Fender pre-CBS Club: pics mandatory!

[Stephen]

Just got a 61 Jazz from a friend. Been refinished. Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated.
Pots have been replaced.
Not sure about the pick ups.

 

[BGroovy]

The pre CBS Facebook group deleted my post about this bass a few months ago, let's see if TalkBass is kinder...

My 64/69 Jazz, original electronics, refinished by Fender in 69 after a factory neck swap to a 69 neck with blocks and binding. Untouched since then other than a recent refret.

 

[TomB]

Just got a 61 Jazz from a friend. Been refinished. Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated.
Pots have been replaced.
Not sure about the pick ups.

I’m not sure about the pickups either.

The serial number suggests it could be ‘61, whether or not it came from this bass, but it’s possible. The body was sanded a lot in the refin, which is not unusual. The controls are definitely not ‘61, which would have been stacked pots.

Are there no markings on the end of the neck? That would be unusual in that era IME, though it was true both earlier and then much later than ‘61. You should post a pic of it. It’s odd how the back of the neck is so clean compared to the rest. Refinned also, I guess.

It’s an interesting bass, it might have quite a history. But value? That’s a crap shoot. Play it!

 

[Stephen]

Just got a 61 Jazz from a friend. Been refinished. Any thoughts or comments would be appreciatedView attachment 7488699

Just got a 61 Jazz from a friend. Been refinished. Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated.
Pots have been replaced.
Not sure about the pick ups.

Longer thread about this instrument is here Just got a 61 Jazz from a friend
Turns out the neck is 64

 

[black.rose1402]

I did a video posting my 63 jazz through my 62 b15, and another one where we can clearly hear the difference between my 72 and 63 ( damn those old pre cbs when they're good, nothing can touch 'em)

 

[Mastermold]

I did a video posting my 63 jazz through my 62 b15, and another one where we can clearly hear the difference between my 72 and 63 ( damn those old pre cbs when they're good, nothing can touch 'em)

You’ve got a tremendous collection of great jazz basses.

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

One note about studying Pre Cbs Fender Basses. Specifically the slab board stuff from 59-62. Nobody ever gets the 12th fret spacing correct. NOBODY. Fender Usa and Custom Shop, Joe Riggio, Danocaster etc get this detail correct. Those guys make beautiful instruments, but I’m a stickler for details. Check out this 61 Jazz, looks how WIDE the dots are, or maybe they’re smaller? I have a Pre Cbs neck incoming from 64 so I’ll compare it to my June 65 Jazz Bass with Pearloids.

Here is a 1960 P I used to own. Hard to see but the wide spacing is there.

Another thing about the slabbies…

Notice the somewhat curved carve of the board where it meets the headstock. Some older custom shops and Riggios get this right but recently all I’ve seen out of the modern reissues are flat cut fretboard, er, marriages? I think the fullerton reissues get this right too.

Makes me want to start making necks lol, can anyone here with a slab board Fender measure the distance in inches between the 12th fret dots?

Thank you for putting up with my nerdery hah

 

[Mastermold]

One note about studying Pre Cbs Fender Basses. Specifically the slab board stuff from 59-62. Nobody ever gets the 12th fret spacing correct. NOBODY. Fender Usa and Custom Shop, Joe Riggio, Danocaster etc get this detail correct. Those guys make beautiful instruments, but I’m a stickler for details. Check out this 61 Jazz, looks how WIDE the dots are, or maybe they’re smaller? I have a Pre Cbs neck incoming from 64 so I’ll compare it to my June 65 Jazz Bass with Pearloids.View attachment 7493438

Here is a 1960 P I used to own. Hard to see but the wide spacing is there.View attachment 7493441

Another thing about the slabbies…

Notice the somewhat curved carve of the board where it meets the headstock. Some older custom shops and Riggios get this right but recently all I’ve seen out of the modern reissues are flat cut fretboard, er, marriages? I think the fullerton reissues get this right too. View attachment 7493443

Makes me want to start making necks lol, can anyone here with a slab board Fender measure the distance in inches between the 12th fret dots?

Thank you for putting up with my nerdery hah

I suspect some of the Custom Shop “error” is intentional to avoid suborning counterfeits.

 

[TomB]

One note about studying Pre Cbs Fender Basses. Specifically the slab board stuff from 59-62. Nobody ever gets the 12th fret spacing correct. NOBODY. Fender Usa and Custom Shop, Joe Riggio, Danocaster etc get this detail correct. Those guys make beautiful instruments, but I’m a stickler for details. Check out this 61 Jazz, looks how WIDE the dots are, or maybe they’re smaller? I have a Pre Cbs neck incoming from 64 so I’ll compare it to my June 65 Jazz Bass with Pearloids.View attachment 7493438

Here is a 1960 P I used to own. Hard to see but the wide spacing is there.View attachment 7493441

Another thing about the slabbies…

Notice the somewhat curved carve of the board where it meets the headstock. Some older custom shops and Riggios get this right but recently all I’ve seen out of the modern reissues are flat cut fretboard, er, marriages? I think the fullerton reissues get this right too. View attachment 7493443

Makes me want to start making necks lol, can anyone here with a slab board Fender measure the distance in inches between the 12th fret dots?

Thank you for putting up with my nerdery hah

I can measure my ‘61, but since you want precision, precisely from where to where? Inside edge of dot to inside edge of dot? …and no, it’s not something I ever thought about .

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

I can measure my ‘61, but since you want precision, precisely from where to where? Inside edge of dot to inside edge of dot? …and no, it’s not something I ever thought about .

Inside the edge please

 

[nonohmic]

One note about studying Pre Cbs Fender Basses. Specifically the slab board stuff from 59-62. Nobody ever gets the 12th fret spacing correct. NOBODY. Fender Usa and Custom Shop, Joe Riggio, Danocaster etc get this detail correct. Those guys make beautiful instruments, but I’m a stickler for details. Check out this 61 Jazz, looks how WIDE the dots are, or maybe they’re smaller? I have a Pre Cbs neck incoming from 64 so I’ll compare it to my June 65 Jazz Bass with Pearloids.View attachment 7493438

Here is a 1960 P I used to own. Hard to see but the wide spacing is there.View attachment 7493441

Another thing about the slabbies…

Notice the somewhat curved carve of the board where it meets the headstock. Some older custom shops and Riggios get this right but recently all I’ve seen out of the modern reissues are flat cut fretboard, er, marriages? I think the fullerton reissues get this right too. View attachment 7493443

Makes me want to start making necks lol, can anyone here with a slab board Fender measure the distance in inches between the 12th fret dots?

Thank you for putting up with my nerdery hah

I guess I don't get it. Here is a custom shop, and the dots look further apart?? Or are you saying the original dots are closer together?

 

[SJLee]

I'm not seeing the difference.

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

I guess I don't get it. Here is a custom shop, and the dots look further apart?? Or are you saying the original dots are closer together?

Oh wow, yeah that one is very well done. Jeez, maybe I’m just crazy.

 

[D Bopp]

Here’s my 61 P. Looks like 24mm from the inside of one dot to the other.

 

[TomB]

Inside the edge please

On my ‘61, there is 1” between the dots. Since my early ‘66 dot-neck was right there, I measured it as 7/8” between the dots.

 

[2saddleslab]

Fore & aft at the 12th fret is a little wonky on this '55 neck.

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

Thank you guys for your measurements and putting up with my nerdery. Truth be told, I’m getting a new job soon with a LOT higher pay. Pay that might be going to woodworking equipment to make some pre cbs style necks. This is more of a hobbyist thing than actual manufacturing. Basically, after owning a ton of 60’s Fenders and aftermarket necks, none of the aftermarket stuff gets super close in terms of construction and feel of 2 piece slab board necks. No, I will not be putting in the frets from the side hah.

I’m getting a 64 Jazz neck in the mail tomorrow. So that and my 65 Jazz will be the templates I base these first runs on, only with slab boards.

This process will take years.

 

[TomB]

Thank you guys for your measurements and putting up with my nerdery. Truth be told, I’m getting a new job soon with a LOT higher pay. Pay that might be going to woodworking equipment to make some pre cbs style necks. This is more of a hobbyist thing than actual manufacturing. Basically, after owning a ton of 60’s Fenders and aftermarket necks, none of the aftermarket stuff gets super close in terms of construction and feel of 2 piece slab board necks. No, I will not be putting in the frets from the side hah.

I’m getting a 64 Jazz neck in the mail tomorrow. So that and my 65 Jazz will be the templates I base these first runs on, only with slab boards.

This process will take years.

So what’s the “between the dots” measurement on your ‘65 Jazz? Is that a bound or unbound neck?

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

So what’s the “between the dots” measurement on your ‘65 Jazz? Is that a bound or unbound neck?

Unbound. Jun65 stamp with a paduak fingerboard. Less than an inch spacing.

 

[TomB]

Unbound. Jun65 stamp with a paduak fingerboard. Less than an inch spacing.
View attachment 7494566View attachment 7494567

Those are a bit closer together than on my ‘66. Different workbench, different template?