Fender Decal

As a retired model builder with lots of decal experience, what you see is called "silvering."

Either the finish it was applied over wasn't perfectly smooth, or over time, the decal has dried out (either way, the "silvering" is caused by air trapped between the decal & the surface of the headstock).

Yes, I'm aware that this is period-correct for a vintage Fender, but I've always preferred to overspray the decals when doing a refin. Prevents the decal from peeling or displaying the "silvering" you're seeing.

Upside is you can easily replace the decal with a newer one (just remember to polish the area where you're laying it down). Would probably take quite awhile before it looks like the current one.

 

Well, if the guy you bought the bass from told you he "thinks" it was refinished, and the neck finish looks like it's in really nice shape for being that old, then it was most likely refinished. To think otherwise is probably false hope, but you can put it under a black light in a dark room. Only old nitro will glow a very yellowish milkshake color. Un-aged nitro or poly will not.

Sure, it's possible for a factory decal to have some silvering. There wasn't anything special about them. A real decal from that area will have raised lettering that you can feel, especially the "Fender". Some repro decals have raised lettering too, but if it's smooth, you know it's a repro for sure.

 

A lefty '67 Jazz? That's my birth year, and I'm a lefty bassist, too. Please, post more pics of the bass!!

 

Thanks, that's a beauty!