By padgburyman (195.93.34.13 - 195.93.34.13) on Friday, September 20, 2002 - 04:10 pm:

I understand there were appeals, and a reward, posted for the return of James Jamerson's stolen '62 Fender 'P' Bass. Does anyone have any news, or otherwise, of the instrument?

By Steve Litos (209.100.86.4 - 209.100.86.4) on Friday, September 20, 2002 - 06:29 pm:

I believe the reward was an "exchange" for a Fender '62 reissue of the same bass. I saw it on the web. Since the condition of the bass was pretty beat up, it's very possible that the bass was refinished in a different color.
The bass itself has the word "Funk" carved into the heel of the neck and colored in with blue ink. I believe James Jr. might know some other info about the bass, such as serial number.
It may have been stolen for quick cash & whoever has it might not even know that they have it.
Actually, according to "Standing In The Shadows Of Motown" book, I think there are a few other former Jamerson basses out there:
'57 Black Precision
'nother early 60's Sunburst Precision owned before the funk machine
A fretless bass(book doesn't specify what brand)
A Hagstrom 8 string bass
Maybe the publicity from the movie will help find the bass...

By BassLand (63.207.60.230 - 63.207.60.230) on Tuesday, September 24, 2002 - 10:14 am:

Sadly, I doubt that if the other basses still exist the owner may have no idea what he has. The funk machine in particular, I believe, may not even exist in one piece. When it was originally stolen (just before Jamerson's death in 1983) I would guess it ended up in the possesion of someone who did not know the value of the instrument and it would have quickly defaced (paint stripped, decals removed, s/n plate changed) just to hide it from detection maybe even taken apart (due to the proliferation of hard drugs during that era, addicted individuals were stealing a lot things. Even if a drug offender did not take it so many things were going on then).

It has been 19 years since that time and if it were intact and still recognisable, someone would have brought it to light because of it's great historical value. The serial number would have been the first thing to go in an attempt to disguise it's whereabouts (although the Jamerson family has never given the serial number as an identification of that instrument).

I too think the instrument belongs in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, or at least at the disposal of Jamerson's family, but I think it will never happen at this point...

BL