Should I get a new or vintage A standard fender jazz?

[30calbass]

Should I buy a newer = 2000 - 2008 fender American standard jazz bass or a vintage = 1989 - 1992 fender American standard jazz bass ? And why... I am buying non active this time I have a 2006 active Fender Armerican deluxe P with humbucker now.

[Spinal Tapper]

vintage is 89-92??? Well now I feel old...

I had a MIA 93 Jazz and it was a dog. Heavy bass, couldn't get a decent setup to hold, didn't sound great. My CIJ Fender basses played much nicer and were lighter weight.

I've heard great things about the 2008+ basses, so I'd shoot for one of those...buy used, save a bundle.

[johnk_10]

i'd recommend a new or used american vintage reissue jazz bass. IMO, they're by far the best version of a jazz bass that fender's been making for the last 15-20 years.

[Spinal Tapper]

Originally Posted by johnk_10

i'd recommend a new or used american vintage reissue jazz bass. IMO, they're by far the best version of a jazz bass that fender's been making for the last 15-20 years.

+1

[bassbully]

IMO anything past late 70's isnt vintage. It has to have 30 years on it. In cars vintage/historical is 25yrs and older so maybe that at least for basses too. I agree look to the RI jazz since the vintage in the years I spoke of cost allot and finding a good one takes awhile.

[panama]

Originally Posted by johnk_10

i'd recommend a new or used american vintage reissue jazz bass. IMO, they're by far the best version of a jazz bass that fender's been making for the last 15-20 years.

+1

[Disco Batman]

I'd go new American Standard, or a Geddy if you want a cheaper quality option.

[john_martin_sai]

Go 70's while it's a buyer's market. You'll have a quality bass and an investment too.

[30calbass]

Originally Posted by Spinal Tapper

vintage is 89-92??? Well now I feel old...

I had a MIA 93 Jazz and it was a dog. Heavy bass, couldn't get a decent setup to hold, didn't sound great. My CIJ Fender basses played much nicer and were lighter weight.

I've heard great things about the 2008+ basses, so I'd shoot for one of those...buy used, save a bundle.

I've playerd a 2009 fender American standard jazz at guitar center and it was sound and played GREAT but I did'nt like the smaller body and smaller fret bord that I compared to the fender bigger deluxe jazz bass MIM.

[30calbass]

Originally Posted by johnk_10

i'd recommend a new or used american vintage reissue jazz bass. IMO, they're by far the best version of a jazz bass that fender's been making for the last 15-20 years.

Is the neck on the american vintage reissue jazz bass anything like the Marcus Miller? If so I can't stand the feel of that neck.

[panama]

Originally Posted by 30calbass

Is the neck on the american vintage reissue jazz bass anything like the Marcus Miller? If so I can't stand the feel of that neck.

Why don't you go on fender.com and look at the specs?

[30calbass]

Originally Posted by bassbully

IMO anything past late 70's isnt vintage. It has to have 30 years on it. In cars vintage/historical is 25yrs and older so maybe that at least for basses too. I agree look to the RI jazz since the vintage in the years I spoke of cost allot and finding a good one takes awhile.

Hey thanks for telling me this and I thought about it but this is what the guy on ebay said = 1989 Made in the U.S.A. Vintage Fender "Boner" Jazz Bass, plum w/Aged White Pickguard...also sometimes called the "Longhorn."

[panama]

Originally Posted by 30calbass

Hey thanks for telling me this and I thought about it but this is what the guy on ebay said = 1989 Made in the U.S.A. Vintage Fender "Boner" Jazz Bass, plum w/Aged White Pickguard...also sometimes called the "Longhorn."

It's just common sense. He is using "vintage" as a marketing tool.

Also the boner basses are uggs, IMO.

[mstott25]

Originally Posted by 30calbass

Is the neck on the american vintage reissue jazz bass anything like the Marcus Miller? If so I can't stand the feel of that neck.

No. I just A/B'ed a bunch of Fenders over the past couple of weeks and spent a few hours comparing a Marcus Miller and '75 American Vintage.

One MM bass I played was set up particularly well and I actually didn't mind that one as much. I really didn't care for the other two, the necks felt very sticky and not as quick. None of the MM necks seem that easy to play in the upper registers, something I'd have gotten used to in a few hours but definitely noticeable. So I agree with you, I'm not the biggest fan of those MM necks and I much preferred the '75 Vintage in that department. The '75 has a coating on the back of the neck but it doesn't feel as sticky and doesn't bother me and playability up and down the neck is a breeze, very nice.

I also really preferred the sound from the '75 Vintage, it sounds like a jazz bass should. Plenty of growl and plenty of oomph, I ended up picking that bass over all the others I played.

Now the one bass I might have liked a little more was a '74 Jazz Bass at a Guitar Center and they wanted $2500 for it. That was one of the few 70's Jazz Basses I've played that I really loved. The bridge pickup on that bass had the most incredible sound. That bass was incredible, but it was about $1000 more than I wanted to spend at the time.

[BillyC]

Most collectors and dealers consider pre 1964 as vintage,well before the CBS and Norlin buyouts of Fender and Gibson when quality started to decline.Post 1964 is referred to as collectable.

[30calbass]

Originally Posted by panama

Why don't you go on fender.com and look at the specs?

fender.com specs

New A standard jazz = (the neck) - Neck Shape Modern "C" Shape - Fingerboard Radius 9.5" Radius (241 mm) -Number of Frets 20 - Fret Size Medium Jumbo - 34" scale.

Vintage = (the neck) - "C" Shape - Fingerboard 7.25" Radius (184 mm) - Fret Size Vintage Style Frets-Number of Frets 20- 34" scale.

[steve_rolfeca]

Late '80's to early '90's was not a particularly happy period for Fender. But as always with Fender, the random combination of the right neck with the right body can make for a monster instrument.

I would never kick a great Fender out of bed based on model year, which factory it was made in, etc. If it works, it works.

+1 on the American Vintage series, though. I had the '62 P-bass (2002 or 2003 model, I think), and it rocked. Great construction and finish, but more importantly, they got the design details right.

[TRichardsbass]

Go new. Play the crap out of it and hold on to it until it is vintage.