Custom 1969 Fender Jazz Bass Vintage Electric Bass Guitar Sunburst w/ Hardshell Case

Up for sale, a 1969 Fender Jazz Bass in excellent condition and in good working order. Fender's enduring classic "upscale" bass model, this vintage Jazz Bass has a distinct, powerful tone and eye-catching appeal. From the vibrant and original three-tone sunburst finish to the pearloid blocks and binding on the neck to the near mint nitrate tortoise pickguard, this Jazz Bass is a real looker! Well balanced and resonant, the bass weighs in at 9lbs even. Present, round, and detailed sounding, the classic range of Jazz Bass tones is on full display with this example. The neck pickup can be thick and thumpy, while the bridge has enough top end and midrange presence to cut through a mix. Professionally setup here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar, this bass is strung with 45-100 roundwound strings and dialed in for optimal action and intonation.

The neck has a fairly chunky and comfortable C shaped profile, with more heft in the shoulders than many Jazz Bass necks giving it a substantial yet fast feel. Of course the bass retains the traditional 1 1/2" Jazz Bass "A" nut width as well as the full 34" scale, and the neck has been refretted with fretwire that has a bit more width than what's traditionally seen in this era. The frets plays smoothly up the neck in all registers with no buzzing or dead spots and a responsive truss rod that has been adjusted for ideal relief. In terms of fretwear, there is none to report, and the frets have recently been leveled and crowned. The nut is a new hand carved piece of bone for optimal sustain and note clarity. On the headstock, the original Fender "no R" tuning machines are intact and turn smoothly, although there is a slight yet perceptible bend in the low E tuner arm. The nitro lacquer finished headstock face retains a clean "Jazz Bass" logo as well.

All of the electronics work as they should, with a pair of original gray bobbin pickups. While the bridge pickup bobbin is the lighter gray seen through 1968, the neck pickup has the darker gray seen in the subsequent CBS years. Both pickups have plastic leads and have just been professionally rewound to original specs. The rest of the wiring harness is also stock, with CTS pots that date to the 42nd week of '66. As is common throughout the latter half of the 1960s, pots from 1966 are seen in most Fender instruments due to the huge parts lot purchased in that year and used through the end of the decade. Other original hardware includes the thumb rest, chrome control plate, knobs, and bridge. The pickguard is a genuine guard from 68-69 with the "meatball" tortoise mottling and less pronounced edge bevel used in this era. Under the guard, there is some unfortunate routing, and as such an original guard was sourced to cover the routes and retain a clean stock look.

In terms of general cosmetic wear, the bass is quite clean overall, with a very thin and original poly finish that allows the bass to resonate freely. There's a bit of fading in the central red ring of the burst, and a few small nicks and chips on the edges of the body (the most prominent of which is to the right of the rear strap button), as well as a small spot of targeted buckle rash just south of the four-bolt neck plate.

A hardshell case is included.

Product Specs

Condition:Excellent Make:Fender Model:Jazz Bass Finish:Sunburst Categories:4-String Year:1969 Made In:United States