American Jazz Vs. Mexi Jazz

try both, then decide

 

I've wondered about this too.

Go to a store that carries both. Ask to be blindfolded and have the sales guy bring you each bass one at a time. Let us know if you can tell a difference.

 

As long as you're considering those 2, definitely check out the Highway 1. I personally prefer the current Highway 1 to the American Standard, primarily due to the finish and the simplicity. Just my thoughts...

 

IMO...If you can't tell a difference in sonud or playability, why should you pay the difference? Sounds like an easy decision to me.

 

wait, you said you re not too big on fenders? why buying fender then? i think you answered your question for that matter and go for mex. find a '60 reissue tho and you'll get a serious bang for your money!

 

If you're not too big on Fenders and (my prediction) don't hear any difference, go for the MIM. I have a 2000 and it's a fine bass.

 

If it's not going to be your main bass and you are not crazy about the tone then why buy it? Not to mention pay more for it?

 

it was negligence of some people,dont worry.

 

A neck can twist on any bass. Since more Fenders are out there than anything else, there are more accounts of Fenders with neck twist than other models. I'm not saying its completely unrelated to QC, but I think it has more to do with the fact that they have so many more basses out there. A neck can twist just as quickly on a $1,500 Fender as a $500 Fender. I think you are making the right decision for yourself.

 

I have both a MIM Jazz (1996) and a MIA Jazz V (2001).

Maybe it's because of the extra weight of the V, but the MIA definitely feels more solid to me...

The only complaint I ever had with the MIM was the pickups. I've been very happy with the stock passives in my MIA Jazz V, but the stock pickups in my MIM eventually started to fatigue my ear. Once I replaced them with EMGs, I was much much happier with my MIM.

 

The neck on my mexi jazz bass twisted and bent.. it was horrible and I will never buy another mexican bass again. BEcause there was no warranty to fix it even though it was only 2 years old when it happened. Fender pretty much told me and the tech I had work on it we were out of luck.

Come to think of it I will never buy a fender bass after that one.

I did turn it into a sweet fretless bass though with a new neck, bridge, tuners, pickups and a preamp and electronics.

 

Get the MIA. I have also had a mexi jazz bass that had it's neck warp. I thought it was just a fluke until I read that it is a common problem. Spend the extra $, get a bass that will last more than 2-3 years.

 

Or, you could always look at a used MIJ/CIJ.

I have a really nice MIJ from the late 90's that plays great and has awesome quality. Plus, the price sits right in between your two choices.

 

Have a spin on the new Fender Squire Deluxe Active 5-string bass. There is a great thread on them at the moment. I actually got to try one out at GC a couple of weeks ago.
$250.00 dollars, 19mm string spacing & extremely nice tone. Although it won't be replacing my MIA Jazz Deluxe 5 anytime soon, it did have me saying "damn"! I see what the great reviews are about. I'll probably pick one of these up in the future.

 

pssssst.... put a badass 2 bridge on it! lol. Best part about mexis are that theyre realllllllll easy to modify!

 

Hmm , what have happened to the new mexico instruments ? All recent ive played have been great players , nice wood and well crafted. Try to find a new mexico jazz and save a few bucks.