Fender USA VINTAGE Jazz Bass ’74 Sunburst/M

Since its release in 1960, the Jazz Bass has been a staple of Fender’s bass lineup alongside the Precision Bass, and continues to influence the music scene to this day. Numerous variations and reissues of the original, as well as models inspired by it by other companies, have been produced, establishing it as a solid standard for electric bass guitars.

This guitar was shipped in late 1974 and features an alder body, a one-piece maple neck with four-point fastenings, a finger rest on the 4th string side, and a printed tortoiseshell pickguard.

body
The overall weight is approximately 4.3 kg. The body is made of alder. The finish is unique to this period, with a “Fender Thick-Skin High-Gloss” finish, featuring a beautiful three-tone sunburst color with a strong reddish hue. The finger rest features a printed tortoiseshell pickguard on the fourth-string side, a feature unique to this period. There are minor dents and scratches, paint chipping, mainly on the body side, and tarnish on the pickguard and metal parts, giving the instrument the feel of a vintage instrument. Metal parts are missing. The pickguard screws and control panel screws have been replaced with new ones.

neck
The neck and fingerboard are made of one-piece maple. The neck boasts pleasing features like a flamed grain on the headstock and a birdseye grain on the back of the neck. There are some minor dents on the fingerboard and back of the neck, and some tarnish on the metal parts, but considering the age of the guitar, it’s in relatively good condition. The tuners are slightly inconsistent in terms of tightness, but they function well. The nut was replaced at our shop, and the frets have been filed, ensuring excellent playability. The headstock is 13.6mm thick, with a nut width of 38.2mm. The neck profile is sturdy despite the narrow width typical of an A-neck.

[Electrical system]
The controls are standard jazz bass wiring (2 volume/1 tone). While some modifications have been made, such as resoldering the pot connections and adding a ground wire between the pots, the pickups and other components remain in their original condition. The alder body and one-piece maple neck, combined with the distinctive character of the thick skin finish, produce a fast attack, tight low end, and solid low mids. The front pickup produces a thick, supple tone, while the rear pickup produces a crisp, bright sound. When mixed, it also offers a clear, well-defined slap tone reminiscent of the 1970s. This guitar boasts a punchy, well-defined sound that underpinned the mid-1970s music scene, when funk, crossover, and rock flourished.

Accessories: Fender black Tolex hard case (slightly later)

Weight: 4.3kg
Body Material: Alder 4-piece
Neck Material/Scale Length: Maple 1 piece/864.0mm (34inch)
Fingerboard/Fret Marker/Radius: Maple 1 piece/Pearloid Block/184.15mm (7.25inch)
Nut Width/Fret Size: 38.2mm (replaced)/2.6mm, 20 Fret
Neck Thickness (1F/7F/12F): 22.0mm/24.3mm/25.3mm
Capacitor: Illinois Tool Works Blue 200V
Pickup (Neck/Bridge): Fender Jazz Bass Gray Bobbin Pickup (5.5k/6.1k)
*The DC resistance of the pickup is measured through the control section.

——-Heartman Vintage Guitars is Ikebe Music’s vintage guitar and bass specialty store——-