HOW GOOD ARE EARLY 90'S MIJ 75 RI JAZZ BASSES..

[bubinga5]

fairly simple question i know... but what do you think these instruments

[sevdog]

Best jazz bass I ever owned..it was natural, white pickguard with maple board and pearl blocks. I put a badass on it and replaced the pickups as I've done with every jazz I've ever owned.

I've owned pre-cbs, an actual 76 or 77, and early '00s American, plus squiers and mim's.

Only reason I sold that one was because I wasn't gigging at the time and the rent was due, dammit.

[mcm]

Anything MIJ is good.

[mjac28]

If you asked this question twenty years ago almost every response would have been negative now MIJ just about anything is considered great.

[catcauphonic]

As a side question: What is it that makes the MIJs that I've had the pleasure to tinker with so buttery smooth to play? (I'm specifically thinking of a MIJ Geddy Lee Jazz.) The only real bassist at one of my local Guitar Centers claims it's their precise attention to detail when making the frets for the instrument. Anything else of note?

[kevteop]

Originally Posted by mjac28

If you asked this question twenty years ago almost every response would have been negative now MIJ just about anything is considered great.

Nah. Early '90s the USA-built basses were so inconsistent everyone was fawning over the Japanese ones.

[Marton]

Originally Posted by catcauphonic

As a side question: What is it that makes the MIJs that I've had the pleasure to tinker with so buttery smooth to play? (I'm specifically thinking of a MIJ Geddy Lee Jazz.) The only real bassist at one of my local Guitar Centers claims it's their precise attention to detail when making the frets for the instrument. Anything else of note?

The fretjob on my MIJ is good, but not THAT good. For me, what I like about MIJ basses, is that generally the neck shapes feels just right.

[sevdog]

The frets on mine were great, but my answer is the neck. I like the vintage lower radius fretboard, and thin 70's profile but it was just like was said, "buttery smooth".

[lowphatbass]

Early 90's Fugigen Fenders are generally very good. In particular I've found the necks to be outstanding.

[j.kernodle]

I think they can be great, but just because the bass is MIJ doesn't automatically make it the bee's knees. I played a used MIJ 75 reissue last weekend that had a fairly sizable neck pocket gap and one of the most out of whack string to pickup alignments I've ever seen.

[Gougedeye]

Generally speaking, Made in Japan Fenders of that era were built to a fairly high standard. Many of them met or exceeded their American made counterparts, in terms of quality. Just one man's opinion.