• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Fender American Special Jazz Bass

#41
I tried one at Guitar Center the other day because I'm in the market for a thinner neck. The one I played was about 1/8" thinner than my 3 Jazzes and felt great - had a satin finish & rosewood board. Neck was straight as a ruler and it DOES have the graphite rods.

I noticed the BODY is also thinner. That makes it lighter. It felt good on the body and I could immediately feel the weight difference that only 1 lb makes.
I had the guy go in the back and weigh it on his shipping scale and it came in at a tidy 8.5lbs. NICE!!

The sound was good and the fit and finish were excellent on the sunburst model. It was flawless. But I looked at an Oly White one and I could see woodgrain level lines on the surface which will eventually transform into finish cracks, I think.

The bass was up for $999, and he offered me a 10% discount off of that without me asking. I've seen them on ebay as low as $749 for a "demo" which is what any guitar in a store is already.

I like the bass and am considering it against some used ones I'm looking at on TB as well. I'm also just considering sanding down and then refinishing my necks myself to get a thinner profile and pocketing the money. But I digress.

The American Jazz Special is definitely worth a look & listen . . . . IMHO.
:bassist:
 
#42
I purchased a Fender S-1 Switch and knobs for Jazz bass from Guitar Parts Resource $28 and got a Price Match for DR Black Beauties with the new K3 coating .045-.105's for $29. Black strings look nice on this Olympic white bass with black pick guard. I was surprised to find most of the grounds on the back of the Neck's Volume Pot and some on the Bridge volume pot. I installed the S-1 (push button switch for series/parallel) in the Neck Volume slot and wired to 2004 American Jazz with S-1 diagram and connected all grounds to common point on the back of the Bridge's pickups volume pot. It lowered the noise level and now I have more choices for tone on my bass. I for one liked the 2004 MIA Jazz with S-1 I had but not it's pickups. These strings not only cut some finger noise but do not buzz against the frets like the Fender 7250's did. Really enjoyed playing it tonight more so than in the past as I had better control and played with a lighter touch.
 
#47
Just picked up an American Special. And love the neck on it.
It is as thin and comfortable as my LakLand !
I have loved and played my Fenders.
I wAs looking for one the felt like my LakLand
Not including the Geddy neck profile
Having gone through many awesome Fenders
American deluxe jazz
Geddy Lee
Marcus Miller
Victor Bailey
American standard
All great in their own and worth every penny
Great bargain indeed and proud to add to my collection

Recently I purchased an Amercian standard, awesome indeed.
I happen to be back at the same music store and tried out one of the
American Specials
I was blown away by the feel and neck
Call me crazy,but I traded back back the American standard for the US special!

Great instrument indeed not only for the price point but tone and feel
 
#51
The hardware stinks. I played 3 gigs with mine and one of the saddles just fell of and I lost the screw on stage. Called Fender and they sent me a new saddle that didn't fit. Tried to get a new screw at the hardware store and the closest one I found makes the saddle stick out (G string). Has anyone else here had this problem? :help: I'm trying to get it back to spec so I can sell it.
 
#53
niki z said:
The hardware stinks. I played 3 gigs with mine and one of the saddles just fell of and I lost the screw on stage. Called Fender and they sent me a new saddle that didn't fit. Tried to get a new screw at the hardware store and the closest one I found makes the saddle stick out (G string). Has anyone else here had this problem? :help: I'm trying to get it back to spec so I can sell it.
Click to expand...

I have never had this issue and I have two of them. Call Fender back or talk with the store. This is not a normal experience.
 
#55
Yea, I may half to. It sucks to have a useless bridge because of 1 screw. I'm gonna try Fender 1 more time and explain my situation better. When I told them my problem last time they said no problem we'll send you a new one, and I left it at that thinking it would be a quick drop-in...but it wasn't. :crying:
 
#56
niki z said:
Yea, I may half to. It sucks to have a useless bridge because of 1 screw. I'm gonna try Fender 1 more time and explain my situation better. When I told them my problem last time they said no problem we'll send you a new one, and I left it at that thinking it would be a quick drop-in...but it wasn't. :crying:
Click to expand...

Then definitely call them back. They have excellent service in my experience and I am sure they would want this resolved.
 
#58
I played an American Special Jazz bass last weekend for the first time. Had a maple fretboard and it was one very good player. Very punchy pickups too compared to other models I tried out, which surprised me quite a bit.
 
#60
RS said:
Played a couple of these today and was not impressed. Felt kinda cheap for $1k. The necks were slim but the tone was thin also.
Click to expand...

That's surprising about the one's you tried sounding thin. I played and compared one to an Am Std, to a Geddy Lee and the Special had the punchiest sound of all. I mean, we're talking "WHOA!!" Really barked thru.

I'm trying to remember....were the pole pieces staggered on the Specials? I tried so many basses that day that it's hard to remember that detail, but I think they were.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back