ORIGINALLY PRODUCED: 1960-62

ORIGIN: USA

TYPE: Solidbody, passive 4-string

BODY: Ash, offset-waist twin cutaway

NECK: Maple, bolt-on, medium frets

SCALE LENGTH: 864mm (34-inch)

FINGERBOARD: Rosewood, dot inlays

HARDWARE: Chrome, 4-saddle raised-tail bridge

PICKUPS: Two single-coil, 8-poles apiece

CONTROLS: Volume & tone for each pickup from dual concentric controls

FEATURES: Controls and jack socket on chrome-plated ‘bell’ plate, two cover plates, muting rubber block stuck underneath bridge cover plate

FINISHES: Sunburst and custom colours with matching headstock

COMMENTS: This was the first version of the amazing Jazz Bass that was advertised initially as ‘the long awaited two pickup Precision’ however it was hardly that, in fact it was something quite unique.

Fender were already experimenting with offset bodies for the Jazzmaster but as horns gave basses much better instrument balance the Jazz Bass had them, thus giving it a look all of its own.

Although the dual concentric controls gave tremendous volume and tonal blending opportunities the components of the time were not up to the task and were notoriously unreliable, so were dropped in 1962 for the three-control version.