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Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass V 5 string
- Thread starter meercatzbass
- Start date
I'm trying not to dismiss you.. You're making it hard...sir.. I'm 48, so we should have more in common than not.. You know? I don't think you're ignorant.. I'm just trying to back up my reasoning and explain that this is the NORM for those of us who play Fender.. I know nobody who's playing a new Fender that hasn't modded it out the rear end.. Nobody..at least nobody working big artists.. Frankly I'd like to make friends on here.. It's pretty hard.. I have made a few.. I hope to have you as a good correspondent. I see your rational and understand.. Can you see mine? That's a great place to start.. I have been playing "professionally" for those 38 years.. My father drug me all over the country..he's a singer. I hated it btw.. I had friends at home.42 with 30 years playing bass. But feel free to dismiss it as youthful ignorance.....
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I guess my point is this: I see no issue in modding a bass to suit your personal wants and needs. If you find a bass that feels good, but doesn't get that tone you want, then mod away. I've done it before with mixed results.
My issue is in buying a $1800 bass that has systemic issues, like constant humming and a complete lack of shielding. That is a defect, and to dismiss that by insinuating that one should just upgrade it just isn't logical to me. Your comment above seems to infer that one shouldn't care about these defects, because they can be cured by dumping more money into the bass. At that price point......that really shouldn't be required.
My issue is in buying a $1800 bass that has systemic issues, like constant humming and a complete lack of shielding. That is a defect, and to dismiss that by insinuating that one should just upgrade it just isn't logical to me. Your comment above seems to infer that one shouldn't care about these defects, because they can be cured by dumping more money into the bass. At that price point......that really shouldn't be required.
Dang it.
I'm finally getting to the point that I can possibly buy something, and the bass in question has long been on my list. Of not that one, what little sensibility I have points me towards the MIM version. Something in me is tugging to go with Fender, even though the Yamaha TRBX505 and Sire five strings pull the other direction.
The American Deluxe V is now off my list. No way am I forking out that much money only to have to mod it like that. I want to mod because I WANT to, not HAVE to.
I'm finally getting to the point that I can possibly buy something, and the bass in question has long been on my list. Of not that one, what little sensibility I have points me towards the MIM version. Something in me is tugging to go with Fender, even though the Yamaha TRBX505 and Sire five strings pull the other direction.
The American Deluxe V is now off my list. No way am I forking out that much money only to have to mod it like that. I want to mod because I WANT to, not HAVE to.
I'll say this.....my experience, like this thread, is several years old. You might want to sample current iterations to see if the problem has been addressed.
The bass does not have siezmic issues.. I mod it to MY SPECS! These basses didn't show up in my hands noisy or horrible.. I make these changes because THESE ARE MY SPECS.. I'm less and less convinced your part of the Nashville culture.. Have you never been asked.."do you have any specific specifications?" I'm pretty sure what I'm dealing with here now so.. Hey other guy.. Buy the Fender! It's the best for the money.. And you can MOD IT! It'll sound even better.. Later all...I'm done here as I have nothing to prove.. Take what you will from the argument.. Also take the fact that I'm a 38 year veteran player for a house hold name.. Now, you can choose who to take advise from.. Later!
Somebody tell me what well known bass player you follow or like from Sheehan to Markus Miller, who is playing a stock bass? Miller plays a "one of a kind" J that was made for him.. He does not play a Markus Miller sig.. Take billy Sheehan.. He does not play the Yamaha Attitute.. These guys along with most of the "actual" bass player-playing for a living crowd and have had success.. (Cause they rock) play majorly modded basses TO FIT THEIR SPECS! That is an open question.. I'd like to see how this is answered.. There are some..I know them. Most are modded.. But tell me how many are "playing off the rack?" And do mean full changes like pres.. Maybe even a bridge.. How many?
I believe you friend Michael Rhodes has a number of stock Fenders and Sadowskys he's been seen with other the years.
DiabolusInMusic
Functionless Art is Merely Tolerated Vandalism
I had a Fender American Deluxe Jazz V and it did require shielding but the humbuckers worked just fine in my bass. I agree that Fender should learn how to shield but a $40 touch doesn't bring it near the price of a Sadowsky. I also do not consider shielding a mod, I consider it finishing the job Fender started. A bass that is getting RF interference is broken in my opinion. @guy n. cognito if your bass was getting 60hz hum you should have returned it for one with working humbuckers. You wouldn't be the first TBer I have heard to complain their humbuckers did not work.
@Immigrant the American Deluxe is a fantastic lineup and I wouldn't hesitate to buy one if that is what you're after. The one I owned had amazing fretwork, the B string was below 2mm, so a bit of shielding is nothing for that kind of playability in my books. Mind you, I expect to have to shield all my Fenders. For what it's worth I have had to shield my Stingray, my Dingwall ABZ, and both my Carvins as well. I also had an American Deluxe P that was perfectly silent form the factory, just my J needed shielding.
@Immigrant the American Deluxe is a fantastic lineup and I wouldn't hesitate to buy one if that is what you're after. The one I owned had amazing fretwork, the B string was below 2mm, so a bit of shielding is nothing for that kind of playability in my books. Mind you, I expect to have to shield all my Fenders. For what it's worth I have had to shield my Stingray, my Dingwall ABZ, and both my Carvins as well. I also had an American Deluxe P that was perfectly silent form the factory, just my J needed shielding.
DiabolusInMusic
Functionless Art is Merely Tolerated Vandalism
You could have sent it for repair or return, the 60hz noise was not expected operation. Sadly, the RF interference would actually pass QC...
Tried that.........Both SW and Fender said it was "normal" for that model.
DiabolusInMusic
Functionless Art is Merely Tolerated Vandalism
I'm sorry to hear about them giving you the run around but that speaks to another issue. You probably could have escalated if you really wanted, heck they write "noiseless" on the damn things, but I totally understand not wanting to put up with BS. I'd return it and stop shopping there after that nonsense.
That was where I left it. I've got a '96 Deluxe that's just perfect, so I just moved on. My G&L 1505 has the same spacing and was dead quiet.
