1966 Fender Jazz Bass Electric Bass Guitar

In '66 the JB got binding and pearloid dots rather than clay, but it's still the same-old smooth-talking operator you'd expect it to be. This lovely slab of thump was just in for a board plane and refret but I figured I'd snag some photos of its sunburst sultriness while it was here.

The narrow nut, fast neck, and precise-sounding pickups are the JB hallmarks and this has 'em. I don't need to go into details because anyone into Fender basses will have played the many, many clones of these that are out there. There's something about those old pickups and the worn-in love you get from the real thing, though.

I'm surprised at how full the pickups sound, to be honest. Many modern JBs (read: Mexican, Squier, et al) are a bit thin and plinky at the bridge pickup and don't have enough grunt at the neck. This one sounds good everywhere -- duh.

I get it. I'm so used to setting-up half a dozen Mexican JBs in a year, though, with their almost-always-twisted-necks, that the sound of this one spoils me.

Still, at the price these are going for these days -- I think I'll stick with my ratty old Tokai PB copy, thank you!