Fender Jazz Bass, Sunburst (1966)

1966 Fender Jazz Bass in original Sunburst finish just into the shop!

This beautiful early '66 Jazz Bas came in from the original owner, who'd purchased the bass brand new on the famous 48th Street music store strip in New York City. He'd played professionally for many years and kept this bass in great shape all along.

Maybe one of the coolest aesthetic features of early CBS Fenders is the bound fingerboard with dot inlays, which this Jazz Bass wears proudly. This was a transitional feature that Fender adapted in late 1965 and stuck with through about the middle of 1966 before moving to block inlays with the binding. You'll find this on Jazz Basses, Jaguars, and the occasional Stratocaster and Jazzmaster. We love the look! It's nice to see a great old Jazz Bass that was played but so well preserved in terms of originality. With the exception of the missing bridge cover, it's completely original throughout. The treble pickup had an open coil that we discovered during our initial evaluation, and that was shipped off to Tom Brantley for a proper period-correct rewind. The remaining pickup and wiring harness are untouched and functioning great!

The neck on this Jazz bass is fantastic, with a round C shape that has a medium thickness and a nice healthy taper. Combined with the 1 1/2" nut width, it still feels smooth and fast to play, but definitely fuller in the hand.

The original 3-Tone Sunburst shows light to moderate fading but is still quite vibrant and clean. Aside from the typical contact wear and various small nicks and dings, it's such a nice example. Add to the fact that it's had just one owner in 60 years makes this one a little more special.

Paired with a period correct Fender hardshell case. Expedited Shipping Required.