85 Fender 75 RI MIJ Jazz?

calgone47 · #1 09-16-2009, 04:40 PM

Can anyone comment on the quality of these instruments? I'm considering trading one of my Warwicks for one, and have heard the 80's were rough for Fender, so I want to try and get other people's opinions on them. This would be my first Fender.

Here are a few pics of the jazz..

Thanks!

Peace,
Andy

tdizzle · #2 09-16-2009, 04:46 PM

The 80s was rough for Fender USA. It was the golden age for Fender Japan. Go for it.

Mulebagger · #3 09-16-2009, 04:48 PM

I have an 83 MIJ 75 RI and it is awesome. The build quility is better than my 75 Us Jazz bass was. Mine has upgraded hardware, pickups and preamp, but it was always an amazing sounding bass. I'd trade 3 Warwicks for it. If you need to beef up the sound, try a Jretro preamp. My Jretro turned mine into a beast!

Mulebagger · #4 09-16-2009, 04:50 PM

Tdizzle nailed it: 80's MIJ Fenders are smoking!!!

your idol · #5 09-16-2009, 04:54 PM

when they pop up they get snatched up..this should say something for em. The 80's CIJ 75 ri's KILL IT! good example of the tone on these is anything early to mid point (92-07) from The Roots, Leonard "Hub" Hubbard rocked this as his main axe and i had seen him live with it a few times and it never ceased to blow me away everytime.

eddievanbassman · #6 09-16-2009, 04:58 PM

Definitely a killer bass I got one but it has a rosewood fretboard.

your idol · #7 09-16-2009, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mulebagger

The build quility is better than my 75 Us Jazz bass was!

i was also gonna state ALOT of players will say overall fit, finish and comfort was better than the original. where this bass comes through overall is in the japanese obsession with prior american pop culture. they have a knack for digging some of our stuff so much that the pride poured into the recreation of our american classics really shines through in their work. the neck joints the tint and overall QC is amazing on these..much more of a hand built feel. this (especially Maple/Nautral) is very very high on my GAS list for this reason

jmfresh · #8 09-16-2009, 06:30 PM

Are you sure it's an 85? I ask because I have this same exact bass. The serial # starts with A034XXX, which according to Fender's website would make it a mid-80s model. That didn't sound right because my wife (then fiancee) bought it new in Dec 98 as a Christmas gift for me. So I called Fender myself and gave the serial # to them. In fact, it was made in Oct 98. I've had it ever since. Fender's website is not completely accurate when it comes to the Made in Japan basses. And mine is Made in Japan, not Crafted in Japan. Fender confirmed that as well. It has "Made in Japan" on the headstock, three-bolt neckplate, etc. If you have the serial #, give Fender a call. They're great people. Fantastic bass, by the way.

calgone47 · #9 09-16-2009, 07:18 PM

You know, I can't really be certain since I don't have the bass in person. Here is a pic of the headstock and a pic of the neck bolts..

shrimpflea · #10 09-16-2009, 07:36 PM

I had a similar experience....a few years ago I bought a MIJ 75 RI Jazz on ebay....i thought because of the serial number (A0XX..) that it was a 1985-86....I took the neck off and it was dated 1998.

jmfresh · #11 09-16-2009, 07:56 PM

Those pictures could be of my bass. Uncanny. It has "Fender Japan" on the neckplate, "Made in Japan" on the headstock, s/n A0XXXXX, etc. I think that bass is probably a late 90s bass, much like mine and shrimpflea's. The quality is excellent. It'll stay in tune for months on end. The neck is incredibly fast and smooth. I've seen these go for around $700-$750.

your idol · #12 09-16-2009, 08:01 PM

looks like a 90's IIRC the 80's joints are CIJ and that it has the Crafted in Japan at the base of the neck..idk for sure
also i think that the 80's ones had a darker vintage tint and the 90's on up had a much lighter neck.

notice the wood tint on the body is very closely matched by the neck..also not the crafted in japan lable across the base of the exposed neck.

basswave · #13 08-26-2011, 02:31 PM

I have one of these coming in Sept...I'm pretty stoked.

Caca de Kick · #14 08-27-2011, 03:45 AM

I've seen the build year of these 75RI's quoted alot as mid 80's built. I'll never believe that...I think those folks are guessing the wrong decade. I've owned them too (mid/late 90's) that I bought and had that same serial range.

This guy got it right....

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmfresh

Are you sure it's an 85? I ask because I have this same exact bass. The serial # starts with A034XXX, which according to Fender's website would make it a mid-80s model. That didn't sound right because my wife (then fiancee) bought it new in Dec 98 as a Christmas gift for me. So I called Fender myself and gave the serial # to them. In fact, it was made in Oct 98.

danomite64 · #15 08-27-2011, 10:32 AM

There were no '75 reissue Jazz basses made in the '80's. My brother got one when they first came out, and that was around 1995.

Luckie · #16 08-27-2011, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danomite64

There were no '75 reissue Jazz basses made in the '80's. My brother got one when they first came out, and that was around 1995.

Are you sure about that? I've come across some e serial '75 reissues...

silverburst · #17 08-27-2011, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luckie

Are you sure about that? I've come across some e serial '75 reissues...

True -- I had one a while back:

Rex and the Bass: Fender Japan E-series 1975 Re-issue Jazz Bass

michael_atw · #18 08-27-2011, 02:28 PM

I think the problem with finding scant information related to Fender MIJ might be because some were "not for export" and some were exclusively for Japan. Many are still being made like this today. First that comes to mind are the beautiful '75 RIs they are making with matching headstocks. A rare breed over here. Someone might be able to verify or dispute this as a possible issue.

I've been buying and selling and hunting Fenders for over 2 years now, and I'd say it's probably a 90's. I have yet to see an 80's '75 MIJ that I can remember. Most people who try to date them get it wrong. I have a mid 90's '75 RI I picked up a couple years ago - sunburst with maple blocked fretboard (like that one). One of the most reliable ways is to take off the neck and look for a penciled in date. If it's mid 80's it should have one penciled in. I don't believe my '95 has one. It's in the shop right now I cannot verify.

michael_atw · #19 08-27-2011, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by your idol

i was also gonna state ALOT of players will say overall fit, finish and comfort was better than the original. where this bass comes through overall is in the japanese obsession with prior american pop culture. they have a knack for digging some of our stuff so much that the pride poured into the recreation of our american classics really shines through in their work. the neck joints the tint and overall QC is amazing on these..much more of a hand built feel. this (especially Maple/Nautral) is very very high on my GAS list for this reason

I wouldn't say they were "pouring" into the recreation - as there are often more than a few aspects of Fender Reissues that are not true to the original. In this case - the headstock logo. It's a late 70's. Not a '75.

Also notice the thumb rest holes in the pickguard. I think that's wrong for the time period as well. At least, according to the 75's I've seen in pictures online. Do the thumb rest holes go all the way through? Not just through the pickguard?

michael_atw · #20 08-27-2011, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luckie

Are you sure about that? I've come across some e serial '75 reissues...

I think there MAY have been a black '62 RI E-serial that went on Ebay yesterday. It had the copper ground strip but the average run of the mill Fender Japan headstock logo.