Like many, I’ve had the opportunity to own my fair share of Fender basses. If I’m to be completely honest, some of the Fenders that I’ve owned have been…rather abysmal, while others just clicked. At the end of the day, my habit of selling instruments always got in the way of keeping the amazing Fenders that I was able to obtain. This is truer now due to how much I appreciate and enjoy playing my main, 6-string bass; which is incredibly difficult to beat in playability, versatility and overall comfort.
For a while now, I have really wanted a dedicated 4-string in my collection; one that I would keep for more than just a couple of months. Other than being an amazing instrument, the 6-string that I’ve owned for the last two years happens to also have a unique history that is specific to my own personal development, and that in itself…makes it truly special. Special, and very difficult for me to even consider letting go. Upon realizing this, it then hit me – I wanted a ‘paramount’ Fender. One that I would always feel inclined to keep. One that is truly special. This is what led me to my search for the instrument that you see now, my ‘birth year’ bass – a 1990 MIJ Fender 1962 Reissue Jazz bass.
I had just turned 35 years old when I finally decided to begin this journey. The first time I had heard stories of bassists hunting down Fenders from their birth year, I was immediately intrigued. Honestly though, I think for a lot of players it was most likely two-fold, as many of them were also wanting to get their hands on vintage instruments. I felt quite lucky in this respect, as I figured I could find a 1990 Fender within a relatively reasonable price range.
It was from this point on that I began to really contemplate exactly what I wanted from this instrument. Yes, it being made in the year 1990 was important, but the instrument still had to be something that I enjoyed playing.
Over the next couple of months, I had updated my initial vision quite a few times, and finally decided that I wanted a Japanese-made, Fender Jazz bass in 3-tone sunburst. I initially wanted a 1990 Fender AVRI for the nitro finish, but these basses were very difficult to come by. Funnily enough, a 1990 AVRI Jazz bass had popped up on Reverb shortly after I received my bass, but I can comfortably say that I made the right decision with this purchase.
I knew that I needed to understand the serial numbers for the ‘Made In Japan’ (1982 – 1997) Fender instruments before I began my search. The Vintage Japan Guitars website set me on the right path. With this information, I learned that I needed to find an instrument that had a serial number starting with I, J or K. At this point, I also knew that I wanted a bass with the date clearly written on the end of the neck heel. Thankfully, most MIJ instruments during this period had the pencil markings for the date, but there were some instances where this wasn’t the case.
From this point on, this process predominately involved checking with sellers to confirm the date at the neck heel whenever a 1990 MIJ bass of interest popped up. Thankfully, most sellers seem to be pretty understanding regarding this request for Fender instruments. There was one time when I did go against my better judgement, which was during a period when I originally wanted a 1990 Precision. The seller had listed it as a 1991 PB62 Precision bass, but it had a serial number starting with the letter J. Even though I had asked the seller if they were able to confirm the year (they ended up stating that my assumption was correct, and that it was a 1990 Precision based on the serial number), I did not stick to my requirement of obtaining an image of the date markings. Upon receiving the bass, it turned out that it was in fact marked with a 1991 date…so back it went. Looking back at it now, it does seem rather silly. But…I was adamant about what I wanted at this point.
Eventually…this beautiful Sunburst 1990 MIJ Jazz bass popped up. The moment I saw it; I knew that this was ‘the one’. Admittedly, I did not buy it immediately. Again, due to my habit of buying and selling basses, I’ve realized that a lot of my purchases tend to come with regret, and more often, disappointment. To combat this, I’ve come up with a system where whenever I come across an instrument that I’m wanting to purchase, I’ll give myself around 3-6 months to decide if I still want it. If my interest persists after this period (Which rarely seems to be the case), I will go forward with the purchase. So, I inquired about the date at the neck heel, and upon receiving confirmation, I walked away from the temptation.
Four months later, I checked my favorites and saw that the bass was still available. Additionally, it seemed that a few other options had come up as well, including a beautiful Olympic White 1990 MIJ Jazz bass in pristine condition. Ultimately, I knew that I needed to end my obsession and made the order for the model in 3-tone Sunburst. With that…my search had come to an end.
I must say, I was pleasantly surprised when I had first plugged this bass in. One of the things that I listen out for when first playing most passive Fenders is the presence and level of 60-cycle hum. Much to my surprise and delight, this bass is extremely quiet. I have a good feeling this bass is shielded, but I just haven’t had the chance to confirm.
The sound is exactly what you would expect from a Jazz bass – a ton of bottom end, focused, and yet punchy with a lot of presence. However, one thing I will say is that, out of the handful of Jazz basses that I’ve played in the last year or so, there is a sweetness to the bridge pickup on this particular bass. I previously had quite a bit of interest in purchasing a Jazz bass with 70s pickup spacing (honestly, I still do), but if I had to choose one or the other, I’d say that I prefer 60s spacing at the end of the day. The bridge pickup at full with the tone completely cut just sounds…so beautiful on this instrument, further exemplified by the absence of a noisy 60-cycle hum. It is currently equipped with roundwounds, but a part of me wants to experiment with some La Bella flats.
With this being a 35-year-old instrument, it did come with its fair share of play-wear and scars. Honestly, these cosmetic ‘faults’ are very difficult to spot in any of the pictures that I’ve taken. There are a good number of dents around the body, and not to mention some noticeable patina on the hardware. I feel that these attributes give the bass some real charm. The only real negative trait that this bass possesses is that the truss rod nut seems to be stripped. Thankfully, this is relatively easy to repair.
The feel of the neck is also something that really surprised me. I greatly prefer the feel of a glossy neck, so this, along with the expectedly thin Jazz profile, feels really satisfying to play. The neck does have some minor dings that I will sometimes notice when moving about, but somehow, it adds some interesting deviation when playing. Honestly, this bass is just a real joy to play all-around.
This bass couldn’t have come into my possession at a more fascinating time. I’ve been thinking a lot about the type of person that I’ve grown to be in the last couple of years, and more importantly, the person that I would like to become. I would say that this level of reflection had begun when I turned 35. Without getting too specific, I had decided to simplify and improve several areas of my life, and have come to feel a level of gratitude and mindfulness that I had surely lost at one point. Honestly…what better way to celebrate such a profound milestone?
I’m curious, does anyone else here own their birth year bass? I would love to see the basses everyone here has obtained, as well as hear some of your stories.
