Fender Announces Jaco Pastorius Jazz Bass®

July 24, 1999 -- With an unprecedented approach to the electric bass, Jaco Pastorius took the technique of using false harmonics as a melodic device and revolutionized the world for an entire generation of bass players that would follow in his wake. In his own unique fashion, Jaco came to personify fusion music itself, turning rock audiences on to new music by providing the links between Jimi Hendrix and John Coltrane, Duke Ellington and Charlie Parker, Bob Marley and James Brown, Johann Sebastian Bach and the Beatles. And he did it all with his Fender Jazz Bass.

To commemorate the influence Jaco has had on bass players worldwide, Fender presents the Jaco Pastorius Jazz Bass. This is a faithful replication of the favored Fender bass in Jaco's trusty arsenal, which he used for touring with his dynamic jazz lineup Weather Report, and in the studio with artists such as Joni Mitchell. Every detail of Jaco's bass has been incorporated into this new Artist Signature guitar, which will be produced at Fender's state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Corona, California.

The Jaco Pastorius Jazz Bass features a '62 style Jazz Bass body with a 3-Color Sunburst finish, special neck shape, P-Bass(R) knobs, and comes with a brown Tolex(R) Fender case, strap and a cable. True to Jaco's preference, the pickguard comes as a separate piece, included in the case. And for the absolute "Jaco" enthusiast, Fender offers a fretless version with a clear-finish coated fingerboard and fretline markers. U.S. MSRP is $1,799.99 with frets, and $1,849.00 for the fretless model.

For more information, visit Fender's web site at www.fender.com.