Vintage Fender info

[basses]

Can anyone point me in the direction of a good resource on vintage fender basses. i'm particularly interested in info on finish and pickguard combinations.

More specifically did Fender use a Black Pickguard on the 71 Jazz

 

[mikeswals]

Can anyone point me in the direction of a good resource on vintage fender basses. i'm particularly interested in info on finish and pickguard combinations.

More specifically did Fender use a Black Pickguard on the 71 Jazz

No, not in 71. it would have been tort, or on the rare chance a white one. and the finger rest would have been on the G-side.

Black guards on the Jazz didn't come in until 74, and the finger rest changed over to a thumbrest. (on the P the change happened in 73)

 

[basses]

Ah ha. Thanks for the info. As i suspected i'm looking at a cut n shut, 71 neck on a post 74 body

 

[mikeswals]

the screw hole pattern also changed when the standard guard color changed. When you look at a 71 vs a 74, the screw closest to the E-side of the neck pickup drastically changed position (since there is now a thumbrest on that side).
So if you're ever looking at a body sans-pickguard, you can easily spot which period it's from.

 

[basses]

Great info, thanks. Do you know of a resource where i can research this stuff for myself?

 

[mikeswals]

There's webpages that showcase a lot of stuff, you'll have to google it.
All my experience is from years of just being around it.

 

[FranF]

As stated, there are places online, but realistically, this site is probably the best. Pics and questions, and you'll have an answer (and some misinformation) but the usual suspects here have great knowledge