NBD- Mother Always Said Use Protection

[Shrubber]

Wowzers!!!

 

[InhumanResource]

Ok, so the title will make sense in a bit. Anyhow… have you ever wanted to own a Pre-CBS 1960 Jazz Bass, but just could never in a million years afford it? Yeah, me too. So I assembled my own take on one! It turned out pretty great, imo. I had a lot of fun putting this one together. Here’s what we’ve got:

-MJT Relic’d Jazz Bass Body, Firemist Gold over 3TS
-Fender American Original 60’s Jazz Neck with Clay Dots
-Fender 60’s Reverse Tuners
-Fender Pure Vintage ‘64 Alnico V Pickups
-Fender Flea Roadworn Dual Concentric Knob control panel
-1962 Authentic Fender celluloid Pickguard
-Fender Roadworn Bridge, Covers, and hardware.
-Currently strung with DR Black Beauties (I usually only keep flats on my fretless. I know someone will say something).

I even managed to get my hands on one of those ridiculous Parker body guards. They’re getting harder to come by still in good shape, so I had to grab it when I saw it. Absolutely useless though lol. Just a cool piece to have around. Anyhow, here it is:

View attachment 4847754

Cool bass!

 

[shnapper]

I went straight to pics without reading, my bad. I was like relic, wait sunburst is under something? Wait it’s gold but the worn shows burst? Errr what ever I like it. So I read post and ok now I get it….

It’s freaky cool in a different way, it’s like 2 bass guitars in one..

 

[neddyrow]

unless you are buying a boutique bass with rare woods and lots of custom options and electronics, I can't physically imagine spending more than $1500 for a bass. Everything else can be built. I agree with @JRA - in that that you chose the home build path.

 

[svlilioukalani]

Great work. I really like it!!! The neck looks amazing. I bet it feels great. There is something special about what Fender made back then. I dream of having a bass with clay dots on the neck.

 

[Grinderman]

That Firemist Gold over 3TS combination is exceptional; inspiring.

I did something very similar with the same neck but with Fiesta Red body, Gotoh Res-O-Lite nickel reverse vintage style tuners and Fralin pickups some years back. I have the felt mute kit but we don't have the slab rosewood fretboard. If I did mine again now I'd get my neck made to order from Musikraft.

BTW, Musikraft is back down to 3 to 4 weeks to deliver custom orders now. I've got one on order now for my '59 P bass project.

 

[KimDealWithIt]

Like I said in my post, it’s completely useless. But a guy I sourced some of the other vintage 60’s pieces from had that as well. It’s a neat period correct accessory, so I grabbed it just to keep as a collectible. It will never be used.



Yes, it was a gimmicky little accessory that marketed itself as a protection against buckle rash and other wear. They’re super thin, and actually often did damage to the paint themselves. They weren’t around long, but Fender had one for every instrument they made at the time.

It’s always amused me that Leo, an otherwise practical thinker who swore by the opinions of those who product-tested his instruments, had these couple little aesthetic tics that he could not be talked out of: ashtray covers and body protectors. Ashtray covers especially; heaven knows how many thousands of those Fender made from 1950ish until I don’t even know when, the 70s? And then 99.9% of guys and gals took them off. But Fender kept throwing them on there, a rare instance of Leo putting aesthetics over function.

 

[J Wilson]

"One thing I don't understand, why do you need a body protector for a reliced bass?"

It really is the end of Western Civilization . . . . .

 

[Bikeguy57]

Schweet!

 

[captainofsmooth]

I feel like quite a few folks here have advanced reading comprehension issues, regarding the body guard lol.

 

[twinjet]

Ok, so the title will make sense in a bit. Anyhow… have you ever wanted to own a Pre-CBS 1960 Jazz Bass, but just could never in a million years afford it? Yeah, me too. So I assembled my own take on one! It turned out pretty great, imo. I had a lot of fun putting this one together. Here’s what we’ve got:

-MJT Relic’d Jazz Bass Body, Firemist Gold over 3TS
-Fender American Original 60’s Jazz Neck with Clay Dots
-Fender 60’s Reverse Tuners
-Fender Pure Vintage ‘64 Alnico V Pickups
-Fender Flea Roadworn Dual Concentric Knob control panel
-1962 Authentic Fender celluloid Pickguard
-Fender Roadworn Bridge, Covers, and hardware.
-Currently strung with DR Black Beauties (I usually only keep flats on my fretless. I know someone will say something).

I even managed to get my hands on one of those ridiculous Parker body guards. They’re getting harder to come by still in good shape, so I had to grab it when I saw it. Absolutely useless though lol. Just a cool piece to have around. Anyhow, here it is:

View attachment 4847754

Isn't that pg alone worth like, a grand? Not that it should matter here... rock that beaut to the grave! Congrats.

 

[captainofsmooth]

Isn't that pg alone worth like, a grand? Not that it should matter here... rock that beaut to the grave! Congrats.

Honestly, not sure what it’s worth, but I didn’t pay anywhere near that haha. I got it, the body guard, a bridge, and some other minor hardware pieces from a trusted source for a few hundred bucks. That pickguard gave me hell in trying to ground this bass though!

 

[ThudThudThud]

One thing I don't understand, why do you need a body protector for a reliced bass?

 

[Minimalist]

What are you trying to tell me?

 

[CatDaddyOTB]

Love it!!! Very nice work, it looks great!

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

Honestly, not sure what it’s worth, but I didn’t pay anywhere near that haha. I got it, the body guard, a bridge, and some other minor hardware pieces from a trusted source for a few hundred bucks. That pickguard gave me hell in trying to ground this bass though!

Good thing you didn’t spend like a grand, that’s not a 62 pickguard. Much more modern tort pattern.

 

[B String]

I think it looks great. For me, it's all about sound and playability. I have a 60'P and a 64 Jazz. Both have had the paint stripped off. They play and sound amazing. I feel much of it comes from many years of vibrations going through the wood, and the original pickups. At this point I wouldn't want to paint them for fear of changing the tone. I could be wrong here, but it's what I'm thinking.

 

[captainofsmooth]

Good thing you didn’t spend like a grand, that’s not a 62 pickguard. Much more modern tort pattern.

Not sure what makes you say that. May not a ‘62, but it’s not a modern guard at all. It’s 100% celluloid nitrate, and I’d base that on my two+ decades of Fender parts knowledge on that, having owned and installed hundreds of guards over the years. It’s a ‘71 at the latest, as that’s when they quit making them out of this material. I can shoot you some more pics of it if you’d like

 

[Lowendchamp]

This bass is the first time I ever saw a reliced finish and thought it was appropriate. Very well done, and congrats!

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

Not sure what makes you say that. May not a ‘62, but it’s not a modern guard at all. It’s 100% celluloid nitrate, and I’d base that on my two+ decades of Fender parts knowledge on that, having owned and installed hundreds of guards over the years. It’s a ‘71 at the latest, as that’s when they quit making them out of this material. I can shoot you some more pics of it if you’d like

people make celluloid pickguards all the time. A real 62 guard would have a different pattern plus it wouldn't have an "American Standard" truss rod rout. My 72 has a celluloid guard (while they changed patterns and materials slightly in the mid 60's, they effectively used that same material through late 74 early 75) and it looks quite different, especially compared to your guard.

Here are some real 62 jazzes, all have Vastly different tort patterns than yours. Hope you didn't pay more than $50 man. I love the look of your bass man and I dont want to burst anyones "bubble", but that guard isn't from 62.

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