Featured 1970's FENDER JAZZ BASS GUITAR - OR VIETNAMESE COPY?

A friend who owns a 2nd hand furniture store found this guitar + 3-4 others in a storage unit he won at auction. I bought this guitar + a Ibanez Musician bass guitar.
The Ibanez was real - it sold in a day on eBay - but after putting this one up I got a message that said this was a Vietnam "serviceman guitar" copy.

Would someone have a real vintage Ibanez Musician & a copy Fender?

Can anyone tell me what I have in this guitar?

Thanks in advance for any info.

 

@all_fakes ?

 

It has a patent number on it that I can't read.
Have you tried to look that up?

 

My first instinct is that it's a knock-off, but it could just be because of the rough / rusty condition. Also, it looks like the Nut (bone colored piece that strings fit in) is chipped off by the headstock at the low and high strings.

Look at the neck plate on the back. It's the metal badge that attaches the neck to the body. I can't tell because of the rust, but there should be a large Fender "f" with a serial number above it. If there is no serial number, it's a fake.

Many a GI bought knock-offs that were made in the Philippines.

 

" I shoulda learned to play that gitarr......"

I'm seeing a lot of differences from those on the web.......just me !

 

Sabre seems to know more that I do about Fender Jazz Basses; I'd trust that bit about checking for the serial number. Even if there is a number, you might want to check it against a list which you can probably find online, to verify that the details match the year that the number would indicate. The patent number is not going to help, as knock-offs would likely have the correct number.
As for

that would be yes, absolutely. Many musicians wouldn't mind having a knock-off - if the price was reasonable and it played OK.

That is a lot of rust - has it been under water? I'd be concerned that the pickup, wiring, and pots might have similar damage.
Even if genuine, that could significantly reduce value, and replacing those with correct vintage parts could be expensive.

 

I'm a drummer but I've been around enough old guitars to believe its a fake - neck inlays, decals, bridge, pickguard, tuners, ...

 

Yes; I play mostly acoustic instruments, but I've seen a lot of electrics, and those details look very questionable to me also - the wear on the pickguard would seem to imply that the "tortoiseshell design" was printed on.

 

I play 6-string electrics, mainly. I noticed that peeling pick guard and those other questionable details as well. The grime on the fretboard says this was well played, but not well taken care of.

At least you sold the Ibanez, Journey.

 

Yes - -and I changed the listing for this to - 1970s Vietnam Serviceman's Guitar; Fender Jazz Bass copy. Hopefully I'll break even

 

It's a fake! I have an all white one that I got in the early 80s, came from the Philippines. Single no name pickup and the decals are the first give away. Mine doesn't have a truss rod to adjust neck tension nor does it have plate on the back with the Fender F.
And it weighs a ton! Too heavy to strap up and play standing on your feet for a while!

 

Thanks - it sold. I got my money back while telling it was a copy; the guy wanted it for his collection (if I remember right); anything Fender - even a vietnam knock off!