People often say an engagement ring should cost three months' salary!!
Fender’s current lineup, the Vintage Series, was launched in 1982. In an effort to return to its roots and restore the Fender brand’s prestige, the company shifted its management strategy toward preserving its illustrious history as a legacy. Rather than focusing on profitability through mass production, the company re-evaluated the quality of the ’60s, leading to the creation of Fender’s original and reissue models.
Achieving “Vintage” status establishes a certain prestige, creating a pattern where, much like acoustic instruments, market prices skyrocket to levels commensurate with their rarity.
That said, even when they were first released in the 1960s, the Bass cost $199.50 and the Bassman amp $203.50—approximately 70,000 yen (at the exchange rate of 1 USD = 360 yen at the time). That same year, a small (90-liter) refrigerator for general household use went on sale in Japan for about 80,000 yen, a price equivalent to 10 months’ salary for a salaried worker.
While there was a traditional standard that an engagement ring should cost three months’ salary, it’s clear that even when compared to a refrigerator—one of the “Three Sacred Treasures”—this instrument was far out of reach for the average citizen.Due to these circumstances, numerous copy models were produced in Japan. It took about 20 years from the original’s release for the copies to come close to matching its quality, and Fender Japan was established in 1982 with the intention of clearly distinguishing the Fender originals from the numerous copy models.
*At our store, we refer to Bass guitars manufactured in Japan during this period as “Samurai Basses.”
Fender Golden Sixties
Now, looking back at Fender’s glorious and rapid rise in the 1960s, we must first go back to 1952 (Showa 27), when an article about the Precision Bass announced by Fender was published in *Music Trade Magazine*. The title was “Portable String Bass,” and it was introduced as producing a louder sound than an acoustic bass, being easy to carry, and less tiring to play.
Then, in 1960, an improved version of the Precision Bass was added to the lineup.
1960 Catalog
The July 12, 1960, issue of the NAMM Daily featured the following introduction to the new product:
“Fender has announced the newly developed Jazz Bass. With two pickups and a new circuit, it delivers a rich low-end sound. The neck is slimmer than that of the Precision Bass,
allowing for flexible control of the high frequencies.”
Blues, which developed in the United States around the 1900s, evolved from the musical dialogue between musicians and gave rise to the form of jazz. As it continued to evolve and mature, by the 1960s, the foundations of modern music had largely been established.
The fusion of European and African music to create new forms is precisely why jazz and blues have achieved global success.
The 1960s can be described as an era in which the electrification of instruments advanced significantly, leading to a dramatic transformation in musical styles.
Fender, founded in 1945, followed up its electric guitar with the release of the electric bass in 1951. It’s easy to see why bass players, who had to carry a double bass while traveling, would shift to a compact instrument capable of producing a loud sound.In the jazz scene of the 1950s and 1960s, the double bass remained the dominant instrument; however, in blues and the emerging rock genres, the trend toward louder sounds gained momentum, and the role of the bass began to evolve. As musical styles changed, the lineup of bass instruments expanded, and in 1960, the Fender Jazz Bass was finally born.
Specifications and Sound by Model and Year
1961 Jazz Bass Stack Knob
| Pickup resistance: | F 6.96 kΩ / R 7.55 kΩ |
| Sense of Bliss: | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
| Temptation Level: | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
| Cost: | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
1961 Jazz Bass Stack Knob
1961 Precision Bass Slab Board
| Pickup Resistance: | 11.15 kΩ |
| Impact: | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
| Potential: | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
| Like button: | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
Fender's Sales Department begins distributing color charts.
1962 Jazz Bass
| Specs changed from 2 Volume/2 Tone to 2 Volume/1 Tone | |
| Aftertaste: | ☆☆☆☆ |
| Presence: | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
| Sharpness: | ☆☆☆☆ |
1962 Precision Bass Slab Fingerboard
| From the following year, 1963, the fingerboard laminate was changed from a slab (flat) construction to a rounded construction. | |
| Pickup Resistance: | 11.09 kΩ |
| Finish: | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
| Body: | ☆☆☆☆ |
| Body: | ☆☆☆☆ |
1962 Precision Bass Slab Board
1962–63 Fender Catalog
1963 Precision Bass
| The serial number on the neck plate starts with "L" | |
| Pickup Resistance: | 11.38 kΩ |
| Reliability: | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
| Performance: | ☆☆☆☆ |
| Condition: | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
1963 BASS VI
| The Bass VI, which was favored by studio musicians of the time and whose sound would go on to be featured on several classic albums, was added to the lineup in 1961. | |
| Dual Nature: | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
| A Fan Favorite: | ☆☆☆☆ |
| A New Sensation: | ☆☆☆☆ |
1963–64 Fender Catalog
1964 Jazz Bass
| The Jazz Bass “OFFSET Contour Body” logo decal was moved to the tip of the headstock. Starting around the end of that year, the position marks changed from clay dots to pearloid, the Precision Bass logo changed to the transition logo, the pickup bobbins changed from black to gray, and the enamel wire changed from dark brown to orange. | |
| Companion Rating: | ☆☆☆☆ |
| How Much I Love It: | ☆☆☆☆ |
| Practicality: | ☆☆☆☆ |
1964-65 Fender Catalog
1965 Jazz Bass CAR
| Fender sold to CBS | |
| Pickup Resistance: | F 3.52 kΩ / R 3.52 kΩ |
| Style: | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
| Attention-grabbing factor: | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
| Aggression: | ☆☆☆☆ |
1965 Jazz Bass CAR
1966 Jazz Bass
| The model on the left still features dot inlays, but neck binding begins to appear, and block inlays are also introduced. Around the middle of this year, the company began manufacturing its own medium-jumbo frets and tuning machines. The tuning machines came in clover and paddle styles, and counter-clockwise winding was discontinued. The Coronado Bass and Mustang Bass were added to the lineup. | |
| Pickup Resistance: | F 4.24 kΩ / R 3.33 kΩ |
| Clarity: | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
| Solidity: | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
| Minor Changes: | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
1966 Jazz Bass
1966 Mustang Bass
| The first bass to feature the oversized logo (CBS logo), it was released with a 30-inch neck scale for children and beginners and quickly took the market by storm. | |
| Charm: | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
| Vibrancy: | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
| Weight: | ☆ |
1965–66 Fender Catalog
1967 Coronado Bass II
| It was produced for only about two years, from 1967 to around 1969. | |
| Uniqueness: | ☆☆☆☆ |
| Cowboy: | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
| Build: | ☆☆ |
1968 Telecaster Bass
| Its deep, rich sound wasn’t highly regarded when it was first released in 1951, but years later, in 1968, it was re-released with specifications nearly identical to those of the original 1951 Precision Bass. | |
| Love at First Sight: | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
| Masculinity: | ☆☆☆☆ |
| Understated Cool: | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
1968 Catalog
1969 Jazz Bass
| The Transition logo was changed to the CBS logo. | |
| Pickup Resistance: | F 3.70 kΩ / R 3.75 kΩ |
| In Good Condition: | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
| Condition: | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
| Style: | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
1969 Jazz Bass
1969 Bass Catalog
2006 Fender Custom Shop
| MBS 60 Jazz Bass NOS Masterbuilt by Dennis Galuszka | |
| Pickup Resistance: | : F 3.72 kΩ / R 3.75 kΩ |
| Finish: | ☆☆☆☆☆ |
| Condition: | ☆☆☆☆ |
| Fresh: | ☆☆☆☆ |
2006 Fender Custom Shop
In 1999, Dennis Galtzka joined Fender not only as a musician but also driven by a passion for instrument making, becoming a member of the Custom Shop. He already possessed the skills of a furniture craftsman, and his track record quickly brought him to prominence. Originally a drummer who performed live, he approached bass making from the perspective of a bass player, and his reputation soared to a global level.This 1960s-spec Jazz Bass, finished according to his interpretation, is currently Fender’s premier Master Builder model.
* Guitar Play: Tsukasa Takahashi
If you’re buying a dream, it’s not too expensive
The 1960s and 1970s saw a steady stream of classic albums; their sound is timeless and unaffected by passing trends. It’s no exaggeration to say that for electric bands, this era represents the origin of the electric bass sound, and that the foundations of modern music were largely established in the 1960s. This is evidenced by the fact that albums from that era continue to sell today and are attracting new fans. That model from that era—the one that musician used… or that specific color. It doesn’t necessarily produce the exact same sound, but it’s about the vibe… and the status, isn’t it?
I’ve heard that Precision Basses cost just under 200,000 yen in Japan back then, and Jazz Basses around 230,000 yen—at a time when a salaried worker’s starting salary was about 30,000 yen, a ride on the Yamanote Line from Shinjuku to Harajuku cost 10 yen, and a bowl of ramen cost 35 yen. It was reportedly after 1977 that these exceptionally expensive instruments began to find their way into the hands of amateur players in Japan.
Beyond the sound and texture unique to instruments made back then, sensory elements like scent add a layer of weight that enhances their vintage value.
The albums I listened to as a boy always bring me a sense of comfort. Becoming a vintage owner may mean more than simply owning an instrument—it might also mean acquiring a piece of that era’s atmosphere. For a Bass player, that’s a luxurious “supreme status.” Even so, why not make it the purchase of a lifetime?