Fender Japan is gone :(

[GG7]

Sad to see Fender Japan go.

I don't have any basses but do have a MIJ Strat from the 1980s or 90s. Its a bit on the heavy side but sounds and plays way better than a friends USA Strat from a few years earlier.

That is kind of what most of us Fender Japan fans have come to discover soon after playing their first MIJ Fender guitar or bass. They just had an attention to detail that seems unrivaled even with the USA production guitars. Their quality control has also proven to be beyond reproach as well!

The majority of MIJ basses I have purchased came out of the box with a better setup than some of the guitars I have paid good money to have put right! The out of the box setups are lightyears beyond any out of the box setup I have ever seen with any of my Fender USA basses. This includes some top of the line models too! Not just the middle of the road Fender USA production instruments.

Ishibashi Music stocks a lot of very nice Fender Japan guitars as well as basses. If you are looking to add to your MIJ collection, now would be the time to do it!

 

[Grooveline]

Nice gear photo JonW. Is that a vintage les paul mahogany? I actually had one like that (darker brown finish) that I traded for a mij jaguar. It didn't have any of the common knowledge upgrades to the common problems that these basses have so i've been busy shielding and ordered some new tuners for neck dive. Well, the gotoh resolites I ordered came in but since the screw holes didn't match up exactly (not a direct replacement for mij tuners i guess) I put them on my roadworn pbass. I'm also having this weird experience where it seems the tone knob on my bass does very little. I think I read a post by diablosinmusica where he was experiencing the same problem but there was nobody offering a solution. Anybody else experience something like this or have an idea for a resolution?

 

[GG7]

Now this is an offering so typical of the "Outside the Box" thinking I am really going to miss from the designers at Fender Japan! There is one of these listed right now on eBay for $999.00. If I hadn't already spent my bass allowance for the next two months, I would have probably bought this.

A Telecaster Thinline Bass?

 

[hypercarrots]

JB/HO

There was one in the classifieds a few months ago

SOLD - Fender Semihollow Jazz Bass! NEW PICTURES | TalkBass.com

 

[delta7fred]

That is kind of what most of us Fender Japan fans have come to discover soon after playing their first MIJ Fender guitar or bass. They just had an attention to detail that seems unrivaled even with the USA production guitars. Their quality control has also proven to be beyond reproach as well!

The majority of MIJ basses I have purchased came out of the box with a better setup than some of the guitars I have paid good money to have put right! The out of the box setups are lightyears beyond any out of the box setup I have ever seen with any of my Fender USA basses. This includes some top of the line models too! Not just the middle of the road Fender USA production instruments.

Ishibashi Music stocks a lot of very nice Fender Japan guitars as well as basses. If you are looking to add to your MIJ collection, now would be the time to do it!

Thanks for the reply, I had gathered that MIJ Fenders were pretty good and this thread has confirmed it.

Right now I don't need any more guitars or basses. I have #4 slab 6 strings that never get played since switching back to bass full time about 8 years ago. My bass count is currently 11, mostly Fender P or derivatives. I am running out of places to store them!

 

[MechaniCrash]

Any forum members on the ground in japan have any updates on this? The current inventory level? I'll be back there in about 3 weeks. I'm curious to see what I find...

 

[JonW]

Nice gear photo JonW. Is that a vintage les paul mahogany? I actually had one like that (darker brown finish) that I traded for a mij jaguar. It didn't have any of the common knowledge upgrades to the common problems that these basses have so i've been busy shielding and ordered some new tuners for neck dive. Well, the gotoh resolites I ordered came in but since the screw holes didn't match up exactly (not a direct replacement for mij tuners i guess) I put them on my roadworn pbass. I'm also having this weird experience where it seems the tone knob on my bass does very little. I think I read a post by diablosinmusica where he was experiencing the same problem but there was nobody offering a solution. Anybody else experience something like this or have an idea for a resolution?

Thanks! The Les Paul is just a 2012 Studio in satin cherry. It’s a pretty good guitar, but I’m just not a Les Paul guy. So I play it for the sake of variety in feel and tone, once in a while. I like having it around, but my Jazzmaster and Strat are much more my style. I know that Gibson gets a lot of knocks these days for their quality control and such. But this one was super. All I have done to it was change the strings and filed the nut slots plus added some lube. That’s it. Not even touched the truss rod. I must have gotten a good one.

Sorry that I don’t have anything intelligent to add to your experience and questions. Does the tone knob do nothing until almost being at zero, then having a big effect? I have read about people with that experience with volume pots.

And the other part of my secret weapon!

Vintage Tubes and my TC Electronics Hall of Fame Digital Reverb!

The 100t already sounds fantastic out of the box with their Groove Tube "Select" tube set, but I did the amp 10 better by loading mine up with some of the best sounding New Old Stock vintage tubes in my vacuum tube collection. GE 6L6GC power tubes for the output stage, and Amperex 12AX7s in V1 and V2! For the regulator stage I went with a 50s vintage RCA 12AT7. Largely because the RCA 12AT7 from this decade used a "Narrow Bottle" design which fits much easier into the somewhat cramped space the AT7 resides in within the 100ts pre-amp. The GT that comes with it is a LARGE bottle, and is a total bitch to take out and install.

The RCA solved that problem for me, and although the regulator tube choice isn't as crucial aside from using a high quality well tested specimen, it does interact with your 6L6 quad, so I thought it was best to use a nice vintage AT7. RCA makes a great AT7 that can outlast most of their owners, leave alone the life of the amp they get put into. lol.

View attachment 622418

Checking and matching a quad of the GEs

View attachment 622425

Loaded into the 100t

View attachment 622419

And the RED Cherry on Top!

My trusty TC Electronics "Hall of Fame" digital reverb pedal! Adding some quality ambience to your final output does wonders for creating a lush sound field in which to write songs and jam! A quality reverb is especially nice when you are working with a bass that has such an unusually WIDE frequency response as is obviously the case with the venerable Fender Jazz Bass.

In my opinion...The "J Bass" reigns as KING!

View attachment 622428

You know, I always enjoy looking at tubes, in person or in photos. There is just something about them that is very pleasing. I’m still not calibrated on proper amp sounds for bass. But for guitar, I cannot imagine ever playing with a solid state amp. The tube thing is just so nice sounding.

For guitar, I could probably live my life with only one effect: reverb! I have an external Fender reverb unit. (Visible in the photo I posted with the white Tele.) When I got it, the thing sounded… OK. Then I changed out the stock Groove Tubes for some NOS tubes. I could not believe the difference it made! It sounds so much better now. Prior to this experience, I was skeptical about tubes making much of a difference. Not I am a believer. And I avoid Groove Tubes.

For now, I’m running my bass through the reverb tank and into the guitar amp. We’ll see what happens when I get a proper bass amp. But, like you, I can see keeping the reverb an important part of the signal chain.

 

[JonW]

Very cool! Nice job on that cabinet too!

Well... I think you have a very good shot at it sounding excellent! Would you primarily be using it to jam in that room with vs taking it out and gigging with it?

At 40 watts, you should easily be able to drive a Bassman 410 Neo cab with it like the cab I run my 100t with. (Photo below with my American Deluxe in tow) AND! If down the road you decide to blow your mind for the rest of time and pick yourself up a 100t 100 watt head, you already have the PERFECT speaker cab to use with the 100t!

As I always say when the topic turns to the BEST sounding amp combo for a quality Jazz Bass, you would be hard pressed to find ANYTHING that can touch a 100t/410 Neo rig! As you guys now know, I have been playing professionally for over 40 years, and I have owned and played through dozens upon dozens of amps and amp speaker combos, including Ampeg SVTs and other Fender rigs. The Fender Jazz Bass has been my axe of choice that entire time, and nothing has squeezed so much out of my Jazz Bass collection like my 100t/410 Neo rig has!

NOT EVEN CLOSE!

FENDER BASSMAN 100t with FENDER 410 NEO 4X10 SPEAKER CABINET (My trusty VOX AC15 Twin in the foreground)

View attachment 622403

Thanks on the cabinet. It was kind of a woodworking experiment and it came out looking pretty decent. But it’s really heavy, being 3/4” maple and cherry all around. Ooops. Looks good in the house. But if I ever end up gigging, I’ll need to make a lighter version.

And thanks for the amp + cab perspective! You have definitely given me something to think about. I had not considered the 410 Neo. I was thinking about that Fender Rumble 500 combo. But if I could use my Bandmaster for a head and the 410 Neo, it’s really not much more money in the grand scheme. ($550 versus $800) And then I’d have a good cabinet for future use. Like when I get a proper bass head. So that’s appealing. The combo would be kind of a dead end.

With your mentioning of it, I have just read some reviews of the 100t and 410 Neo combo and it’s universally liked. Hmmm…

The idea is to get something to play at home for now. But whatever I buy, have it good enough for when/if I play out at small gigs. I won’t need much power or output at home, but it would be nice to feel the fun force of the bottom end that you can get from a bass. So no 8” practice amps.

I could get an AB switch of some sort to route the Bandmaster to either the guitar cabinet or the bass cabinet, depending on mood. With a 40W Bandmaster versus your 100W 100t, I’d only be giving up around 4.5 db. For playing around the house for now, that would be fine, I’d imagine.

So do you think that a Bandmaster plus a Bassman 410 Neo would sound decent for a while? For tone controls, the Bandmaster only has bass and treble (no mids).

 

[R&B]

Starting to veer off topic a tad, but for small gigs with a Fender Japan bass (see what I did there?!) I prefer a combo. Ampeg [EDIT] B-100R or Genz Benz Contour 115 (or 210). Buy used! You'd have to with either of those anyhow. Easy and portable. Head and big cabs can stay home.

 

[GG7]

Starting to veer off topic a tad, but for small gigs with a Fender Japan bass (see what I did there?!) I prefer a combo. Ampeg BA100 or Genz Benz Contour 115 (or 210). Buy used! You'd have to with either of those anyhow. Easy and portable. Head and big cabs can stay home.

Yeah, I know it was veering a bit, but a good amp to go with these recent purchases is a VERY relevant discussion, and Fender Japan doesn't make amps!

My suggestions are an attempt to get Jon into making the BEST investment. A 100t and 410 Neo would be great in ANY application, from home/studio all the way to a full blown large venue gig. Combos are more portable and all that, but I agree with Jon in that in terms of an investment, they are a dead end and definitely won't cover all the bases that a 100t/410 easily would. Any combo purchase in my opinion will be money diverted away from ultimately scoring a 100t.

And, I am nearly 100% sure that his Bandmaster head will work great with the 410 for as long as he wants to use it like that, and when he buys a 100t, he will have arrived and only have the head to worry about down the road.

It will probably be tough finding a used 100t because as you have already started to notice, people who own them are VERY happy with them, so you don't tend to see too many being offered for sale. That is impressive when you consider that the amp has been on the market now for I believe 4 years.

And if you guys are ever interested, I occasionally sell some of my vintage NOS tubes to friends and to my regular contacts here on TB. So far 100% satisfied customers!

 

[R&B]

Yeah, I know it was veering a bit, but a good amp to go with these recent purchases is a VERY relevant discussion, and Fender Japan doesn't make amps!

My suggestions are an attempt to get Jon into making the BEST investment. A 100t and 410 Neo would be great in ANY application, from home/studio all the way to a full blown large venue gig. Combos are more portable and all that, but I agree with Jon in that in terms of an investment, they are a dead end and definitely won't cover all the bases that a 100t/410 easily would. Any combo purchase in my opinion will be money diverted away from ultimately scoring a 100t.

And, I am nearly 100% sure that his Bandmaster head will work great with the 410 for as long as he wants to use it like that, and when he buys a 100t, he will have arrived and only have the head to worry about down the road.

It will probably be tough finding a used 100t because as you have already started to notice, people who own them are VERY happy with them, so you don't tend to see too many being offered for sale. That is impressive when you consider that the amp has been on the market now for I believe 4 years.

And if you guys are ever interested, I occasionally sell some of my vintage NOS tubes to friends and to my regular contacts here on TB. So far 100% satisfied customers!

If you look at my GAS list, you'll see Fender Bassman listed. :sigh: And now you've fanned the flames!!

I played Deedee (Fender Japan Duck Dunn) through my Ashdown LB-30 yesterday, definitely feeling the tube love here.

 

[GG7]

If you look at my GAS list, you'll see Fender Bassman listed. :sigh: And now you've fanned the flames!!

I played Deedee (Fender Japan Duck Dunn) through my Ashdown LB-30 yesterday, definitely feeling the tube love here.

Haah Hahh!

Sorry about that Chief!

A good tube amp and a Fender Bass are HEAVEN! Especially with a Jazz Bass, cause all that top end just sounds so buttery good through a tube pre and power amp. On the other hand, depending on the amp brand and model, that same signal through a solid state rig can be painful, and not in a good way.

 

[JonW]

Yeah, I know it was veering a bit, but a good amp to go with these recent purchases is a VERY relevant discussion, and Fender Japan doesn't make amps!

Starting to veer off topic a tad, but for small gigs with a Fender Japan bass (see what I did there?!) I prefer a combo. Ampeg BA100 or Genz Benz Contour 115 (or 210). Buy used! You'd have to with either of those anyhow. Easy and portable. Head and big cabs can stay home.

Yes, I see what you did there. You guys are clever. That’s why I hang around here. I’m glad to hear that you’re enjoying your Duck Dunn. It sure is a looker.

I’m all for discussion of how to get the most out of a Fender Japan bass. I do appreciate the help.

My suggestions are an attempt to get Jon into making the BEST investment. A 100t and 410 Neo would be great in ANY application, from home/studio all the way to a full blown large venue gig. Combos are more portable and all that, but I agree with Jon in that in terms of an investment, they are a dead end and definitely won't cover all the bases that a 100t/410 easily would. Any combo purchase in my opinion will be money diverted away from ultimately scoring a 100t.

And, I am nearly 100% sure that his Bandmaster head will work great with the 410 for as long as he wants to use it like that, and when he buys a 100t, he will have arrived and only have the head to worry about down the road.

It will probably be tough finding a used 100t because as you have already started to notice, people who own them are VERY happy with them, so you don't tend to see too many being offered for sale. That is impressive when you consider that the amp has been on the market now for I believe 4 years.

And if you guys are ever interested, I occasionally sell some of my vintage NOS tubes to friends and to my regular contacts here on TB. So far 100% satisfied customers!

Thanks again. You really have me thinking. A Bandmaster into a 410 Neo. Hmmm. And some sort of an A/B switch out of the Bandmaster to flip between the guitar and bass cabinets, depending on which instrument I want to play at any given time.

I definitely like the idea of getting good gear up front, avoiding future upgrade cycles. It would be great if my Bandmaster could serve as a good head for a while, given that I am not (yet?) gigging. So this 410 Neo should be that good for a cabinet, eh? There are a zillion options out there to choose from and so few that you can actually try in person. Nothing by Rumbles and Peavey combos at my local shop. The GC an hour away doesn’t have much, either. Not sure what the Sam Ash an hour away has on hand. And so I may end up buying something unheard, based upon recommendations like yours. Maybe get a good cabinet now. Worry about a more powerful head later (like the 100t)- if it’s ever needed for gigging.

It sounds as though a 40 Watt Bandmaster into the 410 would have good enough punch for home and small gigs, such that I could get a sense of the fun bottom end, eh? Hmmm. Any reason to think about going in any other direction for building up a bass rig? Bandmaster coupled with any other cabinets?

 

[JonW]

I have been reading around some more about that 410 Neo cabinet. Every comment that I found so far has it paired with the 100t head. Apparently, the 100t head has a 25 Watt mode that people sometimes run it in, sometimes even with the 410 cabinet. Reviews of that combination are very positive. So if the 410 Neo can work well with a 25 Watt equivalent 100t head, it seems as though a 410 Neo should also work well with my 40 Watt Bandmaster used for a head. Hmmm. So now I need a reason to talk myself out of this option.

And to keep this a wee bit on topic… I played my VSP bass for a few moments last night. It’s hard to hear it unplugged over the now-running house air conditioning. (My Danelectro was much louder unplugged, I’ll give it that.) I do need an amp. But, man, every time I pick this bass up I feel lucky. It’s so nice. Really easy to play, too. Very happy with the bass.

 

[GG7]

Yes, I see what you did there. You guys are clever. That’s why I hang around here. I’m glad to hear that you’re enjoying your Duck Dunn. It sure is a looker.

I’m all for discussion of how to get the most out of a Fender Japan bass. I do appreciate the help.






Thanks again. You really have me thinking. A Bandmaster into a 410 Neo. Hmmm. And some sort of an A/B switch out of the Bandmaster to flip between the guitar and bass cabinets, depending on which instrument I want to play at any given time.

I definitely like the idea of getting good gear up front, avoiding future upgrade cycles. It would be great if my Bandmaster could serve as a good head for a while, given that I am not (yet?) gigging. So this 410 Neo should be that good for a cabinet, eh? There are a zillion options out there to choose from and so few that you can actually try in person. Nothing by Rumbles and Peavey combos at my local shop. The GC an hour away doesn’t have much, either. Not sure what the Sam Ash an hour away has on hand. And so I may end up buying something unheard, based upon recommendations like yours. Maybe get a good cabinet now. Worry about a more powerful head later (like the 100t)- if it’s ever needed for gigging.

It sounds as though a 40 Watt Bandmaster into the 410 would have good enough punch for home and small gigs, such that I could get a sense of the fun bottom end, eh? Hmmm. Any reason to think about going in any other direction for building up a bass rig? Bandmaster coupled with any other cabinets?

I would suggest doing some internet research into finding out if any other players have tried this pairing of the 40 watt Bandmaster with the current Fender 410 Neo Cab. You are correct in the assumption that if the 25 watt mode on the 100t can drive the 410 that your 40 watt Bandmaster easily could do the same.

As for an A/B switch to jump back and forth between amps... Just as long as the impedance if both head's speaker output is the same ohmage, then that should be fine. Just don't do it with the amp running one or the other. As long as the amp is totally off (not even in Standby) I see no problem with matched impedance between your existing cab and the 410. But the thing is...You might end up preferring the 410 for your guitar rig as well! As I mentioned a few replies back, I have been running my guitars through my 100t/410 rig more and more lately.

While I get a great vintage sound with my VOX AC15 twin or AC30, the 100t is actually a killer guitar amp in its own right! (It bears a very striking similarity to a Marshall 100 watt tube head after all!)

In terms of auditioning before you buy? Wouldn't that be awesome! Living about 10 miles south of Yosemite NP, I have to drive 2 hours to the nearest store that sells guitar strings! lol! Finding a store that would actually have a high end rig like mine on the floor would be a miracle. I do nearly 100% of my guitar and studio gear purchases online based only on written reviews and the occasional You Tube demo. And of course the opinions of people I rust here on TB!

Speaking of which... I bought my 100t/410 Neo rig sight unseen and unheard too! I bought the 410 cab over the other available Neo configs based on all the rave reviews that the 4x10 model was getting in the 100t owners thread here:

Fender Bassman 100T Chapter 3 | TalkBass.com

Not surprising the 4x10 has proven to be the most popular of the line. You find that same popularity with other brands that offer various cab configs. A 4x10 enclosure hits a lot of check boxes for a wide range of players and studio owners. I personally consider a 4x10 speaker enclosure to be the ideal choice for the Fender Jazz Bass in particular. And since Jazz Bass remains my instrument of choice most of the time, I went with a rig that could give me the best Jazz Bass reproduction possible. It delivered that in spades! Far surpassing my expectations, which were VERY high to begin with! This rig purchase remains one of the most satisfying gear investments I have ever made in my life!

While I am sure others in this thread and elsewhere might provide you with dozens of alternative choices to the 410 and ultimately the 100t, If you start heading down that road, you are likely going to end up confused and trapped in a feedback loop of choices. I kind of got the impression based on our various conversations that you were more of a "cut to the Chase" type guy like I am! If someone else has already done all the leg work for me, and I trust their opinions and/or see the value of their professional experience, I tend to follow their lead rather than adventuring out on my own and risk making a bad choice. Which as we all know costs money!

And my precise intent in this case was to simply recommend you buy the same rig that I own. Either both at the same time, or starting with the 410 first with the ultimate goal of bringing a Bassman 100t in eventually. By then your 410 would be nicely broken in, and you would hear that awesome Jazz Bass sound that only the 100t/410 seems able to reproduce! And you would hear that on your first day of owning a 100t!

I confidently cast my vote for the same rig that I have owned and continue to LOVE for three years now. I am so pleased with. And as I said... My high praise for both of these components is based on my 40+ years of professional playing and recording. Having owned a commercial recording studio from 1979 through 1991, I went through a ton of gear, and also had the opportunity to play through and record with hundreds of amp and speaker combos that came through my facility with my wide range of clients.

The studio owned several different Fender Bassman models as well as Marshall 50 watt and 100 heads, paired with your typical Marshall cabs. Also owned several Ampeg rigs including a vintage SVT for Bass and a V4 for guitar. Some of the other brands I have owned and/or had on semi-permanent loan for studio time included several of the more popular Mesa Boogie head/cab systems as well as combos. The original ORANGE 100 watt tube head paired with a Marshall 4x10 or 4x12 cab, and the list goes on and on.

I doubt there are many TB members here with more ear time on so many different amp/speaker systems than I have worked with in my life. They would have to be recording engineers or studio owners like myself in addition to being a bassist, or be a member of a touring group that also regularly releases an album every year.

 

[R&B]

My JB62-VSP is in Customs at LAX.

And a quick scan of Fleabay demonstrates that the opportunists have jacked up Fender Japan prices by a third or more. :scowl:

 

[GG7]

My JB62-VSP is in Customs at LAX.

And a quick scan of Fleabay demonstrates that the opportunists have jacked up Fender Japan prices by a third or more. :scowl:

AWESOME News Craig!

When my Ishi orders arrived at SFO (San Fransisco International) it only took a day to get to my local post office after that. I'm about 150 miles east of SFO.

So I would say you stand a very good chance to seeing your bass later today! (5/28) Definitely by the 29th!

Can't wait to see your unveiling photos!

And regarding eBay and the rising Fender Japan prices... TELL ME ABOUT IT!

I'm now on the hunt for a JB66 in Antique White at a decent price, but I have a sneaking suspicion that I am not going to be able to get a deal on one, if I can find one at all! Talked to Johan about that specific model and he has not seen one come up in their UBOX for ages!

For those who may not know what a JB66 is... Here is a good photo of one. Its basically a 66 Limited Edition reissue that was another Fender Japan exclusive. Although according to a few sources, about 135 of them got exported to the USA. I believe Sweetwater Sound had the exclusive distribution deal for that small shipment, which are also long gone, but they still have the product page up on their website. Also linked below:

I LOVE The matching headstock on this model! Always adds class to any Jazz Bass offering in my opinion!

Old Sweetwater JB66 Product Page

Fender Limited Edition 66 Jazz Bass - Aged Olympic White | Sweetwater.com

If anyone out there has a JB66 in White they are looking to sell, PM me! I am a serious buyer and am ready to make a purchase any time! All comes down to what you are willing to sell it for. I'll pay fair market for one in Mint to Excellent condition.

 

[Malak the Mad]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again…Mad Love for those matching/painted headstocks!

 

[JonW]

My JB62-VSP is in Customs at LAX.

And a quick scan of Fleabay demonstrates that the opportunists have jacked up Fender Japan prices by a third or more. :scowl:

You’ve got to be close! I got too busy to track my bass, so I don’t know how long it all took at various stages. I’m looking forward to reading about how your bass strikes you. Best case scenario is that you are as happy as I am.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again…Mad Love for those matching/painted headstocks!

Yeah, that white bass is cool looking. I don’t recall ever seeing a Fender anything that was white with a matching headstock. I like it.

 

[JonW]

GG7-

Again, thanks for all the help! It’s very useful perspective that you are providing me with. Much appreciated.

I would suggest doing some internet research into finding out if any other players have tried this pairing of the 40 watt Bandmaster with the current Fender 410 Neo Cab. You are correct in the assumption that if the 25 watt mode on the 100t can drive the 410 that your 40 watt Bandmaster easily could do the same.

I have not been able to find anyone pairing a Bandmaster with the 410 but I’ll keep looking. Most or all of the 410 experiences I’m seeing are with the 100t.

As for an A/B switch to jump back and forth between amps... Just as long as the impedance if both head's speaker output is the same ohmage, then that should be fine. Just don't do it with the amp running one or the other. As long as the amp is totally off (not even in Standby) I see no problem with matched impedance between your existing cab and the 410.

OK, I don’t quite follow this part. The Bandmaster just has two speaker output jacks- one for “Speaker 40 watts” and one for “External Speaker.” No impedance switch or anything.

My current guitar speaker is a 1x12” at 4 Ohms. (A Weber 12F150T) The 410 Neo is 8 Ohms. But if the amp does not have an impedance switch and I turn off/on the amp when switching, shouldn’t it be OK to just A/B between the cabinets?

But the thing is...You might end up preferring the 410 for your guitar rig as well! As I mentioned a few replies back, I have been running my guitars through my 100t/410 rig more and more lately.

While I get a great vintage sound with my VOX AC15 twin or AC30, the 100t is actually a killer guitar amp in its own right! (It bears a very striking similarity to a Marshall 100 watt tube head after all!)

I am skeptical, but it’s easy to try. My current ring sounds really super for guitar. I don’t crank it loudly and I like cleans. I’m tellin’ ya, a Jazzmaster to the reverb tank to the Bandmaster to the Weber 1x12… Ahhhh. A sweet tone heaven.

In terms of auditioning before you buy? Wouldn't that be awesome! Living about 10 miles south of Yosemite NP, I have to drive 2 hours to the nearest store that sells guitar strings! lol! Finding a store that would actually have a high end rig like mine on the floor would be a miracle. I do nearly 100% of my guitar and studio gear purchases online based only on written reviews and the occasional You Tube demo. And of course the opinions of people I rust here on TB!

Speaking of which... I bought my 100t/410 Neo rig sight unseen and unheard too! I bought the 410 cab over the other available Neo configs based on all the rave reviews that the 4x10 model was getting in the 100t owners thread here:

Fender Bassman 100T Chapter 3 | TalkBass.com

Not surprising the 4x10 has proven to be the most popular of the line. You find that same popularity with other brands that offer various cab configs. A 4x10 enclosure hits a lot of check boxes for a wide range of players and studio owners. I personally consider a 4x10 speaker enclosure to be the ideal choice for the Fender Jazz Bass in particular. And since Jazz Bass remains my instrument of choice most of the time, I went with a rig that could give me the best Jazz Bass reproduction possible. It delivered that in spades! Far surpassing my expectations, which were VERY high to begin with! This rig purchase remains one of the most satisfying gear investments I have ever made in my life!

Near Yosemite- cool! I lived in LA for 3 years and never got to Yosemite. But I had a big share of the outdoors there. California is an outdoor paradise. Ocean + mountains… Mmmm. I do miss it.

OK, I won’t complain about the dearth of music stores here in small town Indiana. I moved here as this fancy internet thing was taking off. So it’s been great for buying things online. And for getting lots of helpful opinions like yours. If I get that 410, I will buy it from the one local Ma and Pa shop that we do have.

I need to read through those 3 chapters of that 100t thread. It may take a while.

While I am sure others in this thread and elsewhere might provide you with dozens of alternative choices to the 410 and ultimately the 100t, If you start heading down that road, you are likely going to end up confused and trapped in a feedback loop of choices. I kind of got the impression based on our various conversations that you were more of a "cut to the Chase" type guy like I am! If someone else has already done all the leg work for me, and I trust their opinions and/or see the value of their professional experience, I tend to follow their lead rather than adventuring out on my own and risk making a bad choice. Which as we all know costs money!

Indeed. If I decide to buy a cabinet, which one? OK, the 410 Neo. But then should I consider other cabinets, too? OK, I’ll start reading. The options are dizzying. Which is a good thing. But like you say, I’d much rather get one great thing now. Have fun with it and avoid the upgrade cycles. That’s what I have done with the guitar setup and it has been the way to go. Heck, it might even help me out with the bass amp, it seems. The name Bergantino is coming up a lot on the 410 discussions. It seems as though the Fender is at least as good, probably better. So the choices are narrowing down.

And my precise intent in this case was to simply recommend you buy the same rig that I own. Either both at the same time, or starting with the 410 first with the ultimate goal of bringing a Bassman 100t in eventually. By then your 410 would be nicely broken in, and you would hear that awesome Jazz Bass sound that only the 100t/410 seems able to reproduce! And you would hear that on your first day of owning a 100t!

I confidently cast my vote for the same rig that I have owned and continue to LOVE for three years now. I am so pleased with. And as I said... My high praise for both of these components is based on my 40+ years of professional playing and recording. Having owned a commercial recording studio from 1979 through 1991, I went through a ton of gear, and also had the opportunity to play through and record with hundreds of amp and speaker combos that came through my facility with my wide range of clients.

The studio owned several different Fender Bassman models as well as Marshall 50 watt and 100 heads, paired with your typical Marshall cabs. Also owned several Ampeg rigs including a vintage SVT for Bass and a V4 for guitar. Some of the other brands I have owned and/or had on semi-permanent loan for studio time included several of the more popular Mesa Boogie head/cab systems as well as combos. The original ORANGE 100 watt tube head paired with a Marshall 4x10 or 4x12 cab, and the list goes on and on.

I doubt there are many TB members here with more ear time on so many different amp/speaker systems than I have worked with in my life. They would have to be recording engineers or studio owners like myself in addition to being a bassist, or be a member of a touring group that also regularly releases an album every year.

That is high praise, indeed!

I’ll do some more reading and there is no big hurry here. Except that I’m getting anxious to hear what this VSP Jazz bass sounds like when amped properly. (See, back on topic. ) But a Bandmaster into the 410 Neo is the likely choice now. See how that goes at home. And then get a bigger head if my playing progresses enough to join a band.

I appreciate all the help. If I ever make it out to Yosemite, I’ll get you a beer.