• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Bill Nash JB VS Fender custom shop Jazz

C

coolet5

Feb 12, 2003
61
6
57
Visit site
#1
I have a budget to buy a decent bass in the price range of not more than 1800$.

I saw a few nice Fender custom jazz on eBay and also found a new Nash jazz bass over the internet (yes, a Reliced bass) which are about the same price.

I wont be able to check them before buying.

Are the Nash basses sell well? If by any chance, I wont like it?

I`m very much into vintage sound, look and feel, just kinda wondering which one to invest my hard earned money on...

Any thoughts?
 
#2
The Fender CS Jazz will hold its value much better than a Nash. Almost all of the Custom Shops I have played have been good to great sounding and playing basses. I haven`t had experience with the Nash but from all accounts they appear to be very well made as well. I would lean towards the Fender though.
 
#3
I had a Nash Pbass. It sounded great and played well enough but I thought the relic job looked cheesy. (the belt buckle rash was drawn in pencil on the wood!) And ultimately I didn't like the neck profile. Nothing close to vintage and he uses the big modern frets.
 
#4
GeneralElectric said:
I had a Nash Pbass. It sounded great and played well enough but I thought the relic job looked cheesy. (the belt buckle rash was drawn in pencil on the wood!) And ultimately I didn't like the neck profile. Nothing close to vintage and he uses the big modern frets.
Click to expand...

With all due respect sir. Just yesterday I had the chance to A-B some vintage Fenders, with several Nashes at Chicago Music Exchange. The neck profiles are the closest to vintage as you can get for the $$ IMO.
I was there a couple weeks ago and fell in love with an original 63 P that was amazing. I was blown away. It of course was $8000. I saw they had 5 Nashes there but only had time to play one for about a minute. In that 60 seconds, first thing I noticed was the neck profile was freakishly similar to the real 63.
I started looking into the Nashes. Yesterday I had to go to Lakland, and made the trip to CME just to try a PB63.
I just made a deal on my Lakland Skyline JO5 CS for a Lakland US Glaub with a Dark Star. I can easily see myself selling the BG DS to get a Nash 63 P.

I will however agree whole- heartedly. I've looked at alot of Nash basses online. Some of the relic work is just as you said cheesy. If thats what you do, thats your "niche". They need to do it better. I would buy one and finish the relic job myself.

P.S.- I personally like the big frets. Thats just me
 
  • Like
Reactions: SJan3
#6
Heres my take on it.
The older/vintage Fenders have a MUCH fatter/beefier neck.

Who else makes that neck profile... And don't say Warmoth, because I checked with them and they don't do that type of profile.

From what "I" have seen...the Nash has the closest profile.

I was told by Carl Pedigo at Lakland that they are "kit" basses.
But for that matter, so are US Laklands (they out-source their necks and bodies).

I just love that early 60's neck profile
 
  • Like
Reactions: SJan3
#10
Gecko 5 said:
With all due respect sir. Just yesterday I had the chance to A-B some vintage Fenders, with several Nashes at Chicago Music Exchange. The neck profiles are the closest to vintage as you can get for the $$ IMO.
I was there a couple weeks ago and fell in love with an original 63 P that was amazing. I was blown away. It of course was $8000. I saw they had 5 Nashes there but only had time to play one for about a minute. In that 60 seconds, first thing I noticed was the neck profile was freakishly similar to the real 63.
I started looking into the Nashes. Yesterday I had to go to Lakland, and made the trip to CME just to try a PB63.
I just made a deal on my Lakland Skyline JO5 CS for a Lakland US Glaub with a Dark Star. I can easily see myself selling the BG DS to get a Nash 63 P.
Click to expand...


I don't see how the neck profiles are similar. That 63 Fender would have a C width neck (1 3/4) and Nash basses only come in 1.5 and 1 and 5/8.

I own and play vintage Fender basses. Nash basses have a more of a U shape to the neck. Mine also did not have the vintage radius of 7.25.

I'm not saying Nash basses are bad instruments. Mine sounded great I just didn't like the way it played and I sold it in about 2 months.

Here was my Nash by the way.

Link Removed
 
#11
coolet5 said:
As far as I understand, you saying the Nash necks will be fatter and beefier than the fenders. if so, Does the Nash have some "neck dive" issues because of that (meaning neck heavy bass: neck dives while playing)?
Click to expand...

To be honest I did not play it on a strap. I think thats the best way to tell if there is any "neck dive". Didn't feel neck heavy
 
#13
I'd suggest Nash over anything.
They play incredible, are built like tanks, and sound absolutely amazing.
There are different levels of the relicing.

Here's a video of me playing mine. It's with a crappy cell phone, and STILL sounds wicked.

 
  • Like
Reactions: Jhonnybass
#14
coolet5 said:
I`m very much into vintage sound,
Click to expand...

As I stated in my earlier post, assuming you're looking at Jazz basses the Nash rear pickup is in the wrong place. His '60's basses have the rear pickup in the 70's position. If you're looking for a '60's sound you're not going to get it from a Nash. I took a '63 Nash and my real '63 Jazz bass on a gig and they sounded nothing alike. Also the neck radius and profile is different so it doesn't feel like a Fender. Take the Nash apart and the body and neck are stamped "ALLPARTS". The Nash is a good bass, but it's not a Fender. If you want a Nash buy the parts from Allparts and build your own a lot cheaper.
 
  • Like
Reactions: StrangerBasses and sabasbass
#16
Gecko 5 said:
G. E. , I think the U shape is what I am digging. Thats the term I should have used.
Click to expand...

Yeah most of my vintage basses are FrankenFenders that have been refinished and have other Fender parts on them. The basses I have with early Fender necks tend to be wide and thin.

One of my P-basses has a 1961 Fender Jazz neck on it which is slightly rounder than the P-bass necks.

The Nashes have that big U shape to their necks which I know a lot of people found comfortable especially when they do a big grip on it. I have wide palms and tiny fingers so the U shape is uncomfortable to me.

I do however like basses that have really narrow necks and U shape profiles.:D
 
#17
oh yeah to the OP, the Nash I had was made of Allparts stock. However he did a really nice job with the fretwork and all and the bass was very very light weight. It did dive however (most P-basses do) but that was remedied with a large strap.
 
#18
:cool:

Check out Bluesman Vintage Guitars.
Just ordered a 1961 Stack-knob from John.
I owned two Nash Basses, they were good.
But, after seeing a Bluesman "Strat" I order a Bass sight unseen.
It blew the Nash out of the water.
Finish was insane (relic) and neck profile was dead on. (60's)
As good, or better than Fender Custom Shop.
 
  • Like
Reactions: lesclaypoolsob
#19
I can personally attest that I am not a vintage bass expert. I have a nash bass.. a '57model P bass.. I love it. I play it. I don't plan on collecting basses. I took this NASH bass to a vintage guitar shop and had a bassist compare "my" Nash to a real '63 and '50s Pbass. I can't recall the year of the one they had in stock. It was beaten up badly. the guy working at this store is a great player and could hardly tell the difference between either Fender and the Nash bass. He was stunned. I picked up the '63 Fender and carefully held it. The Nash bass is eerily similar in feel, look, and even the neck wear looks similar in many ways to the actual Fenders.. Nash basses might not be for everyone, but for the money, they are a great value.. this guy at the store had ripped Nash basses so I thought it would be interesting to see his reaction.. he's the owner of the store. He was quite impressed with the Nash I brought him. He thought it should be a $2500 bass. I did not tell what I paid for it.. but it was way less than $2500.. I got mine used.

I am sure the Bluesman basses are great too.. I am sure the fender custom "roadworn" basses are great too.. but look at the prices... I am happy with my Nash in ever way possible.. when people ask me what kind of bass it is (live), I tell them it's Nash and no one (general public) has heard of NASH basses.. I love this bass that I have.. it's a 57 P bass model built in mid 2000s..

but fyi I have heard NASH's quality has declined lately.. or read that in reviews..
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back