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Fender Jazz Bass comparison video

lovethegrowl

lovethegrowl

Inactive
Oct 30, 2013
1,252
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69
#1
I downloaded on my android this cool video comparing various American, Mexican & Japanese made basses of various tone woods. The comparisons are between the following:

-2000 MIA alder/rosewood
-1995 MIM alder/rosewood
-1993 MIJ basswood/rosewood
-2007 MIA ash/maple

It is a fun demonstration, but I wish the pickups were listed. For example, the '95 MIM sounded darker than the 2000 MIA. This confuses me because I know what Fender ceramic pickups are bright & brittle by comparison, & the MIMs use ceramic magnets, right?

I am particularly interested in what kind of pickups the '93 MIJ basswood/rosewood bass has. Alnico, ceramic, anyone know? Predictably the dullest sounding.

Some other observations. The 2000 MIA alder was surprising brighter & "growlier" than the ash. Though the ash was throatier.

I can't insert the video. But I am sure many if you have seen it, or can access it on YouTube by searching Fender Jazz Bass comparison.
 
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#3
El Spearo said:
I've seen that video. If based only on that, I would buy a MIM jazz. To me that's the one that sounded the best
Click to expand...
Do you think the MIM had Alnicos installed, or could the '95 MIMs come with Alnicos?

The 2000 MIA was most impressive to me. Given that I have an 2013 ash/maple Marcus Miller bass & swear by it, the 2007 ash/maple MIA was a little disappointing.
 
#4
lovethegrowl said:
Do you think the MIM had Alnicos installed, or could the '95 MIMs come with Alnicos?

The 2000 MIA was most impressive to me. Given that I have an 2013 ash/maple Marcus Miller bass & swear by it, the 2007 ash/maple MIA was a little disappointing.
Click to expand...

I have no idea mate, I have been thinking about getting my 1st Fender next year, and that's one of the videos I came across. I'm still undecided whether I'll get one or not... but that was the sound that appealed to me the most, so if anyone knows I would also be most grateful.
sorry I couldnt be more help mate
 
#5
As a general guide, the MIM Standard is [usually] the weakest sounding, but you can, as always, find some diamonds.

The MIM RoadWorn models have overwound pickups and sound fantastically Classic jazz.

The new American Specials have the same pickups as the 2008-2012 Am.Std, as well as the grease bucket tone control. A much more scooped sound, but possibly the best jazz sound for me personally.

The latest American Standards (2012 onwards) have the Custom Shop 64 pickups which are much darker sounding compared to the previous model. Many seem to prefer it, but it's the American Special for me - It lives up to it's name.

And yes, the ash bodies do give you a little more sustain and tone (depending a lot on the wood density of each particular example), but the alder tends to be brighter sounding.
 
#6
OutToPlayJazz said:
As a general guide, the MIM Standard is [usually] the weakest sounding, but you can, as always, find some diamonds.

The MIM RoadWorn models have overwound pickups and sound fantastically Classic jazz.

The new American Specials have the same pickups as the 2008-2012 Am.Std, as well as the grease bucket tone control. A much more scooped sound, but possibly the best jazz sound for me personally.

The latest American Standards (2012 onwards) have the Custom Shop 64 pickups which are much darker sounding compared to the previous model. Many seem to prefer it, but it's the American Special for me - It lives up to it's name.

And yes, the ash bodies do give you a little more sustain and tone (depending a lot on the wood density of each particular example), but the alder tends to be brighter sounding.
Click to expand...
What about those pickups on the '93 basswood/rosewood MIJ bass?
 
#7


lovethegrowl said:
Do you think the MIM had Alnicos installed, or could the '95 MIMs come with Alnicos?

The 2000 MIA was most impressive to me. Given that I have an 2013 ash/maple Marcus Miller bass & swear by it, the 2007 ash/maple MIA was a little disappointing.
Click to expand...

.. the '95 MIM Standard may be alder, it is possible, but there is probably as good, if not better, chance it is poplar as a body wood ... no way to tell if pups have been changed, but split-splined shaft pots with Strat knobs are still on it, so we know thy have not been changed .. the pups that would be stock on this would be an identical pair ceramic magnet, made by Cort, part 36437 .. both neck size, and what I can tell from the video, the bridge pup does look short ... I would guess stock ceramic ...

.. the 2000 bass would either be be final year of an early American Standard, or first year American Series as that was a transition time, both with 33746/53 set of pups ...

... the 2007 appears to have been altered from stock ... it is an American Series bass, and there is no S-1 switch, stock pickguard was white .. the last year Butterscotch Blonde was offered was '07, and the absence of the HMV bridge indicates that it would not be a VERY early '08, so these factors indicate modifications have been made, whether it was just to eliminate the S-1, or more, there is no way of knowing ... the stock pups in this would be the same set as in the 2000 AmStand (33746/53)

... can't help you on the MIJ, but there are some on here that know MIJ as I do the MIA/MIM, so maybe they can help you ...

I had seen this quite a while back, and found it interesting, and mildly entertaining, but the fact that everything is set the same (no EQ) for test purposes, is almost the fault of it for me ... each of the models tested, with time spent EQ'ing to taste may very well be able to duplicate each other, or even totally change the original preferences from this video ... JMHO
 
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#10
lovethegrowl said:
Hold on! Are you saying that Fender would lie about the body wood used, & pass poplar off as alder?
Click to expand...

I was confused why the video said that MIM bass was alder as well. Fender didn't hide the fact that the early - mid 90's MIM basses were made of poplar. They came right out and said it in their Frontline catalogs back then. I think people just assume that because the MIM's are Alder now, that they always were.
 
#12
lovethegrowl said:
Hold on! Are you saying that Fender would lie about the body wood used, & pass poplar off as alder?
Click to expand...

... nope, Fender didn't make the video ... as j.kernodle points out, Fender was very up front in their specs that it was being used ...

... a lot of folk are not really aware (or are misinformed) of the specs/details of the basses they play ... just visit Ebay and look at the listings for Fender/Squiers, I have seen at times probably 20-25% have some sort of error in the listing in either model or specs/details ....
 
#13
in fingerstyle playing with a blind test and the missus telling me when they changed. I preferred the mex basses each time then the usa 2000.... funny since I own 5 jazzes.... a 64, a cs64 , a 96 mia, a squire vm with p neck,and a kallas custom.
ears don't lie... I think

edit...no opinion of the slap or pic. as I don't live in those zip codes
 
#14
I'm digging this thread back up because it's a good one... I have a MIJ 62 reissue Jazz with stock ceramics and I'm going to say that the pickups in that vid on the MIJ sound like ceramics, I actually don't mind them but I'm probably going to replace them, missing the top end zing of alnicos... Anyone a fan of the MIJ ceramics?
 
#15
tonewood.jpg
 
#17
SurfingTheVoid said:
Yeah I honestly think the pickups make way more difference than the type of wood in the body...
Click to expand...

but some insist they can tell the difference between maple and rosewood fretboards.

but what about pao ferro? wenge? roasted maple? ebony and ivory?

what about block vs. dot inlays?

nitro vs. poly?

mandolin frets vs. jumbo?

jazz vs. precision width nut?

fretboard radii?

how does a pick affect any of the above?

I'm quitting bass and playing the melodica...
 
#18
Anyone seen that "airguitar" video? they attach the tuners to a bench and the bridge to another bench, with some floating pickups suspended in between. Sounds exactly the same as a guitar.

Just as a follow up from my original reply, I ended up getting a MIM Jazz, put some Aguilar pickups (the 60s ones) and an obsidian wiring harness. It's my number 2 bass, my No.1 is a German Streamer XL
 

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