Fender Jazz Bass Model Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar (1965), made in Fullerton, California, serial # 104172, sunburst lacquer finish, alder body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, original black tolex hard shell case.
We rarely call vintage instruments "Near Mint" but this one comes pretty close. It is a stunningly well preserved, super clean example of a "transitional" early-CBS era Jazz bass, absolutely original and in exceptionally fine original condition. It has typical 1965 features: a pearl dot rosewood fingerboard without the binding that appeared in late '65, gold logo decal and the old-style Kluson tuners, not yet supplanted by the Fender-made "egg button" chrome-plated tuners oddly particular to 1966 Jazz basses. By the summer of '66 the bound. block markers fingerboard came in and dots were banished for the next couple of decades. This bass still has the full pre-CBS feel, with only the pearloid dots and slightly thinner pickguard as variables.
The body is finished in a bright and vibrant 3-tone "target" sunburst lacquer finish that has not faded at all, topped off with the tortoise plastic pickguard. The neck is dated September 66 and the pots are a beautiful matched set from the 42nd week of that year. At just under 9lbs. (with the covers on) this is a medium weight for a 1960s Fender Jazz Bass and quite resonant. This is an excellent player with a somewhat more midrangey tone than many '66s, which tend to be very bright.
This bass appears only VERY lightly used over the past 55+ years and it sounds like a cliche', but they really don't turn up like this much anymore! It still has the original Fender green-silk flatwound strings installed, and the foam mute under the bridge cover (which has pretty much solidified). This note comes from the original owner's family: "My Father purchased this bass in 1966 from a local music store for my older brother and unfortunately he lost his hearing not long after. This bass has lived its entire life under a bed, in a dry climate controlled environment for the last 40 years."
Overall length is 46 1/2 in. (118.1 cm.), 14 in. (35.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 34 in. (864 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/2 in. (38 mm.).
This bass shows only *extremely* light cosmetic wear for its 5 1/2 decades on the planet and simply appears not much used. It remains absolutely 100% original and complete including both chrome covers, the factory strings and mute pad under the rear cover, unaltered down to the last screw. The rear cover caused a bit of finish compression along its edges and there are some small very dings and dents overall, most noticeably a couple on the face near the upper waist area.
The headstock shows some typical light lacquer checking, the decal is nearly pristine. The original small frets show virtually no wear, as does the back of the neck. This is a genuine "Under-The-Bed Classic" that really HAS been under someone's bed for decades in the lovely original black Tolex case with the period strap, cord and polish cloth. It is also a superb player, as nice an early CBS-era Jazz Bass as we have seen in a long time. Excellent + Condition.
