'72 JS I

fronobulax

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See this JS I on eBay. Note the holes in the top/front of the body near where the bridge PU would be. Did a JS I come from the factory with one of those chrome covers like the one that everyone took off of a Gibson EB-0 and some Fenders or did some misguided soul add something like that (which has since been removed)?

I know not to extrapolate too much from a JS II to a JS I. Note the different headstock logo treatment on the sample above which is "factory".
 

hansmoust

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gilded said:
My money is on added holes!

Hey gilded,

Better not make that bet!

JS1_jpg


Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl
 

gilded

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I only bet 25 cents!!

You got the cover in your 'Citizen Kane' sized warehouse of parts??
 

The Guilds of Grot

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Wow Hans, you amaze me every time!

Is that a fretless in your picture?

Do you know any more about the string cover?
 

swamp2

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My JS-1 has no such holes, IIRC it's a '73. Mine also has the chesterfield inlaid headstock, and much different tuners. Far as I know, it's all original.
 

swamp2

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swamp2 said:
My JS-1 has no such holes, IIRC it's a '73. Mine also has the chesterfield inlaid headstock, and much different tuners. Far as I know, it's all original.

Here's a pic...
js1.jpg
 

hieronymous

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Interesting... There was a '71 JS-I at Rumble Seat Music last year that I was tempted by - I didn't realize it at the time, but looking at the pics they sent me, it also had holes for the cover. It's long gone now...
 

hansmoust

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swamp2 said:
My JS-1 has no such holes, IIRC it's a '73. Mine also has the chesterfield inlaid headstock, and much different tuners. Far as I know, it's all original.

Hello swamp2,

I would not be surprised if the later ones didn't have the string cover. I guess they figured out that it wasn't such a good idea after all.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl
 

danerectal

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swamp2 said:
swamp2 said:
My JS-1 has no such holes, IIRC it's a '73. Mine also has the chesterfield inlaid headstock, and much different tuners. Far as I know, it's all original.

Here's a pic...
js1.jpg
I just noticed that you have what appears to be a "bridge" humbucker as discussed earlier. I wonder what the time frame was in which that occurred or if maybe it was another "use what we've got" type thing.
http://www.letstalkguild.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=7325
 

swamp2

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danerectal said:
I just noticed that you have what appears to be a "bridge" humbucker as discussed earlier. I wonder what the time frame was in which that occurred or if maybe it was another "use what we've got" type thing.

Hmmm... I'd never noticed that before. About all I can say is - it's always been that way since I've had it. It was my first bass, bought used in '74 or '75 for a whopping $100.
 

fronobulax

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swamp2 said:
My JS-1 has no such holes, IIRC it's a '73. Mine also has the chesterfield inlaid headstock, and much different tuners. Far as I know, it's all original.

FWIW, there seem to be several variations on JS I's that are all factory as far as I know. There is the JS I that looks like a JS II minus a PU and set of controls. That seems to be what you have. There is the JS I with the string cover. Then there is the JS I that does not have the "Chesterfield" headstock and has the angled "Guild" done in something that gives the letters a yellow-brown color. Not specific to the JS I but there seem to be a couple variations on tuners as well. I forget the brands but the obvious difference is whether the backs are open - gears exposed - or closed - gears hidden. And, now that I understand that it is not trivial to 'flip" the neck pickup, there seem to be examples where a JS II bridge PU was installed as the neck, and only, JS I PU.

Sounds like an awful lot of variations to me. Good thing Grot is not trying to collect them all.
 

swamp2

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FWIW, there seem to be several variations on JS I's that are all factory as far as I know. There is the JS I that looks like a JS II minus a PU and set of controls. That seems to be what you have. There is the JS I with the string cover. Then there is the JS I that does not have the "Chesterfield" headstock and has the angled "Guild" done in something that gives the letters a yellow-brown color. Not specific to the JS I but there seem to be a couple variations on tuners as well. I forget the brands but the obvious difference is whether the backs are open - gears exposed - or closed - gears hidden. And, now that I understand that it is not trivial to 'flip" the neck pickup, there seem to be examples where a JS II bridge PU was installed as the neck, and only, JS I PU.

Sounds like an awful lot of variations to me. Good thing Grot is not trying to collect them all.
Mine has the open tuners. I don't think there's any markings on them that indicate the brand.

Re: the bridge vs neck pickups - I read the earlier referenced thread where it's suggested they're the same other than the ears. I'll just say this - the tone in the "deep" (up) position is HUGE - I play through a 1x15 combo amp w/ a graphic eq in church. I have to run the 2 low bands all the way down, turn the global "low" frequency control all the way down - and it's still too thumpy! Fattest bass tone ever... I end up having to use the "hard" setting.

I don't think they could get away with advertising a "deep-hard" capability in today's politically correct times...

deep_hard.jpg
 
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