5-string fender J-basses, do they suck? If so why?

[Ed Goode]

I love mine. It has all kinds of tone and flavor and plays like butter!

Link Removed

MIA and here to stay!

Now that's a nice looking bass

 

[bryanjnkns]

I used to own a MIA fender jazz V. It was great in sound, and playability. The b sting wasn't floppy nor muddy at all. The one thing that i didnt care for was the string spacing, it was just a bit too narrow for my liking. I traded it for an 83 MM stingray.

Shop around, play many, find one you like. If you can't, look for something else.

 

[Yman]

Does anyone string tenor? I mean replace the low b with a high c.

I dont mean to highjack the thread, but if i ever get a five string that is what i plan to do, and i know im not the only person ever to think that.

So does anyone use the high c on fenders? and if so, how does it sound?

 

[bazzanderson]

3 amps. I own 9 fender basses. I wouldn't say it sucked, just didn't do anything for me. See threads like this crack me up, how can you possibly know if your going to like a certian guitar by asking someone else. It didn't suck it didn't rock it was just another bass I wouldn't pay for. Just my opinion anyone who would base a purchase on someone elses opinion could be in for a big letdown. You might as well ask,"does this bass make me look fat?"

LOL! Now that made me laugh! I have to say...I love Fender but they are inconsistent when it comes to 5 stringers. I think they've gotten their act together more or less in the last 3-4 years. I'm on my 4th Fender 5 string and it's an awesome 5 string bass BUT my 1st 2 fender jazzes.....not so much. Anemic tone and craptacular B strings. Bone is right...go try it if you can or order it from an place that has a good return policy. Basically....judge for yourself.

 

[Matt Call]

I used to have a an American Dlx. Jazz V. One of my favorite basses of all time. It was a '99 and I bought it NOS in 2001 for $800. That thing was my baby and, I might get flamed for this, was right up there with the quality of a Sadowsky (I own one now, which I feel gives me the right to say that). However, when I was in the market for another Jazz 5... the Fenders didn't do it for me. I wanted them to - I played every one that I could get my hands on. I don't know what the deal was. Maybe I just liked the way I had mine set up.

So try it before you buy it. If you don't like one... try some others. You'll be suprised at the differences.

 

[MAJOR METAL]

Not exactly a J bass but the Roscoe Beck 5 rocks !

 

[tommyr01]

I love my Fender American Deluxe V - the B string is tight and responsive and the bass just sounds incredible.

+1...........I Love mine

 

[clavefa]

I love mine. It has all kinds of tone and flavor and plays like butter!

Link Removed

MIA and here to stay!

I had the exact same well mine was a Dlx, but same finish and PG. Beautiful

Now as for the B's on the MIM std. I did'nt care too much for the earlier ones, the later models are an improvement but still not for me.

 

[gruuv]

I voted "It rocks!" and the one I own does. It just takes a backseat to the Atelier Z but the Atelier owns any other jazz bass I've owned, played, heard, or conceived of. I have not played any others though, so take that for what its worth. Having owned many high end and boutique 5 and 6 stringers I can say that this doesn't have the best B out there, but it is by no means floppy and dungish. I wouldn't travel up past, say, low G on the B string, but I rarely need to do that anyway.

The bottom line on it for me is: (a) if I had not owned an MTD535, several 36 in scale basses, etc... I don't think I'd want for anything more with this B. And (b) the overall tone is fantastic. It's full, has a wicked slap tone and a very full punchy fingerstyle tone. I say go for it, but try and play it before you buy.

 

[B String]

Did you happen to plug it into an amp?

Stop... stop.... yer killin me here! he he he, ha ha ha....
oh, my cheeks hurt. Whoa, thanks, I needed that.

 

[jmain]

I love mine. It has all kinds of tone and flavor and plays like butter!

Link Removed

MIA and here to stay!

Great looker!
I have a 2006 MIM that's just like this. I had to play a couple before I found the one I liked. But like others have said, that goes for a lot of brands/builders.

I probably could have lived with the pickups, but had to go with some Nordies. The Fender strings were a little dead and a new set livened it right back up. The B is nice on mine.

The neck has a smaller radius than my Lakland and the spacing is tighter, but to me it makes it easier to play. I can slap no problem. I kinda feel like I'm playing a P-necked 4 string jazz that has a low B. Very do-able.

 

[clavefa]

Not exactly a J bass but the Roscoe Beck 5 rocks !

No it's better...I had one too but the neck made my wrist hurt
so i sold it, later I saw a video of me playing it at my daughters 15th b-day party and it sounded so good I regretted getting rid of it.

 

[Bone]

I'm kind of lucky that the store owner lets me do things like change batteries and strings on his used gear. It works out for me also so I don't end up going home with a bass that I don't like. I've heard mention before,"everything sounds good in the store" Thats true when your plugging into a boutique stack that cost $4000 then go home and plug into your ampeg ba115 or whatever.
So I think your safe to assume that if a guitar doensn't sound good in the store you probably won't like the tone at home. But I don't think I wouldn't buy a Fender 5 because my friends said they sucked. In fact the next one I plug in and play may end up following me home. To the hunt!

 

[cb56]

I used to own tZer's Jazz V and another one that was Lake Placid blue colored. Neither one had a floppy or mushy B string.

That being said, I love my G&L more....alot more.

 

[WoodyG3]

There sure have been a lot of "Does This Brand Suck?" threads lately.

Look, I know lots of people who like Chevy Cameros who say Ford Mustangs suck. I have two Mustangs, I know they don't suck, so what do I care what someone else thinks. And, BTW, I DON'T think Cameros suck and wouldn't say so just because I like Mustangs.

IMO people are WAY to worried about brand names.

As others have said, go play as many basses as you can, ignore what it says on the headstock, pick the one that both fits your budget and plays best for you. Most importantly, HAVE FUN!

 

[Aubass1]

It's a five string, so naturally its superior to everything

 

[jmain]

I just (last night) ended up buying a '98 MIM Fender V with the Suhr (single pole) pickups and 9v pre. A guy bought it NOS and decided he didn't like 5's, but held onto it.

Should be here next week.

I was thinking about routing out the front pickup for a NP5...hmmm. I'll have to play it a while first before doing something so drastic.

I'll run my Artic White passive (NJ5Fs already in, just remove the Retro) and the other one active. Or I'll throw my Sadowsky pre in the Deluxe...

 

[bassbully43]

I have an MIM V that i have had many comments on how great it sounded....had a active Carvin V that everybody said sounded like poo next to my MIM V so i sold it and bought a twin of my 5 but in a 4....the 5 is a great bass.

 

[jmain]

Just took a pic of my MIM V after removing the J-Retro.

It's the MIM cousin to tZer's MIA.

I can't take pics worth a crap! And my battery just died in my camera.

 

[petch]

Just played a fellow TB (and coworker's)! Am Deluxe Jazz 5 and I would have to say that it is a killer bass. Beautiful setup, fine neck, has a J-retro pre, and it sounds terrific. There is nothing to bitch about with the B string- it is totally solid and sounds great.