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Question for Fender '62 Reissue Jazz Bass owners

ROOTSnFIFTHS

ROOTSnFIFTHS

Low-end Lover since '78!
Oct 25, 2012
1,131
546
NJ to Sin City
#1
Does anybody who owns a Fender '62 reissue Jazz notice the neck feels fatter or bulkier than other Fender Jazz basses??:confused:
I own 6 Fender Jazz basses and my 'Made in Japan' '62 Reissue Jazz neck does not feel as fast/slim compared to the other 5.
If anyone here has played or owned an American Vintage '62 Jazz orFender 60's Classic Jazz and a MIJ/CIJ Fender '62 reissue and can let me know if this fatter feeling neck is just part of the early 60's authenticity.

I ty to play most of my basses as much as I can, yet when I get to the '62 Reissue it takes a bit to get used to.

I am considering a new purchase (AVRI 62 or Classic 60) and wonder if it is just the MIJ version that feels different. And for the life of me I cannot find a shop with either in stock to try out.

Appreciate your opinions

-RnF
 
#3
atomicdog said:
The AVRI 62 j neck is thicker, certainly thicker than a 70s JB, but it's not a thick plank like a 60s P. And I think it plays well.
Click to expand...

Ok I started to think I was imagining it! To me it is enough to be distracting. I have been playing more of my 70's style neck Jazz so maybe that is why I feel such a difference.

I still wonder if the Fender 60's Classic is just like the AVRI?
 
#4
rootsnfifths said:
Ok I started to think I was imagining it! To me it is enough to be distracting. I have been playing more of my 70's style neck Jazz so maybe that is why I feel such a difference.

I still wonder if the Fender 60's Classic is just like the AVRI?
Click to expand...

It's funny because so many reviews say the neck is very fast,almost too fast ETC. Makes me wonder if it is just my Made in Japan version with a fatter than normal neck. My other bass necks vary but when I switch between them, I really don't notice the necks being that different:confused:
 
#7
I own an 89 AVRI 62 Jazz, and an fsr AVRI 75 Jazz, blocked, bound, etc... I've owned the 62 fer bout 20 or more years. It is by far the smallest, most shallow, fastest neck I ever played. Includin Ibanez, several others, professing small necks. It's ridiculous. By contrast, the 75's neck is thicker, wider, possibly because of the binding. It's definitely more substantial. I find this thread interestin, cuz I never woulda thought the necks on the basses that much different, or that anyone would say the 62 neck more substantial than the 75. The Geddy throws a wrench in, as its shallow up the neck. My 62 is more shallow than the Geddy at the nut, however. Interestin...
 
#9
The Nameless said:
I own an 89 AVRI 62 Jazz, and an fsr AVRI 75 Jazz, blocked, bound, etc... I've owned the 62 fer bout 20 or more years. It is by far the smallest, most shallow, fastest neck I ever played. Includin Ibanez, several others, professing small necks. It's ridiculous. By contrast, the 75's neck is thicker, wider, possibly because of the binding. It's definitely more substantial. I find this thread interestin, cuz I never woulda thought the necks on the basses that much different, or that anyone would say the 62 neck more substantial than the 75. The Geddy throws a wrench in, as its shallow up the neck. My 62 is more shallow than the Geddy at the nut, however. Interestin...
Click to expand...

Now that is interesting for sure as I have been playing a blocked 70-is jazz neck that is the thinest of all mine. I kind of thought I was being spoiled by that one. You say your 75 is thicker huh?
I just did some Truss adjustments plus some saddle fiddling to see if that helped. Nope. Actually at first I thought the 'fattness' I was feeling was just at the 1st-3rd fret but I definitely feel it between the 9-12th frets also. The back of the neck, that is, just feels fat, unlike any other Jazz.

My MIJ is a 1988 '62 reissue. I just wonder if it is the Japanese version that has a slightly different neck.

I still have not located an American Vintage 62 RI or a Classic 60's to feel for myself. And again, playing through my collection I really don't notice enough differences to be distracting (Not including my Geddy Lee signature which is in its own class as you mentioned).

Your answer amazes me regarding how thin the US 62 is. I was considering an American Vintage 75 due to the 70's neck on my other bass feeling so nice. Now I am just stuck/puzzled.

Again if anyone has played both a US 62 reissue and a Japanese 62 RI, let me know if yo also notice this difference.

I was hoping to make a 62 reissue my #1 but not with the feel of this neck. Just does not feel comfortable.

Thanks
 
#11
Maybe that "fatness" your feeling is more the profile than the actual thickness. The 60s basses, and the 62 AVRI, feature a "C" profile, which is thin back to front, but wider across the back. The 62 AVRI Precision features a similar profile, being wide, but very thin back to front. Conversely, later profiles such as D and Modern C have a deeper profile, but due to that might seem to have a thinner feeling width wise. Otherwise, my 2012 AVRI Jazz has a very thin neck. My Thunderbird has the same width (1.5" inches) but I find it rather uncomfortable to play due to the profile, which makes it feel a bit too small for my hands, so profiles can definitely influence the feeling of the neck.
 
#12
Caca de Kick said:
Back then it was. I had a 1984 62 AVRI J, and it was beautifully thin.
But the new RI J's are different, way thicker.
Click to expand...

That could be why I hear different opinions from different people. Who knows what happened behind the doors of the Fender factory. Could be when they moved out of Fullerton they changed something or whatever reason they may have had! With Fender and quality control, you never know I guess. Thanks for that info.

D.M.N. said:
Maybe that "fatness" your feeling is more the profile than the actual thickness. The 60s basses, and the 62 AVRI, feature a "C" profile, which is thin back to front, but wider across the back. The 62 AVRI Precision features a similar profile, being wide, but very thin back to front. Conversely, later profiles such as D and Modern C have a deeper profile, but due to that might seem to have a thinner feeling width wise. Otherwise, my 2012 AVRI Jazz has a very thin neck. My Thunderbird has the same width (1.5" inches) but I find it rather uncomfortable to play due to the profile, which makes it feel a bit too small for my hands, so profiles can definitely influence the feeling of the neck.
Click to expand...

Yes I think your right as far as profiles go. I am no expert on profiles though and 'feel' is sometimes as subjective as 'tone'.
I can't exactly describe what the neck feels like unfortunately.
I can say I don't care for it though. I tried a Road Worn Jazz the other day and it also felt bigger than some of my other basses but not as bad as the MIJ 62 RI.

Ya know my hands are not small by any means but that neck makes me work a little harder than I would like to. I was comparing the MIJ 62 to a Jaco signature I own and although the Jaco Jazz is fretless, the back of the neck (profile?) does seem slimmer and more comfortable. On a japanese Fender dealer's website, a chart posted showed comparison between US, Mexican and japanese 62 RI including neck styles. They described the US as modern C shape, Mexican (classic 60's) as modern C shape and the Japanese as "vintage oval".
Does that mean their 62 necks are different? I don't know but it sure feels weird!

This research I've become engrossed in is starting to tire me as well as taking me away from playing my basses at this point! Appreciate your opinions and I shall keep looking for a few basses to get my hands on and try out.

RNF
 
#15
The neck on my '03 AVRI '62 Jazz was a bit thinner than both the Warmoth J-bass neck that replaced it (it developed a ski ramp problem) and the neck on my recent FSR Antigua Jazz, which I believe is based on the Classic Series 70s Jazz Bass. It wasn't drastic, but when I put the new neck on I could definitely feel that the Warmoth was beefier. It's closer to the Antigua, which I'd say is pretty thick for a Jazz Bass neck. But the AVRI neck is still thicker than, say, the Carvin LB60 I had, or my friend's Squier VM Jaguar Special---those are skinny necks!
 
#16
rootsnfifths said:
That could be why I hear different opinions from different people. Who knows what happened behind the doors of the Fender factory. Could be when they moved out of Fullerton they changed something or whatever reason they may have had!
Click to expand...

I guess I should have been more specific when I said "newer ones". I'm talking AVRI Jazzes made in the last four years or so.
I've had FMIC/Corona made ones also, and the necks on those were pretty thin as well.
It's the new ones I've been checking out at the local dealer in the last few years I notice are way thicker...almost more like a 70's thickness profile.
 
#18
BrentSimons said:
I would say my new AV62 is thin but round? Certainly thicker than my Geddy Lee but it just feels "right" I hope this helps.
Brent
Click to expand...

Thanks..mine feels "wrong". I would not mind if it was anywhere near "right" but it just isn't. I have never been that picky about necks. This one just bothers me.

spiritbass said:
Here is a thought. If you find one that is perfect in all respects except the neck shape, you could have a good luthier re-shape it to your needs.
Click to expand...

I was considering that...good thought.

Caca de Kick said:
I guess I should have been more specific when I said "newer ones". I'm talking AVRI Jazzes made in the last four years or so.
I've had FMIC/Corona made ones also, and the necks on those were pretty thin as well.
It's the new ones I've been checking out at the local dealer in the last few years I notice are way thicker...almost more like a 70's thickness profile.
Click to expand...

Ok thanks for clearing that up. Although it is hard to date an AV Reissue because to find the exact year you need to remove the neck and check the date stamp
 
#19
Chuck King said:
The neck on my '03 AVRI '62 Jazz was a bit thinner than both the Warmoth J-bass neck that replaced it (it developed a ski ramp problem) and the neck on my recent FSR Antigua Jazz, which I believe is based on the Classic Series 70s Jazz Bass. It wasn't drastic, but when I put the new neck on I could definitely feel that the Warmoth was beefier. It's closer to the Antigua, which I'd say is pretty thick for a Jazz Bass neck. But the AVRI neck is still thicker than, say, the Carvin LB60 I had, or my friend's Squier VM Jaguar Special---those are skinny necks!
Click to expand...

Ok that lines up with what Caca De Kick has said. Not been easy to find an earlier dated AVRI for sale either. Believe it or not the Squier Vintage Modified Jazz bass has a beautiful thin and fast neck. Wish my '62 had nearly as good a neck as that instrument!

loanqotr said:
it's not a thick plank like a 60s P. And I think it plays well.Invalid Link Removed
Click to expand...
 

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