hmm... i tot american pbass = american standard pbass? i think they just changed the name of it somewhere before the 2nd last model or during it.
if i'm not wrong, fender will just come out with some changes on their basses every few years or so, the last few changes being in '98, '01/'02(?), and '05. So 50 years down the road, you can go tell pple "ay, i have an '01 vintage jazz bass" sort of thing. hopefully it still works that way in the future just like it does now 'tho.. :lol: