My Custom Build Fender Jazz Basses

[fourstringburn]

Hello all!

I've been loving Jazz Basses ever since I got a '97 model back in '98. I always been a one Bass man for many years using my '78 Fender Precision I bought new when I was a teenager. After using a Jazz Bass for a while, I found I love the versatile tones and look of the Jazz Basses but certain features of the newer Jazz Basses I don't care for aesthetically. Mainly it's the smaller head stocks and tuners used on modern Fender Basses. IMHO, I think the smaller headstock has a dopey look to it! While all this lightens the neck and and may ease neck diving, I never had a problem with neck diving. I just like the classic look of the older Fenders with vintage tuners on a bigger head stock and I've been wanting one ever since but not used.

I did look into going the Warmoth route for a custom built Jazz Bass the way I want it, but I knew I would rather have a genuine Fender. I also looked into and priced a Fender Custom shop built to my spec's but the cost was rather exorbitant and I didn't want to wait 6 months to a year for it.

So, I thought it would be best to build my own using as many genuine Fender parts as possible right down to using screws sold in Fender packaging. Some after market parts and customization's were done so I can have these Basses just the way I want them.

I ended up building two Jazz Basses for a couple grand less than the Custom shop build. While these Basses aren't true Fender models or true Custom shops, I wouldn't call them "Franken-Basses" either. Maybe they can be called "parts" or assemblage Basses but like I said, I did use as many Fender parts where I could so is it any different then taking any Fender model off the rack and customizing it?

To me, these are Fender Jazz Basses and their limited resale value as is means little to me as I have no intention of selling them. These two Basses represent everything I like in vintage Jazz Basses and each one of these is unique. That's what is important to me!

Enjoy the pics and I look forward to all of your comments!



First up is my custom 1960 style Jazz Bass with some modern features.

Genuine Fender parts:

Fender American Professional Jazz body
Fender American Original 60's Jazz Bass neck purchased with Tuners/string retainer/strap button.
Fender Custom Shop Custom ’60s Jazz Bass pickups
Fender Vintage style concentric knob set
Fender American Vintage '62 Jazz Bass control plate 3-hole
Fender Hi-Mass Vintage bridge
Fender Vintage style string-thru ferrules
Fender Security Strap Locks and button set
Fender Vintage style tug bar
Fender 4-bolt 70's vintage-style F-Logo neck plate
Fender genuine packaged screws used throughout


This Bass replicates in appearance the 1960 Fender Jazz with concentric knobs. I went with a string thru high mass bridge because I like the neat appearance and slight tone improvement over the lighter standard one. The '60s Custom shop Jazz pickups are excellent with good output from the Alnico 5 magnets and offer great tone. Playability is exceptional for me with the C shaped neck. I tried a U-neck once and found it rather uncomfortable. I like the 70's style F plate over just a Vintage plain one but I did have a serial number stamped on it with the same kind of vintage stamp machine Fender used which looks just like the real thing! The tug bar completes the look.




Non Fender parts:

1-CTS concentric pot 500k(push-pull) 1- CTS concentric pot 500k
PureTone output jack
Cloth wire for extra the wiring
Bone nut
Mother of pearl dot inlays and side dots
Custom made 1960 Fender style decal
Vintage style 10-hole Tortoise shell pickguard
La Bella Nickel strings


Because this is my first Bass I assembled and I wanted that vintage first generation Fender look for this one, I went with an after market Tortoise shell pickguard because Fender no longer makes a true vintage looking one. The ones made today are brown and I don't particularly care for that color. The one you see in the pic has a reddish look with some yellow spec's which looks more reminiscent of the vintage ones. Notice the near perfect fit where the pickguard meets the control plate. My other Bass has a genuine Fender pickguard and control plate and doesn't line up that well!

I had Pimentel Guitars here in Albuquerque replace the original dark clay(fake) fret dots and side markers with mother of pearl because I just can't see the dark ones too well. They also made and installed the bone nut and did the final setup job too.

I went with a custom decal to complete the 1960 look, not to fool anyone which this wouldn't.

The reasoning for the CTS push pull pot is because I like the series/parallel mod but I didn't want exposed switches so I came up with my own design. Knob 1 is the push pull pot. I drilled out both the lower and upper concentric knobs to fit. Knob 2 is a standard concentric pot but only wired as volume for the bridge pickup and master tone. This gives the illusion of concentric pots while hiding the series/parallel mod. Clever? I used 500k pots to brighten up the tone a bit when playing in series which is like using a darker sounding humbucker.

This is how I wired it. Notice this is wired for series with the knob in the down position because I prefer the series mode. I use the PureTone output jack because I believe this is a real improvement over Switchcrafts and others. All pots are securely tightened down to the metal control plate so no additional ground wires between pots are used lessening the chance for ground loops.

Here's the shielding job I do on all of my Basses. I shield a large portion underneath the pickguard on my P-Bass and just shield the small front portion near and around the neck pickup and on the Jazz Basses. I put a large strip in front of the neck pickup as shown to tie it all in. Ground wires from bridge and bridge pickup cavity are soldered to shield tape. No Buzz here!!!

More pics for you...

Here you can see the upper neck volume knob pulled up. This puts the Bass in parallel mode for those classic Jazz Bass tones. I prefer series mode and this knob is wired for series in down position. It's nice to have a choice!




Now on to my other custom build Jazz Bass!

This one here represents many different aspects of Fender Basses I like throughout the years and it isn't all era correct in appearance. That truly makes it "my" custom Bass!

Genuine Fender parts:

Fender American Professional Jazz body
Fender American Original 60's Jazz Bass neck
Fender Pure Vintage American Bass Tuning Machines
Fender Pure Vintage Nickel Bass String Guide
Fender Pure Vintage '74 Jazz Bass pickups
Fender S-1 pot and knob set
Fender Volume and Tone knobs
Fender 4-Hole Control Plate
Fender American Standard 10-Hole Pickguard
Fender Hi-Mass Vintage bridge
Fender Vintage style string-thru ferrules
Fender Security Strap Locks and button set
Fender 4-bolt 70's vintage-style F-Logo neck plate
Fender genuine packaged screws used throughout


This Bass here has many genuine Fender parts and is a cross between the 60's and 70's era Jazz Basses. The neck is another 60's Jazz neck with Vintage style reverse tuners and a darker vintage tint on the back. The '74 Jazz pickups are also Alnico 5 magnets for a balanced output level between my other Jazz Bass. The tone is very similar to the '60s pickups but maybe slightly more brighter and edgier. I use the Fender S-1 switching for series/parallel wired for parallel mode with the button switched down.

Like my other Jazz Bass, I prefer the string thru bridge and 70's style F stamp neck plate and also have the serial number stamped on it.



Non Fender parts:

Ebony Fretboard
Mother of Pearl dot inlays and side markers
CTS Volume pot 500k
CTS No-Load Tone pot 500k
Pure Tone output jack
Bone Nut
70's style custom made decal
Cloth wire for extra wiring
La Bella Nickel strings


I wanted this Bass to have the best looks! I always like the look of a Black and chrome Bass and this went to 11!

Again, Pimentel guitars did some fine work and had the the daunting task of removing the original rosewood fretboard and replacing it with Ebony. Mother of Pearl dot markers on the fretboard and top side adorn the beauty of the Ebony fretboard. They also installed the Bone nut, Painted the Headstock, and did the final setup as well.

I went with a custom made 70's style Fender decal because I think it stands out better on the black headstock especially with all gold lettering.

The S-1 series/parallel give the Bass a modern touch and the PureTone output jack ensures a solid electrical and snug connection. I also have a no-load tone pot for an optional tone control bypass.


Here are some more pics...

Here is a pic to show the F plate with the serial number stamped on. I think these look great!


Both these Basses play exceptionally well and have great tone. I can't say I have a favorite, They were both worth the time and expense and besides, it was fun putting them together!

Thanks for looking!

 

[el jeffe bass]

Absolutely beautiful basses, you did great work. What type of amp do you play those through?

 

[fourstringburn]

Thanks for that!

Amps?

Ampeg of course!

 

[moreblues]

Absolutely beautiful! I admire your talent and choice of materials. They Look like keepers!
What did you use for the darker vintage tint on the back of the neck?

 

[fourstringburn]

Absolutely beautiful! I admire your talent and choice of materials. They Look like keepers!
What did you use for the darker vintage tint on the back of the neck?

Thanks for looking!

The Black Bass has a 60's Fender replacement neck that Fender sells although I don't see it listed on their site anymore. It still available with some Ebay sellers.

The darker tint is how Fender made them.

My other Bass has a neck that came off an " American Original 60's Jazz Bass" sold by a reputable Ebay seller whose screen name starts with "Strat". This was a good find! This neck has a lighter tint from the factory and it feels similar in size and shape to the 60's replacement neck.

Both necks had brown simulated clay dots to replicate the originals but I had to replace them because my older eyes could barely see them! That's the only complaint about those necks.

 

[moreblues]

You are welcome! I thought both basses have Fender American Original 60's Jazz Bass necks ?
I have seen them for sale but they all look lighter then yours, more yellow...
The ones you have look like the tint on my Fender AVRI 62Pp and J.... and 57 P. Which to me is awesome!
I took it that you tinted those necks darker which is the same way that I prefer!
I was going to buy the same tint and darken some other basses of mine...LOL...anyway they look Great!! Thank you for the reply

 

[fourstringburn]

Interestingly I found that the Fender replacement neck I have has a darker tint than what's pictured on their promo ads.

It could be just the lighting used when pic was taken. My neck came in a Fender factory box with an Fender genuine parts certification and serial number so I'm positive it's genuine Fender.

Here's a pic of the 60's Fender Bass from the back. You can see the tint appears to be the same. This neck has a strap button and no serial number decal.

So yes, my Black Bass has the American Original Fender 60's Jazz Bass "replacement" neck while the other Bass has a neck taken from a 60's American Original Jazz Bass.

Both necks look and feel the same and have same spec's in radius, nut width, shape and both had brown clay dots.

 

[moreblues]

I Never gave it a thought that it was not a genuine fender, I figured that maybe it could be the lighting too…I was thinking about doing a build myself but would buy the 60’s American original Precision neck since I have plenty of Jazz basses.
Thanks for the info!

 

[fourstringburn]

I Never gave it a thought that it was not a genuine fender, I figured that maybe it could be the lighting too…I was thinking about doing a build myself but would buy the 60’s American original Precision neck since I have plenty of Jazz basses.
Thanks for the info!

Good luck if you do your own build, Don't forget to post it on the forum!

 

[Black Out Jazz]

Hello all!

I've been loving Jazz Basses ever since I got a '97 model back in '98. I always been a one Bass man for many years using my '78 Fender Precision I bought new when I was a teenager. After using a Jazz Bass for a while, I found I love the versatile tones and look of the Jazz Basses but certain features of the newer Jazz Basses I don't care for aesthetically. Mainly it's the smaller head stocks and tuners used on modern Fender Basses. IMHO, I think the smaller headstock has a dopey look to it! While all this lightens the neck and and may ease neck diving, I never had a problem with neck diving. I just like the classic look of the older Fenders with vintage tuners on a bigger head stock and I've been wanting one ever since but not used.

I did look into going the Warmoth route for a custom built Jazz Bass the way I want it, but I knew I would rather have a genuine Fender. I also looked into and priced a Fender Custom shop built to my spec's but the cost was rather exorbitant and I didn't want to wait 6 months to a year for it.

So, I thought it would be best to build my own using as many genuine Fender parts as possible right down to using screws sold in Fender packaging. Some after market parts and customization's were done so I can have these Basses just the way I want them.

I ended up building two Jazz Basses for a couple grand less than the Custom shop build. While these Basses aren't true Fender models or true Custom shops, I wouldn't call them "Franken-Basses" either. Maybe they can be called "parts" or assemblage Basses but like I said, I did use as many Fender parts where I could so is it any different then taking any Fender model off the rack and customizing it?

To me, these are Fender Jazz Basses and their limited resale value as is means little to me as I have no intention of selling them. These two Basses represent everything I like in vintage Jazz Basses and each one of these is unique. That's what is important to me!

Enjoy the pics and I look forward to all of your comments!



First up is my custom 1960 style Jazz Bass with some modern features.

View attachment 4458524



Genuine Fender parts:

Fender American Professional Jazz body
Fender American Original 60's Jazz Bass neck purchased with Tuners/string retainer/strap button.
Fender Custom Shop Custom ’60s Jazz Bass pickups
Fender Vintage style concentric knob set
Fender American Vintage '62 Jazz Bass control plate 3-hole
Fender Hi-Mass Vintage bridge
Fender Vintage style string-thru ferrules
Fender Security Strap Locks and button set
Fender Vintage style tug bar
Fender 4-bolt 70's vintage-style F-Logo neck plate
Fender genuine packaged screws used throughout


This Bass replicates in appearance the 1960 Fender Jazz with concentric knobs. I went with a string thru high mass bridge because I like the neat appearance and slight tone improvement over the lighter standard one. The '60s Custom shop Jazz pickups are excellent with good output from the Alnico 5 magnets and offer great tone. Playability is exceptional for me with the C shaped neck. I tried a U-neck once and found it rather uncomfortable. I like the 70's style F plate over just a Vintage plain one but I did have a serial number stamped on it with the same kind of vintage stamp machine Fender used which looks just like the real thing! The tug bar completes the look.




Non Fender parts:

1-CTS concentric pot 500k(push-pull) 1- CTS concentric pot 500k
PureTone output jack
Cloth wire for extra the wiring
Bone nut
Mother of pearl dot inlays and side dots
Custom made 1960 Fender style decal
Vintage style 10-hole Tortoise shell pickguard
La Bella Nickel strings


Because this is my first Bass I assembled and I wanted that vintage first generation Fender look for this one, I went with an after market Tortoise shell pickguard because Fender no longer makes a true vintage looking one. The ones made today are brown and I don't particularly care for that color. The one you see in the pic has a reddish look with some yellow spec's which looks more reminiscent of the vintage ones. Notice the near perfect fit where the pickguard meets the control plate. My other Bass has a genuine Fender pickguard and control plate and doesn't line up that well!

I had Pimentel Guitars here in Albuquerque replace the original dark clay(fake) fret dots and side markers with mother of pearl because I just can't see the dark ones too well. They also made and installed the bone nut and did the final setup job too.

I went with a custom decal to complete the 1960 look, not to fool anyone which this wouldn't.

The reasoning for the CTS push pull pot is because I like the series/parallel mod but I didn't want exposed switches so I came up with my own design. Knob 1 is the push pull pot. I drilled out both the lower and upper concentric knobs to fit. Knob 2 is a standard concentric pot but only wired as volume for the bridge pickup and master tone. This gives the illusion of concentric pots while hiding the series/parallel mod. Clever? I used 500k pots to brighten up the tone a bit when playing in series which is like using a darker sounding humbucker.

This is how I wired it. Notice this is wired for series with the knob in the down position because I prefer the series mode. I use the PureTone output jack because I believe this is a real improvement over Switchcrafts and others. All pots are securely tightened down to the metal control plate so no additional ground wires between pots are used lessening the chance for ground loops.

View attachment 4458570

View attachment 4458607

Here's the shielding job I do on all of my Basses. I shield a large portion underneath the pickguard on my P-Bass and just shield the small front portion near and around the neck pickup and on the Jazz Basses. I put a large strip in front of the neck pickup as shown to tie it all in. Ground wires from bridge and bridge pickup cavity are soldered to shield tape. No Buzz here!!!

View attachment 4458620

View attachment 4458632




More pics for you...

View attachment 4458582

View attachment 4458584

View attachment 4458586
View attachment 4458588
View attachment 4458589

Here you can see the upper neck volume knob pulled up. This puts the Bass in parallel mode for those classic Jazz Bass tones. I prefer series mode and this knob is wired for series in down position. It's nice to have a choice!




Now on to my other custom build Jazz Bass!

This one here represents many different aspects of Fender Basses I like throughout the years and it isn't all era correct in appearance. That truly makes it "my" custom Bass!

View attachment 4458711

Genuine Fender parts:

Fender American Professional Jazz body
Fender American Original 60's Jazz Bass neck
Fender Pure Vintage American Bass Tuning Machines
Fender Pure Vintage Nickel Bass String Guide
Fender Pure Vintage '74 Jazz Bass pickups
Fender S-1 pot and knob set
Fender Volume and Tone knobs
Fender 4-Hole Control Plate
Fender American Standard 10-Hole Pickguard
Fender Hi-Mass Vintage bridge
Fender Vintage style string-thru ferrules
Fender Security Strap Locks and button set
Fender 4-bolt 70's vintage-style F-Logo neck plate
Fender genuine packaged screws used throughout


This Bass here has many genuine Fender parts and is a cross between the 60's and 70's era Jazz Basses. The neck is another 60's Jazz neck with Vintage style reverse tuners and a darker vintage tint on the back. The '74 Jazz pickups are also Alnico 5 magnets for a balanced output level between my other Jazz Bass. The tone is very similar to the '60s pickups but maybe slightly more brighter and edgier. I use the Fender S-1 switching for series/parallel wired for parallel mode with the button switched down.

Like my other Jazz Bass, I prefer the string thru bridge and 70's style F stamp neck plate and also have the serial number stamped on it.



Non Fender parts:

Ebony Fretboard
Mother of Pearl dot inlays and side markers
CTS Volume pot 500k
CTS No-Load Tone pot 500k
Pure Tone output jack
Bone Nut
70's style custom made decal
Cloth wire for extra wiring
La Bella Nickel strings


I wanted this Bass to have the best looks! I always like the look of a Black and chrome Bass and this went to 11!

Again, Pimentel guitars did some fine work and had the the daunting task of removing the original rosewood fretboard and replacing it with Ebony. Mother of Pearl dot markers on the fretboard and top side adorn the beauty of the Ebony fretboard. They also installed the Bone nut, Painted the Headstock, and did the final setup as well.

I went with a custom made 70's style Fender decal because I think it stands out better on the black headstock especially with all gold lettering.

The S-1 series/parallel give the Bass a modern touch and the PureTone output jack ensures a solid electrical and snug connection. I also have a no-load tone pot for an optional tone control bypass.


Here are some more pics...



View attachment 4458712

View attachment 4458713

View attachment 4458714
View attachment 4458718

View attachment 4458720

Here is a pic to show the F plate with the serial number stamped on. I think these look great!


Both these Basses play exceptionally well and have great tone. I can't say I have a favorite, They were both worth the time and expense and besides, it was fun putting them together!

Thanks for looking!

View attachment 4458524
View attachment 4458711

Awesome black bass! I want to paint my headstock, too.

 

[fourstringburn]

Awesome black bass! I want to paint my headstock, too.

Go for it, Black on Black looks great!

 

[jmattbassplaya]

Consider me interested in trying my hand at a similar project. Where did you get the bodies from? I know Fender sells replacement necks, but what about the bodies? Did the necks require work or did they come more or less good to go?

 

[fourstringburn]

Consider me interested in trying my hand at a similar project. Where did you get the bodies and necks from? I know Fender sells replacement necks, but what about the bodies? Did the necks require work or did they come more or less good to go?

Go for it!

Fender does sell bodies but they are MIM, I prefer MIA. There is a reputable seller on Ebay (The Stratosphere) that sells parted out Fender Bass bodies and necks in new condition. Some bodies are loaded with pickups and hardware while others are blank. Most of these are newer models and may have pickups and hardware you may not want. Being a custom build, I went with (and you may consider it too) use a blank body so I could install all the hardware and electronics of my choosing. The pickguard, pickups, bridge, and other holes are there so that makes installation easy. This makes it easy going this route if you're good with the color choices available.

With necks, you may have the same option. One of mine was a parts neck I bought from the same Ebay seller and was already loaded with the tuners and other parts I wanted. The other neck was a Fender replacement neck which had no hardware but at least the tuner holes where pre-drilled. I did have to install the string guide but that wasn't a problem.

The only work that was done to the necks was what I mentioned in my thread. That was replacing the brown clay dots and side markers,(couldn't hardly see them) replacing one of the fretboards with Ebony, installing bone nuts( turns out the original ones were bone so I didn't have to do it) and just had the frets dressed up for evenness. One of them was painted to match the body and I used custom decals on both necks to complete the look I was going for.

I wish you best of luck with your build and be sure to post a thread because I and many of us would like to see it!

 

[P. Aaron]

Thanks for posting. Lovely basses. I like the high mass vintage bridges too.

FWIW; I'm refinishing a parts fret less Jazz Bass and I like your shielding though I have no idea if active PU's (EMG's) need to have it done. There was steel plates underneath each PU with wires leading to contact the bridge and the neck PU wire soldered elsewhere. I have pics for when I rebuild it.

Your bases are really nice.

 

[fourstringburn]

Thanks for posting. Lovely basses. I like the high mass vintage bridges too.

FWIW; I'm refinishing a parts fret less Jazz Bass and I like your shielding though I have no idea if active PU's (EMG's) need to have it done. There was steel plates underneath each PU with wires leading to contact the bridge and the neck PU wire soldered elsewhere. I have pics for when I rebuild it.

Your bases are really nice.

Thanks for your compliment!

Active pickups are usually internally shielded and shouldn't need to be shielded. It wouldn't hurt to do it for the control cavity though. Those steel plates are shielding plates but unless the whole cavity is completely shielded, it's not as effective but at least it ties it to the bridge for grounding. Use a few wires for grounding as possible and that goes a long way for eliminating ground loops caused by multiple ground paths.

We'll all look forward to seeing your Bass when completed!

Best of luck on your build!

 

[P. Aaron]

Thanks for your compliment!

Active pickups are usually internally shielded and shouldn't need to be shielded. It wouldn't hurt to do it for the control cavity though. Those steel plates are shielding plates but unless the whole cavity is completely shielded, it's not as effective but at least it ties it to the bridge for grounding. Use a few wires for grounding as possible and that goes a long way for eliminating ground loops caused by multiple ground paths.

We'll all look forward to seeing your Bass when completed!

Best of luck on your build!

Right now, I'm stumped on what kind of paint I should use. The body turned out to be alder rather than ash so, a natural finish is out. I am going to search and try & find out the proper paint. This is a garage refinish job. No spray booth, etc. Thanks for the heads up on the shielding advice.

 

[jymyben]

is the ground wire coming from the bridge p/u cavity soldered to tape in that cavity?

thanks

 

[fourstringburn]

is the ground wire coming from the bridge p/u cavity soldered to tape in that cavity?

thanks

Yes,

The bridge pickup cavity is copper foil tape shielded too. A wire is soldered to the tape in the bridge cavity and that's brought out to the main cavity where it's soldered to the foil tape along with the bridge ground wire. This ties all grounds together at 1 point. Using a multi-meter confirmed all shielding and bridge are grounded as one.

You also see there is just enough tape sticking out around the edge of the entire main cavity so the metal control plate grounds to the foil tape. That's how all the control pots get grounded without running ground wires between them. I also put foil tape underneath the the entire lower end of the pickguard just above and around the neck pickup. All this creates what's known as a Faraday cage when assembled.

I can hear buzz when I take off the control plate with the Bass plugged in which is to be expected. As soon as I set the plate firmly down on the Bass, it immediately goes dead quiet!

 

[Jeff Sullivan]

Beautiful, who painted them?

 

[fourstringburn]

Beautiful, who painted them?

Thanks!

The Bass bodies are just Fender Professional Jazz Basses with stock Black and 3-Tone burst finishes. This obviously saved time over buying unfinished bodies then having them painted. These were the 2 colors I wanted anyway.

The Black head stock (and most other work) was painted by a local Luthier here in Albuquqerque. That would be Pimentel guitars who are well known for fine crafted acoustic guitars.

The work they did on the Black Bass is fabulous with the Ebony finger board!

I recently did a bit more mods on this Bass to resemble a 1965 Fender Jazz which is my birth year,

I added a Fender tug bar in the 1965 position, replaced the saddles with 1965 style Fender threaded bridge saddles, The decal is now just "Fender" just like the 1965, and got lucky and just recently scored a new Geddy Lee Fender Jazz pickguard!

Here's a pic with my Bass below a true 1965 Fender Jazz. Ashtray and pickup covers are just taped on for the pic. Also a Mint Green pickguard is used in pic. I'll post a newer and better pic soon!