nitro. Fantastic bass and I think Redding's bass didn't have a binding, too. But it is so hard to live without lollipops.

 

[Dynacord]

Not to forget the Noel Redding '65 Jazz they did in 1998. No binding, dots, no lollipops, no nitro. Fantastic bass and I think Redding's bass didn't have a binding, too. But it is so hard to live without lollipops.

True - though that one was available internationally. I believe sunburst only. The Japanese ones also were available in a couple colors with matching headstocks as well.

 

[Dynacord]

Is the anniversary nitro-finished?

Yes.

Did you guys see that Fender is also going to be coming out with a Mexican Roadworn version of this bass? Stacked knobs but no bound neck or covers. Looks more like a Flea Jazz but in different colors: Olympic White, sunburst and Firemist Gold, I think. This was announced by Justin Newell in an interview with Bass Musician Magazine on YT.

Some details here - sounds like sunburst, Olympic White and Firemist Silver (looks more like Blue Ice Metallic). The Arctic Pearl is not 'road worn', is nitro and has the neck binding and 7.25 radius. The road worns are no binding, 9.5 radius, C rather than U profile and available with the color options.
Fender reveals 60th Anniversary Jazz Bass and Road Worn Jazz Bass

Edit, UK link but looks like these are in nitro as well - and a good deal cheaper than the Arctic Pearl version:
Fender 60th Anniversary Road Worn '60s Jazz Bass Olympic White | PMT Online