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Favorite Jazz bass knock off?

KingRazor

KingRazor

Supporting Member
Jun 4, 2010
6,747
415
37
Beaverton, Oregon USA
#1
The Fender Jazz bass seems to be one of the most copied (or maybe I should say "inspired"? :rolleyes: ) basses ever. Those of you who have played some of these and liked them, which is your favorite?

Squier doesn't count.

I haven't actually found a lot of these in stores so my favorite I guess would be the Marco 5-string active Jazz I played at my local shop.

I'd have made a poll but there's a lot of brands out there and I don't even know half of them.

Also, I'm thinking let's not include Jazz basses that don't actually have the Fender Jazz-shaped body. So no F Bass or Brubaker Brutes.
 
#3
Brands I know of off the top of my head that would qualify:

Alleva Coppolo (multiple models)
Essex :D
Ibanez (lawsuit)
Lakland 44/60
Mike Lull M4V
Nordy vJ4
Suhr Classic J
Sandberg California TT
Sadowsky Vintage 4-string
Valenti VMJ4

Haven't played any of the above though
 
#4
For me it's SX,

IMGP1441a.jpg


2391e6f6-ddd1-4e2b-b07b-35e23f9be67e.jpg


they let me do what I want to do (but I'm no pro) so why pay more?
 
#7
I'm with Dabbler..... I've played a few of my buddy's SX basses over the last year or so... Walked in to his den one day where all his gear is... and notice he had 3 bass guitar's They all looked like Fender's to me... first thing out of my mouth was "Where did you get the coin to buy 3 Fender's!!" As i got closer i realized they were not fender's but SX's !! Never heard of them... he said pick-um up and plug them in.... Wow!! they played and sounded awesome!! He said he picked all 3 up at a yard sale... the guy want $75 each .. he gave him $150 for all 3.. They have the old head stock... so from a distance.... they look like a Fender...
 
#8
I played a schecter diamond j once, and it was pretty good, definitely a step up from mim standards.

Also, depending on how much liberty we are taking, my peavey foundation (2 sc pups, vvt setup, 1.5" width neck, 34" scale, very jazz-esque) does a hell of a job at being a jazz, with just a little more bite. So good a job, idk if I really need a true jazz.
 
#10
I think it is funny that the OP put a smiley face after he listed SX, but SX has been getting the most love thus far! I'm sure if I wanted to spend a couple grand I could find a Sadowsky or Lakland that would be far superior to my SX Jazz. But for the $250 or so I have in it with mods IMO it's a fantastic deal and my favorite of the many Jazz basses I have owned.

IMG_4723_zps22b278a1.jpg
 
#11
I play and love an SX actually. And I would love to try an SX Andromeda.

The smiley is because of how many people on these boards think SX basses are crap.

My bass doesn't have the best fret work or the best neck pocket (though it is tight), I've still put in less money than I would into a new MIM Fender, and it's got great features now that I've upgraded it a bit.
 
#17
Carvin SB series or B series if you don't disqualify them for body shape. Lakland, Mike Lull, and Pat Wilkins are all great. I've owned an SX Jazz, and it was very good for the money. I'd rather spend a little more and get something that's just right out of the box, but I'm no gear snob. I've gigged SX and Squier basses and been happy as a clam. :)
 
#19
yeah for P bass... I had an old Peavey which other than the headstock was a really close clone. It actually sounded and played better than my old mim p. The neck was closer to a jazz neck.

as far as Jazz basses, Ive heard some really nice sounding warmoths but I've yet to actually play one myself. KSD makes em pretty nice for the price. ESP has also has had some nice ones but I think there new ones have different horns to not look so close to fender.
 
#20
KingRazor said:
The smiley is because of how many people on these boards think SX basses are crap.
Click to expand...
I think they are crap because they sent me "crap", twice. One had chunks missing from the edges of the fretboard, a trussrod that was crooked in the neck. the other very visible fretboard rash in several spots and some of the worst fretwork I have encountered. My most expensive basses cost under $1,000 in street prices, and I'm not super picky, so my fretwork standards aren't sky high.

*I've seen pictures on here of what look to be decent examples of a bass, with SX on the headstock. But to me, they are a gamble not worth the time and cost to ship it back.
 

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