While the Fender Precision Bass dominated the 50s as the only electric bass in Fender's line up, by the time the 60s rolled around, Leo Fender and his crew felt it was time for an update. From Fender:

"The reasoning was clear enough - it was simply time for a new Fender bass. And just as the Stratocaster expanded on the Telecaster rather than supplanting it, this new bass would complement the P Bass by offering great tonal versatility and a design that went beyond the utilitarian to the realm of the sleekly stylish.

If the P Bass was a Chevy, the new deluxe model would be a Ferrari. Leo Fender himself said so. In a Guitar Player magazine interview years later, he said, 'Well, it’s like a car, you know - you come out with a standard model, then you have a deluxe model - a Cadillac version.' "

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This pair of 1973 Jazz Basses captures the era perfectly, but perhaps what we love most about them is the way they're carbon copies of one another. The Black J Bass, with its maple fingerboard and black block markers, contrasts perfectly with the Olympic White J Bass and its rosewood fingerboard and pearl block markers.

Pretty cool, no?

This 1973 Fender Jazz Bass in its original custom color Black finish recently came into the shop in the hands of its original owner, who'd custom-ordered it in 1972. The owner played professionally in local bands for years, and clearly took favor in this bass. It's got the right amount of honest wear that lets you know its 50 years old, but with a pride of ownership that helped maintain an impressive level of originality to this day.

Finished in one of the true classic Fender colors and built during of the last great CBS-Era years, this '73 Jazz Bass has all the vibe, tone, and feel you could ask for. At its core, it's maintained all of the vital elements that give us that character we long for in a great vintage bass.