Launch and Early Design
Fender introduced the Jazz Bass in 1960 as a higher-end companion to the Precision Bass, featuring a contoured alder body, 34-inch scale, and two split-coil pickups wired to individual volume controls plus a master tone knob.
1960s Refinements
By 1962 the model adopted a bound rosewood fingerboard and pearloid block inlays; the bridge pickup was repositioned slightly closer to the bridge in 1964, sharpening attack while the neck pickup retained its fuller character.
Artist Adoption
Jaco Pastorius removed the frets from his 1962 Jazz Bass in 1970 to create the first widely heard fretless model, while Geddy Lee and Marcus Miller popularized active electronics and custom finishes on later American series instruments.
