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Fender Custom Shop Masterbuilt Geddy Lee

Off topic - but :

what is it about the Geddy sig that people love? On TB I've seen comments that it's the best production Fender available. Sound? Feel? Just the total package?

I've owned a bunch of MIJ/CIJ and USA Geddys over the years, gigged them aplenty. The MIJ/CIJ were the first, I enjoyed them for their playability, sound, and reliability. When the USA models became available, I found that I like their playability and sound even more. Over time, I grew bored with black, so I started changing bodies out. Also swapped in BadassII bridges, Hipshot detuners, and Dunlop straplocks.

Over time, I swapped out the original pups on these USAs for Tom Brantley Geddy pups.

Over time I wanted something a bit more different, but wanted to keep that USA neck and all my other changes. So, I bolted a couple onto lightweight ash P bodies and in the process decided to make them PJs with Dominger Thumpers and Tom Brantley bridge pups, 920d control joints, and a pup selector switch, they turned out to be fantastic for gigging, they are my aces today and I couldn't be happier.

So, long story short... my favorite part of the Geddy is the USA neck... it really is my favorite neck of all time. But both the MIJ/CIJ and USA models are solid overall basses and a good value. I haven't owned any MIM Geddys, so I can't comment on those. I also haven't tried every bass Fender ever made, so I can't declare any of the Geddys or any other of their basses "the best bass Fender ever made". But I'm very happy with mine and what I've been able to do with them.
 
Or maybe it's simply the name, and a mystique that's more imagined than genuine, because I've heard countless bassists say the same thing about this, and they can't both be the best, can they?
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i have the usa geddy and a road worn jazz. they are both great but the road worn's sound and feel has more character. they are probably my top current fender jazzes though. i had a 2008 american standard jazz which i think was better than the usa geddy. and i've had numerous classic 70s, standard jazzes and japanese jazzes and jaguars which were good but lesser than the road worn, 2008 american stamdard and usa geddy. out of all 19 fender jazz and jaguars i've owned, the 2008 american standard had the best feeling neck.
 
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It has frets. Pass.

I like that!

jaco-pastorius-2481082492b3dc8654c66940bc33afde114f0419-s800-c85.jpg


:)
 
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Question for any of the builders in here.

Is it possible to build a near exact replica of this bass for less than $7000, and would it be worth it to take a job like that on if requested?

My first thought is of course and people are just spending money on the name, but at that price I'm thinking there may be something I'm missing about this thing that makes it worth it to people.

No disrespect to anybody who wanted or did get this; I just can't see it.
 
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Curiously, when my friend (a guitar player) went to New York he wanted to buy a Geddy. He tested a MIA and a MIM Geddy and he bought the latter because he felt that one was a better bass.

I recorded an album with that MIM Geddy. Great sounding bass. I still prefer the ergonomics of my cheap no name JB but the Geddy had the perfect sound for those songs.
 
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i have the usa geddy and a road worn jazz. they are both great but the road worn's sound and feel has more character. they are probably my top current fender jazzes though. i had a 2008 american standard jazz which i think was better than the usa geddy. and i've had numerous classic 70s, standard jazzes and japanese jazzes and jaguars which were good but lesser than the road worn, 2008 american stamdard and usa geddy. out of all 19 fender jazz and jaguars i've owned, the 2008 american standard had the best feeling neck.
Wow, even more so then the Roadworn?

First USA bass I ever played was a Geddy Lee model, back in 2014. The neck was very nice but the pickups didn't impress me in the slightest.
(I was just starting out playing bass back then, and it was quite some time ago, so maybe I wasn't as knowledgeable as I am now, but my memory isn't cloudy on this, I even remember what store I was shopping at, where the bass was hanging up, and what kind of amp I plugged into. Of course, I've tried other GL Jazz basses since then. I'm not saying they're not good basses, I'm just saying they're not the best Fender has to offer.)
As for the Road Worn Jazz basses, I've always thought they were very nice, but I simply cannot buy a bass with an unfinished headstock.
Next time I'm at Russo Music I just might try out one of those blue 60th Anniversary Firemist Silver RWs, if the Pau Ferro fretboard isn't too off-putting.
Screenshot-20211205-082503-Samsung-Internet.jpg

Sorry, Fender, but I find this fretboard quite offensive.
Screenshot-20211205-080531-Samsung-Internet.jpg
 
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They might give him a regular USA one, but no way is Fender giving away a bass that costs this much, not even at Christmas time.

Yeah they would, he's an endorsed (and probably paid artist) he gets whatever he wants. He probably gets a cut of all signature models sold too.

Just because it retails for $7k doesn't mean it costs Fender nearly that much.
 
i have a USA geddy neck, brantley's and a BA bridge on a non geddy fender body, it is the best sounding bass i have…

there is magic in that combo…


I've owned a bunch of MIJ/CIJ and USA Geddys over the years, gigged them aplenty. The MIJ/CIJ were the first, I enjoyed them for their playability, sound, and reliability. When the USA models became available, I found that I like their playability and sound even more. Over time, I grew bored with black, so I started changing bodies out. Also swapped in BadassII bridges, Hipshot detuners, and Dunlop straplocks.

Over time, I swapped out the original pups on these USAs for Tom Brantley Geddy pups.

Over time I wanted something a bit more different, but wanted to keep that USA neck and all my other changes. So, I bolted a couple onto lightweight ash P bodies and in the process decided to make them PJs with Dominger Thumpers and Tom Brantley bridge pups, 920d control joints, and a pup selector switch, they turned out to be fantastic for gigging, they are my aces today and I couldn't be happier.

So, long story short... my favorite part of the Geddy is the USA neck... it really is my favorite neck of all time. But both the MIJ/CIJ and USA models are solid overall basses and a good value. I haven't owned any MIM Geddys, so I can't comment on those. I also haven't tried every bass Fender ever made, so I can't declare any of the Geddys or any other of their basses "the best bass Fender ever made". But I'm very happy with mine and what I've been able to do with them.
 
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Not present in '72? That's all I got.

It was Present on the 72 just like it is on my 73 which I bought brand new …still have the original receipt in the case.

It is 100% original down to the last screw, except years ago the bridge pickup died so until I get it fixed or rewound, I put a Seymour Duncan SJB-1 Vintage in it.


And for those of you who might ask...LOL...it weighs 8 LBS. 12 OZ.
 
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