| Author | Message | ||
| tmoney61092
Senior Member Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 658 Registered: 9-2008 |
I know Fender made a jazz bass with stacked pots in the early 60's. One day i was at Guitar Center and they had a jazz with stacked pots and i loved the way it played/sounded which was before i had learned that they made them in the early 60's. the thing is looking back i know it wasn't one from the 60's simply because the price tag was about $700-800. so my question is did Fender ever re-issues these made from Japan or did i miss an incredible mess up on Guitar Center's part? if they did do a re-issues i'd love to find one because i haven't been able to through a search on Google, thanks for any help. ~Taylor | ||
| elwoodblue
Senior Member Username: elwoodblue Post Number: 1183 Registered: 6-2002 |
The '62 reissue has stacked pots. Try using "concentric" as a keyword instead of "stacked". Those '62's look real nice. | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 1616 Registered: 5-2009 |
I know a Guitar player that I played with for about 14 years in a few different Bands that is the Original owner of a rosewood fingerboard 62 Fender jazz Bass. I have played it a few times and can say that it was one of the most enjoyable to play Fenders for me to date. His Dad gave it to him. He gave his slightly older brother a 62 Fender Stratocastor on the same Christmas Day. | ||
| rami
Senior Member Username: rami Post Number: 953 Registered: 6-2002 |
I had an American '62 re-issue once. Honestly, as much as LOVE Fender, mine was a real lemon. The control plate and pickguard were misaligned, the control plate was overlapping the pickguard at an angle, so there was a gap exposing the control cavity on the other side. As well, the neck was constantly shifting!!! Despite my attempts to re tighten the screws. It was my one and only bad experience with Fenders, but I never bought another '62 re-issue. It left me with a bad memory, despite the fact that I've bought several more Fenders since (mostly American Standard Jazz Basses - which I love). | ||
| jet_powers
Senior Member Username: jet_powers Post Number: 522 Registered: 2-2003 |
About 4 or 5 months ago I picked up a 62 Fender Jazz re-issue from GC. It played nice but the thing had Lace Sensor pickups and a switch I suspect were after market. All the switch did was add noise. I brought it back before the 30 days were up telling them it wasn't worth the $800 they were asking for it. They said OK and took it back with a smile and no effort to negotiate a new price. | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 1617 Registered: 5-2009 |
The 62 re-issues don't feel like the original 62's to me. Different Bird , different production criteria. | ||
| rami
Senior Member Username: rami Post Number: 954 Registered: 6-2002 |
I have a near mint condition '68 which plays and sounds really nice. But modern Basses are so evolved and well made, they're really hard to beat in terms of quality and sound. | ||
| rami
Senior Member Username: rami Post Number: 955 Registered: 6-2002 |
In fact, Stack knobs were only used on the Jazz Bass in 1960 & 61. The "'62 Jazz Bass" name is actually misleading. | ||
| bassilisk
Member Username: bassilisk Post Number: 91 Registered: 4-2009 |
The newer ones may not but the original RI's ('83 Fullertons) were very close and command Custom Shop prices. I had an '88 ARI 62 Precision that I thought was remarkable in its feel and tone and measured up well to the real ones I tried. As an aside, I really like the stack knob setup and have several parts J's I built that have it. | ||
| svlilioukalani
Member Username: svlilioukalani Post Number: 88 Registered: 6-2008 |
The newer American Fender Delux P-Bass and Jazz Bass have a stacked knob. And a 18 volt preamp. Check out Nash's 62 Jazz, It is real close. http://www.bassnw.com/Used%20Basses/nash_jb63_SB_RW.htm http://www.bassnw.com/Used%20Basses/nash_JB63fl_sunburst_rw.htm | ||
| murray
Junior Username: murray Post Number: 31 Registered: 7-2007 |
I bought a Fender Jazz new in 1968 which did me well for many years but those old Fenders had their earthing faults involving me putting a bit of wire somewhere around the bridge. I had it satin refurbished by Jaydee who did a great job. It was stolen in 2000 and I bought my Alembic Orion with the insurance money and never looked back. I agree with rami about modern basses. Also old isn't always better. In 1968, Fenders weren't collectors pieces, just the basses that working musicians used and there were plenty of 'em around so why they command silly prices now escapes me. As good a friend as my Jazz was, the Alembic totally outclasses it. | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 1618 Registered: 5-2009 |
I concur 100% as to the modern VS old question . I have a few old Fenders that I can grab any time as well as my Alembics that I ONLY seem to want to play at this time. My comparison was between the original 62 Fender Jazz Bass and the re-issue 62 Fender Jazz Bass , having played both ; I wrote that they do not feel the same to me: different Birds. I would not compare apples and oranges .Thats it , no fine print. LOL_____! Alembic for me.___________ Sonic Regards ! | ||
| tmoney61092
Senior Member Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 659 Registered: 9-2008 |
well i'm currently working towards an american standard jazz but had remember that '62 reissue that i had played about 2 years ago, would be nice if i could find another one for comparison in person. is there anyone with experience with both the '62 re-issue and an american standard jazz that can offer some insight as to the difference, the '62 seems more versatile with having a tone for each, i remember the tone pot "clicking" as you turned it, is this true or was that an issue with the bass? thanks ~Taylor | ||
| tmoney61092
Senior Member Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 660 Registered: 9-2008 |
or does concentric mean that it clicks? kind of like the center indent on a bass or treble control? sorry, everything is floating out of my brain right now :p ~Taylor | ||
| adriaan
Moderator Username: adriaan Post Number: 2763 Registered: 6-2002 |
Concentric means you have two knobs sitting on top of eachother (literally: having the same center). | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 1502 Registered: 11-2004 |
I agree with rami too, a friend of mine has a 61 strat which is a nightmare near anything electrical whereas his new Jeff Beck Strat is super quiet. I don't agree with the old is best, I mean if that was the case why do Alembic offer RF upgrade on their older models. | ||
| bassilisk
Member Username: bassilisk Post Number: 92 Registered: 4-2009 |
Fender made a clicker insert that went underneath the tone knob. If you buy genuine Fender 62RI parts the tone knob has dents in the bottom that fit onto the bump on the insert. I have one bass set up like that. I had to try it but after doing it I prefer not having it. I'm lazy so it'll stay.  | ||
| bassilisk
Member Username: bassilisk Post Number: 93 Registered: 4-2009 |
Without trying to rehash "old vs new" I can only offer my own experience. I have an all original '66 Jazz that had the daylights played out of it and for good reason. I got to AB it with 4 other basses of similar vintage when I was buying. This bass rose to the top by a large margin in the sampling I had and I am thrilled to own it. I have several other Jazzes, various woods, guts etc, all killer AFAIC. None sound like the '66. Nobody was more skeptical about this kind of thing than me until I got this bass. It has a character and voice all its own - I know I got really good one and it's staying. Having said that it won't compete with my MK Std but it's not supposed to and the reverse is just as true. I have a pretty broad range of basses and all have earned a spot. I love the MK, but I love the others too. | ||
| dfung60
Senior Member Username: dfung60 Post Number: 478 Registered: 5-2002 |
I had one of the American-made Vintage Jazz Reissues from the 80s with the concentric knobs. It was beautifully made and finished, but had a relatively floppy neck. I bought it new, so it had the pickup covers and everything, including a cute copy of the the original owners manual. I found it to be massively better than the regular Jazz Basses of that time. The American Jazz and Precisions got a signficant update in the 90's and I think they're better overall instrument, even if they're not as authentic. I rarely turn down the tone controls, so it turns out that the concentric pots were hardly different for me than the normal 3 knob arrangement. The knobs did click (which i liked) by the arrangement described above. I liked the knobs so much, that I bought an extra set of them as spares in case they ever stopped making them. Ultimately, I decided to sell this bass since I never really used it. I miss it from a "collector's" standpoint, but not so much as a "player". David Fung | ||
| lidon2001
Senior Member Username: lidon2001 Post Number: 450 Registered: 4-2005 |
Funny (ironic?) that this thread comes up almost a year to the day that I had my 1982 AVR Jazz stolen. The only parts I kept from it were the conecentric pots/control panel and the bridge after swapping for a Ken Smith bridge and VVT controls. The neck was twisted, but after a shave and a refret when it was 10 years old, solid as a rock. I recently saw a (I believe) 1984 AVR Strat sell for about $4800 on EBay. Hang on to the early ones if you have them. | ||
| rjmsteel
Intermediate Member Username: rjmsteel Post Number: 146 Registered: 7-2008 |
My, also all original, `66 Jazz (which I purchased in `74 for dare I say $350) just sounds SO warm. Not exactly the greatest output however. Even my wife who had not heard the bass in a few years while A/B`ing the differences between my basses for her exclaimed "that sounds so warm" ---Attempting to justify why I`m spending ($....) on a Series bass. LOL. | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 1610 Registered: 9-2002 |
Not concentric-knobbed, but the Squier Classic Vibe 60's Jazz is a WHOLE LOTTA Jazz Bass for $349. I'd really like to get one and add some Fralins, maybe a Babicz bridge. One day I'll build a parts bass. For me, that's the beauty of the Fender-ish axes, inasmuch as there's an endless supply of after market parts to hot rod one, or build one from start to finish. You just screw them together!! And the better Squiers are way cheaper than buying separate parts as a starting point. One day . . . J o e y | ||
| tmoney61092
Senior Member Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 663 Registered: 9-2008 |
well guys, just put a down payment on a sunset orange american standard jazz with maple fretboard and S-1 switch, this is my first bass with a maple fretboard and i have to say it is amazing and i can't wait to finally take her home with me. thanks for all the input as usual ~Taylor | ||
| rami
Senior Member Username: rami Post Number: 956 Registered: 6-2002 |
Congratulations! That's a 2006 model? I remember it well. It was the only Ash body American Standard Jazz Bass that year (they haven't made another one since!). I also really loved the S-1 feature. I think it's a real shame that Fender discontinued it. Your really going to love it. You'll notice how particularly bright and powerful it sounds. The best features of the American Standard Jazz Bass are the Graphite re-enforced neck that make it super strong and stable with no dead spots anywhere, and the string through body bridge that makes the strings super tight and snappy. The S-1 switch puts the pickups in Series or Parallel which makes a HUGE change in its tone. It was really the best innovation Fender ever made to the Jazz Bass and I think it's SUCH a shame that they discontinued it!!! Wish you a lifetime of pleasure with it. Cheers,  (Message edited by rami on February 14, 2011) | ||
| tmoney61092
Senior Member Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 664 Registered: 9-2008 |
thanks Rami! i put some serious time into testing this bass at the store before i even thought of putting it on layaway. i had been talking with one of the salesmen who was really kind and helpful and i came in today and said "i think today is the day." sat down with her for about 30 minutes and decided to pull the trigger. the main thing that drew me to this bass was the really bright tone it had compared to the other american standards they had. reminds of that great punchy 60's Jaco sound but can also get the smooth, groovin' John Paul Jones tones. i love it, going to be a couple months before i'll be able to finish paying her off(college student=not a lot of money :p). i love how big of a difference the S-1 switch makes and how it's hidden(didn't even notice it the first time i played it!). thanks again! ~Taylor | ||
| rami
Senior Member Username: rami Post Number: 957 Registered: 6-2002 |
Hey Taylor, You'll find that your going to love it even more as the years go by. That Bass is the perfect example of a modern Fender. Great quality, sound and reliability. It becomes a companion and you'll discover new things about it everytime you play it. I learned and entire book of works by Bach on mine. It's truly an extension of my hands. Best wishes again! |
