Question Is this a replacement neck?

[smurfco]

Hello, proud owner of three music man instruments. Including this sterling I just picked up used. It was sold to me as a 1993 model, and the body stamp confirms that. But I’m a little confused about the neck.

Take a look at the pictures, it looks like it says 12-22 and then lighter (and in bigger numbers)’it says 97. Does that mean it is a 97 neck on a 93 body? Or could the penciled markings mean something else? It’s odd that it looks like the 97 is lighter and in different handwriting almost. There is also M.M written, and a J stamp.

It’s a great bass either way but would love to know if it’s possible this is the original neck or if it is likely a replacement. Thanks!

 

[Bert]

Does that mean it is a 97 neck on a 93 body?

Post a pic of the bridge. Does it have the mutes?

Check the serial number for more details:
serial-number-database

 

[smurfco]

I will post a pic of the bridge when I get a chance - but yes, it does have the foam mutes. I ran the serial number (which is also stamped into the bridge metal) and it returns July 1993 - but that could just be for the body.

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

Are you sure the body date reads "97". I can't make out whether the "7" is actually a "7" or a badly written "2".

 

[smurfco]

It could be a 2 for sure, that would make more sense...

 

[racerx]

Could you post more pictures of the neck? Maybe one of the guys can pick something off based on the logo/hardware. To me the last digit looks like a 7 and not a 2 based on the previous 2s used on the date. Likely a replaced neck either due to warranty or the original owner wanted a different fretboard wood/etc.

 

[BASS67]

The stampings and annotations on the body and neck seem correct to me, and the manufacture year of the neck I think it is 97.
A period of 4 years is too long to had a body in the storage on factory, so I think the neck is a replacement or has been changed by a previous owner.

 

[liverbird]

Does the fretboard match what comes up in the database when you run the serial number?