Crayon Sky Music

I have a Fender Jazz bass,stamped 5 May 1965.Is it pre CBS buy out?

Well it is in what is called the “Transitional Era”. It essentially means that it was made during the time that Leo Fender management and manufacturing systems was still in place, even though the company had been sold to CBS on the 3rd of January 1965.

CBS didn’t start making changes on the Fender models until 1966 when they started to put the “CBS era” large headstock and other changes after that.

So even though it is manufactured after the buy out, it is still considered a pre-CBS Fender.

www.guitarmatze.com 1965 Fender Stratocaster