I'm surprised to see such a low serial number on a 3-bolt plate - most are 500K & up, IME. I know there were some early bullet truss rod / micro-tilt builds documented, but were the early 3-bolt / micro-tilt plates just stamped in some pre-determined order as opposed to "pulled from a bin" as is always related? I'm also a little surprised at a black pick-guard that early on, but that I'm less sure of. I had a '73 P with a black guard. ...curious. ...beautiful condition, in any case.
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Is this a 72 Jazz?
- Thread starter RickyTee
- Start date
I'm surprised to see such a low serial number on a 3-bolt plate - most are 500K & up, IME. I know there were some early bullet truss rod / micro-tilt builds documented, but were the early 3-bolt / micro-tilt plates just stamped in some pre-determined order as opposed to "pulled from a bin" as is always related? I'm also a little surprised at a black pick-guard that early on, but that I'm less sure of. I had a '73 P with a black guard. ...curious. ...beautiful condition, in any case.
Here is a real 1972 Jazz. Just happens to be mine!
Again, the plate is the only thing 72 on this bass. The rest is mid 70's. Most claims are that it's a 75The serial # on the neck comes up 1972 on websites I have checked so you people out dating it using the serial #? 368811
After the CBS purchase of Fender in 1965, the factory switched to a new serial sequence with numbers that continued the same general format used prior to the takeover. These are generally referred to as F series due the large Fender branded F on the neckplates of the era. This period also saw a switch from the orginal four-bolt neckplate of the '60s to a three-bolt neckplate in just one example of cost-saving costs introduced under CBS.
100000 to 110000 late 1965
110000 to 200000 1966
200000 to 210000 1967
210000 to 250000 1968
250000 to 280000 1969
280000 to 300000 1970
300000 to 340000 1971
340000 to 370000 1972
370000 to 520000 1973
500000 to 580000 1974
580000 to 690000 1975
690000 to 750000 1976
View attachment 892675
Three three bolt neck was introduced in 1972, though typically only on Tele basses. J's typically didn't get them until '74.
Is it possible that it got a parts bin plate intended for a Tele? Or was a very early one off? Everything else points to a 74/75, and it does look legit to me, so my (highly uneducated) guess is a '74/75 with an old plate.
You could try to date the pots, or possibly decipher the neck heel stamp, if you really want to narrow it down.
As for value, Reverb has '74 models selling between $1,800 and $5,000. That's a broad range, so obviously not much help. When I bought my old Fender, I used Gruhn Guitars for an online appraisal. They charge something like $50, but the peace of mind is worth every penny. They'll want you to add pictures of the bottoms of the pickups to check originality and the control cavity along with closeups of the pots and wiring, and underneath the pickguard. Assuming the pickups are original, my biggest worry would be that the finish is original, as that looks pretty minty.
Is it possible that it got a parts bin plate intended for a Tele? Or was a very early one off? Everything else points to a 74/75, and it does look legit to me, so my (highly uneducated) guess is a '74/75 with an old plate.
You could try to date the pots, or possibly decipher the neck heel stamp, if you really want to narrow it down.
As for value, Reverb has '74 models selling between $1,800 and $5,000. That's a broad range, so obviously not much help. When I bought my old Fender, I used Gruhn Guitars for an online appraisal. They charge something like $50, but the peace of mind is worth every penny. They'll want you to add pictures of the bottoms of the pickups to check originality and the control cavity along with closeups of the pots and wiring, and underneath the pickguard. Assuming the pickups are original, my biggest worry would be that the finish is original, as that looks pretty minty.
So you're convinced that's a 3-bolt / micro-tilt plate made in '72, or only numbered from around then? If it fits the "early version 3-bolt" theory that's been posed, that number could have been a one-off plate made at almost any time, I suppose. I agree, the rest of the picture fits post-'73 Jazz.
Edit: I like the "Tele plate" theory
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okay so the posted by classic jazz is a 72 and he doesn't have the neck adjustment but the OP does and the neck is has the hardware for the adjustment bolted to it this is all added? to a 75? let's say so it is a 75 with a 72 neck and neck plate? why would any one do that?
what do the pots have on them would be my next question?
What?
I said it's a mid 70's Jazz with a plate that has a 72 serial number on it, based on Fender's SN system.
Here's a '72 Tele Bass. Anything look familiar? I'm saying the plate could have been a replacement at one time in this bass' life and that it could have been sourced from a bass with a 1972 serial number.
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the neck tilt is on the plate when you remove the neck the part to accept the tilt is bolted to the neck, so my question then would be, did someone install that on the neck if it doesn't come with it and why? 1975 4 bolt doesn't come with the tilt adjustment I'm not being an A$$ just looking for a answer to this question
The two likeliest answers are, as already suggested, that the original neck plate was replaced at one time with another one with a 1972 serial, or, possibly that it was built early on when the Jazz was switched to three bolt, and it just happened to get a 1972 serial number from the parts bin.
ETA: The neck can't be a '72 because it has a bullet truss rod.
ETA: The neck can't be a '72 because it has a bullet truss rod.
Well in fairness, I posted that others claimed it was a '75, I then posted '75 on my own and shouldn't have. I don't know what year it is exactly. I was just making a point. Just not a 72, which has been well established.
So it is possible the person who install the name plate would have gotten the part that screws to the neck on the inside to be able to use the neck tilt mechanism?
If there are no date stamps on the neck or body, how about the pots? Might be the best chance to ballpark the date.
No, no, I mean it was built as a three bolt with tilt, later than '72 , and somewhere down the line, the plate was replaced with a different one with a 1972 serial number.
Back in '75 when fender switched to 3 bolt necks, they used some of the old telecaster bass (3 bolt microtilt) neck plates from '72.
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Rickywoo we're cool guy I am just trying to piece things together that don't add up to me like if bought it and original in the mid 70's and decided to change the neck plate, I don't think I would know or have gone through the trouble of installing the tilt hardware inside the neck pocket or on the neck to be able to use it.
Wow and they sold them with serial #'s of 1972 jeez that's not right. Not only that then the guy selling it as a 72 isn't trying to fool the OP into purchasing something it isn't on purpose, he is unaware of Fender doing this.
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