Guidance on 1963 short scale Fender Jazz

[desotoslo]

Hi all,

I picked up a rough bass for a pretty good price yesterday, a 1963 Fender Jazz, short scale (33"), with a single pickup. Serial is L1xxxx, so it comes up as a 63.

I am not sure what to do with it. Right now, it's dying for a setup, so that is in order. There are some cracks in the headstock (including some chunks that were added in later), but it seems stable and seems to stay in tune.

I am including some pics. I guess I'm just hoping for some veterans or jazz guys to fill me in on some details for this bass. And it's not the original finish by a long shot.

Also, I'd love some advice on what you think I should do: should I get it set up, clean up the chrome hardware, maybe a refret, and then play or sell it as a fixed up collectible, or should I part it out? I know, the latter option is lame, but this bass really needs a good amount of work.

Thanks!
David

 

[A-Step-Towards]

I am hoping you didnt pay more then $50 because not only did Fender never make a short scale back then, that is also not a Fender at all. I would call that wall art and likely not worth the money needed to make it a playable bass.

There will be folks here that say it could be a fun project but you can get a better playing short scale under $200 new in the form of SX or Squier. Unless you can refret it yourself I see no point in paying to fix that thing up, it looks very low quality. Looking at the lack of quality in the neck bolts, bridge and other pieces of hardware I can only see this as a novelty piece to display on a wall.

 

[SamanthaCay]

Well that is a neat bass however it is a fender replica of sorts from Russia.
The tuners, and that I've seen other similar copies are what would lead me to believe it's Russian by the way.
Also fender has never made a short scale or a single pickup jazz and has never produced anything with a 33" scale.
There's a lot more about this that isn't at all fender as well.

 

[JMacBass65]

Wow........just wow!

 

[desotoslo]

wow, thanks for the info. I will try to return it to the seller.

 

[hdracer]

Could you elaborate on the "pretty good deal"?

 

[One Drop]

Not sure how anyone could mistake this one for the real thing, sorry to say.

 

[I Need a six...]

Saw the tuners, bridge, and neck bolts and knew there is no way that's a fender.

 

[bassie12]

The bass in the OPs post is clearly a fake. There is in existence, at least one late 60s medium scale Jazz Bass. I've played it. It belongs to a gentleman in town here who bought it in the 70s. I'll try to arrange to get some pics.

I had stewardship of a short scale Sherwoood Forest Green '66 strat for a while in the mid 80s. The owner sold it for huge money in the 90s. They are out there.

 

[desotoslo]

Thanks for the information, again. I made a mistake. Now I just have to hope that the seller will make this right, but if not, it's my bad.

 

[Flaked Beans]

Firewood!

Get your money back!

 

[Gorn]

And......33" isn't short scale.

 

[bucephylus]

Good luck with setting the deal straight. Hope that works out.

 

[One Drop]

Yes, insist on satisfaction because this bass was willfully misrepresented.

 

[GretschWretch]

And......33" isn't short scale.

Twelve posts in, somebody gets it.

 

[spaz21387]

That headstock looks shaped wrong.

 

[grrg63]

Unless the seller just absolutely had no clue what he was talking about regarding vintage Fenders, he straight up ripped you off.
Would you mind telling what you paid for it?

 

[HateyMcAmp]

If it was like $200, I vote keep it if it sounds ok. I think it's a pretty cool bass with interesting history.

 

[mcarp555]

If it was like $200, I vote keep it if it sounds ok. I think it's a pretty cool bass with interesting history.

History? What 'history'? Who would pay $200 for a bass that would get you laughed out of any jam you took it to? It's not even worth $10 for parts.

 

[One Drop]

Harsh but fair.