Twenty-three Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles. Fifty-six R&B chart-toppers. Nearly every Motown hit recorded between 1959 and 1972. James Jamerson played on all of them with a single 1962 Fender Precision Bass he called “The Funk Machine.”
Fender has now released the James Jamerson 1962 Precision Bass, an era-correct recreation of that instrument. Priced at $2,999.99 and available now, the bass arrives during the 75th anniversary of the Precision Bass platform, making the timing deliberate: the most iconic P-Bass player finally gets a signature model tied to the instrument’s diamond jubilee.
An Era-Correct ’62 Down to the Foam Mute
Fender built this bass as a period recreation, not a modernized signature with the artist’s name on it. The alder body wears a 3-Tone Sunburst finished in Heirloom nitrocellulose lacquer, a formula Fender says will develop checking and patina over time the same way Jamerson’s original did across two decades of daily studio use.
The bolt-on maple neck carries a 1962 “C” profile paired with a slab rosewood fingerboard. That slab board is significant: Fender switched from slab to veneer rosewood in mid-1963, and the distinction matters to vintage P-Bass collectors who consider the slab era the tonal sweet spot. The fingerboard radius is a vintage 7.25 inches with 20 vintage tall frets and clay dot inlays. The nut is bone.
Hardware follows the period spec: Pure Vintage reverse open-gear tuning machines, a 4-saddle vintage bridge with threaded steel saddles, and chrome pickup and bridge covers. The pickguard is 4-ply tortoiseshell.
One detail that will please Jamerson devotees: the bass ships with La Bella Stainless Steel Flatwound strings (.052 to .110) and a foam mute for the bridge area. Jamerson famously never changed his strings. Legend says the same set of La Bella flats stayed on The Funk Machine for years, accumulating grime that contributed to his signature dark, thumpy tone. The foam mute replicates the dampening technique common in ’60s Motown recording sessions.
The Custom ’62 Pickup
The heart of the instrument is a custom James Jamerson ’62 Precision Bass split single-coil pickup. Fender’s Chief Product Officer Justin Norvell described the design philosophy: “Jamerson is the reason the bass is what it is today. His 1962 Precision Bass wasn’t just an instrument, it was the heartbeat of an era.”
The pickup promises “enough lush, low end for any band” while retaining “enough definition and punch so that fills, runs and embellishments won’t go unnoticed,” according to Fender’s spec sheet. Controls are simple: one master volume knob, one master tone knob. Jamerson himself reportedly never touched his controls during sessions. Everything stayed on 10.
Why Jamerson Still Matters to Every Bassist
For players who know Jamerson only by reputation, the numbers tell the story. Bass Player magazine ranked him #1 on its “100 Greatest Bass Players” list, calling him “the most important and influential bass guitarist” in the instrument’s history. His lines on “My Girl” (The Temptations), “What’s Going On” (Marvin Gaye), “Bernadette” (Four Tops), and “For Once in My Life” (Stevie Wonder) defined what a bass part could be: melodic, rhythmic, and harmonically adventurous all at once.
Born in 1936 in Edisto Island, South Carolina, Jamerson moved to Detroit at 18 and taught himself electric bass. By 1959 he was the house bassist at Motown’s Hitsville U.S.A. studio as a founding member of the Funk Brothers, the label’s uncredited backing band. He played on virtually every Motown session for over a decade, yet received almost no public credit until the 2002 documentary Standing in the Shadows of Motown brought the Funk Brothers’ contributions to wider attention.
Paul McCartney once called Jamerson “my hero.” His influence runs through Geddy Lee, Marcus Miller, Pino Palladino, Jaco Pastorius, and essentially every modern bassist who treats the instrument as more than root notes. Grammy-winning bassist and producer Raphael Saadiq put it directly: “From R&B, to Rock, to Jazz, Country and Reggae music… everyone owes a debt to James Jamerson.”
Family Blessing and What’s in the Box
The release carries the endorsement of Jamerson’s family. His widow, Annie Jamerson, said: “I am excited and happy. I hope you feel the funk and let the music play on!”
The bass ships with a brown vintage-style hardshell case with orange interior lining, a custom Certificate of Authenticity, and a commemorative booklet documenting Jamerson’s legacy.
Specs at a Glance
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Body | Alder, Heirloom nitrocellulose lacquer |
| Finish | 3-Tone Sunburst |
| Neck | Maple, 1962 “C” profile |
| Fingerboard | Slab rosewood, 7.25″ radius |
| Frets | 20 vintage tall |
| Nut | Bone |
| Pickup | Custom James Jamerson ’62 Split Single-Coil |
| Bridge | Pure Vintage 4-saddle, threaded steel |
| Tuners | Pure Vintage reverse open-gear |
| Strings | La Bella Stainless Steel Flatwounds (.052-.110) |
| Scale | 34″ |
| Case | Brown vintage-style with orange lining |
| Price | $2,999.99 USD |
Who This Bass Is For
At $2,999.99, the James Jamerson 1962 Precision Bass sits in Fender’s upper tier: above the American Professional series but below Custom Shop territory. Players looking for a period-correct early-’60s P-Bass experience with modern quality control will find a lot to like here. The Heirloom nitro finish, slab rosewood board, and La Bella flats combine to deliver a vintage tonal character that modern polyester-finished basses cannot replicate.
For working bassists who want the Motown thump on gigs and sessions, this is as close as Fender gets to the real thing without raiding a vintage shop. The bass is available now through authorized Fender dealers.