Some of you have already noticed that we now carry Hipshot lollypop key tuners. Where is an instance of where this appeared back in days of old? The 1966 Fender Jazz Bass.
The video below shows an original ’66 Jazz with the lollypop keys on it; this key shape is definitely not something new, but rather something that was brought back that is available for you to get right now.
Do lollypop key tuners perform any better than clover or Y key shapes?
No. The lollypop is just a different shape. From an ergonomic point of view, most players find the Y key (like the Ultralights) to feel the most comfortable and natural when tuning.
However, for those of you that wondered where the lollypop shape was used prominently, the Jazz Bass did offer them at one point. Everyone is used to seeing clover shape keys on Jazzes, but you can put on a set of lollypop keys for something cool and different.
For those of you thinking, “I don’t see the lollypop keys in the video,” Here’s a better photo of it:
Nice article and great video.
sure are different , yet i prefer my vintage P bass Clovers , mesself !i wouldn’t change lollypops if they were on bass though , they still look gooood!
I love those for what they are: characteristic of an era!!! And I bought my Coronado reissue last year. I love it but a major disappointment was that they did NOT put the lollipops on the reissue as on the original!
Funny, I’ve been planning a build using gold lollipops, and you decided to do a post about them. It must be my destiny to build this bass! It’s gonna be a Larry Graham inspired fretless p bass all white including the fretboard, with gold hardware. Btw, is Hipshot the only co. making these?
Through the years I have seen a lot of old Jazz and P-Basses. I own a 1967 Fender Precision bass I bought in 1967. People say these are the Fender transition years. My bass has the original clover leaf tuners on it. I always thought that the L-pop tuners were on later model Fender basses.
I guess I have not really noticed because based on mine and the year it was built CBS Fender was still producing products with hardware still left in the bins from earlier years. I know (from Fender history) they would use speakers from months before.
My thoughts… If the bass is all original–Leave it that way !!! If it’s not broke ..Don’t fix it applies here.
My very first bass was a January 1965 Jazz. And it had lollipops. According to your article that’s way too early.
Good question… Leave well alone the lollipop heads look great on all early models but design and time marches on…. The clover design head is more eye appealing for today’s modern Basses…. And that’s coming from a 71 year old lollipop sucking guy…… Rock on