I got a nice vintage Fender Jazz Bass in for electronic service. The customer, an old friend claimed it was one of the first bass guitars he got as a teen. He thought it was from the 1960's.
The electronics were not putting out the normal output, the bass having not been played in time out of reckening. I could see where it had already been re-finished at some point, already de-valuing the vintage worth. I advised him that replacing the pots wires and jack would further lower it's collectible value. He said he preferred to play it so we agreed to have me re-do the electronics.
While I was working in it, I inspected it for the date of manufacture. It had a serial number stamped on the neck plate and the big reverse F. That dated it somewhere in the early 70's. Removing the neck should have shown dates in the body's neck pocket and the neck's bottom heel. No such luck; whoever re-finished the bass destroyed all that info. I knew in the early 70's Fender started making the jazz bass using the bullet truss rod at the top of the headstock and a three bolt neck attachment. This bass was before that period.
Inspecting the codes on the back of the potentiometers, it read: 1377310.
The date code of the pots broke down as follows:
137 Manufacturer: CTS (Chicago Telephone Suppliers)
73: 1973
10: The 10th week of 1973.
That narrowed it down some. The pots were made in March 73 and Fender went to the three bolt neck plate later that year, so the bass had to have been made in mid 1973. At least we narrowed it down to spring or summer of 73.
He is using the bass in the reunion of his first band from high school. I love history!!
