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NBD: 65 Fender J

#21
That's a serious piece of history.
Nice Score!!!
upload_2020-8-18_19-49-29.jpeg

057912
 
#26
lamarjones said:
Picked up a 65 J from the original owner. Thought I'd share pics with you guys, plays really nicely! View attachment 3949956 View attachment 3949957 View attachment 3949958 View attachment 3949960 View attachment 3949961 View attachment 3949962 View attachment 3949963 View attachment 3949964 View attachment 3949965 View attachment 3949966 View attachment 3949967 View attachment 3949968 View attachment 3949969 View attachment 3949970 View attachment 3949971 View attachment 3949972 View attachment 3949973
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Nice. If you play this bass a lot...be aware that the fret wire on these basses is really, really soft. This softness adds to the great tone. I know because I have both original P and J basses of this vintage. Using roundwounds I practiced and gigged a lot for a year straight with my original and NOS condition P Bass. I'm not heavy handed but I played right through the frets. If you keep flats on it you will be cool with fret wear.
 
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#28
littlebun said:
Nice. If you play this bass a lot...be aware that the fret wire on these basses is really, really soft. This softness adds to the great tone. I know because I have both original P and J basses of this vintage. Using roundwounds I practiced and gigged a lot for a year straight with my original and NOS condition P Bass. I'm not heavy handed but I played right through the frets. If you keep flats on it you will be cool with fret wear.
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Great advice!
 
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#32
 
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#34
MIMike said:
Nice bass. Interesting that the neck on yours is dated Sept of 65. Mine is dated Oct. 65 and has the transition lollipop tuners on it. Dots, no binding, but that one bit of transition to the 66 just a month later. Yours is still pretty much “all 65”.
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devnulljp said:
That fingerboard! Wow.
When did they start/stop using the reverse lollipop tuners in 65? Mine has those instead of the cloverleaf ones on yours and is dated August 65.
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Its called "phase in".
There is never a light switch with Fender where changes just stop or start. Updates are phased in, and always an overlap of using up old parts and will have mixed details of old and new.
I've seen ovals on necks as early as Sept.

Mid '65 also saw the control plate screws change from being pan heads to using pickguard screws.
 
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#36
brushfirewolf said:
It played nicely with those strings?


:roflmao: Beautiful bass.
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littlebun said:
Nice. If you play this bass a lot...be aware that the fret wire on these basses is really, really soft. This softness adds to the great tone. I know because I have both original P and J basses of this vintage. Using roundwounds I practiced and gigged a lot for a year straight with my original and NOS condition P Bass. I'm not heavy handed but I played right through the frets. If you keep flats on it you will be cool with fret wear.
Click to expand...


I just put labella low tension flats in it, one of those roundwounds basically disintegrated! Thanks for the comments guys! I felt like this is an unusual find so it's staying with me .
 
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#37
 
#38
littlebun said:
Nice. If you play this bass a lot...be aware that the fret wire on these basses is really, really soft. This softness adds to the great tone. I know because I have both original P and J basses of this vintage. Using roundwounds I practiced and gigged a lot for a year straight with my original and NOS condition P Bass. I'm not heavy handed but I played right through the frets. If you keep flats on it you will be cool with fret wear.
Click to expand...

That’s a wonderful bass! :thumbsup:

My opinion regarding the fret wire is that it’s better quality on these old, vintage basses. I have a 61 jazz bass and the frets last much longer on that instrument than on my new basses. Having said that, I would say it’s a good idea having flats on such a nice fingerboard anyway for protections sake. Rounds always eats your frets and fingerboard and on such a great instrument you’d want to try and keep the original frets forever :)
 

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