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Help O Great Fender Gurus
- Thread starter Joe Smithberger
- Start date
That stuff dates by serial number for the most part, which is fine, but fender used the S8 serial number on basses which can be dated anywhere between 78 and 83. For this time period, it's best to get a full picture including neck date, pot dates, and body/neck markings.
As Bone said, one of the easiest ways to verify the body date is by the type of route - narrow channel with brass grounding/shielding plates for the late 70s, wash-tub with a ground screw for the early 80s. I think I've seen instruments dated to 81/82 with the larger route style, but certainly by 83. From what I've seen, early 80s jazz basses that held over the S8 serial also had bound necks with dots.
As Bone said, one of the easiest ways to verify the body date is by the type of route - narrow channel with brass grounding/shielding plates for the late 70s, wash-tub with a ground screw for the early 80s. I think I've seen instruments dated to 81/82 with the larger route style, but certainly by 83. From what I've seen, early 80s jazz basses that held over the S8 serial also had bound necks with dots.
