2010 50th Anniversary Fender Jazz Club

OutToPlayJazz · #1 05-12-2010, 08:09 AM

I assume no one's started one of these, as I can't find one, so it would be interesting to see how many of these are around so far...

That'll make me #1, then...

Jonathan1990 · #2 05-12-2010, 08:20 AM

Nice one you got there, how does it sound/play?

DeluxeRed · #3 05-12-2010, 08:28 AM

Here's a thumbnail of a pic from a gig earlier this month. I couldn't find any showing me playing the Annv, but you can see it on standby next to the B-15R (and I used it for a set of oldies). That's my CSCC that I'm playing.

The Annv plays like a dream. Very mellow, rich sound. Very vintage vibey, but the neck feels very modern. I love the feel and finish. The covers take some getting used to, but they're too beautiful to take off.

I acquited mine as a show piece, not a daily beater. But I had to play my 50th b-day present at my 50th b-day gig. Note the little flag sticker still on the pg.

Sign me up!

OutToPlayJazz · #4 05-12-2010, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonathan1990

Nice one you got there, how does it sound/play?

Sounds like the American Standard, but the nitro finish seems to let a lot more tone out & the 70's pickup spacing gives it a little more bite at the top end.

The word I found for it was 'creamy'

DeluxeRed is #2

**Captain Bob** · #5 05-12-2010, 08:37 AM

There are two of these at 'Corner Music' here in Nashville. I looked at one of them, but did not bother to plug it in. Its good to know they sound good. I was concerned they were too close to a Custom Shop price point for me.

I soon became very distracted when 5 vintage Fenders arrived on consignment. A '66 Jazz - Black, with a black headstock in Ex condition, a CAR '63 P, a LPB '62 slab neck, a '74 Oly Jazz that was a nice creme white, and a sunburst Jazz that I didnt have a chance to really view. The '62 asking was price was 18K.

Rilander · #6 05-12-2010, 09:01 AM

if they made those in lefty i would have one

deekay911 · #7 05-12-2010, 09:06 AM

I have had one for about 2 months now. Fine USA Jazz bass, but really no better than the regular USA Jazz. Extra $$ for the look, if you like it, and arguably the collectibility in the future. They are certainly closer to the 'Custom' price, but be clear - they are not Custom quality.

Here it is:

New Bass Day - 50th Anniversary Jazz

Gord_oh · #8 05-12-2010, 09:14 AM

seems like there was a club at one time.
few members, as no one could buy it yet.
couldnt find it though...hmmm...
nice bass.
i got a chance to mess around with one, if it werent for the price tag, itd be next to me right now.

OutToPlayJazz · #9 05-12-2010, 01:09 PM

The story so far...

#1 OutToPlayJazz
#2 DeluxeRed
#3 deekay911

Spleenface92 · #10 05-12-2010, 01:19 PM

I played one at GC, and I did like it a lot. I'm a sucker for matching headstock, block inlay basses.

OutToPlayJazz · #11 05-13-2010, 09:38 AM

Only three out of 500? There must be more here...

Gibenbackerbass · #12 05-30-2010, 07:32 AM

M/F had 10 on order. That was their allotment. As of yesterday, noon, they were sold out. Not surprising with the 15% off sale, which brings the instrument to $1,699.99 delivered!

DBoop, has one up for grabs here on TB.

These are great looking instruments. I wonder how much different it sounds compared to an American '75 Vintage Reissue? The '75 has a maple board and Ash body, the 50th Ann has a rosewood board and Alder body, is a string-through with a different bridge and tuners.

Can anyone here make the comparison?

Gibenbackerbass · #13 05-30-2010, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deekay911

I have had one for about 2 months now. Fine USA Jazz bass, but really no better than the regular USA Jazz. Extra $$ for the look, if you like it, and arguably the collectibility in the future. They are certainly closer to the 'Custom' price, but be clear - they are not Custom quality.

Here it is:

New Bass Day - 50th Anniversary Jazz

Ive never played a Custom Shop Fender Jazz. How is it different from this one (50th Ann)?

OutToPlayJazz · #14 05-30-2010, 07:41 AM

I'll see if I can do a closeup bridge pic in a bit, yes by all means

As for the sound - This is how it sounds plugged directly into the PC mic socket. Apologies for the playing - Always difficult when you can't hear yourself!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gT0V7t1PhU

OutToPlayJazz · #15 05-30-2010, 09:45 AM

There haven't been many 50th basses over here in the UK. I think in general, one or two have been allocated to each of the larger dealers. Some of the prices are pretty steep, but I managed to score a good deal on mine a day after it came into the store.

Here's the high mass bridge - Same as on the American Standard at the moment.

OutToPlayJazz · #16 05-30-2010, 01:05 PM

Nope, it came with the usual mediocre Fender strings. The ones on it now are roundwound DR Marcus Miller Fatbeams, 40-100 gauge.

Gibenbackerbass · #17 05-30-2010, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OutToPlayJazz

Nope, it came with the usual mediocre Fender strings. The ones on it now are roundwound DR Marcus Miller Fatbeams, 40-100 gauge.

How did those strings change/improve the tone?

The other thing I wanted to ask was how the action was when you received the bass. Was it fine or did it require any adjustment?

OutToPlayJazz · #18 06-02-2010, 02:49 PM

Heh! The action was seriously too high and the truss rod needed a slight tweak, but then again most factory basses come with the action up in the sky. I play with a very light touch, so I can have it practically on the deck with no buzz.

The DR Marcus Miller FatBeams give any bass a whole new dimension. Thicker bottom end & huge tone. Flexibility is improved, also.

Here's my review...

For the 2010 50th birthday celebration of the Jazz bass, Fender wanted to create something different from just another reissue of a classic model, so the 50th Anniversary model combines elements from several eras of the instrument's history, making for a special bass not only for collectors, but for players, too.

Working from the top of the bass downwards, the tuners are from the current American Standard, lightweight Hipshots & the logo on the body colour headcap is the original "offset contour 60's logo." The neck is from the American Classic 62RI model with the "most comfortable shape ever", but incorporates the posiflex graphite rods as well as a modern bottom end hex wrench operated truss rod. The selected maple neck is also beautifully figured and lacquered with a gloss nitro finish. Fretwork is also excellent & the rosewood fingerboard is of excellent quality, the edges of the 'board being polished to match in with the gloss neck. The fingerboard also features pearloid block inlays which as flawlessly fitted flush to the wood. Another piece of excellent work.

The neck plate is a special commemorative anniversary edition, bearing the inscription, "50th Anniversary JAZZ BASS, since 1960" across the background of the "big F" & has the standard four-bolt fixing. The neck pocket join is as near perfect as a bolt on neck is going to get & detail finishing around this area is highly impressive with none of the over painting or jagged edges that are found so often on mass produced instruments.

The body is made from select alder & has through body stringing & the pickups are taken from the American Vintage series 75 reissue model. These pickups are a little noisier than the almost silent [with flush polepieces] models you get with the American Standard, but having owned a 75RI, they do produce the creamiest tone of all the stock Fender pickups.

The positioning of the rear pickup is one quarter inch further back than the standard model in the '70's position", giving the 50th Anniversary model a slightly harsher tone to the back pickup than you'll find on either an American Standard or a Road Worn when the rear pickup is solo'd. An interesting fact linked with the 70's positioning is that it was originally moved because the back pickup poked out from the pickup cover a little. The happy coincidence to this move was a much brighter and sharper sound which is still popular to this day.

The bridge is the vintage high-mass model first introduced on the American Standard at the beginning of 2008. This design caters for both base stringing & through body options and saddles are ribbed for greater accuracy in placing the strings between the pickup poles.

The nitro candy apple red finish is flawless and seems to have a lot of silver in the colour mix. It really is a striking paint job! The chrome pickup & bridge covers are a nice touch, but make playing in modern styles difficult. The "Marcus" pickup cover tends to make a good thumbrest if you can play with your right hand that far away from the strings, but does create an extra metallic shimmer within the sound when played fingerstyle. The "F" embossed bridge cover is huge and only leaves a gap of 2-3 inches between itself and the pickup cover, so playing fingerstyle back there with the covers on is a little on the tight side if you're blessed with big hands like me!

That leads to my only complaint about this bass - Fender are shipping these basses out with the chrome covers pre attached, whereas American Vintage models are supplied with them separately in the accessory kit, leaving the owner with the choice of whether or not to put them on. I personally prefer to play without the covers and it's unfortunate that on my example of the 50th, the bridge cover has left a couple of small indentations in the nitro finish. It's not a big deal, as the bass is going to be played, but it is mildly annoying on a bass at this price point.

Sound-wise, the bass is pure Jazz, but an interesting mix of the creamy 75RI sound, the growling graphite-rod equipped sound of the American Standard and a lot of additional rich tone, courtesy of the thin nitro finish. Well played examples of this bass are going to be seen as very "cool" by the relic fraternity in a few years, as the nitro finish will undoubtedly mark very easily. The aforementioned neck is indeed very comfortable to play and the nitro gloss isn't in any way sticky feeling like on some of the lesser models.

So, what do you get for your money? Well, as well as all of the aforementioned features, you get an embellished version of the American Vintage luxury Fender plaque'd hardshell case & the CASE CANDY pack includes the same strap and cable pack as the AV series, bridge mutes of two varieties & a commemorative booklet of the history of the Jazz bass. There's also the usual T-shaped trussrod tool & various imperial sized hex wrenches.

All in all, this is an excellent celebratory version of the Jazz bass we all know and love. Great to play & great to look at, with a once in a lifetime combination of specs from different periods of the Jazz's history, making for quite an individual sounding bass to play. Looking at the bass from a potential buyer's point of view, it looks expensive, even for a limited edition, but when you start to look at the quality & the custom shop like attention to detail, you can almost forgive Fender's bass division a little monetary indulgence!

Highly recommended.

Gibenbackerbass · #19 06-02-2010, 03:41 PM

Nice write up!!

It's a real looker that's for sure!!

TRCat · #20 06-03-2010, 06:59 AM

Thx for the great review! I turn the BIG "5-oh" this year and need to find a way to "tip" the wife to this baby. That, or state that I want either a Harley or this bass - in which case the jazz will be a slam dunk!

I got some serious indigestion developing here folks!