Fender Japan JBV-950 fretless

[Piem]

Hi fellow thumper,
just got my hand on a nice MIJ Fender 5-string fretless from around 1988. Couldn’t find anything online. Seems to be a rare as hell axe. Maybe one of you guys can help me out with some information. Highly appreciated!!

 

[Runnerman]

Would help to see pics and know what specific information you are looking for.

 

[Piem]

Gotcha! Btw, it’s an active bass with a bartolini preamp. It plays like cream and sounds killer. Awesome looks as well.

 

[Piem]

Interesting for me to know would be if anyone ever experienced playing one. Also I‘d like to specify the exact year of manufacturing. Its number goes: H003333.

 

[Runnerman]

The serial number dates it to 1988-1989.

Here's a fretted 5 string version that sold in the classifieds a couple years back...
SOLD - PRICE DROP Fende.r JBV-950 (AKA JBV-100) 5-String Jazz Bass Made in Japan

Here's one on ebay, a 4 string fretted, but different tuners and not a matching headstock like yours...
Used! Fender Japan JBR-800 Vintage Active Jazz Bass Ash Made in Japan 1989-90 | eBay

Seems these were Japanese market basses and don't look all that common.
Congrats on yours.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Gotcha! Btw, it’s an active bass with a bartolini preamp. It plays like cream and sounds killer. Awesome looks as well.

That looks like a really cool find.

 

[Piem]

Wow, the guy in the advert offered it for only $650. That‘s a steal, I‘d say. The bass feels unusual light for a JB. So it, being made for the Japanese market, makes sense in way.
Thanks for your input.

 

[MattC99]

I have the fretted version of this. Serial # indicates '85-'86. Someone put bartolini pups and preamp in it before me. Preamp was messed up, replaced it with Bart 3 band system. Got ahold of Bartolini, evidence suggests the pups are a pair of sn unkowm number of one-offs spun by the man Bill himself. Sick bass, someone loved it before me and I've been playing the snot out of it for the last 5 years since I had it.

 

[eastcoasteddie]

Really cool!
In the Classified ad above, he posted a page from the Fender Japan catalog, and it doesn’t seem to mention a Fretless model. Is it possible this one has been converted?

This would be the first-ever Fretless 5 that I have ever seen that would have come from any Fender factory.

 

[eastcoasteddie]

Really cool!
In the Classified ad above, he posted a page from the Fender Japan catalog, and it doesn’t seem to mention a Fretless model. Is it possible this one has been converted?

This would be the first-ever Fretless 5 that I have ever seen that would have come from any Fender factory.

Though I found another Fretless:
https://www.tutti.ch/de/vi/basel/mu...ass-jbv-950-mbr-r-5-strings-fretless/55858739

Could be the real thing…