What to do with a '64 jazz

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Author Message glocke Senior Member Username: glocke Post Number: 939 Registered: 9-2002 Posted on Saturday, October 06, 2012 - 7:49 am:    I have a 64 jazz that is a refin, but has the original pups and wiring...It is actually a great bass, plays and sounds fantastic, but the the last few times I played it the pots were scratchy as hell, and the pups cut in and out. ANy suggestions on what to do with this or who to take it to in the philly/central jersey area to be looked at??? edwin Senior Member Username: edwin Post Number: 1313 Registered: 5-2002 Posted on Saturday, October 06, 2012 - 2:01 pm:    Just box it up and send it to me in Boulder. I'd be happy to give you an evaluation and report back in 10 years or so! :-) Sorry, don't know anyone in Philly who could look at it, but these issues can be pretty easily fixed. that_sustain Member Username: that_sustain Post Number: 53 Registered: 8-2012 Posted on Saturday, October 06, 2012 - 8:09 pm:    You might want to go to the official Fender site and talk to a guy named Brother Dave. He knows a great deal about Fender and it's history. He'll know where to have it repaired, also. Have some pics ready... gtrguy Senior Member Username: gtrguy Post Number: 508 Registered: 9-2004 Posted on Sunday, October 07, 2012 - 11:04 am:    Great bass, simple as all get-out to work on. 1st, try spraying ‘pot cleaner and lubricator’ into the pot opening with one quick shot, then work the knob around 50 times. Don’t use just pot cleaner, as it will tend to dry out the pot and make it worse. Failing that to work, I would look for some vintage pots (CTS, Centralab?) 250k pots to replace the originals (Ebay) or just new ones if it is going to be a player. If you have any soldering skills at all, you can do it. I actually have a vintage Centralab 500K pot dated 1964, but I think you need 250K ones for that bass. I also would take a 9mm brass pistol bore brush and dip it in rubbing alcohol and shake it off and then insert it into the output jack a little to clean it. Good luck, Dave terryc Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 1998 Registered: 11-2004 Posted on Sunday, October 07, 2012 - 2:42 pm:    Try re soldering all the joints on the pots and jack socket. After nearly 50 years of playing and gigging they will have most probably become oxidised and don't pass the signal as well as they should(In addition to everyone else's suggestions)