It looks like a nice example - I don't know how much MIM Jazzes are over there in BC, but it sounds like a bargain to me, especially if you're talking in $CAN. Throw some Aguilar 60's hum cancelling pickups and you'd have a killer Jazz bass there
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ANY love out there for MIM's?
- Thread starter OldCityBassman
- Start date
It looks like a nice example - I don't know how much MIM Jazzes are over there in BC, but it sounds like a bargain to me, especially if you're talking in $CAN. Throw some Aguilar 60's hum cancelling pickups and you'd have a killer Jazz bass there
I don't own an MIM, but there was one particular MIM Standard P bass at my local music store that was simply outstanding. It had one of those necks that just seemed to hit the sweet spot in terms of how it felt in my hands. I compared it to a few other MIM's there and this one stood out. I plugged it in and I really couldn't find any major fault with it, but I could see where someone might want to do an upgrade to the pickups in time.
An outstanding player. If I didn't already have a P bass I would have bought this one.
An outstanding player. If I didn't already have a P bass I would have bought this one.
It looks like a nice example - I don't know how much MIM Jazzes are over there in BC, but it sounds like a bargain to me, especially if you're talking in $CAN. Throw some Aguilar 60's hum cancelling pickups and you'd have a killer Jazz bass there
Squiers in BC go for $100-200 used....crazy MFs...seriously...Fenders should go for $200-300, MIMs, but no, again, crazy MFs think they're worth $400-500..almost retail price.
Insane.
Yep, as I said earlier in the thread, same thing happened to me with my MIM Jazz V. Just a super neck with a super feel! Had to own it! SCN pickups and it's a keeper!
I've always wanted an American Fender jazz bass. I can afford it if I finance it, but buying that MIM jazz on my local Craigslist would save me sooo much money..
It's not easy (or accurate or appropriate) to make blanket statements about certain model years or this place of manufacture over that place, etc. You could play three identical 1964 Fenders or three identical brand new MIA Fenders or three identical 2001 MIMs and find a pretty wide variance in feel, playability and sound.
People should also remember that the MIA Fenders are made just 30 miles north of the MIM Fenders. I read somewhere where a guy from Fender said the main difference between the MIAs and MIMs were that the MIAs were made by Mexican factory workers north of the border and MIMs were made by Mexican factory workers south of the border. This person said one of the main reasons the Mexi plant was built was due to regulations in the amount of spraying (paints, coats, chemical emissions) that could be done in SoCal.
(I know this isn't 100% true and some years/makes of MIMs have different hardware & electronics, different wood, etc.)
I just scored a '94 MIM P over the weekend. Got a good deal on it, with a good case thrown in. I played two other MIM Ps while shopping for a new bass. One was a 2004 which looked and sounded beautiful, but the owner said he had to tweak the neck every 2-3 months, so I passed. The other was a 2007 which I almost scored, but I ended up finding this '94 that just spoke to me. I know the conventional wisdom is that the earlier the MIM, the worse it is, but I really stumbled onto a winner. I played it through three rigs and it sounded great through each one. I don't even think I am going to replace the pickup, but I haven't decided.
This is my first MIM bass. I've owned many Squiers and Fenders over the years, including pre-CBS Fenders.
While in the store I also played a used MIA P bass (asking $999 for it) and a new MIA ($1399.)
I will not say the MIM is "as good" or "better" than the MIAs, but I will say I really liked the feel of the MIM. Maybe just because it is more broken in. The MIAs sounded a little brighter but then again the MIM may well have 20 year old strings on it. It does sound very good though. Very inviting warm thumpiness.
Can't say I wouldn't have taken an MIA over the MIM if I could have afforded it, but there honestly was nothing "better" in the MIAs or lacking in the MIM that made me think the MIAs were worth 3 or 4 times as much as the MIM.
Actually, one of the nicest Ps I ever played is one of those Classic 50s MIMs--it was honey blonde w/ gold anodized pickguard. Man, that thing was great, and the neck was to die for. I would love one of those. But anyway, I'm happy.
The only other MIM fenders I've owned were both Telecaster guitars. One was a late 90s, the other was (I think) a 2003. Both were nice. When I bought the later model I was actually planning on getting an MIA Telecaster but after A/B'ing the MIM with a couple of MIAs in the shop, I couldn't see a reason to try and justify spending nearly $1000 more.
People should also remember that the MIA Fenders are made just 30 miles north of the MIM Fenders. I read somewhere where a guy from Fender said the main difference between the MIAs and MIMs were that the MIAs were made by Mexican factory workers north of the border and MIMs were made by Mexican factory workers south of the border. This person said one of the main reasons the Mexi plant was built was due to regulations in the amount of spraying (paints, coats, chemical emissions) that could be done in SoCal.
(I know this isn't 100% true and some years/makes of MIMs have different hardware & electronics, different wood, etc.)
I just scored a '94 MIM P over the weekend. Got a good deal on it, with a good case thrown in. I played two other MIM Ps while shopping for a new bass. One was a 2004 which looked and sounded beautiful, but the owner said he had to tweak the neck every 2-3 months, so I passed. The other was a 2007 which I almost scored, but I ended up finding this '94 that just spoke to me. I know the conventional wisdom is that the earlier the MIM, the worse it is, but I really stumbled onto a winner. I played it through three rigs and it sounded great through each one. I don't even think I am going to replace the pickup, but I haven't decided.
This is my first MIM bass. I've owned many Squiers and Fenders over the years, including pre-CBS Fenders.
While in the store I also played a used MIA P bass (asking $999 for it) and a new MIA ($1399.)
I will not say the MIM is "as good" or "better" than the MIAs, but I will say I really liked the feel of the MIM. Maybe just because it is more broken in. The MIAs sounded a little brighter but then again the MIM may well have 20 year old strings on it. It does sound very good though. Very inviting warm thumpiness.
Can't say I wouldn't have taken an MIA over the MIM if I could have afforded it, but there honestly was nothing "better" in the MIAs or lacking in the MIM that made me think the MIAs were worth 3 or 4 times as much as the MIM.
Actually, one of the nicest Ps I ever played is one of those Classic 50s MIMs--it was honey blonde w/ gold anodized pickguard. Man, that thing was great, and the neck was to die for. I would love one of those. But anyway, I'm happy.
The only other MIM fenders I've owned were both Telecaster guitars. One was a late 90s, the other was (I think) a 2003. Both were nice. When I bought the later model I was actually planning on getting an MIA Telecaster but after A/B'ing the MIM with a couple of MIAs in the shop, I couldn't see a reason to try and justify spending nearly $1000 more.
mark beem
Wait, how does this song start again??
Spent some quality time with my recently-arrived '09 MIM '60s Road Worn Jazz this past weekend and I'm VERY pleased with it! Great tone and it does indeed feel and play like a nicely broken in instrument. Love the neck!!
Two MIMs...the active Jazz sounds better than an American Deluxe Jazz I was thinking about buying and the Precision is a good example that some MIMs are quality basses.
I've owned three MIM Fenders: a beautiful Blue Agave Standard Jazz Fretless, another beautiful natural ash FSR Standard P (shown with a Warmoth fretless neck) and a Classic '50s P in fiesta red, which my band loved (they sent me home from sound check to get it after I showed up with another bass). No issues, great sound, very nice basses.
I've had mim jazz and p basses in the past. I think they are great basses for the used prices. I generally buy them used. i don't have one at the moment but every few years i buy one. The nice thing is I know I can generally buy and sell them for $300 so every few years I get them play them and sell them at basically no cost out of my pocket.
I love my 2000ish MIM P-Bass. Classic neck...never have been a Jazz Bass guy...things get too crowded down below the 3rd fret. The P-Bass I lucked into came from E-Bay for just under $300 when all was said and done! I played it for a couple of hours this past Fri. night...had a blast!
The flock...AND the heartbeat of our lives.
I love my MIM P-Bass Special. Great playing. Great sounding. Great looking. Great pricing. What more could you ask for?
I got lucky there. The neck on mine isn't as chunky as I typically like, but it's perfectly substantial. Comfy, plays like butter, not a single dead spot.
I love, love, love my 92' Lake Placid Precision MIM. The neck feels like my favorite pair of jeans.
I dropped some Seymour 1/4 Pound SPB3's in it but pulled them out and dropped in SPB1's instead. That plus my Rotosounds...HEAVEN!
Also put in better pots. Sounds so good!
I sometimes go to GC and try out Americans which are great, but not so much better than the MIM's to justify the cost.
I dropped some Seymour 1/4 Pound SPB3's in it but pulled them out and dropped in SPB1's instead. That plus my Rotosounds...HEAVEN!
Also put in better pots. Sounds so good!
I sometimes go to GC and try out Americans which are great, but not so much better than the MIM's to justify the cost.
I have a '13 MIM Jazz fretless that is unbelievably well-built. It has become my main player, and I will soon be adding a fretted version (though I can't imagine why). I have owned several MIAs, mostly 70s dogs, and currently own a pair of MIJ Precisions that are excellent instruments ('86 MIJ E Series P, and an '01 CIJ Sting P).
I like the colour combo on your P-Bass Special. Looks elegant.
Thanks.
It originally came with the gold anodized pick guard.
To me the rough metal felt like running fingers down a chalkboard, so I've swapped it out with various colored ones over the years. The red pearl has stayed on it longest, and to me, looks nicest.
mark beem
Wait, how does this song start again??
I've had my Road Worn Jazz for a week now and I really like it. My one complaint is a common one and involves the volume pots. There's very little variation in volume until I reach about the 90% mark when the volume suddenly "jumps" up sharply. Anyone else have this problem? I have a set of CTS pots and an orange drop cap lying around and have thought about swapping them out.
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