(SOLD) Fender Japan TLB-72 Telecaster Bass Black JV Serial 1983
Fender Japan Telecaster Bass, black, made in Japan 1983. This is a truly unusual bass, it's certainly not one you see everyday. First up, it's a JV serial example: the JV guitars were the first Fender instruments produced outside USA, right in the middle of Fender's top-to-bottom reinvention under the likes of Dan Smith and co, made at the excellent Fujigen Gakki, near Mt Fuji in Japan, from 1982-4. The build quality on these very early MIJ models blew everyone away at the time: they were better than what Fullerton had managed for many years. This has the kind of neck that fellow enthusiasts will expect: it just feels magic in the hands, it has the JV *thing*. Now, it's not just a JV, it's a Telecaster Bass, which is nowhere to be seen in the relevant catalogs. Digging around shows up a couple of other 1983 examples of the model, but heck: the production numbers can't be high. The 'Telecaster Bass' was Fender's first ever reissued model, released in 1968 and harking back to the 1951 version of the Precision Bass, with a slab style body, maple neck and fretboard and a skinny single coil in the middle. This model references the 1972 version, packing a thick juicy humbucker designed by Gibson-alumni Seth Lover. The pickup on deck seems to be a NOS example from the original 1972-9 USA production of this version of the model. It feels fantastic: superb neck, extremely resonant, great fit and finish... it's very alive in the hands. The tone on offer is dark, dirty, thick and thumpy, with heaps of attack, rounded weighty lows, warm gooey mids, understated highs. It's absolutely perfect for doom/stoner/psych style stuff, as it's got this enormous fundamental note. It's pretty fair to expect that this will be only example of this model we ever get, so you get one shot. Pew pew.
Model: Fender Japan TLB-72 Telecaster Bass
Made: Japan, neck date 25 Nov 1983
Serial: JV80207
Finish: black, gloss poly
Body: ash
Neck: maple, maple board, 34" scale, 7.25" radius, 42mm nut, vintage C shape
Weight: 4.205kg
Mods: output jack and tone capacitor replaced
Pickups: Fender USA NOS mudbucker
Accessories: non-original new hard case
Cosmetic Condition Notes: The headstock has scuffs and dimples on the end and scuffs on the bottom edge. The neck is clean and smooth in the hands, minor dimples on the back only. The back has a little bald patch on the top horn, dimples along the top side and back edge and widespread light scuffs around the whole body. The sides have dimples on the top horn and elbow area, dimples and scuffs near the jack and a scuff on the bottom horn. The front has dimples in the elbow area and around the bridge, scuffs near the knobs and some normal play wear on the guard and horns.
Overall: Very Good Condition (8/10)
Playing Condition Notes: Action is low, neck is straight, intonation is good, truss rod works. All electronics tested and working properly. Wearing fresh 45/105 Moonshiners strings.
Fret Life: 7/10, minor wear only, pretty even in height