Need help to identify a Jazz Bass body

[Syrjosh]

Dear TalkBass forumers,

This is my first post here, albeit over the years I got to read and benefit from many useful contributions posted on this forum, which I'm grateful for!

Turns out I have bumped into a tricky issue that no reading could ever solve, and I hope your expertise will

Here's the story: five years ago or so, I got me that very sweet "Frankenstein" Jazz Bass fitted with a Phil Kubicki neck as part of a trade deal.

Now, from the get go and despite the legit 1973 Fender neck plate, it was not super obvious that the body was an original Fender body.

Quite clearly, the bass took the shape it's in by the mid 80's:
- The three CTS pots are dated 1982
- The Kubicki neck is dated 11/84
- The checking of the Sherwood green nitro refin makes it look like it could be even older than from the 80's...
- The EMG active pickups look quite aged and most probably date from that era as well

Please see the pictures attached. From what I gather:
- That big truss rod indentation at the bottom of the neck pocket is not legit...
- The microphone cavity looks weird: it should look like a perfect "sausage" with two rounded ends, whereas here we have a square end and a rather weird (if not messed up) rounded end... that looks like it also was a square end that got rounded...
- Those circular marks/stamps in the various cavities look rather odd...

All in all, that JB body does not look like a legit 70's Fender body. Now, could you help me figure out what it actually is? Perhaps some Japanese copy? Was there in the 80's any company à la Warmoth that would offer spare JB Bodies?

Any clue or hint would be highly appreciated!! Thank you very much in advance for those

 

[Syrjosh]

73 views but no response? Bump...

 

[wvbass]

I don't know what it is, but I agree that the control cavity rout was modified at both ends. Speaking as someone that has jammed a 9-volt into a jazz bass, squaring up the ends and extending the rout would allow it to fit a little easier/better. You might even be able to get two in there.

The neck pocket was also modified to accomodate the neck. The markings in the pocket will help identify it, but I'm not much of an expert there.

Edit: I'm going to disagree with the OP a little. I wouldn't rule out it being an early 70's body.

 

[7dollarbologna]

Fender started using polyurethane finishes by 1969 - unless someone refinished the body in nitrocellulose lacquer at some point

 

[7dollarbologna]

I'm thinking it's a Kubicki body too - here a bass from the mid eighties- back body contour looks similar

 

[Syrjosh]

I agree that the control cavity rout was modified at both ends. [...] squaring up the ends and extending the rout would allow it to fit a little easier/better.

[...] I'm going to disagree with the OP a little. I wouldn't rule out it being an early 70's body.

Very good points, thank you for making them! True that making those rounded ends squared is in line with the bass turned from passive to active!!

Also true that the body could well be an original Fender that got those two obvious mods... unless any serious clue would counter that theory...

 

[Syrjosh]

Fender started using polyurethane finishes by 1969 - unless someone refinished the body in nitrocellulose lacquer at some point

Fender used Sherwood Green as custom color only up until mid-1965
This is definitely a non-original nitro refin... but I'm afraid this won't help clarify whether the body is a Fender with mods or sth else

 

[Syrjosh]

I'm thinking it's a Kubicki body too View attachment 4535165

This sounds like a credible theory. Not sure I can clearly see a parallel when it comes to the body shape... but I have checked the ad on Reverb and can see that that Precision sports a truss rod access cavity that is bigger than the typical one by Fender, in line with this in my own bass...

I guess I'll send a question to [email protected] for peace of mind

EDIT: actually, this does not seem in line with how Kubicki designed its JB bodies... see here: https://reverb.com/item/3624374-philip-kubicki-custom-jazz-fretless-1984-natural

So far, the most credible theory to me remains: this is a Fender body with those two extra routings... but please anyone contradict me on this ^^

 

[FranF]

Lower cutaway tells me it's not a Fender body.

 

[Syrjosh]

Actually, as insane as it might sound, I totally forgot that I had very much started to clarify that very issue with Carla Kubicki six years ago...

I quote her after she retrieved the record link to the #3569 neck: "The body is an early '70's Fender which is likely made by Phil but as an employee of Fender so those records would be at Fender."

Do you guys think Fender could confirm any of this from the neck plate serial number??