Active "Power Jazz Bass Special" (Fender)

[MarkA]

Thanks for the feedback! I will try and take similar measurements on mine.

Okay -- found my tiny metal ruler. Not as precise as feeler gauges, but, near as I can tell...

• Room to drop the G-string saddle -- a little under 1 mm
• Room to drop the E-string saddle -- about 2 mm
• Height of the G-string above the 17th fret -- 2 mm (maybe a hair under)
  
• Height of the E-string above the last fret -- 2.5 mm (maybe a bit over -- not quite 3 mm, though)

I believe that the radius on my neck is 12". I've seen it quoted as 7.25", but a local tech checked with one of those curved Stew Mac gauges and I'm pretty sure he told me it was 12"... worth double checking, though.

That said, according to the Invalid Link Removed, I am disappointingly pedestrian in my setup preferences:

Neck Radius......Relief
7.25"................ .014" (0.35 mm)
9.5" to 12"........ .012" (0.3 mm)
15" to 17"......... .010" (0.25 mm)

Neck Radius , String Height Bass Side, Treble Side
7.25", 7/64" (2.8 mm), 6/64" (2.4 mm)
9.5" to 12", 6/64" (2.4 mm), 5/64" (2 mm)
15" to 17", 6/64" (2.4 mm), 5/64" (2 mm)

I didn't check the relief and, truth be told, my bass could probably use a setup -- and some fresh strings and maybe a gentle fret dressing while I'm at it (the last I'd have someone do). Got a bit of buzz somewhere around the 15th fret. But, still, I wouldn't expect my basic setup to stray too far from where it is now.

 

[Avalos85]

Thanks for the post Victor.

I made this scheme of my 'Power' Jazz Bass Special (and posted it in the 'Fender MIJ/CIJ club') a while ago:


Link Removed

I can't see it, and i really need it bro

 

[Amalgam]

Time to necro this one more time.

I've read through the thread twice, and a little more, and have looked through the manual, but I can't find out what type of wood is used for the body. Most places that mention it, claim it's basswood, but I thought that basswood was a more contemporary thing on less expensive basses. Maybe the white ones are basswood? I'm really hoping to find a nice alder one, and some claim to own one like one of the Invalid Link Removed, but nobody is infallible. His was red before he got it repainted. Anyone know more about this?

 

[Jeff Elkins]

Time to necro this one more time.

I've read through the thread twice, and a little more, and have looked through the manual, but I can't find out what type of wood is used for the body. Most places that mention it, claim it's basswood, but I thought that basswood was a more contemporary thing on less expensive basses. Maybe the white ones are basswood? I'm really hoping to find a nice alder one, and some claim to own one like one of the Invalid Link Removed, but nobody is infallible. His was red before he got it repainted. Anyone know more about this?

Interestingly, I've been reading this thread recently. Several of these available for sale among the usual suspects. I bought one of the newer white bodies, and could weigh it and send a neck pocket pic. But that won't tell us anything about the older ones.

 

[Amalgam]

Interestingly, I've been reading this thread recently. Several of these available for sale among the usual suspects. I bought one of the newer white bodies, and could weigh it and send a neck pocket pic. But that won't tell us anything about the older ones.

Can you please do that? I'm interested to see what type of bridge yours is, and how heavy. I figure that a basswood one would be less than 9 pounds but I could be wrong.

I'm also wondering how much the reverse p pickup affects the tone. Can it still get all growly without playing hard? Do you have other basses with a p bass pickup you can compare the tone to?

 

[Jeff Elkins]

Can you please do that? I'm interested to see what type of bridge yours is, and how heavy. I figure that a basswood one would be less than 9 pounds but I could be wrong.

I'm also wondering how much the reverse p pickup affects the tone. Can it still get all growly without playing hard? Do you have other basses with a p bass pickup you can compare the tone to?

I didn’t write that clearly. By “newer” what I meant was that I what purchased was a half-loaded Duff McKagan-model body, NOT an original Power Jazz. And it’s unloaded except for the bridge; I haven’t assembled it into anything yet. It’s Alder, according to the seller.

Here’s an older one—seller says it weighs in at 9lbs 1oz.

1987-1988 Fender Power Jazz Bass Special White - MIJ E-Series

 

[Amalgam]

I didn’t write that clearly. By “newer” what I meant was that I what purchased was a half-loaded Duff McKagan-model body, NOT an original Power Jazz. And it’s unloaded except for the bridge; I haven’t assembled it into anything yet. It’s Alder, according to the seller.

Here’s an older one—seller says it weighs in at 9lbs 1oz.

1987-1988 Fender Power Jazz Bass Special White - MIJ E-Series

Whoops, yeah. I was looking at one on eBay and was about to buy one of the old ones, but I was being a bit stingey, and someone bought it about a day before I was. Felt like kicking my own ass for that. I'm looking at buying a different made in Japan fender now, but I really wish I'd just bought the other one as it's paint, bridge and all were in such good shape. All the Power Jazzes I see for sale now seem a little overpriced.

 

[TexasEdition]

Resureting this Zombie thread instead of starting a new one....

I just picked up a nice "power" JB special. I spent 90 minutes with it plugged into my big Ampeg and it sound fantastic. The "active" circuitry does not seem to be working and when pulling off the back plate, I noticed one wire from the small 3-way switch is not connected to anything. I've been looking for wiring diagrams, and there is one posted on this thread, but I an not that good with schematics, I was hoping there would be a more "visual" diagram out there.

It sounds great the way it is and I usually play my Aerodyne with all the pots dimed and make the adjustments on the amp. I imagine I would do the sam here, but it just bugs me that something that is supposed to be working isn't. Otherwise, I might just take it to a guy for a total re-wire.

 

[TexasEdition]

Upon further investigation, it looks like that wire from the small 3-way switch was supposed to go to the input. It's too clean of a cut to be a break and looks like it was sniped.

The knob closest to the neck seems to control the volume of both pickups. The knob closest to the bridge controld the volume of the bridge pickup, to a certain point, then both pickups go silent.

The center knob controls tone as it should.

I wish I knew what was going on here.

Knobs on the other hand..... "F" knobs seem to be hard to find. Can anyone suggest a nice alternative?

 

[Upstate SC Bass]

old thread... but on these Fender Power Jazz Bass Specials in passive mode does anyone know if the battery still drains if the cord is plugged in?

thanks Tom

 

[Crater]

on these Fender Power Jazz Bass Specials in passive mode does anyone know if the battery still drains if the cord is plugged in?

Yes. All active basses work like that. If a cord is plugged in, the preamp is powered and the battery is being drained; doesn't matter if the preamp is bypassed, it's still on.

 

[OldskoolRic]

The Power Jazz Bass Special differed from the regular Jazz Bass Special in a couple of ways besides the electronics. The Power JBS had an active EQ circuit after the passive PUPs, the P-bass coils were reversed, it had extra frets (or at least partial ones- I recall the end of the fingerboard being angled), and a layer of graphite fiber under the fingerboard. The graphite layer extended across the headstock so the the fibers were visible under the clearcoat.

It had the same PUPs as the regular Jazz Bass Special, so the the only "power" aspect was the active EQ circuit.

jt

 

[Upstate SC Bass]

Here is my Fender Power Jazz Bass Special.
these have 22 frets
no angled fingerboard in them.
they were made for Fender in the mid 80’s because when CBS sold Fender to a group of Fender employees there was no manufacturing facilities included so the new owners had these made for a few years in Japan at the Fujigen plant. Until they again began making Fenders in the USA.
Great basses except for the early active circuitry. Most players replaced the active preamp with something else.
It was a good idea the power knob but it was just too much.

A.T.E Active Tone Enhancement and
the TBX thingy. just a good idea that wasn't that great of a result.

the graphite did help to eliminate the famous Fender dead spot on the G string at about the 5th-7th fret.

The body is like a precision so it is a bit strange that it was called a Jazz IMO
but anyway great instruments.