Vintage Fender Decals..Who really knows the facts?

Who really knows their stuff about these things?

Lately over the past month or so I've put some really deep thought into having a exact copy of my 62 J made.

Well just playing around I decided I had one bass I really didn't care much about and decided I wanted to refinish it.
Removed all the paint and went to finish the headstock so I bought some waterslide paper and went online to print out the decal to look exactly like my 62.

Well after printing out one I noticed the decal being passed around the net as the 62 from that guitar guy's Fender info sight where it shows the 2 decals. One being from mid 62 to mid 65, and them Mid 65 to Mid 67.
Sorry I can't link to it on my phone.

But that decal is not the same as my 62 J Bass, mine has less PAT #'s

Whats the story with the J Bass Decals?
If that decal was from mid 62 I know my bass was made late in 62 so shouldn't that decal look the same as mine?







When exactly did the decals change from one to the other?

 

Edited: but question has been answered.

 

Awesome informative post, but your not implying that the picture I provided is of a 64 are you?

I'm a bit confused as to your meaning of that section.
And if I'm not mistaken, was there not a change from 62-63? Where a fourth Pat # was added (3,143,028)?????

And that's my question, the decal from the site everyone uses and passes around as great Fender advice claims the 62 decal to have 4 Pat #'s with the far right corner being the 3,143,028?????
However he does list it as "mid 62" so that leads me to believe there was in fact a change during the transition from 62-63.

 

That standard series

 

Lol, those pics are of my personally owned Gruhn verified, original owner verified 1962 Jazz Bass.

Are you sure you aren't mistaken here?

I assure you those pics are of a genuine 62.

Edit: my post in absolutely NO WAY to be an a-hole and prove you wrong, or call you out or anything like that.

I know w/o any doubt those pics are 62 my goal here is to figure out why the common knowledge about these things seems to have holes in it with conflicting info, especially from a site like guitar guys that people typically look to and count on to be fact w/o question.

But I assure you a lot of time was spent examining my basses neck in Nashville and it was looked over by not just one of the guys but ALL of Gruhn's staff.

It was also later authenticated by the original owner himself with exact dates almost as to when he purchased it, which was with his Christmas money January of 63 as the music shop in Wayne Nebraska was closed for the holiday. He said he waited all week to place his order and remembers it vividly.

 

Yeah, I think I'm gonna post a thread once I get a little further along.
But yeah I have the shell pink 62 , a sonic blue CV P Bass, the White 60's CV J Bass, the antique burst standard series Squier, I'm more than likely getting an MIM LPB J Bass MAYBE next week.

I'm working on it

 

Lol, go back up I edited the other comment instead of writing a new one.


Sorry.

 

And, I appreciate the crap outta your contributions to this question.

You've been a huge help and I'd really like to figure this out.

It bothers me that so many look to that site for factual info (and it very well may be) but if it's not people need to know before they make purchases based on his information.

 

Agreed, speaking of which I still can't see a difference in those damn dots.
Lol I've looked and looked and they look the same to me.
And in that guy and his sites defense from my own comments, it's filled with a TON of very accurate, and very helpful information.
But that decal drives me nuts.

Maybe I should start a thread and seek out other 62 owners and get a collective opinion on who has what decal. But first I'm gonna read through your provided info and links and go back over guitar guys site again with a fine toothed comb.

This isn't just me being inquisitive my goal is to get as informed as some of you guys on here, and I will if it's the last thing I do.

 

I can't list exact Pat #'s at the moment but, I have 3 Pat #'s all start with 2,xxx,xxx & 1 DES # 187,0001
And I'll confirm that in a little bit as soon as I'm near the bass again.

 

Ok here are my numbers, sorry if your link answers this I haven't had a chance to look at it yet.

Will shortly

My #'s are as follows;


FENDER
PAT 2,573,254 2,960,900 2,968,204
DES 187,0001

Almost exactly as written and the Jazz Bass Trademark Electric Bass & Offset Contour Body are all side by side to the Fender logo and all one piece.