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Fender are up to something (another secret release)...

UK Philip

UK Philip

Guest
Sep 5, 2013
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#1
Seems like Fender have been up to something lately, first the Rascal bass came out with no official fanfare...

And now, a short-scale Jazz bass!

Invalid Link Removed

:D
 
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#2
The Modern Player series Short Scale Jazz Bass features a 30” scale and slightly downsized body that make it a delight for the bantam bassist. That said, it’s long on other great features, including a 9.5”-radius rosewood fingerboard with 20 medium jumbo frets, a versatile P/J configuration with a Hot Jazz Bass bridge pickup and Precision Bass® middle pickup, a Fender Hi-Mass bridge, and more. Available in White Blonde with a three-ply tortoiseshell pickguard and Candy Apple Red with a three-ply black pickguard.

Specifications:
  • Series: Modern Player
  • Body Material: Downsized Alder Jazz Bass
  • Body Finish: Gloss Urethane
  • Neck Finish: Gloss Urethane
  • String Nut: Synthetic Bone, 1.5" (38.1 mm)
  • Fingerboard: Rosewood, 9.5" (241 mm) Radius
  • Position Inlays: White Dot
  • Scale Length: Short Scale, 30" (762 mm)
  • Neck: Maple, Modern "C" Shape with Vintage Tint
  • Frets: 18, Medium Jumbo
  • Hardware: Chrome
  • Bridge: 4-Saddle Fender® Hi-Mass
  • Strings: Fender® USA Super Bass 7250ML, NPS, (.045-.100 Gauges)
  • Tuning Machines: Vintage-Style
  • Pickguard: 3-Ply Tortoiseshell (501), 3-Ply Black (509)
  • Pickup Configuration: P/J
  • Other Features: Fender Engraved Neck Plate, Extended Pickguard with No
  • Pickups: Hot Jazz Bass® (Bridge)
  • Precision Bass® (Middle)
  • Controls: Volume 1. (P Bass Pickup), Volume 2. (J Bass Pickup), Master Tone
  • Control Plate, Black Jazz Bass Control Knobs, Vitnage-Style
  • Strap Buttons, Single Disk String Tree


024-4200-501.jpg

FENDER+024-4200-509.jpg
 
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#5
i'd buy a shortie precision, but it's like they don't want to do anything new/cheap with precisions because that's their core market or something.

no unusual colours unless you pay thousands! meanwhile you can have a jazz every which-way and the other.
 
#6
Well look at that... that's essentially the next Warmoth build I've had in mind. I'll probably still go with Warmoth because of the wood choices and I'd use different pick ups and a preamp, but that's great.
 
#7
Part of me wants to get the trans white one (yes, you can see the grain through it!) and throw some Aguilar pickups at it, creating a monster mini Jazz.

For anyone who's played one of these - How much string tension is lost through the shorter scale? I've had 32" in the past with 30-90 strings and it was pure heaven! I'm generally thinking of one of these on a 40-95 set. Seriously bendy and great fun!
 
#10
i'll be heading to a music shop within the next few weeks so i'll try to remember to write up my experiences here.

it's basically a squier modified jazz but with a pickup upgrade and a fender badge.
 
#11
Well, if I hadn't just built my perfect in every way Warmoth SS P-J with their recently available SS P body, I would have jumped on the CAR blackguard like a dog on a bone. Doh well. I waited long enough for Warmoth to de-marginalize short scales. Now everybody is getting on the wagon. Good !
 
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#12
UK Philip said:
i'll be heading to a music shop within the next few weeks so i'll try to remember to write up my experiences here.

it's basically a squier modified jazz but with a pickup upgrade and a fender badge.
Click to expand...

The body materials are different (the MPs are heavy, even this downsized body model was as weighty as my VMs), and obviously everything is a bit smaller. The MP has the all in one pickguard/control plate not seen on any Squier. The MP has the Badass-based bridge, whereas most of those Squiers are along the lines of BBOT, and the tuners have longer shafts than the VMs. The neck gloss on the Modern Players feels thicker and a bit less "fast" than the VMs to me, although the neck profiles seem very comfortable to my hands. Really, the two lines have a lot of obvious differences.

I'm not saying the Fender is significantly better quality - to my mind, they're equal, having owned both. I prefer the Squiers in a lot of ways, but they're both excellent, especially these short scales at their price point. I just don't think its accurate to say both are so similar.
 
#16
I have zero interest as I don't play short scales.

I sent the link to a good buddy of mine that plays a Gibson SG bass generally and only plays short scales now due to bad arthritis. he is ordering one ASAP from our local dealer if they can get them in Canada.

Great backup bass for those that play a more expensive short scale (depending on North American pricing) or a good way to add a PJ tone if you are a short scale player.

Not one of Fender's worst efforts of late IMO.
 
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#17
There's a big thread about it here: http://www.talkbass.com/threads/fender-modern-player-short-scale-jazz-bass-pj.1088990/

I think it's kind of funny they say it's got a " Hot Jazz Bass® (Bridge) ".
They must have heard of all the complaints about a weak bridge pickup on the SS Jaguar.

I guess Fender doesn't make a short scale jazz bass with two jazz pickups yet.
I don't think they make one with just a P pickup either, unless you count the Mustang as P.
 

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