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Fender American Vintage II 1966 Jazz Bass - 3-color Sunburst

4-string Electric Bass, with Alder Body, Maple Neck, Rosewood Fingerboard, and 2 Single-coil Pickups - 3-color Sunburst
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Fender American Vintage II 1966 Jazz Bass - 3-color Sunburst
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The 1966 Jazz Bass Returns!

When you take an American Vintage II 1966 Jazz Bass for a test drive, you’ll be impressed by its vintage tone and outstanding playability. A member of Fender’s American Vintage II series, the bass consists of period-accurate components that perfectly mirror those found on a real-deal ’66 J-Bass. This 4-string bass features an offset, contoured alder body and a super comfortable “U”-shaped maple neck. It comes loaded with two Pure Vintage ’66 single-coil J-Bass pickups that perfectly reproduce the biting thump of that model year. Other Sweetwater-approved vintage features include the 7.25-inch round-laminated rosewood board, fingerboard binding, 4-saddle bridge, and “lollipop” tuning keys. There’s a lot to like about the Fender American Vintage II 1966 Jazz Bass, and we’re just scratching the surface.

American Vintage II: more realistic reproductions than ever before

Experience the magic of “Golden Era” axes with Fender’s American Vintage II Series! The series offers painstaking re-creations of year-specific guitars and basses from Fender’s vaunted instrument production history. Each American Vintage II Series instrument features period-accurate features and construction, from tonewood pairings and pickups to body shapes and neck profiles. Even the wiring schemes and fingerboard profiles are exactly as they were decades ago! You’ll find your new favorite axe in the all-new American Vintage II Series.

Pure Vintage pickups deliver iconic tones

Fender knows how important vintage J-Bass tone is to you. So, their most accomplished pickup designers created the Pure Vintage ’66 pickups and loaded them into this axe’s period-accurate pickguard. Pure Vintage ’66 pickups are carefully voiced to encapsulate the tone and spirit of the 1966 Jazz Basses. This isn’t a reproduction of a general ‘60s-style pickup. Instead, each time you plug into your American Vintage II 1966 Jazz Bass, you get the exact tone and responsiveness of a genuine ’66 Jazz Bass.

Plays and feels like a classic

The American Vintage II 1966 Jazz Bass comes with a “U”-shaped maple neck topped by a 7.25-inch radius round-laminated rosewood fingerboard — a standard cost-saving practice at the time. The neck’s profile rests securely in your hand, providing a solid and stable feel. Vintage bass lovers will love playing the 20 Narrow Tall frets! Whether you stand or sit, the comfortable offset J-Bass body’s alder construction provides a well-balanced and comfortable playing feel. Players who love old-school Fender sound and feel will enjoy playing the Fender American Vintage II 1966 Jazz Bass.

Fender American Vintage II 1966 Jazz Bass Features:

  • A stunning, period-accurate re-creation of a 1966 Jazz Bass
  • Dual Pure Vintage ’66 Jazz Bass pickups pump out classic thump and bite
  • Alder body offers a comfortable and lightweight playing platform
  • Classic 2 volume and 1 tone control layout provides plenty of tonal versatility
  • “U”-shaped maple neck rests securely in your hands
  • Round-laminated rosewood neck and 20 Vintage Tall frets offer a slick playing surface
  • Neck binding, butt-end truss rod adjustment, and “lollipop” tuning keys add a classic late ’60s touch

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Tech Specs

  • Number of Strings: 4
  • Left-/Right-handed: Right-handed
  • Body Shape: Jazz
  • Body Material: Alder
  • Body Finish: Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer
  • Color: 3-color Sunburst
  • Neck Material: Maple
  • Neck Shape: 1966 U
  • Neck Joint: Bolt-on
  • Radius: 7.25"
  • Fingerboard Material: Rosewood
  • Fingerboard Inlay: White Dots
  • Number of Frets: 20, Vintage Tall
  • Scale Length: 34"
  • Nut Width: 1.5"
  • Nut Material: Bone
  • Bridge/Tailpiece: 4-saddle American Vintage Bass with Treaded Steel Barrel Saddles
  • Tuners: Vintage Style Lollipop
  • Middle Pickup: Pure Vintage '66 Single-coil Jazz Bass
  • Bridge Pickup: Pure Vintage '66 Single-coil Jazz Bass
  • Controls: 2 x volume, 1 x master tone
  • Strings: Fender, .045-.105
  • Case/Gig Bag: Hardshell Case
  • Manufacturer Part Number: 0190170800

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Customer Reviews

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Rated 5/5

1966 revisited

This American Vintage II Jazz Bass is a wonderful instrument that took me back to the wonderful time of music I've been stuck in ever since. It's my first experience with a period instrument, and I love it. This is a bass that will not disappoint anyone looking to purchase a jazz bass. Well done Fender.
Music background: 57 year dedicated advanced amateur
Rated 3.5/5

Excellent besides a few quality control issues.

When Fender announced the American Vintage II 66 Jazz Bass I was beyond excited. The 66 Jazz bass in sunburst has been my dream bass. And this met expectations in many ways. The vintage specs, the set up, the sound, the weight, the resonance, it's an excellent instrument. I also love the finish, but it had flaws right out of the case. Around the edges of the instrument in a few places is these scratches that were seemingly made in the factory process (see attached picture with ref circle) As well as how the red part of the burst may seep through the black in a few spots, (see attached picture with purple circle) and in a few minor spots there is tiny dots of different colored paint in the wrong place (see attached picture with green circle) so overall I do love this bass, but be wary of these quality control issues coming from the fender factory, perhaps taking a look at the instrument itself in person in detail before purchasing.
Rated 5/5

Amazing bass

I was very surprised With the light weight and good, factory set up. It plays great and sounds amazing. This is the best fender product I have ever owned, and I have owned a lot of them. It is also a nice touch to get the ash trays and a made in the USA case. A ton of bass for the price.

It’s impossible to imagine a world without Fender guitars, and if you’re like many of the guitarists at Sweetwater, then Fender not only made the first guitar you ever bought " they made the last one too! From building the first mass-produced solidbody electric guitars and basses in the 1950s to creating some of the most influential amplifier designs in history, it’s no wonder why Fender is one of the biggest names in the business. As one of the world’s largest Fender dealers, we have countless guitars, basses, amps, effects pedals, and accessories in stock and ready to ship, whenever you need them. We’re always getting our hands on their latest creations, and there’s nothing we love more than to tell our customers all about them! So, whether you’re looking for your first axe or a Custom Shop creation, make sure to give your Sweetwater Sales Engineer a call at (800) 222-4700.

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