Fender James Jamerson 1962 Precision Bass

Fender James Jamerson 1962 Precision Bass

James Jamerson is arguably the most influential bassist in the history of popular music. Jamerson transformed the bass into a melodic, rhythmic, and emotional force — a lead instrument hiding in the low end. Playing almost exclusively with one finger (his index, which he called "The Hook"), he laid down the harmonic and rhythmic foundation beneath an extraordinary run of Motown hits throughout the 1960s, influencing virtually every bassist who followed: Paul McCartney, Marcus Miller, John Entwistle, Geddy Lee — the list reads like a hall of fame. His instrument of choice was a 1962 Fender Precision Bass, and that bass became inseparable from the sound he created.

This James Jamerson 1962 Precision Bass is a meticulous, era-correct celebration of that instrument. The alder body wears a genuine Heirloom™ Nitrocellulose Lacquer finish that breathes and ages the way the original did, paired with a maple neck in Jamerson's signature 1962 "C" shape — finished in matching nitro and featuring a slab rosewood fingerboard with authentic clay dot inlays and vintage tall frets. The bone nut, Pure Vintage reverse open-gear tuners, and 5-screw vintage-style bridge mounting are all period-correct details that matter. A custom-voiced James Jamerson '62 Split Single-Coil pickup delivers the tone that anchored the Motown hit factory, and the bass ships strung with La Bella flatwounds — the closest living connection to the strings Jamerson himself played. Chrome bridge and pickup covers, a 4-ply tortoiseshell pickguard, and aged nickel hardware complete an instrument that looks, feels, and sounds exactly as it should.

If you've ever wanted to understand where modern bass playing came from, this is where you start.

Specifications

• Body: Alder, Solid Body, Precision Bass® shape
• Body Finish: Heirloom™ Nitrocellulose Lacquer
• Neck: Maple, James Jamerson 1962 "C" shape, Heirloom™ Nitrocellulose Lacquer finish
• Neck Construction: 4-bolt
• Fingerboard: Slab Rosewood, 7.25" (184.1mm) radius
• Frets: 20, Vintage Tall
• Position Inlays: Clay Dot
• Side Dots: Vintage Clay
• Nut: Bone, 1.70" (43.2mm)
• Truss Rod: Vintage-Style Butt Adjust
• Scale Length: 34" (864mm)
• Headstock: Original Precision Bass® shape
• Pickup: James Jamerson '62 Split Single-Coil Precision Bass®
• Pickup Configuration: Single (S)
• Controls: Master Volume, Master Tone
• Bridge: Pure Vintage 4-Saddle with Threaded Steel Saddles, 5-Screw Vintage-Style mounting
• Hardware Finish: Heirloom™ Nickel/Chrome
• Tuning Machines: Pure Vintage Reverse Open-Gear
• Pickguard: 4-Ply Tortoiseshell
• Pickup Cover: Black
• Bridge Cover: Chrome (included)
• String Trees: Vintage-Style Disc
• Strap Buttons: Vintage-Style
• Strings: La Bella Flatwounds .052–.110