1972 FENDER JAZZ BASS
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In 1972 Fender introduced a black plastic gasket underneath the 4 bolt F Series neck plate.
Other 1972 Jazz bass characteristics: Large two piece "C" logo including four individual patent numbers and an ® mark applied under the finish, string tree, Fender name imprinted clover tuners with no rivet and sometimes with an ® mark, rosewood fretboard or one piece maple neck with skunk stripe, white or black plastic neck binding, pearloid or black block inlay fret markers, medium jumbo fret wire, neck butt date etc. ink stamps, fifth hole on neck butt for hanging while painting, body nail holes (for paint drying), neck pocket paint stick etc., extra body hole in neck pocket for hanging while painting, tortoise shell/white/black/white vinyl pickguard or white/black/white vinyl pickguard on custom colors, thumb rest under G string, date ink stamped grey bobbin pickups, ground shields under pickups, chrome pickup cover and bridge cover with foam rubber string mute, heptagonal shaped knobs, CTS or Stackpole potentiometers, ground shield under pots assembly, small silver with red stripe or round yellow tone capacitor, plastic wiring, oval ground wire route underneath bridge, single groove bridge saddles (often with longer G string intonation screw), black tolex case with silver plastic fish logo.
Serial numbers ranged from roughly 328000 to 370000 although there are many overlapping exceptions. For more precise dating, cross reference the serial number with the instrument's neck butt date, pickup stamp and potentiometer codes.