The Electra Forums

So I was recently given this Fender Jazz Bass look-alike. It's in pretty bad condition and it's going to need some repairs for me to even get any sound out of it. I was hoping that someone could idenitfy it for me and tell me if it's even worth fixing. So far it looks like I need a new nut, bridge, and strings. Here are some pictures:

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b84/B ... ss/MIJ.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b84/B ... s/Head.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b84/B ... llView.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b84/B ... s/Body.jpg

Thanks in advance.

ah yes...

I had a PBass copy that had the same mechanical/electrical parts.

I believe yours to be of the same vintage ('71-'72) but have not seen a SLM catalogue from that early to be able to verify if it was SLM or PCM. the chrome single coil pickups and chrome truss rod cover combination I have only seen on a few branded basses. Electra, Ventura, and Matao. I do believe them to be early Matsumoku, but no way to really verify...

what is the scale length? mine had a 33.5" scale. I had a (believed to be) PCM jass copy, and it was a 30" scale...

I have not seen a jazz version up until now. thanks for the pics!

AS far as to worth of fixing up, I would say it is, as long as the neck is still straight. I had really good sound from my pickups, and I had replaced the bridge, and the pots.

one thing that was interesting on mine, was the lack of fret marker dots on the side of the neck....

If you do decide to pass on fixing it up, please let me know, as I have a soft spot for the old Electra jazz copies....

I ended up selling my Pbass copy to support my R-bass copy habit

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My Electra Pages
I have too many projects!

Hey, thanks for the reply. The scale length seems to be 33.5-34". It's hard to tell since the saddles are busted. Like yours, this one lacks the fret markers on the side as well.

I'm really excited about it if it's like you say. So far you're the most reliable source I have. I have yet to see what I can do with it, but I'll definitely get back to you if I'm forced to pass up the chance. I'm rather intrigued now about vintage basses. I've been reading up on everything that I can find. I wasn't able to find what PCM and SLM stand for though. Care to enlighten me please?

i don't know much about basses... but it looks like the 2271 sunburst to me.... as for a catalog, i have sent the site a copy of my c1972 catalog on at least three occasions and other than use clips out of it for guitars that actual photos are not available, the powers that be have chosen not to display it in its entirety....

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Live Better Electra-ly
http://www.therathole.org/leia/visitors_axes/leia/leia.html

on that note- Leia is mostly 200% correct, except it's negligence, not choice. I'm not saying this to beat myself up over it, but I have a bunch of scans from leia and a mot more and I'm way behind. REason I'm saying this, is don't get the idea that I'd want to hoard or dole out this stuff. We should all have as much of it as possible.

Truth is, I got caught up in building the new model pages. And it's working, we already have woderful new contributions to endorser and other pages.

Ok, that's it. I'm staying up till dawn, and posting as much of this stuff as I can. Truth is, I jsut recently found where I'd misplaced it. Sheesh. Yet another reason to post this stuff, get it out there, preserved. I'll post announcements as stuff goes up, and it's going to be all positive, but make no mistake, I'm way way tardy in getting this stuff and I do apologize- and I'm grateful for Leia for the deserved prod to get this done.

Sorry to hijack the thread, but oh well. Nice axe, btw.

i knew i could goad you into getting to that stuff sooner or later

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Live Better Electra-ly
http://www.therathole.org/leia/visitors_axes/leia/leia.html

all of the 2271 models I have had and seen up to this point (before this one) all had rectangular pickups. This is the first old jazz I've seen with the round E style logo. and this one is identical except for body shape to the pbass copy I had... but there are no pbass copies in the early catalogs....

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My Electra Pages
I have too many projects!

That's what I first noticed as well and why I don't believe it to be a 2271 either.

I see enough variation in which logo was used that I wouldn't take it as an indication of a different model.

well... like i said... i don't know didly about basses

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Live Better Electra-ly
http://www.therathole.org/leia/visitors_axes/leia/leia.html

agreed. I think it's an earlier version of the 2271, or possibly a similar time frame 2271, just from a different manufacturer. my pbass had the black logo, where this one is gold...

_________________
My Electra Pages
I have too many projects!

Actually, this one's mother of pearl.

MOP- actually it's punched out of MOP plastic sheet, placed on the headstock, and varnished over- I have one with the finish coming off, you'd never imagine that deep beautiful logo is actually paperthin. And no wonder- much less expensive to produce than actually inlaying into the wood.

The metal truss rod cover is the same as Crown and some Electra thinlines- I make this as Hoshino distributed and therefore SLM, and not PCM- all the PCM's I've seen had Kasuga or Aria-like details that suggest PCM was ordering only from Arai, while SLM was ordering from Arai and Hoshino.

NOt that I'd ask you to diassemble your bass, but if you ever do, please take detailed picutres- the inside of the control cavity, the back of the pickups, the shape of the rout and the way the shielding foil (if any) is applied- these are all clues that help us identify where these insturments came from. That model bass in particular seems significant from what mcbrat has shown us, and yours is a great example.

Yeah, taking a closer look now, the MOP is like you say. Disappointing.

I'll definitely let you know if I take the apart as I am interested in found out more about it as well.

I'd still like to know, what's PCM and SLM?

Also, one of the guys on the Matsumoku forums thinks it might be Fujigen-made and not Matsumoku.