Yeah... It worked out that I had just accepted a 6 months No Payments / No Interest credit card offer that I was getting mailed to me every couple of weeks, and finally decided to accept the damned thing! ;o) Certainly came in handy when this whole Japan Fender news came along!
I started off just buying just one JB62SS in 3TS, but when that bass arrived and it came out of the factory sealed box setup better from the factory than some of my American Fenders AFTER I have paid someone to set it up, I was truly blown away! In the 40+ years I have been buying new Fender guitars and basses, I had NEVER seen one come out of the factory sealed carton perfectly dialed in. The action was at the perfect height, not a buzz anywhere on the neck, and all other fit and finish was beautifully done as well!
After playing this fantastic little Jazz Bass for a couple of hours, the wheels started turning and by the end of the night, I had ordered the other three colors. At the time, I naturally assumed that the incredible setup job the first JB62SS came out of the box with was dumb luck, but when the other three arrived and each and every one of them was just as perfect, I became an overnight megafan of Fender Japan! -- My sights then turned to the full size Jazz Bass my JB62SS' were always pictured with in all the Smart Size advertising photos.
Since the full size bass is made at a different factory than the SS model, I can't be absolutely sure if the setup is going to be as blow away perfect, but I am hoping that it is! These all being based on the original 1962 Jazz Bass, the truss rod screw is located at the body end of the neck instead of up at the headstock, so there is no way to adjust the neck tension without taking the neck off the body, so you can get to the screw. Some owners have actually routed some of the body away at where the neck meets the body so they can adjust the rod with the neck still on the guitar, but I find once you get it to the right tension, it tends to stay put and you don't need to deal with it again.
However... Personally, I suck at adjusting this type of Fender and failed miserably in my attempts to lower the action on my 64' which has the same truss rod screw location. I ended up taking it to my go to guitar tech and he dialed it in beautifully, but it set me back $85.00! I add up all the money I have saved so far on the four JB62SS that didn't need a setup done on them, and that could buy another guitar! Keeping my fingers crossed that the JB62-US doesn't need its action adjusted, cause I ain't attempting it if it does! That will mean another $85.00 and a road trip to my tech, who lives 120 miles away, one way!
Oh wow! So you have never had the pleasure of playing/owning a Fender Jazz Bass? Man! I wish I could see the expression on your face when you play your JB62 for the first time! You are going to be knocked out! I have no doubt about that! If you check out my signature, you can see the various brands and models I own. Well, in my opinion, the Fender Jazz Bass sets the bar for which all others are measured. I don't think you could find a more versatile instrument than the ol Jazz! While I LOVE my Rickenbacker 4003, and all my other bass guitar brands and models, if I had to play a show or do a recording session in which I didn't know the musical style I would be facing, and could only bring one instrument with me, it would be a Jazz Bass hands down! I wouldn't even think twice about it! There isn't a style or genre of music that the Jazz Bass can't excel at! I am sure all the road worn vets here on TB would agree with me on that point!
As I mentioned in that other post above, the VSP has some significant differences compared to the JB62-US. They look identical, so aesthetically, you can't tell them apart, but many of the VSPs I have seen for sale have Basswood bodies instead of the Alder that the US model has. However, I have seen VSPs for sale that listed the wood as Alder, so I am not sure if that seller was wrong, or if they can come in either wood from the factory.
The other significant difference and the reason why the "US" model is called "US" is because it comes with the Fender USA Vintage Jazz Bass pickups from the factory instead of the Japanese designed Alnico pickups found on the VSP model. These are the same pickups that came installed on all my JB62SS short scale Jazz Basses. Speaking as someone who has owned close to two dozen Fender Jazz Bases in my life, the Japanese Alnico pickups definitely sound different than your typical American Jazz Bass sounds.
Its hard to describe the difference... But I personally like the unique tone these produce. The blend between the neck and bridge pickup seems more pronounced to my ear, so changing the balance in volume between the two makes a lot bigger effect than I get with say my 64 or American Deluxe, although the Deluxe is an active system.
I will be curious to see what you think of the sound of your new VSP when it arrives! I am really digging the sound of my JB62SS guitars and I am sure they sound very similar to how your VSP is going to sound.
WOW! That was a LOOOoong reply! Hope you guys don't mind me getting so wordy!
P.S. Did you VSP ship yet? Mine shipped on the 1st, but is still in Japan as of the last update. Once it gets on a plane, the rest of the trip happens really fast, so once you see it leave Japan, you have only 1-2 days left to go!
I really like the sound of them myself, but with four JB62SS in my stable, I think I have that base covered. 
