What is the deal with Fenders '62 RI's ? They seem to be on allot of peoples wish lists. What is different/special about them? Thanks, Cliff
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What is it about the '62 RI's ................
- Thread starter Fender4Me
- Start date
Compared to what? What era of Fender Vintage Series '62 Precisions?
I've had one since 1983 (from the very first batch of VS stuff that Fender finally shipped after about a year wait to the store I managed). First, it's got THE sound. Full, rich, detailed without being clanky or brittle. Secondly, it's got the perfect neck for me- very wide (a full 1.75") side-to-side, but very shallow front-to-back. Bottom line, I pulled the bass out of its case, played one unamplified note on her, and heard the sound I'd been hearing in my head and on records for seven years.
The early ones (built in the original Fender factory in Fullerton, CA) have that neck, and consistently high quality. The fret dressing, the fit, the nut, the care with which they were assembled is very high on all of the ones I've seen. The more recent (now I haven't seen a new Fender US Vintage Series instrument in about three or four years, as the few Fender dealers within about 60 miles of here don't carry anything except American Standards and the MIM Standards) but the last few I played had some things that made them less appealing to ME. The necks are chunkier, but not as fat as the American Standards, there's less attention to the fit and finish (they don't do as good a job of buffing the finish as they used to), the hardware is mounted OK, but sloppy alignment of knobs, etc. and they were back to leaving way too much rubbing compound in the control cavities.
But, comparing what I recall of the last few US Vintage series to the new American Standards, the '62 P still feels nicer than the American Standard neck, and they have a slightly more "organic" sound, for want of a better description.
John
Just bought a black and tort AV 62 Jazz last week 
.
I stopped by several local shops looking mainly at American Standard Jazz's. I was liking most of the AM Stds I was finding but not really loving them. I finally came across a sunburst AV 62 and pulled it down, it really felt a cut above the standards.
Very much liked the rounder fingerboard profile, small vintage frets and gloss neck. The neck felt "broken in" and incredibly comfortable with rounded edges. The two negatives were the tone controls which have "detents" that were incredibly rough, and the second was the price (about $450 more than the std's).
I then noticed the used wall. There was a beat up Custom shop that was just "meh" and a black and tort AV 62 Jazz. It was love at first pluck and it came home the next day.
Upon pulling the neck it was built June 06 and whoever owned it before took bloody good care of it. There is a chip about the size of a grain of rice next to the lower strap button and that's about it. The build quality cannot be faulted. The pickup routes are the tightest I have ever seen on a Fender and you can't even slide a piece of paper between the neck and pocket. Upon pulling it apart here is what I found: The neck pocket is unpainted (nice), there is no wacky routing under the pickguard (just a snugly routed neck pickup) the control cavity is clean and the bass uses oldschool cloth insulated wiring (very cool). The previous owner removed the detent washers under the tone controls and they now spin normally.
Now "What is it about the '62 RI's"
It was just the feel of the whole package, Like an old pair of sneakers. It just felt right, right away. I have never found a bass so easy to play right away. Some people love jumbo frets but I absolutely love the tiny frets on this thing. The neck profile didn't feel different enough to be noteworthy but it just feels awesome. I like the gloss finish as well. Body is old school nitro. It was just the "feel" of the whole thing that the Am Std's didn't have.
This bass is the loudest unplugged bass I have ever heard! The body resonates like crazy the sustain is better than my Spector and G&L (who says the cheezy Fender bridges are no good
). The native tone is less growly than the Spector and less snarly than the G&L but it is very rich, burbly and organic. Huge, with an extremely clear high end while never getting zingy or harsh like the other two can get. Not to say that it is overly polite, it still growls like a Jazz should and has a very snarly/growly character with the bridge pickup soloed, but the overall tone is very open and organic.
Gripes:
1. The &%#$ truss rod requires you to remove the neck to adjust it. I know it's period correct but what a pain in the @$$.
2. The pots don't seem all that linear. Tone doesn't change much until the very end and volume is the opposite with quite a pronounced change right away when rolled off wide open.
3. The vintage Kluson tuners on mine are incredibly stiff. I'm in pretty good shape and my hand was gettin really tired stringing it up. So stiff that I was finding it hard to spin them with with my planet waves string winder. Next string change I will be taking them apart, cleaning, and lubing them up.
I should also not that it comes with a really nice G&G hard case with brown tolex on the outside and blinding gold rat fur on the inside. Also included are all the original ashtrays and string mutes.
Is it worth the extra price? I think so. I only got to try two of them (my 06 and a brand new one) but they seem a cut above the Am Standards IMO. I lucked out as mine is in 9.8/10 condition and got it for $200 less than an Am Std.
Like any Fender (or any bass for that matter) try one out and let your hands and ears decide. I think you will like them.
Sorry about the mega post
.I stopped by several local shops looking mainly at American Standard Jazz's. I was liking most of the AM Stds I was finding but not really loving them. I finally came across a sunburst AV 62 and pulled it down, it really felt a cut above the standards.
Very much liked the rounder fingerboard profile, small vintage frets and gloss neck. The neck felt "broken in" and incredibly comfortable with rounded edges. The two negatives were the tone controls which have "detents" that were incredibly rough, and the second was the price (about $450 more than the std's).
I then noticed the used wall. There was a beat up Custom shop that was just "meh" and a black and tort AV 62 Jazz. It was love at first pluck and it came home the next day.
Upon pulling the neck it was built June 06 and whoever owned it before took bloody good care of it. There is a chip about the size of a grain of rice next to the lower strap button and that's about it. The build quality cannot be faulted. The pickup routes are the tightest I have ever seen on a Fender and you can't even slide a piece of paper between the neck and pocket. Upon pulling it apart here is what I found: The neck pocket is unpainted (nice), there is no wacky routing under the pickguard (just a snugly routed neck pickup) the control cavity is clean and the bass uses oldschool cloth insulated wiring (very cool). The previous owner removed the detent washers under the tone controls and they now spin normally.
Now "What is it about the '62 RI's"
It was just the feel of the whole package, Like an old pair of sneakers. It just felt right, right away. I have never found a bass so easy to play right away. Some people love jumbo frets but I absolutely love the tiny frets on this thing. The neck profile didn't feel different enough to be noteworthy but it just feels awesome. I like the gloss finish as well. Body is old school nitro. It was just the "feel" of the whole thing that the Am Std's didn't have.
This bass is the loudest unplugged bass I have ever heard! The body resonates like crazy the sustain is better than my Spector and G&L (who says the cheezy Fender bridges are no good
). The native tone is less growly than the Spector and less snarly than the G&L but it is very rich, burbly and organic. Huge, with an extremely clear high end while never getting zingy or harsh like the other two can get. Not to say that it is overly polite, it still growls like a Jazz should and has a very snarly/growly character with the bridge pickup soloed, but the overall tone is very open and organic.Gripes:
1. The &%#$ truss rod requires you to remove the neck to adjust it. I know it's period correct but what a pain in the @$$.
2. The pots don't seem all that linear. Tone doesn't change much until the very end and volume is the opposite with quite a pronounced change right away when rolled off wide open.
3. The vintage Kluson tuners on mine are incredibly stiff. I'm in pretty good shape and my hand was gettin really tired stringing it up. So stiff that I was finding it hard to spin them with with my planet waves string winder. Next string change I will be taking them apart, cleaning, and lubing them up.
I should also not that it comes with a really nice G&G hard case with brown tolex on the outside and blinding gold rat fur on the inside. Also included are all the original ashtrays and string mutes.
Is it worth the extra price? I think so. I only got to try two of them (my 06 and a brand new one) but they seem a cut above the Am Standards IMO. I lucked out as mine is in 9.8/10 condition and got it for $200 less than an Am Std.
Like any Fender (or any bass for that matter) try one out and let your hands and ears decide. I think you will like them.
Sorry about the mega post
Just bought a black and tort AV 62 Jazz last week
...
Sorry about the mega post
That sums up my 62AV Jazz too. Although my 2008 is Olympic White, everything else you said was spot on in describing mine, both the good and bad, even the stiff tuners! Great bass, I won't ever need another Jazz.
I've got a few black basses, black is beautiful but white doesn't show fingerprints!
Beautiful!
I really need to take some pics of mine (though, as you mentioned about the fingerprints, I will need to wipe it down first)
I have the neck pickup ashtray on and it looks sweet, however the tug bar had to go as it gets in the way for popping.
I really need to take some pics of mine (though, as you mentioned about the fingerprints, I will need to wipe it down first)
I have the neck pickup ashtray on and it looks sweet, however the tug bar had to go as it gets in the way for popping.
Mine is strung with LaBella flats so no popping, just straight finger style. I put the chrome covers on mine recently (this pic is a year old or so) and they look pretty but not sure about the neck pickup cover, that's right where I find I want to pluck. I may have to ditch them.
