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Interesting Ebay Posting ... What's Right/Wrong ??

#61
detracti said:
Okay, this all got me curious, so I went and looked up some other 1996 Jazz basses. In 1996, American models had the heel truss rod nut, and no skunk stripe. This one has the skunk stripe and truss rod adustment at the headstock, like a MIM neck.

MIM basses from that era did have a different logo on the front, and the serial number on the front, but Americans had the serial number on the back, as this one does, and the front decal is correct. So, it looks like a MIM neck that has been doctored to look like a USA neck.

Also, I suspect those clover tuners are off a newer model too, because the 96's I was just looking at on Reverb all had flat ones.
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detracti, thanks for jumping in … but this has all been explained in earlier posts … this is not a '96, it would be from '89-92, and the bass is completely accurate for its model (Longhorn, or early American Standard if you prefer), the headstock logo and serial # were changed, that's it (except for the obvious bolt on mods explained above) … if you read through the whole thread (at least post #31) it will all make sense … ;)

Thanks for your comments!!
 
#63
toomanyslurpees said:
What's throwing me is the headstock truss rod adjustment, shouldn't it be a heal adjustment for a US made fender bass? The only US basses I've known to be headstock adjustments are the highway one basses... but I'm far from an expert...
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My US made Jazz Plus made in the early 90'a has a headstock end truss rod adjustment, but it also has an ultra slim neck.
 
#64
Cutter8 said:
Logo looks wrong to me, I thought the serial numbers on those were on the front of the headstock, and shouldn't it have a 1946-1996 50tn anniversary sticker on the headstock?
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tjh said:
… BINGO!! … Cutter has an eye ;) … that is a couple of things that jumped right out to me and made me look twice at it, then I noticed the lack of anniversary sticker too … good job! … there is still more though ;)
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StringslamDan said:
The Serial # is definitely in the wrong spot, and the bridge is up too high. I had one, and the bridge sat on the very bottom edge of the body.
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If you're going to administer this game, make sure you know the answers. Anyone want to see where the serial number is on my 1996? Hint....it's not on the front.
 
#65
tjh said:
Nope … not Pewter ;) … this is not a '96, cannot be … … alright, enough fun … Cutter said it, wrong logo … the headstock (front and back) looks very clean, not much aging … everything on/about the bass looks 100% accurate to be a Longhorn (with obvious mods), so someone must have sanded the headstock clean, replaced original with a spaghetti logo, and a fake serial # (not on file, already checked) … this color is Pewter, paint code 743 … it was only offered for the first 3 years of the Longhorn run, so this would be a '89-92 Longhorn … ;)
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This seems like a lot of trouble to replace the logo. The replacement is too clean. There's only one reason I can think of for the replacement...... somebody must have hated that logo, lol
 
#67
tjh said:
.. sometimes when things wind down and out of boredom I will peruse Ebay just to try and spot things that 'just don't look right' … suffice it to say, there is plenty there to keep a guy busy usually, but this one had me testing my knowledge of modern era Fender basses a bit .. I just thought I would toss it up here and see who can spot what is right and wrong, and come to the same conclusion that I did … be nice to each other, this is supposed to be fun, while a learning experience for others … ;)

1996 Fender USA "Long Horn" 4-String Jazz Bass Guitar, EMG Pickups, Case | eBay
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I would of said the EMGs pickups is what's wrong , but the seller is saying out front it has EMGs so it actually makes the posting rite! Not sure on the price, to me it seems a bit high but then again, I'm not a fender expert I mean could it also be to low !
at the end of the day it's buissnes!
it would wise to ask for a little more then you really want to allow head room for negotiations .
in my opinion , the posting has more rites then wrongs.
 
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#69
Well it's definitely NOT a 1996. More like a 92-94. I hesitate to use the term "rare" on these simply because Fender stopped using the elongated upper horn body design because it wasn't very popular (personally I find it weird looking).

I've seen these for sale on eBay, TB and cl a bit. People are always asking way too much money for them, as if they're desirable because they're made in USA. Truth is, in 1995 Fender re-launched it's entire line with many many improvements that proved to be very popular with players the world over. These so-called 'boner' basses went they way of the dodo.
 
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#72
guy n. cognito said:
If you're going to administer this game, make sure you know the answers. Anyone want to see where the serial number is on my 1996? Hint....it's not on the front.
Click to expand...

Of course it is not on the front, it is on the back where it is supposed to be for 1996 … we are talking Longhorns (the bass in the ad, which is NOT a '96), Longhorns are SUPPOSED to be on the front ... Serial #'s on American Standards moved to the back in July of '94 for the '95 model year … ;)
 
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#74
Meh...cool bass for the Fender guy who wants one of "everything."

I'd pay $750-$800 or so all day long and put the original passive pickups back in if I owned it.

That is the going rate for a run of the mill American Jazz used in decent condition around here.
 
#75
I didn't expect this fun little 'game' thread to reach multiple pages with 3,000 views, and I imagine a lot of folk are not taking the time to read the entire thread and how/why it was started …. this thread was not intended to be a typical 'Is this a real Fender' type weekly thread, and certainly not intended to be a bash on what appears to be a very reputable seller, it was simply created as a fun little exercise for the more serious gear-guru types that enjoy this stuff, and possibly as a learning experience for those that would like to be, and possibly a help in the kind of things to look for ...

… with that said, I will repeat what I posted way back in post #11 for those coming late to the party ….

" (with 2112 positive feedbacks) they definitely seem like a reputable seller, so this is not a 'bash' on the seller, or inferring anything fraudulent on their part … I am sure they have no idea what they have as it looks perfectly fine … if you don't know what to look for ;) … "
 
#76
fhm555 said:
My US made Jazz Plus made in the early 90'a has a headstock end truss rod adjustment, but it also has an ultra slim neck.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I did a little more looking around last night, and it looks like some time between early and late 90's, Fender must have moved to the heel adjuster on their USA basses.

The combination of serial number on the back, style of logo, and skunk stripe/head adjuster doesn't fit with either early 90's or late 90's USA or MIM necks. One assumption it looks like the OP is making is that the neck and the body have been together since the bass left the factory. You can't safely assume that. But regardless of year, and I'm focusing solely on the neck, it doesn't add up.
 
#78
detracti said:
Yeah, I did a little more looking around last night, and it looks like some time between early and late 90's, Fender must have moved to the heel adjuster on their USA basses. ...

One assumption it looks like the OP is making is that the neck and the body have been together since the bass left the factory. You can't safely assume that. But regardless of year, and I'm focusing solely on the neck, it doesn't add up.
Click to expand...

… upon discontinuation of the Longhorns in mid '94, Fender returned to the heel adjust truss rod on the American Standards for '95 model year …

… but in this case (OP Longhorn), the body and neck likely HAVE BEEN together since they left the factory, they just had a bit of a 'revision' … ;)
 
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#79
Salicete said:
Meh...cool bass for the Fender guy who wants one of "everything."

I'd pay $750-$800 or so all day long and put the original passive pickups back in if I owned it.

That is the going rate for a run of the mill American Jazz used in decent condition around here.
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I'd pass on a longhorn. The current MIMs (Flea, RoadWorn, etc) and totally awesome and don't have an awkward looking body shape
 
#80
tjh said:
… as I mention back in post #31, it would have to be '89-92, because Pewter (paint code 743) was only offered for the first few years of the Longhorn run …
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Killing time here so I'll play along as devil's advo. Great fun!

Okay, not doubting you, but if the neck and body do belong together as you've pointed out earlier, why would the decals have been replaced? On the surface (pun intended), it seems unlikely that someone would sand off the original decals, only to replace them with fake ones...to what possible advantage?

Lots of "possibles" for what appears to be a Fender anomaly?

* Neck totally refinished for some reason?
* The bass was actually built '89-'92, but someone decided to pass it off as a '96 (or whatever) by altering decals?
* The body was refin'd Pewter?
* Fender replaced a bad neck under warranty a few years later?
* Fender had some leftover Pewter Longhorn (discontinued) bodies, decided to slap on whatever necks were available at the time?
* It's not actually Pewter, but another similar color that "slipped through the cracks" at Fender somehow?
* Some Fender dealer requested a Longhorn in Pewter, despite its not being an officially listed finish offering that year?
* Fender actually did make some Longhorns in Pewter when they weren't "supposed" to?
 

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