We at Truetone Music are always looking to come up with something you haven't seen before, especially when in partnership with Fender. For this take on an early 60's Jazz Bass, we went a step further - going to the Custom Shop in Corona, CA to hand select the wood for an exclusive run of instruments. We were escorted into the wood vault, to go through their finest collection of wood spreads. From that, we designed a batch of 15 guitars & basses that are all one of a kind. Within that, there is only one Koa Jazz Bass, and this is it.
We are excited to present this bass - and before we say anything else, we'll pause here so that you can check out the photos.
The first thing that will catch anyone's attention is the body. That's Roasted Alder with a gorgeous AAAA Flamed Koa top, specifically by Truetone's co-owner/CEO while on a visit to Fender. You don't see many Koa topped Jazz basses, and certainly not like this one. We were thrilled with the grain on the piece selected.
We wanted to do something "different" with the neck, so we created this bass to have a Roasted Quartersawn Maple. You'll notice that there isn't a fretboard (just a one-piece maple neck), which of course is quite the departure from a normal 60's Jazz Bass. Over the years, a lot of players have gravitated towards the snap and brilliant tone that maple offers on a Jazz Bass - this fulfills that desire in the best of ways. The tint that's acheived through the roasting process matches the body perfectly. It's also super comfrotable to play, with the 60's C profile being slim but with enough of a grip to retain the vintage feel. A 9.5" radius and 6105 (Narrow Tall) frets make it even more player friendly. The finishing touch would be the abolone dots, which look brilliant, as well as the unroasted maple skunk stripe on the back of the neck.
In terms of sound, we went old school, but this is a versatile bass. The Custom Shop 60 Jazz Bass pickups sound thick and powerful, but can also sizzle when needed. They are very well balanced. We found them to be suitable for a variety of styles - so whether you're laying down slap lines with a funk bank, sitting back in a reggae groove, or getting heavy in a rock setting, this bass will handle it.
Another modernized feature we included is the High Mass bridge. This was developed by Fender some years ago, due to inability to get consistent supply of one of the most popular bass bridges (the Leo Quan Badass). This is a favorite of ours and we try to put it on every Custom Shop bass that we do that doesn't need to be "period correct". As the name implies, it has a higher mass content than a vintage style bridge, which helps to improve tone. It adds sustain, resonance and attack without significantly altering your tone. The brass baseplate and machined saddles impart warm, authentic vintage-style tone with .75" string spacing for a familiar playing feel.
Other unique features include a silver anodized pickguard, modern USA Deluxetuners and a bone nut. The added bonus is the chrome logo, which matches perfectly. The bass comes with a Custom Shop Deluxe black case, certificate of authenticity, and strap.
We haven't seen a Jazz Bass in Koa like this before - it's truly stunning. We picked the coolest looking piece Fender had at the time, which was earmarked specifically for this bass. Come to Truetone Music to experience it today, or make it yours right here. Remember, only one was made, and once it's gone, it's gone for good.
- Serial # CZ584327
- Weight: 9.0 lbs
- Model# 9231015914
- Finish Package: NOS
- Finish: Nitro Cellulose Lacquer
- Color: Natural
- Body: Roasted Alder
- Top: AAAA Flame Koa - Highly Figured
- Neck: Roasted Quartersawn Maple
- Neck Shape: 60's Oval C
- Neck Nut Width: 1.500"
- Neck Thickness at 1st Fret: .820"
- Neck Thickness at 12th Fret: .910"
- Neck Butt Width: 2.50"
- Frets: 20
- Fretwire: 6105 Narrow Tall
- Radius: 9.50"
- Dots: Abalone
- Pickguard: Silver Anodized
- Pickups: Custom Shop 60 Jazz Bass
- Bone Nut
- Hardware: Nickel/Chrome
- Tuners: Fender Deluxe
- Bridge: High Mass IV
- Neck Plate: V Logo
- Decal: US Deluxe Jazz Bass Chrome
- Case: Custom Shop Black
