If I bought something like that I would have to put the Suicide Hotline on speed dial!
The first scratch or ding, and it would be game over
The first scratch or ding, and it would be game over
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Fender Adam Clayton Bass?
- Thread starter steve_kyle
- Start date
Main reason I got mine was for the block inlays and matching headstock. The tone was great bonus.I played a used one at GC and I was seriously considering it. It’s a beautiful bass, but I thought it got harder to play as I went up the neck. It gets chunkier as you go. I’m also a sucker for matching head caps so I bought a Fender Japan Hybrid II Jazz FSR from a broker on eBay. It was $1000 less with shipping and customs than the Adam Clayton new, and I think it’s comparable or better. I do wish it had those block inlays though
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,591
- 221,980
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
So do all of them come with a special preamp? Read that for the first time in the for sale listing posted above.
I own one and I can say it's a very good bass.
It has very nice voiced pu's, a very comfortable neck. I love the looks, but that is of course a personal matter.
You'll get an higher end jb that's not your typical sb, ow or blk. And a matching headstock with lollipop tuners, block inlays and a pearl pickguard. Yeah, you've got that signature on the headstock. But that's ok.
It has very nice voiced pu's, a very comfortable neck. I love the looks, but that is of course a personal matter.
You'll get an higher end jb that's not your typical sb, ow or blk. And a matching headstock with lollipop tuners, block inlays and a pearl pickguard. Yeah, you've got that signature on the headstock. But that's ok.
Yep, I had one. I was disappointed in that one and sold it. It was only OK for me. Mine had neck dive and the pickups weren't anything special. While I did like the thicker neck profile it has, and I'm a sucker for a painted headstock, but nothing else stood out. I tried a few different types of strings on it and the tone (pickups) just never impressed me. It was easy to let that one go...... I do have and kept my AM Pro's, so I valued them over the Adam Clayton. But the Vintage II J and USA Geddy have similar neck profiles and sound much better.
I owned one for several years when they first came out. It was one of the best Fender’s I owned. I switched to Spectors and sold my Fenders and it was part of the purge.
From my experience, I couldn't disagree more about the AC being a disappointment, and I've played a few Pro II's to compare. They are definitely nice, no question. But aside from obvious design differences, such as the neck heel, I'd rate the overall build quality of the AC at the same level as a Pro II. I don't really have much neck dive with mine, and I own 2 AC basses. My sherwood green jazz is my current #1. Comfortable and it sounds fantastic. Currently wearing black tapewounds. I've been pimping out my purple sparkle AC precision recently... I've never tried a Geddy, but I'd love to, so I can't compare it.
Well, that’s what I thought too. When I was reading the for sale link someone posted earlier in the thread, the description talked about a preamp. That’s why I was wondering.
I've got a 2015 ACJ (Sherwood Green), and it's been my #1 since I bought it here on TB nearly 8 years ago.
Mine weighs just under 9 lbs and has fantastic balance. I'm honestly not a big U2 fan - I bought it purely on the specs/look. My checklist for specs was alder body, rosewood board, string-thru, 60s pickup spacing, 9"+ on radius, and satin/non-gloss neck finish. This had all of that with a look that I love. Big fan of the color/matching headstock, and I dig blocks but dislike bound necks.
Anyway, I've built another bass with similar specs since, but the AC remains my favorite and my main player/gig bass. It plays like butter, and is the fattest sounding jazz bass I've played/owned. Mine came with EMG-JVX pickups installed (as well as the original Fenders), but I never bothered to re-install the OG pickups. Could be my particular bass, the EMGs, or a combo of things, but this bass really opens up and growls the more I dig in. I've had jazzes that sort of 'hit the wall' when I dig in or seem to lack responsiveness across a wide dynamic range, but this jazz sounds phenomenal to me. Here's a photo of mine, significantly modded over the years to make it my own...
If you buy used and decide you don't like it, they seem to hold their value well. So you should be able to flip it fairy easy if you don't bond with it.
Mine weighs just under 9 lbs and has fantastic balance. I'm honestly not a big U2 fan - I bought it purely on the specs/look. My checklist for specs was alder body, rosewood board, string-thru, 60s pickup spacing, 9"+ on radius, and satin/non-gloss neck finish. This had all of that with a look that I love. Big fan of the color/matching headstock, and I dig blocks but dislike bound necks.
Anyway, I've built another bass with similar specs since, but the AC remains my favorite and my main player/gig bass. It plays like butter, and is the fattest sounding jazz bass I've played/owned. Mine came with EMG-JVX pickups installed (as well as the original Fenders), but I never bothered to re-install the OG pickups. Could be my particular bass, the EMGs, or a combo of things, but this bass really opens up and growls the more I dig in. I've had jazzes that sort of 'hit the wall' when I dig in or seem to lack responsiveness across a wide dynamic range, but this jazz sounds phenomenal to me. Here's a photo of mine, significantly modded over the years to make it my own...
If you buy used and decide you don't like it, they seem to hold their value well. So you should be able to flip it fairy easy if you don't bond with it.
So the difference is the old style neck heel vs the new more cutaway version that’s on the Ultras?
Yes, that was my question. I have zero problems with that neck heel.
Big difference in price. Not sure I like the colors, though.
Wish I could. Not sure many places around here that would carry them.
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