Tough call for my Fender

mksolid · #1 09-11-2005, 06:24 PM

So... I've got a few problems with my current bass. I have a 1998 Fender American Jazz, everything is standard and I have rotosound mediums on it. It seems a little buzzy these days and the 17th fret on the A string is just terrible, it buzzes terribly... it's def. not playable in a live setting.

I was just dealing with this stuff until now... yesterday I went to a music shop I had never been to and tried out a Fender Highway 1 Jazz Bass that they had. It played like a dream, low action, no buzzing and just felt great.

My question is this... do you think that it's possible for a tech to fix up my jazz bass to eliminate the buzzing and bad fret? Or should I try to get rid of this thing and buy the Highway 1?

Munjibunga · #2 09-11-2005, 06:27 PM

Sounds like it needs a setup, maybe a few frets leveled. My bet is that a good tech can make it like new. Should cost less than $50.

JimmyM · #3 09-11-2005, 06:32 PM

No, your bass is trashed. Send it to me and I'll give it the proper thrashing it deserves.

J/K. It's an easy fix. Sounds like uneven frets to me. It'll cost a little more than $50, though. To get mine done cost me $80.

gottawalk · #4 09-11-2005, 06:32 PM

Yes a tech could take care of it. Question will be what he/she will find is the problem when you get it to him/her. Then the price is determined and you have to decide if you like that bass or if it's not worth the price and you pay $$$'s for a new one. Could be as simple as adjust the truss rod and action and let it settle back in. Could be as bad as a warped neck.

Has his just recently started?

Have you changed locations recently? (Weather, humidity, etc could effect a bass).

Did you change to the current strings recently? Are they a different guage than what was on there before?

If you really like the bass, I'd say have it checked out. I'm sure there's other TB'r's that will have more specific insite to your year and problem, but this is what I can think of for now.

gottawalk · #5 09-11-2005, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

Sounds like it needs a setup, maybe a few frets leveled. My bet is that a good tech can make it like new. Should cost less than $50.

Quote:

J/K. It's an easy fix. Sounds like uneven frets to me. It'll cost a little more than $50, though. To get mine done cost me $80.

I told you they'd have answers! Sounds to me, though, that after you've played the Highway 1, you've got GAS!

Careful!

mksolid · #6 09-11-2005, 06:58 PM

yeah the Highway 1 definitely felt great. however, I will be calling their tech tomorrow and seeing what he can do. thanks for the help guys.

PilbaraBass · #7 09-12-2005, 01:06 AM

STOP!!!

fretwork is to be done only AFTER relief is set, then action is adjusted to your liking.

Frets just don't become "buzzy"...but relief can change quite easily. Have a reputable tech have a look at her...but yes, should be entirely fixable.

JimmyM · #8 09-12-2005, 06:42 AM

If it only buzzes at the 17th fret, then I suspect that it IS uneven frets. And yes, they do "just get buzzy" sometimes. A fret can lift out a little, or the bass can develop what's known as a ski jump, where it gets high at the last few frets (that's what happened to mine), or the relief changes because of the weather.

I do agree that he should have it looked at and not just assume that it's a fret problem, but when one fret gets wacky like that, I tend to think it's a fret problem.

weezul · #9 09-12-2005, 03:31 PM

highway 1!! highway 1!! *chants*. I played a crappy jazz bass copy for 2 years +, and when i got this it was like a dream, much better than the MIM Fender Jazz's i had played. The kneck is beautiful. I would recomend it, i prefered it to an American I played afterwards also, maybe it was the huge kneck on it, it was like a big C, mines more of a shallow "D" shape, even tho it is still classed as a C kneck aparently. Im not too good at tech, or spelling!!!

first post

mksolid · #10 09-12-2005, 06:58 PM

yeah the Highway 1 seemed much lighter and it was super smooth, very easy to play. this is tough, im really tempted to sell my current bass...

hey i've seen it said many times on here something along the lines of "if it feels great, take it"

PilbaraBass · #11 09-12-2005, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mksolid

yeah the Highway 1 seemed much lighter and it was super smooth, very easy to play. this is tough, im really tempted to sell my current bass...

hey i've seen it said many times on here something along the lines of "if it feels great, take it"

Face it...you want a new bass, don't you? You're bypassing logic of a simple setup job to go for a brand new bass...it's ok to have GAS and its ok to feed it...

You're suffering from a case of GAS denial and you need help...the only cure, I'm afraid, is a new bass.