Fender Jazz Bass Special - Circa 1984-87

[AdamR]

The next gig is going to be JBS played with a pick into an 800RB for sure! Maybe the 400RB depending on the size of the place.

That combo cuts great. Way better then my EMG loaded P/J.

 

[bassgod76]

Cool!

I picked up mine last week. It's very similar looking to the one on the left, more pearl yellow than white. Overall it's in really good shape, a few dings on it but it's almost 30 years old. It came with the original case, original hang tag, the original receipt (1986), and a receipt for a setup also in 86' with the buyers name on it.

Kinda creepy, but: In Googling his name it seems like a was a musician most of his life with a few releases to his credit. Unfortunately, he passed away a few years ago. I'm assuming (maybe wrongly) that his wife/kids/family/etc. started getting rid of his equipment and that's how I got it.

I'll get a few pics up when I get some time.

That's awesome!
I have a thing for the pearl body with black neck. I think they went to natural finished necks after 1986.

My more yellow one has a earlier SN. I guess its the older one?

Not sure if I will keep both, but they rock.

 

[Dave W]

Okay...I lied. My last gig was just a regular P, but the JBS wouldn't have been fully unleashed. It was just a relatively short set with a acoustic song writer. Perfect for a P bass.

But the next gig...Duff will be channeled. I'll even have my Corona Chorus with the Duff tone print just for that little extra bit...

 

[bassgod76]

Okay...I lied. My last gig was just a regular P, but the JBS wouldn't have been fully unleashed. It was just a relatively short set with a acoustic song writer. Perfect for a P bass.

But the next gig...Duff will be channeled. I'll even have my Corona Chorus with the Duff tone print just for that little extra bit...

I'm not sure if its the electronics or the bass itself, but the the stock pickups with a Chorus pedal result in killer Duff tone.

 

[AdamR]

If anyone is looking for one I listed my Jazz Special in the classifieds.

 

[bassgod76]

If anyone is looking for one I listed my Jazz Special in the classifieds.

I saw it on Evilbay today. I hope you get some good fundage for it.

 

[Belka]

OK, so. Repair question. Well, two questions, really.
1) See photo below. I am a total neophyte when it comes to parts spec--is this bridge original to the bass or did the previous owner put this on? I've not seen a bridge like it on any other bass I've got my hands on.
2) Where does one find the saddle adjustment screws for said bridge? You'll notice if you look closely that one doesn't match...apparently I lost one along the way somewhat recently and discovered the issue when I recently restrung her. Went to 7 different shops (hardware and music stores) before coming up with A replacement, color match wasn't happening. A helpful gent at our local Ace Hardware figured out the specific type of screw it is--M2.5 x 30mm pan head machine screw, black oxide. Online searches have left me dry. Anyone know of a good source of these things, in case I ever lose another?



Don't ask what kind of wreck I was when I found out she was broken. My basses ARE my children and I'm particularly fond of this one... Happy she's fixed now but this non-matching screw is yet another "character mark"...

I realize I'm nearly four months late here but my Jazz Bass Special has the same bridge, although mine is a dark brown color. I think these only came on the later models. Mine is an '89 I think. Apart from the screw yours looks in pretty good condition. The brown paint on mine has oxidized and has a greeny blue scum on the surface in places.

I haven't seen these bridges anywhere else either. They were never used on any other Fenders as far as I know. Probably they were only ever made in Japan for a short while by some no name parts company.

 

[AdamR]

I saw it on Evilbay today. I hope you get some good fundage for it.

Yeah I hate evil bay but its good advertising. I usually end up selling stuff off ebay after the auction to someone that saw it there.

 

[bassgod76]

Yeah I hate evil bay but its good advertising. I usually end up selling stuff off ebay after the auction to someone that saw it there.

Kinda sad. We both purchased our JBS's in Feb 2011. I just got mine back, and you're selling yours.

 

[AdamR]

Only selling it if I get the right price for it to fund another Spector. Otherwise it stays

 

[JohnnyChatter]

I have a "Power" Jazz bass Special. Such a cool bass. Such a permanent part of my family. Always kinda loved the way they looked. Looks nothing like my other fenders. Got it in white almost mind for $500 off craigslist from some old stoner dude that said he was the 2nd owner and never played it. My band thinks its ugly as **** but love the tones it makes. Ill probably have it until I'm 80 and am going to sell it to some kid for thousands. My fender basses are my retirement fund!

 

[ChopperDave]

I have a fretless neck sitting around (well, it's been bolted to a J-bass body on and off over the years) ... E serial, black headstock, unlined ... I'm considering unloading it and my Warmoth 8-string neck to fund other projects, but I have no idea how to assess the value. e(vil)Bay isn't a big help. Has anyone sold one of these recently--the neck, specifically?

 

[bassgod76]

I have a fretless neck sitting around (well, it's been bolted to a J-bass body on and off over the years) ... E serial, black headstock, unlined ... I'm considering unloading it and my Warmoth 8-string neck to fund other projects, but I have no idea how to assess the value. e(vil)Bay isn't a big help. Has anyone sold one of these recently--the neck, specifically?

I'm not sure how well it would sell. If it was a JBS neck with black finished neck, fretted, you'd have something worthwhile to many.

I've done research, and it seems as if the white or black fretted 1984-86 JBS are the most popular.

 

[coreyfyfe]

I have a fretless neck sitting around (well, it's been bolted to a J-bass body on and off over the years) ... E serial, black headstock, unlined ...

Had a friend who had basically the same bass. Black jazz body, fretless jazz special neck. It ended up getting stolen out of his locker at berklee a few years back. That bass was the reason I picked up my JS fretless though. Great necks. I think he bought his bass for $400ish and I bought and sold my 85 jazz special for around the same. A neck? Might for half that if you're lucky, but probably less.

 

[ChopperDave]

Had a friend who had basically the same bass. Black jazz body, fretless jazz special neck. It ended up getting stolen out of his locker at berklee a few years back. That bass was the reason I picked up my JS fretless though. Great necks. I think he bought his bass for $400ish and I bought and sold my 85 jazz special for around the same. A neck? Might for half that if you're lucky, but probably less.

Thanks--Yeah, I was thinking $150-200; I'm not looking to retire off of the thing! I'll have it in the classifieds soon.

'Preciate all your help!

 

[AdamR]

I just sold my Jazz Special for $450. I would start at $200 for the neck but Im not sure if fretless necks are as easy to sell as fretted necks are.

 

[Groover]

Is it the all black, or just black heastock? Either way, probably the prices mentioned are about right.

 

[ChopperDave]

Is it the all black, or just black heastock? Either way, probably the prices mentioned are about right.

Just the black headstock. The back of the neck is satin, I think ... all I know is it's the smoothest, thinnest J neck I've played. If it had frets (or lines) I'd keep it.

 

[coreyfyfe]

Just the black headstock. The back of the neck is satin, I think ... all I know is it's the smoothest, thinnest J neck I've played. If it had frets (or lines) I'd keep it.

I had the older full black version. More of a flatter (thin front to back) P bass neck. The nut on the earlier models was B width, or somewhere between A and B, but definitely not an A (I had a jazz bass, fretless P, and the J special concurrently)

 

[kaoscapt]

Purchased in maybe June (?) 1987 from Sam Ash in Freeport NY during their moving/going out of business sale. Ad in the newspaper said the bass came with a Fender case. Tried to give me a gig bag, threw a fit and got an older P-bass hard case for free. She just fits snugly inside. I stole this bass for $199.

The official name of the color is RazzBerry. I chose it over the seafoam kinda green color. From the minute I played it I knew it was special. Caught some serious crap from friends about it's appearance. That was until 'Welcome to the Jungle' went into heavy rotation on MTV and my bandmates realized Duff was playing the same bass, just in off white.

As you can see the neck is satin, which is how it came. I love the feel - big enough to grab onto but nowhere near as wide as a Pbass. Pickups have a decent tonal range and sound great no matter what I plug her into (soundboard, DI, amp, etc.).

I had to do something about the appearance, and decided that since the base color was already pretty bright, I might as well go period psychedelic with it. The flower decals are genuine decals made to stick to anything you want to 'trip out'. The copyright was 1971 on the package, and despite their age were still vibrant and clear when I used them. They still haven't faded much in the 26 years they've been on. I do try to keep her in the case when not in use and out of the sun so they don't fade.

She's taken a lot of use and abuse. Starting to wear the finish off the tailpiece from leaning my wrist on it (yeah I know - bad habit) and may eventually replace it with a Babicz, but for now I keep her fed with fresh Rotosounds and she's happy.