How do I find out when a bass was made?

[George92]

Hi,

Anyone know if there is a online way to find out when a fender jazz bass was made? Or would you just contact Fender or and ask them?

Cheers

 

[pie_man_25]

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there's a page for the other ones as well - mexican, japanese, acoustics, and even odd serial numbers

 

[George92]

I'm still having trouble, he said the serial number is 3143043. He says it's a 70's one. It seems geniune t me, however, didn't all 70's jazz's have bullet truss rods? thats whay I heard anyways. here's a couple of pics

 

[thesilence]

You could always count the tree rings... oh wait that would just tell you how old the tree was...

 

[canadian_man_44]

Here's an online Fender Serial Number Decoder.

http://www.guitardaterproject.org/fender.aspx

There should be a letter in front of the serial number. Do you know what it is?

 

[canadian_man_44]

Actually, looking at the number and comparing it to the chart that was already linked, it looks like one too many numbers in the serial. If it is 314304 the it was made in the Fullerton Plant (Fender - CBS Era), USA in 1971.
On the other hand, if it is 143043 then it was made in the Fullerton Plant in 66-67.

 

[George92]

I dont know... i've noticed it's one number long, maybe he typed it wrong in the mail. it looks 70's and he said it was from the 70's.

 

[canadian_man_44]

It's probably the 1971 then. Either way they were both made in the Fullerton Plant in California.

 

[George92]

cool thanks for that man

 

[miziomix]

... didn't all 70's jazz's have bullet truss rods?...

BTW, t-rod adjustment at headstock became available on F J only from '74.

 

[rdrr]

Didn't you have a thread on this same bass yesterday where you finally thought that it was not genuine?

 

[George92]

no it was a different one, there was a reissue 75 one, and another which turned out to have a repro neck.

 

[mikeswals]

The details of that Jazz look like a 74 to me: Looks to have a 4-bolt neck with truss nut at the heel of the neck, the white blocks and the E-side mounted finger rest.

No, the bullet headstock adjusters were not on all 70's Jazzes. They came out in 74 along with the 3-bolt neck with micro-tilt.
You can't use a serial alone to date an old Fender, the plates were not used in chronological order. You have to check for a neck stamp, pot stamps, pickup stamps, all to give you the timeframe it was built.

 

[Rockmusician]

Here is a link to a site that I use. I have found it to be very accurate.

http://www.guitarattic.com/Fender Serial Numbers.htm

 

[George92]

Thanks a lot everyone, you're comments have been a great help to me!