Diary of a bass

I wasn't sure where to post this thread, or even if it deserves to be posted. But since it is about modifying a bass, I figure Luthiers Corner is an ok place to post it. More of a story than a "project overview" - I hope you enjoy it for what it is.

...which is, a thread describing the evolution of a bass I've owned since 2013. It's a '93 American Standard Jazz bass (1989-1993). Nothing exotic or that special, but it was a bit different for a Fender bass. Designed by George Blanda in the late '80s in the first years of Fenders buyback from CBS and the introduction of the Fender Custom Shop - it was part of Fender attempting to break the "retro" mold it successfully used to get the company back in black. What made it different was a 22 fret (no ramp-Fenders first) neck and a body redesign to accommodate it. It was derogatorily tagged the "boner" because of the elongated upper horn. Fender traditionalist to this day have no love for it but aside from aesthetics - it's a US made 22 fret Fender bass that balances well and can still be had for a very fair price on the used market. I liked it for the flatter than standard neck, the TBX tone pot that gave the passive bass some expanded tonal variety, and quite frankly the aesthetics which many people don't like. As always - taste is subjective. Being affordable also made it very attractive. Bottom line - it's a 27yr old US Fender bass.

Lipstick Red, alder body/maple neck/rosewood fb, 3 screw bridge, Schaller standard F stamped tuners, TBX tone pot, which is a stacked tone setup where 1-5 is a standard tone sweep, and 6-10 a slight (passive) tonal boost giving it a more modern sound. It was installed in a number of '80s Fender guitars and basses and is still available today.

This shows the outlines of a standard Fender Jazz bass (blue) and the gen1 A/S Jazz (red) aligned at the neck pocket. The body was redesigned to make the full-length 22 fret neck balance well.

A short time after owning it, the neck pu stopped working. Replaced them with Nordstrand NJ4's. Big improvement.

The 3 screw bridge from the early 80's (so left-over stock from CBS days) spaced the strings wide so the E and G string hung on the fb edges. Replaced it with a Schaller 3D roller-saddle bridge. Another improvement.

I had a '93 Jazz Plus around that time - a really quality Fender bass, at that time top-of-the-line right under a FCS bass. Fender Lace Sensor (silent) pu's, Fender/Kubicki 9v pre, 22 fret (no ramp) neck, Schaller Deluxe F stamped tuners and bridge and redesigned smaller hs and body. A very well designed "modern" active version of a Fender Jazz bass made during the same short period of Phil Kubicki's re-association with Fender selling his FCS badged Ex-Factors. For some background - Phil Kubicki worked for Fender/CBS in the late '60's working under Roger Rossmeisl and left in the early '70s to develop his fine Ex-Factor basses in the '80s. I've owned a few 18v Kubicki Ex-Factors - nothing sounds like a Kubicki Factor and his drop D capo med-scale bass is still unmatched in design and innovation.

The A/S was the bass I initially used for my band The Sean Conneries and this pic is still the banner pic of our Facebook page.

I can't remember all the difference knobs I've had on it. I also switched saddles on a black 3D bridge for a salt & pepper mix.

Eventually found some Schaller Deluxe F tuners and replaced the Schaller standard F tuners. Some of my favorite Fender tuners.

It also became the inspiration for my 22 fret active Supernova bass. (note different knobs)

Later I cut a pearl pg for it - not a standard J pg due to the redesigned body.

Later still being on the heavy side - I lightened it under the hood. Not a huge weight loss - but it helped.

Recently - I took the finish off...

...and am having it refinished by MJT in Burgundy Mist Metallic with mld relic. This is an "in progress" pic - artificial checking and polishing to follow.

Fender/Kubicki 9v pre from a '93 Fender Jazz Plus is on the way. It will take some modification to make it fit in a standard J cavity and I'll need to fabricate a J control plate specifically for the pot spacing. But I will be staying with the Factor stacked knobs...


To summarize, the gen1 American Standard J is not a super unique awesome highly sought after (vintage) bass... but it has been been a bass I've owned for the last 7 years and is still one I love to play. Basses have come and gone - but it's stayed. My willingness to modify/alter it probably stems from it being a worthy platform but not particularly precious/monetarily valuable. It started out pretty generic looking but is ending up as a very individualized bass both in looks and sound. I have basses I've owned longer, and some I've left in their original state. As much as I love to individualize/modify my basses, I wouldn't change any bass that I felt had a solid design from the factory. (think a Kubicki Ex-Factor, and the Fender Jazz Plus in relation to my thread)

This one has gone through a lot of changes, more than the others - so it struck me as potentially interesting to anyone who is a chronic modifier like I am. I will be updating once the body is back and I receive the Kubicki pre.

 

Fresh progress pics from MJT - looking good! A bit more wear than the thick red coating it originally was and just enough to look its age. (in nitro) Can't wait to see it in person - I dig how the checking is only visually apparent at certain angles. The Kubicki pre arrived today and if I want to incorporate it I will need to do a bit of creative modding. (mostly meaning a rear entry cavity so it will fit)
That's Ok - whatever is needed to make it happen. It will be worth the extra efforts!

 

Wow! Consider yourself one of the few (like me) who does! BMM was not one of its colour options - but I've always loved the colour and now I'll have a J in that shade.

 

I think BMM was the first "custom" colour for cars. Nothing before it came close.

 

Thanks! From four years ago. In one sense that's not a long time and in another sense it seems like ages ago. Like, yesterday was 10yrs to the day that I joined tb. Such dates are benchmarks for reflection reminding us what we have accomplished and inspiring what's to come. Thanks for your interest and support!

 

I've wanted a BMM bass, probably since seeing Guy Pratt's "Betsy" ('64 J) in The Bass Book by Tony Bacon/Barry Moorhouse. ['95]

 

Missed the UPS guy today - I feel he didn't even knock and left a tag instead. (to be signed for) Will be here tomorrow for sure.

 

It's here - all & all it is what I wanted. Having it back - I may even add some more relic'ing along the line. Have already designed/sketched the rear control-cavity needed to install the Kubicki pre-amp harness. It will have a custom 3-hole plate (not the one in the pic) cut from chrome/mirror plastic. Barrel-jack to go in the bottom side. Once back together it will be the definition of hybrid - looking like a vintage caddy but with a hemi-engine under the hood. The Gen1 A/S J never came in BMM - the same time period "Urge" did, and it had the Fender/Kubicki 9v pre. So it's sort of an early '90s mash-up of Fender models. Floats like a butterfly - stings like a bee.

 

Routed (over 1-1/2"deep) for the Kubicki pre. Need to do some creative finessing to make it seat correctly. The Kubicki harness circuitboard is deeper than the pot bases and getting it to sit flush under the mirror acrylic shaped like a standard J plate is proving tricky because it's sitting on the 1/8" opening. I can use spacers to make it sit evenly - but then I run out of thread on the pot shafts. I'll figure it out one way or the other. (the extra lower area is for a 9v battery & barrel jack) I will do a recessed plate rout once I resolve the fit issue.

As a side note - instead of clamps I use double-stick tape to keep my routing template in place. I was a bit concerned having the finish removed once I pulled the form off but no worries - good to know.

 

98% there - need to do a bit of filing at the north end but using spacers I got it to fit just barely having enough thread.


Room for a 1/8" recessed cover - may just do a mirror acrylic cover to mimic the control plate and not add another colour to the mix.

Need to cut out the classic J-plate shape... but it works -

Mock-up - actually like the wonky shape of the control cover.... hummm....

 

'93 Fender Urge in Burgundy Mist Metallic. Some similarity from Fender in the same year as my hot-rodded A/S J - not that it was my intention. Never played an Urge but I suspect they are very good. The early '90s for Fender were the years they stretched from retro-ville with their brief re-association with Phil Kubicki, and their very first "signature" bass with the Stu Hamm "Urge", both 'active' basses. Not really interested in putting a P-bass pu between the J's - a supercharged J will do quite nicely thank you very much.

 

Annual Pacifica Fogfest parade from a few years ago. BMM Caddy. It looks lighter in hue in broad daylight. Roxy the Surfing Boston soaking up the attention.

Update: This '69 Caddy finish was actually Heather Poly Mist, a similar hue as BMM.


Here's another '69 Caddy in HPM showing different lighting bringing it closer to BMM. (what a land yacht right?)