Which Jazz? Highway One or American Special

[charliebrown]

Originally Posted by Troph

I was thinking about picking up a US-made Fender Jazz from the used market.

I have a Highway One P-bass, and I like it. The nitro finish is different, and it's definitely lighter than my other P-basses. Given that I enjoy the Highway One Precision, I would normally just go ahead and try a Highway One J-bass too.

However, I also see that the newer American Special Jazz series is also on the used market, and only runs about $50 to $100 more on average than the Highway Ones... depending on condition and other variables, obviously.

Other than the finish, are there any reasons to go with the Special over the Highway One? Better neck? Improved quality? Prestige? Better resale?

Good questions, but what's the bottom line? Are you looking for a keeper or something you may wish to unload later? For me, I stopped (finally) looking at potential resale on my instruments. If I like it, it fits my hands, sounds as I like it to sound, I buy it and keep it; otherwise I pass. It's the only way I can keep myself out of trouble! Presently have a j bass, 4 electric guitars and one acoustic...none are leaving. I've let too many nice guitars/basses go. Sellers remorse is worse than buyer's remorse for me :-(
If I could only get that 62 Jazz reissue back...

[walterw]

Originally Posted by Mark4

I bought the body through Reliablefender on eBay a few years ago, as an unused or otherwise parted out Highway One.

whoah!

i didn't realize the HWY 1 bodies came without the ugly rout around the neck pickup like american and mexi standard bodies have!

very cool, in that it leaves open the option for the jaco-style no-pickguard look.

anyway, +1 to sticking with the revised HWY 1s and the american specials, they both have the upgraded american standard necks with the graphite rods and the thicker headstocks.

[tjh]

walter, none of the Hwy Series J's, either the 1's or the ONE'S have ever had the channel routing, OR the CNC hole, from its introduction in 2003 until its demise in 2011 ... now that same body is used on the AmSpecs ... no routing, no hole ...

[Troph]

Well, I broke down and ordered a used American Special in sunburst from GC for $599 shipped + tax. I hope it's a keeper. Will report back.

I am a tad bit worried about weight, as I've read a couple user reviews of these models which mentioned they were heavier than expected. Now to be fair, I'm 6'3" and 235, so an extra pound or two hanging from my neck won't kill me. But I have found that I tend to pick up my lightweight instruments more frequently...

[Marial]

Well, late to this particular party, but I've been very happy with my '08 Hwy One (burst, came with a white guard, BA II stock). I ended up swapping the pick ups for Lollars as the stockers were becoming highly microphonic (amazing upgrade in tone). The neck has been incredibly stable over the years and I don't mind the dull finish. I haven't weighed it but it is definitely heavier than the '66 Jazz I had and is heavier than my Squier fretless Jazz and '51 P. It's very much my go-to bass for live and most recording situations and it's one I'll never sell.

[Bongolation]

Originally Posted by Troph

I'm 6'3" and 235, so an extra pound or two hanging from my neck won't kill me.

You might be surprised.

[Bongolation]

Originally Posted by walterw

i didn't realize the HWY 1 bodies came without the ugly rout around the neck pickup like american and mexi standard bodies have!

very cool, in that it leaves open the option for the jaco-style no-pickguard look.

The Highway One instruments had the so-called "vintage" body specs. I believe the HO basses were cut on the same program as '70s RIs, but I'm not positive.

The whole Jaco-style look leaves me cold, but be aware that the sunburst on a HO Jazz is a little off on the lower horn under the pickguard, if that matters.

[snowtraveler65]

Originally Posted by Troph

I was thinking about picking up a US-made Fender Jazz from the used market.

I have a Highway One P-bass, and I like it. The nitro finish is different, and it's definitely lighter than my other P-basses. Given that I enjoy the Highway One Precision, I would normally just go ahead and try a Highway One J-bass too.

However, I also see that the newer American Special Jazz series is also on the used market, and only runs about $50 to $100 more on average than the Highway Ones... depending on condition and other variables, obviously.

Other than the finish, are there any reasons to go with the Special over the Highway One? Better neck? Improved quality? Prestige? Better resale?

I would say neither Highway One or Special. I.M.O. and I.M.E. Save up for an American Standard. Neck playability and stability is the most obvious difference. Lots of other differences too... better wood, better electronics, better construction... I would never purchase an instrument based on prestige. Buy what plays and sounds right. Resale? If you take the time to buy something you really like, you won't want to sell it.

[Bongolation]

Originally Posted by snowtraveler65

Save up for an American Standard. Neck playability and stability is the most obvious difference.

They're all the same basic graphite-reinforced neck. How can the American Standard have more "stability"?

Define "playability."

The Special has a different neck profile and the production routines are slightly different on these necks, but there's no huge difference in them otherwise. The supposed additional detailing on the American Standard neck is very unpredictable.

Lots of other differences too... better wood, better electronics, better construction...

Much of this is debatable and totally luck of the draw. My HO Jazz has a two-piece body and my American Standard has a pretty badly-matched three-piece, and the neck wood is vastly better on the HO. In any case, the "electronics" are identical, except for the pickups and Greasebucket.

Aside from production inconsistencies, I have problems with the respective features of all three of these models. Out of the box, none are ideal from my viewpoint.

The American Standard is my least favorite, by a substantial margin.

[tastybasslines]

Bongo, how do you know that there are no one piece bodies?

Anyway, you may be right. It took me a solid 5 min of looking the back over to see what appears to be a faint line, which may be a matched bookend. Take a look. In any event, if it is, they did such a good job that I have been convinced I have had a one piece body this whole time.

Also, when I first got mine the dating showed that my pups were the same ones that went in an Am Standard. I could be wrong, but I think I recall from some thread here they went through using both mexi pups and Am ones. Pretty sure mine are. Someone here, also confirmed that with the serial numbers on them.

[Bongolation]

Originally Posted by tastybasslines

Bongo, how do you know that there are no one piece bodies?

In the first place, because FMIC says there's never been a one-piece body on a production instrument in all of Fender history.

Secondly because in over forty years of screwing around with Fenders, I've never seen one, though every twenty minutes or so, someone on a gear forum claims to have one, which it always shakes out they don't.

I think all the "one piece" US bodies I've seen turned out to be three-piece, as it's harder not to notice a clean seam if you know exactly where to look -- directly on the centerline (interestingly, FJ instruments rarely if ever put a seam on the centerline, but rather to one side or the other of the neck).

If you want to tell really quickly, all you have to do is see the end grain, which of course you can't on a sunburst.

Also, when I first got mine the dating showed that my pups were the same ones that went in an Am Standard. I could be wrong, but I think I recall from some thread here they went through using both mexi pups and Am ones. Pretty sure mine are. Someone here, also confirmed that with the serial numbers on them.

On the final HO Precisions, the pickups were the identical MIA set used in the American Standard prior to the 2012 change to the so-called "Custom Shop" pickups.

The Jazz used MIM 58358/9 pickups. Why? Dunno.

However, in 2011 during the major production backlogs, HOs were sometimes built with the wrong parts, whatever was available, just to move units. I know because I had them apart on my bench and saw it with my own eyes, really crazy stuff, like a Precision with one old 5600* pickup and another totally different pickup I have never encountered in a Fender parts list, and even Fender didn't know what it was. Some didn't have the Greasebucket nonsense, etc.

I also think that a few were made with higher-grade bodies/blanks than would have normally been used on HOs.

[254 stringer]

Originally Posted by tjh

.. that is more than likely an early Hwy 1 ... I don't remember Daphne Blue ever being offered as a Hwy ONE (unless its a refin) ... that shares very little in common with a the post-mid '06 Hwy ONE...

My '06 highway one P

[Bongolation]

Yeah, the 011-1460-*** HOs were available in Daphne Blue, according to my Fender parts lists.

[Mark4]

Originally Posted by tjh

Mark, thats a beauty!! ... even matches your siding!! ... thanks for the info, I now have a new mission to find out about it

Thanks! I'm curious about this color too. It does seem less common for some reason, especially with the HW Ones.

Originally Posted by 254 stringer

My '06 highway one PAttachment 318875Attachment 318876

Nice. Seeing that daphne P kind of makes me want to get a matching pair.

[tjh]

Originally Posted by 254 stringer

My '06 highway one PAttachment 318875Attachment 318876

... thanks for posting, stringer ... one of the very few Hwy ONE's I have seen in Daphne , the majority I have ran across were all Hwy 1's ... as I mentioned earlier in this thread:

'Fender offered Daphne Blue on Hwy 1 basses I believe in their introductory year in '03 ... then the color was dropped until re-offered in '06,'

... and yours would have been one of those '06 offerings ... very nice indeed!!