Thanks for the reply. I figured no one here would go with the elite over a VF. I love Fbass as well. My thinking was if I managed to find a jazz that could hold its weight against a VF it would be a whole lot easier on the wallet
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Q: "Hey Lamborghini Fan Club, should I get a Lambo or a Hyundai?"
A: "Get a Lambo all the way."
Jokes apart, if you have the money of course you can't go wrong with Fbass... you get an instrument on another league, as you know if you already own one.
Said that, I had for some years the previous Fender Deluxe 5 201x series as my main bass, tried the new, more expensive Elite and I can say that I would not buy one for new unless I really fell in love with some specific cool finishes that they offer.
If you want to save money and you like the look of the Elite, you can buy a used Deluxe 201x for half the price of a new Elite and get basically the same thing IMHO.
Well said, thanks for the reply. I've sold many bases before finding a home at Fbass. The funny thing is I don't really miss any of them except for my jazz basses. Hopefully this next VF well cure me of that forever.Q: "Hey Lamborghini Fan Club, should I get a Lambo or a Hyundai?"
A: "Get a Lambo all the way."
Jokes apart, if you have the money of course you can't go wrong with Fbass... you get an instrument on another league, as you know if you already own one.
Said that, I had for some years the previous Fender Deluxe 5 201x series as my main bass, tried the new, more expensive Elite and I can say that I would not buy one for new unless I really fell in love with some specific cool finishes that they offer.
If you want to save money and you like the look of the Elite, you can buy a used Deluxe 201x for half the price of a new Elite and get basically the same thing IMHO.
Thanks for the reply. I figured no one here would go with the elite over a VF. I love Fbass as well. My thinking was if I managed to find a jazz that could hold its weight against a VF it would be a whole lot easier on the wallet
Vfs ARE jazz basses. Another option for you would be to get that Fender jazz and buy the big f boost preamp/pedal
I never considered that option, thanks for the reply. I realize the VFjj is a jazz bass I should have been more specific. I was referring to the classic lines and vintage appeal of the Fender. While the VF is clearly a superior instrument in many ways, there's just something about a Fender jazz that appeals to me for some reason.
I have both and the Fender rarely gets played, if at all. The F Bass is so much better in every way. I loved the Elite and played it a lot. Now, it just doesn’t compare. I have been wrestling with keeping it or selling it. And, FWIW, I pass out the numbers for the Fender Jazz Bass club here!
Wow spot on juju, that's exactly the kind of feedback I was looking for. Thanks for the reply. That's what I was kinda worried about. Grabbing the Fender for sentimental reasons, then never playing it because my Fs are so much better.
Btw how's the BNF6 treating you? If I was a fretless guy at all that beauty would still be mine.
Wow spot on juju, that's exactly the kind of feedback I was looking for. Thanks for the reply. That's what I was kinda worried about. Grabbing the Fender for sentimental reasons, then never playing it because my Fs are so much better.
Btw how's the BNF6 treating you? If I was a fretless guy at all that beauty would still be mine.
I know and I’m so lucky to have it. I love it. Play it all the time. It’s so smooth and silky.
Wow spot on juju, that's exactly the kind of feedback I was looking for. Thanks for the reply. That's what I was kinda worried about. Grabbing the Fender for sentimental reasons, then never playing it because my Fs are so much better.
Btw how's the BNF6 treating you? If I was a fretless guy at all that beauty would still be mine.
Wow spot on juju, that's exactly the kind of feedback I was looking for. Thanks for the reply. That's what I was kinda worried about. Grabbing the Fender for sentimental reasons, then never playing it because my Fs are so much better.
Btw how's the BNF6 treating you? If I was a fretless guy at all that beauty would still be mine.
Sorry, to add more, but it was late last night and I was not at my best. So, now I feel compelled to brag on F Bass and highlight a few things I like better.
Fit and finish... duh! There just is no comparison between these two basses in that regard. To be fair, the Fender elite is very nice, there is a lot of attention to details and practicalities. I like the truss rod wheel for adjustments, I have the natural and the wood grain is beautiful, the maple fretboard has a few bird eyes, the pearloid inlays are pretty and well done, and I like that they include a hard shell case. In the end, my VF is nicer in everyway except the truss rod wheel and case. Different but better. Maybe cleaner or classic is a better word. Even the 2 things I mentioned aren’t deal breakers. The F Bass gig bags are wonderful and truss rod adjustment is easy enough. I think it comes down to how it was made. An instrument crafted by luthiers, artisans, artists, that put their name on it, should be better than one crafted by CnC machines and assembly line processes. This shows up in many ways. I have the sunburst finish and it’s almost like it draws you in. I don’t know how or why, but it’s got a depth that isn’t on other basses.
Tone... I used to say nothing sounds like a Fender and that is true. They are the foundation instruments of our Bass heritage. Leo designed a great instrument that lives today and the Elite is the best mass produced option in that series. To that end, they’ve used good electronics and their noiseless pickups. All of that does give it good tone, but I can’t solo either pickup without dealing with 60 hz hum in some fashion: Notch filter or noise gate or just tolerate it. The pre is good and gives nice tonal options. I also like the battery compartments that are on the Fender, but they are also on my newer FBasses too. My VF has the Agular HC jazz pickups and they have the best tone! I can solo either or blend as needed. I ran the neck solo during a jam session a few weeks ago, blues and rock, and it was simply the best I’ve ever sounded with those guys. Present and punchy with enough meat to let you know the bass was holding it down. I am without a P configuration on any bass at the moment and I do wish I had that. I also played the VF at a gig back in the summer, and a friend that had been to several gigs, asked what I had done different and it was only the VF. He said my tone was better than it had ever been. I have considered putting these pups into my Fender, but really, why? Save the few hundred or sell the Fender and play the F. The VF does have a rosewood fretboard and Fender a maple, but that tonal option would be the only reason to keep both. I also have a Kiesel JB5 with maple fretboard that sounds good. Truth be told, it doesn’t get played either because the VF is just that good.
Comfort... there is something about the VF that I don’t know to describe in tangible ways. When I play the other J basses that I own, thy feel like, well basses. They have all the parts I expect and I can make music or at least notes. When I play the VF, or the other F’s, it just feels right. The body of the bass is perfectly shaped and contoured to me. The neck is the most comfortable profile and feel of anything I’ve played. It feels like it becomes an extension of me. Maybe that’s just romance.
Ok, that’s a lot more than I thought I’d write when I started, but I do love these basses. Again, the Elite is a wonderful instrument and worth its cost, but it isn’t an FBass. Once I’d played the first BN 6, there was no going back.
Hope that helps or at least piles on.
Thanks again juju and everyone else who took the time to reply to what must have seemed like a dumb question. I have acouple Fs so the question wasnt which is better. The question was mainly posed to those club members who chose to keep their Fender jazz (hopefully elite) along with their Fbasses (hopefully VF jj). What are your thoughts, do you still love and play the Fender or has it become an after thought. Marcel is tied up with NAMM prep so he cant give me the customer service Fbass is so great at til Monday. Come Monday evening we should have all the details worked out and my next (and what I told my wife will be my last) VF will be in the pipeline. Thanks club for helping to talk me off the ledge.
So do you have any plans to add to that now world famous f clef wall of fame, or have you completed the collection?
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Theres a Gretsch to the right, but maybe one day that could be the AC or VF P/J. Never know what I might do.
They are both beautiful, that is a stunning sunburst though. I appreciate the detail of your comparison. Thanks a bunch
Just saw this photo: a new VF5-PJ with an Alder & Ash body, Maple fingerboard, and Roasted Maple/Brass pickguard with "F BASS EST 1978" engraving. Apparently it is headed to NAMM, then will be available through Bass and Beyond.
I really like how roasted maple looks as a pickguard.
I really like how roasted maple looks as a pickguard.
In addition to the VF-love shown above, they posted some NAMM BN love as well:
They called this a "Roasted Ash BN5 with a flat-carve body." It has a Mac Ebony fingerboard, Roasted Ash/Brass pickguard, exposed pole pickups, and aluminum side dots. After NAMM, this will be available at FreSpot.
They called this a "Roasted Ash BN5 with a flat-carve body." It has a Mac Ebony fingerboard, Roasted Ash/Brass pickguard, exposed pole pickups, and aluminum side dots. After NAMM, this will be available at FreSpot.
Heck, I have an original '65 Jazz Bass that I hardly play after getting my BN5, I can only imagine that the VF5 would be the best of both worlds !
Certainly beautiful and probably sounds even better, but one of the things I really like about the BN series is how well it’s sculpted. Still warming up to the flat carved part, but as I said, beautiful. I am really digging the pick guards in this series of photos... makes me Jones for a nice piece of roasted ash for mine.
- Apr 29, 2003
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- Disclosures
- Contributor- Bass Musician Magazine | Marketing Manager- Trickfish Amplification
I hear you there. But no warming up needed for me on this beauty. (or that black one for that matter!)
FWIW I prefer the upper horn sculpting on the BN's with tops as opposed to the topless ash bodies. They have just a little less carved out of the horn where it meets the body. But man is an F bass comfortable to hold and play!
FWIW I prefer the upper horn sculpting on the BN's with tops as opposed to the topless ash bodies. They have just a little less carved out of the horn where it meets the body. But man is an F bass comfortable to hold and play!
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