2008 Fender American Standard Jazz V

[peterpalmieri]

I took the time over the weekend to remove the poly finish from the back of the neck and give it a good waxing. It took some time to get it correct but now I've eliminated any stikyness from the back of the neck.

I also played a gig last night and it sounded and felt great, no complaints. And since the bass is the same color as my main bass knowone in the band even noticed I was playing a different bass until I told them later on.

The pick ups sound very nice also, I thought I might have to change them over to Fralins but they sound very nice and are very quiet even when you solo one of them.

The bass as a whole sounds a little more twangy with less resonance then my JO4 but only slightly. I do think that when it plays in for a few months the sound will mature.

I did notice one slot for a fret was cut to deep and then filled in, barely noticable and not all the way throught the fret board but worth mentioning.

 

[mikeyswood]

This one is due in mid July. I am told that I am the first to order one.....might have been salesman BS.

 

[peterpalmieri]

This one is due in mid July. I am told that I am the first to order one.....might have been salesman BS.

Mine has 2 round string trees as opposed to the one in the photo..

Pete

 

[vinxbass]

[/IMG]
I'm excited about this bass. I've read and heard so many good things about. It will be my first passive bass since the early 90's. Can't wait till it gets here and when it does I'll post some pics.

 

[peterpalmieri]

I'm excited about this bass. I've read and heard so many good things about. It will be my first passive bass since the early 90's. Can't wait till it gets here and when it does I'll post some pics.

That is my exact bass, realy no need for me to post a pic of it at this point. Love it!

I have to admit I was a little nervous about taking out my sander to a brand new bass but the neck is now AWESOME!

Honestly the first passive 5 string bass I've been happy with...

Pete

 

[vinxbass]

That is my exact bass, realy no need for me to post a pic of it at this point. Love it!

I have to admit I was a little nervous about taking out my sander to a brand new bass but the neck is now AWESOME!

Honestly the first passive 5 string bass I've been happy with...

Pete

IIIIIIIII - am not going to do that. WOW!! That does sound risky, but if you like it better now then that's what counts.

I know alot of guys don't like the stickiness to the back of the neck. It doesn't bother me because my hands don't sweat.

 

[peterpalmieri]

IIIIIIIII - am not going to do that. WOW!! That does sound risky, but if you like it better now then that's what counts.

I know alot of guys don't like the stickiness to the back of the neck. It doesn't bother me because my hands don't sweat.

I am no expert when it comes to these things but I've been around long enough to know not to screw things up.

A little perspective: I owned a '73 jazz bass that was a real players instrument and all of the finish naturally wore off, that bass sounded so good and made me a passive J bass kind of guy. Unfortunately that bass became unplayable with neck issues etc that comes with an old Fender. I played new Fenders in the mid 90s and never could get used to that sticky neck feel. I eventually left them for a Sting Ray which has an unbelievable neck, the problem was that I was sacrificing the J bass tone, even though I dealt with it for a number of years by regularly buying and then selling new Jazz basses. That was until I found a USA JO4, unbelievable passive J tone with the feel and sound of an old Fender. What I didn't like about the 5 string version was the 35" scale and the large neck radius.

What I've found is that by some simple work on my end to get the neck to have that played in feel on this 34" scale passive 5 string is that I'm 95% of the way to getting that vintage jazz bass feel, playability and tone in a reasonably price well built instrument.

Time will be the real judge.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

[/IMG]
I'm excited about this bass. I've read and heard so many good things about. It will be my first passive bass since the early 90's. Can't wait till it gets here and when it does I'll post some pics.

I played that bass again today at GC. It is the real deal! If I didn't pretty much cover the same territory with my 55-02, I would get one for sure.

 

[peterpalmieri]

I guess it is time for an update. I've played 3 gigs and a number of rehearsals with this bass. It sounds nice, feels good and I have had no problems. Very pleased overall. 3 more gigs this coming weekend.

In a direct A/B with my USA Lakland JO 4 (passive) there is an apparent difference in the sound the JO is more agressive and has more bite while the Fender is smoother. I am pretty sure it is the pick up design but I could be wrong.

To be perfectly honest when doing a direct A/B I am somewhat disappointed, although I have not played a single instrument that I can say from my own personal standpoint beats the JO in an A/B, it's my own personal hell to have such a wonderful instrument. On a gig not much different though...

 

[peterpalmieri]

Well I played 3 gigs over this weekend and used the '08 jazz V exclusively.

It worked out really well the bass plays really well, no concerns or issues to deal with plugged in and didn't have to think about the instrument.

It sounds very nice as well, a little more of a round tone and less aggressive then my USA JO. In some situations it was actually better and others not so much. The '08 Jazz V performs very well when playing slap, finger style funk and when dialing in the mellow tones (rolling back the tone knob). For those tunes where I like to dig in and get more of that mid range growl it's just not as aggressive, it can be dialed in on the amp although I try to set and go during a gig.

Overall I'm very happy with the bass. I mentioned earlier in this thread that I sanded off the finish on the back of the neck and used a bees wax finish applied with 0000 steel wool. All 3 gigs were outside and it was in the 90s and humid all weekend, I had ZERO sticky neck issues!

 

[vinxbass]

J-bass weekend report-WOW!!

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I thought I'd let everyone know how this last weekend went with my new MIA '08 Jazz. This last weekend was my first gig with the new stick and, I gotta tell you, it didn't disappoint. The tone on this baby is MONSTROUS. I haven't played a passive bass in 20 years and was curious going in to the gig how I would make out. I was amazed, every note, especially the upper register's cut thru the mix like a hot knife thru butter. The low B was full and very articulate, it didn't sound mushy or floppy at all. When I slap, especially the popping the notes are powerful. I can't say enough about the tone of the guitar. This is the punchiest bass I've ever played. It took me 4 months to get my Carvin LB75AP to sound the way I wanted it to; it took me 2 nights to get this Jazz dialed in. My drummer, whom I've played with for 24 yrs. said that far and away this is the best my tone has ever sounded. He said he could here every note with distinction and the punchiness was unreal. It sounds like what a bass is supposed to sound like. Anyway, I know now that I made a very good choice in going with the new Fender Jazz.

 

[king_biscuit]

Mine has 2 round string trees as opposed to the one in the photo..

Pete

The one in the photo looks like an ash Jazz Deluxe.

 

[mikeyswood]

^ it is. I can't wait to pick it up

 

[Willem]

I played one like this yesterday! It was a great bass. I loved the B string, playabillity and the jazz sound. My first 5 stringer could very well be a Fender!