1962 FENDER JAZZ BASS
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During the year a big change occurred in the string muting system. (Sometime after June) the individual string mutes were discontinued. String muting changed to a single glued on strip of foam rubber located on the underside of the chrome bridge cover. This method omitted any screws/holes for mutes in the body. By March the neck butt pencil date changed to an ink stamp date. By August Fender had phased out the rosewood slab fretboard in favor of the thinner curved radius rosewood fretboard. By late year the neck pocket painting stick method was introduced, which left marks in the neck pocket. Before then, there were no paint stick markings in the neck pocket.
Other 1962 Jazz bass characteristics: one piece logo including four individual patent numbers applied on top of the finish, Kluson no-name riveted clover reverse tuners, strapholder on headstock back (almost always, but we've seen rare exceptions), clay dot fret markers, fifth hole on neck butt for hanging while painting, body nail holes (for painting/drying), tortoise shell/white/black/white pickguard or white/black/white nitrocellulose pickguard, thumb rest under G string, black or grey bobbin pickups, pickup cavity pencil date, ground shields under pickups, small panhead shaped fastening screws on chrome bridge/pickup covers and on pots assembly plate, three heptagonal shaped knobs, CTS or Stackpole potentiometers, ground shield under pots assembly, round orange tone capacitor, cloth wiring, input jack, exposed bridge ground wire, coarse threaded bridge saddles, light brown tolex case with orange interior.
Serial numbers ranged from roughly 72000 to 93000, although there are many overlapping exceptions. For more precise dating, cross reference the neckplate serial number with the instrument's neck butt date, body date and potentiometer codes.