Parts Build In Progress: 1965 Jazz Bass Clone

[Bass4ThePublic]

Hello,

Some of you know I REALLY like 65 jazz basses. I just think they're cool, I mean I really have no association with the year or anything like that.

I've always wondered just how close I can get to an actual 60's Fender, and I've done a lot of parts basses that get close purely because I couldn't afford 60's Fenders at the time. Now, having owned and played quite a few 60's Fenders, I am once again curious on how I can make the "perfect" 60's Jazz Bass clone.

Since I've owned 3 vintage jazz basses so far, 2 being 65's one a dot/bound 66, I'm going to stick with the "65" theme here. Before I sold my last 65 Jazz, I took exact caliper measurements of the neck and meter readings of the pickup outputs. I then sent the neck specs in to Musikraft (veneer dark rosewood board, pearl dots, etc) where they shipped it to MJT, where I am also commissioning the body to be built and finished. I went with Gotoh lollipop fb30's.

Going for basically a NOS late 65 J. Here's a real example

The pickups will be the classic Seymour Duncan Antiquity II pickups, I once didn't like them because they seemed a little, I dunno weird sounding for jazz bass pickups? They had a little more subdued mids than other sets I'd tried, and oddly enough I've only experienced this phenomenon playing 60's jazzes. Heck, I even bought the brass shieldy plate things for the pickup and control cavities, why not?


Drawer full of parts all cts and fender pure vintage, even bought some ashtrays lol.

I at first comissioned a spitfire tort guard for this, but I also bought a lavaguard pickguard which I think looks a LOT closer to the 65 I had, you be the judge lol.

Spitfire

Lavaguards

The 65 I had

But yeah that’s kind of it for the moment. Still looking at like a 3-4 week wait on the finished parts from MJT. I’m pretty much going for as NOS as I can get, so no relicing on this one.

I’m working on a similar project in addition to this, only a mid 60’s maple cap precision. Maybe that'll be done in time for Summer Build Off

 

[Ghastly]

Sounds like fun!

 

[dmk]

Really nice build! I'll be curious to hear your thoughts on the Antiquity II pickups. They have a resistance that's a bit higher than you typically find in a mid '60s Jazz.

 

[Gunga Din]

Really nice build! I'll be curious to hear your thoughts on the Antiquity II pickups. They have a resistance that's a bit higher than you typically find in a mid '60s Jazz.

Same. I have several Jazz basses (inc CS) that have CS Custom '60s pups in them, and I love them.

 

[micguy]

The thing that old basses have that new ones don't is wood that has aged - it's lighter, more resonant, and more stable than new wood. As long as where it's settled is pretty close to straight, an old neck is different than a new neck. If you are trying to mimic a '65 as closely as possible sonically, a roasted neck will get you much closer than a regular one.

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

The thing that old basses have that new ones don't is wood that has aged - it's lighter, more resonant, and more stable than new wood. As long as where it's settled is pretty close to straight, an old neck is different than a new neck. If you are trying to mimic a '65 as closely as possible sonically, a roasted neck will get you much closer than a regular one.

Sure, but I’m trying to get as close to factory new 1965, so wouldn’t the wood be recently cut?

 

[micguy]

Sure, but I’m trying to get as close to factory new 1965, so wouldn’t the wood be recently cut?

If that's your goal, then yes.

 

[Grinderman]

If you like lollipops then that's fine, but that transition happened in '66. That's the only nonconforming thing I see.

Pre-CBS celluloid tort color and pattern naturally varied widely. A guard from Spitfire to better match your '65 example would be best ordered as vintage bright red, speckled '60s. The Spitfire example you show looks more like their vintage burgundy or vintage burgundy/vintage bright red mix.

I presume you ordered a round-lam fretboard.

I've got two necks from Musikraft that I lacquered myself. The advantages are that it's easy, quick, and cheap to do and better yet that provided me the opportunity to more accurately contour and ease the transitions from the back profile to the back of the headstock and to the neck heel. What comes from Musikraft's CNC work is a nice starting point but a lot less refined than how these areas were done at Fender, particularly pre-CBS.

Will you give a repro L-serial number neck plate?

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

If you like lollipops then that's fine, but that transition happened in '66. That's the only nonconforming thing I see.

Pre-CBS celluloid tort color and pattern naturally varied widely. A guard from Spitfire to better match your '65 example would be best ordered as vintage bright red, speckled '60s. The Spitfire example you show looks more like their vintage burgundy or vintage burgundy/vintage bright red mix.

I presume you ordered a round-lam fretboard.

I've got two necks from Musikraft that I lacquered myself. The advantages are that it's easy, quick, and cheap to do and better yet that provided me the opportunity to more accurately contour and ease the transitions from the back profile to the back of the headstock and to the neck heel. What comes from Musikraft's CNC work is a nice starting point but a lot less refined than how these areas were done at Fender, particularly pre-CBS.

Will you give a repro L-serial number neck plate?

You are correct, I’m going for the non bound neck though. I see about the pickguard, although I’ve already bought both of them. I got the spitfire in a speckled red/dark mix. The lavaguard that’s pictured will be coming in the mail as well.

Yep round lam dark rosewood. Non bound with pearl dots


I’m not going to reproduce a serial number, I just got a “F” plate from fender as these super late 65’s have pops and the neck plate.

 

[mikeswals]

If you like lollipops then that's fine, but that transition happened in '66.

Lollipops started happening in Aug 65, and lasted til summer 68.
All of the late 65 Jazzes you find will have lollipops.

 

[MIMike]

Lollipops started happening in Aug 65, and lasted til summer 68.
All of the late 65 Jazzes you find will have lollipops.

I agree. I’ve had 3 65’ Jazz Basses and two of them had lollipop tuners, both fall off 65’ examples. Both of those had pearl dots with no binding.

 

[Grinderman]

The '65 I owned was too early in the year for lollipops. It had an L-serial number.

 

[bassingeorge]

Subbed. I wanna see how this turns out!

 

[jim nolte]

Interesting about the pickguard, I have a ‘65 L series Jazz with,get this, clay dots, neck date May 65, I replaced the pick guard in ‘72, it looks a lot more like the second picture than the Spitfire which is a lot more like my original, I wonder if Fender went to the ‘72 type back in late ‘65 ?

 

[Rocket Queen]

Sure, but I’m trying to get as close to factory new 1965, so wouldn’t the wood be recently cut?

I was under the impression that you were going for NOS, where O = Old. That was @micguy's point.

 

[Dynacord]

Lollipops started happening in Aug 65, and lasted til summer 68.
All of the late 65 Jazzes you find will have lollipops.

100%. Noel Redding's is probably the best known example.

 

[Dynacord]

Interesting about the pickguard, I have a ‘65 L series Jazz with,get this, clay dots, neck date May 65, I replaced the pick guard in ‘72, it looks a lot more like the second picture than the Spitfire which is a lot more like my original, I wonder if Fender went to the ‘72 type back in late ‘65 ?

Yeah, it's odd. I've seen that before as well. Also mixed where one type for side dots and the other for the front dots. Fender...

Agree on the guards and much prefer Lava myself.

 

[mikeswals]

100%. Noel Redding's is probably the best known example.

I did a gig last spring at the Seattle Center museum (EMP, whatever its called nowadays), and Noel's Jazz is on display there. Next time I play there I'll have to take note of his serial, both sides of the bass are visible. I have a Dec 65 J and I only remember noticing his serial being a bit after mine.
Cool bass though!

 

[TomB]

I did a gig last spring at the Seattle Center museum (EMP, whatever its called nowadays), and Noel's Jazz is on display there. Next time I play there I'll have to take note of his serial, both sides of the bass are visible. I have a Dec 65 J and I only remember noticing his serial being a bit after mine.
Cool bass though!

View attachment 5434536

Is yours an L series?

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Cool project, I've always wanted a bound and blocked Jazz myself, though I guess that would be a 70's model? I've played a couple high-dollar mid 60's Fenders, and didn't hear any special Tone Magic, but the accumulated honest wear was sweet aesthetically. You'll end up with a better bass for far less money cherry picking the best parts available, must have been a fun treasure hunt finding them.