Fender Jazz- evaluation and trade

[Hal Dean]

Hello everyone. I have a Fender Jazz Bass, purchased awhile ago at Tinicum Guitar Barn in Bucks County, PA (very cool place, BTW). I also have a Yamaha BB1500 that sounds and plays great, and easily emulates the JB.

I DO NOT have a Rickenbacker 4003, and would like to get one. So I am considering trading the JB for a 4003, but any buyer will want to know more about the JB than I do. What I DO know is that it looks and sounds great and is very easy to play, and is in beautiful condition.

Poking around today I realized that there are varieties of JB, and I wasn't seeing how to determine if, for instance, mine is an "American Standard" or some other variation. Tips on how to identify more specifics about this instrument would be greatly appreciated.

1997 Fender Jazz

• Hal Dean
• Sep 19, 2022
• fender jazz

1997 Fender Jazz

1997 Fender Jazz Bass body

• Hal Dean
• Sep 19, 2022
• fender jazz

1997 Fender Jazz body

1997 Fender Jazz headstock

• Hal Dean
• Sep 19, 2022
• fender jazz

1997 Fender Jazz head stock

 

[Lesfunk]

That’s an American deluxe

 

[BigBigGuy44]

Give Fender a call, tell them exactly what you said here and ask for the spec sheet. They will happily email it you and you'll have everything you'd ever want to know about it. If you decide to sell or trade it here, make sure to get an accurate weight and put it first thing in bold and underline in your description or you'll get 100 questions asking the weight. Nice Jazz by the way!

 

[Hal Dean]

Thanks, John. I've emailed Fender and await their response. It IS a great instrument that I fell in love with at the store.

 

[Hal Dean]

That’s an American deluxe

Thanks Lesfunk. I've written to Fender and am looking to get a full spec sheet. In the meantime - what do you see that makes it clear it's Deluxe?

 

[Hal Dean]

Give Fender a call, tell them exactly what you said here and ask for the spec sheet. They will happily email it you and you'll have everything you'd ever want to know about it. If you decide to sell or trade it here, make sure to get an accurate weight and put it first thing in bold and underline in your description or you'll get 100 questions asking the weight. Nice Jazz by the way!

I'm astonished how swiftly Fender emailed me back with full specs. Again, thanks for the tip - somehow my expectations about phone calls have slipped a lot....

 

[Lesfunk]

Thanks, John. I've emailed Fender and await their response. It IS a great instrument that I fell in love with at the store.

The tuning machines and the active preamp controls were the first things I noticed.
American standards are different with std clover leaf tuners and passive vol/vol/tone

was I correct?

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Hello everyone. I have a Fender Jazz Bass, purchased awhile ago at Tinicum Guitar Barn in Bucks County, PA (very cool place, BTW). I also have a Yamaha BB1500 that sounds and plays great, and easily emulates the JB.

I DO NOT have a Rickenbacker 4003, and would like to get one. So I am considering trading the JB for a 4003, but any buyer will want to know more about the JB than I do. What I DO know is that it looks and sounds great and is very easy to play, and is in beautiful condition.

Poking around today I realized that there are varieties of JB, and I wasn't seeing how to determine if, for instance, mine is an "American Standard" or some other variation. Tips on how to identify more specifics about this instrument would be greatly appreciated.

1997 Fender Jazz

• Hal Dean
• Sep 19, 2022
• fender jazz

1997 Fender Jazz

1997 Fender Jazz Bass body

• Hal Dean
• Sep 19, 2022
• fender jazz

1997 Fender Jazz body

1997 Fender Jazz headstock

• Hal Dean
• Sep 19, 2022
• fender jazz

1997 Fender Jazz head stock

The Rickenbacker is worth twice what yours is.

 

[iiipopes]

Ahhh, memories, nostalgia.... In 1981 I had a 1975 light ash/rosewood board/sunburst J-bass I had $375 in. A 1976 white (aged to cream) 4001 came up for sale at my local music store. The J-bass and $125 got me the 4001. I played the 4001 until I could get a 4002 (yes, "2," not "3"), which I still have. If I ever needed to borrow the J-bass, which is the year and appointments everybody copies, I know where it is.

 

[BigBigGuy44]

Easiest way to determine value is look at sold Reverb and eBay listings of the same year and condition as yours, and to see what those places and Guitar Center are asking for them. Keep in mind asking price doesn't tell you much except what sellers are unable to sell them at. I would think @JeezyMcNuggles assessment is pretty accurate.

 

[Chrisk-K]

I once had a ‘97 MIA Deluxe J in white blonde. Great bass. But I guess a 4003 owner wouldn’t do the trade that the OP desires..,

 

[Hal Dean]

The tuning machines and the active preamp controls were the first things I noticed.
American standards are different with std clover leaf tuners and passive vol/vol/tone

was I correct?

YES.
Here's the spec. Mine is clearly "Shoreline Gold"
Model Name: Jazz Bass® Deluxe
Model Number: 019-4400-(Color #) and 019-4402-(Color #)
Series: U.S. Plus/Deluxe Series
Body: Alder with Ash Veneered Top/Back
Neck: Graphite Reinforced Maple
Fingerboard: Rosewood pn# (019-4400) or Maple pn# (019-4402), (9.5” Radius/241 mm)
Frets: 22 American Standard
Scale Length: 34” (864 mm)
Nut: 1.500” (38 mm)
Hardware: Chrome
Machine Heads: American Deluxe
Bridge: Deluxe (Strings-Thru-Body and Top Load)
Pickguard: White Pearloid and *Tortoise Shell (color 837)
Pickups: New Design Jazz Bass Humbucking Pickups (Neck & Bridge)
Pickup Switching: Pan Pot
Controls: Master Volume,
Treble Boost/Cut 22db,
Mid Boost/Cut 20db,
Bass Boost/Cut 20db
Colors: (806) Black,
(807) Vintage Blonde, (Disc. 96)*,
(828) Crimson Burst,
(836) Blue Burst,
(837) *Antique Burst,
(884) Shoreline Gold,
(845) Teal Green Metallic,
(880) Arctic White, (Disc. 96)*,
(Polyurethane Finish)
Strings: OEM 8250M #073-8250-006 NPS .045, .065, .085, .110TW (Taperwound E)
Case: Standard Molded Case
Other Features: Downsized Jazz Bass® Body with Deeper Lower Cutaway for Better Access to Upper Frets,Large Single 1/4” Pole Pieces on the Dual Coil Pickups,
5-In-Line Tuning Machine Array,
Dot Position Inlays,
Rear Battery Compartment
Source: CORONA (U.S.)
Accessories: Molded Case, Strap, Cable
U.S. MSRP: $1,249.99

 

[Hal Dean]

The Rickenbacker is worth twice what yours is.

Oh, I realize that all else being equal that is roughly the case. I simplified the original post. That said, my JB is in excellent condition, and I may be able to snag a thoroughly playable but much dinged 4003 in exchange; but throwing some cash into a deal may be in order. In any event I will post about the trade once I've weighed the JB.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Oh, I realize that all else being equal that is roughly the case. I simplified the original post. That said, my JB is in excellent condition, and I may be able to snag a thoroughly playable but much dinged 4003 in exchange; but throwing some cash into a deal may be in order. In any event I will post about the trade once I've weighed the JB.

There you go bro. As long as that's the plan, you should have no problem with your goal. Your bass looks killer

 

[Bill Whitehurst]

Have you played the Ric?
Some people find them uncomfortable after a
while.
Not putting them down, just pointing that out.
If you could score it without trading away the J that would be great because you obviously love it.

 

[Hal Dean]

Y

Have you played the Ric?
Some people find them uncomfortable after a
while.
Not putting them down, just pointing that out.
If you could score it without trading away the J that would be great because you obviously love it.

Yeah, I'm aware of the significant complaints of all sorts including "uncomfortable" and QC. I have neither the cash nor the space to be adding guitars without removing the equivalent - in fact I plan to sell quite a few guitars this Fall. But thanks for watching out that I don't do something I'll regret!

Lastly, the Yamaha is a SUPERB bass.

 

[wysiwyg248]

Check this website: Serial Number Lookup
Write your instrument serial number there, you will obtain a model number link and build date.
Click the model number link, it will provide your bass description directly from Fender.

 

[Bill Whitehurst]

If you could get pics of the neck date or pot date codes it would help narrow it's exact pedigree.

What!? I can't further the TB tradition of GAS leading to the need for a barn to hold all your basses?

 

[Whale]

Your Jazz Bass has the John Suhr designed preamp and pickups installed. I have a ‘97 Custom Shop Jazz with the same set up. John Suhr worked in the Custom Shop for a few years prior to forming his own company. Fender only offered those preamps and pickups for a few years, so while they’re not exactly rare, they are certainly not common.

Although a small, yet vocal number of purists poo-pah the Suhr preamp and pickups, a much larger group love them. My personal experience is that I get a MUCH wider range of tones, a cleaner sound, and none of the annoying 60 cycle hum with the Suhr arrangement.

I had a 1983 AVRI Jazz before I bought my ‘97 Custom Shop Jazz. The AVRI was utterly amazing in every possible way, but I have to say, the ‘97 Custom Shop is considerably more versatile and stable. Plus the tones between the two basses are so close that, to my ear, there is very very little difference.

Incidentally, the prices of the Suhr equipped basses are going up.

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

Hello everyone. I have a Fender Jazz Bass, purchased awhile ago at Tinicum Guitar Barn in Bucks County, PA (very cool place, BTW). I also have a Yamaha BB1500 that sounds and plays great, and easily emulates the JB.

I DO NOT have a Rickenbacker 4003, and would like to get one. So I am considering trading the JB for a 4003, but any buyer will want to know more about the JB than I do. What I DO know is that it looks and sounds great and is very easy to play, and is in beautiful condition.

Poking around today I realized that there are varieties of JB, and I wasn't seeing how to determine if, for instance, mine is an "American Standard" or some other variation. Tips on how to identify more specifics about this instrument would be greatly appreciated.

1997 Fender Jazz

• Hal Dean
• Sep 19, 2022
• fender jazz

1997 Fender Jazz

1997 Fender Jazz Bass body

• Hal Dean
• Sep 19, 2022
• fender jazz

1997 Fender Jazz body

1997 Fender Jazz headstock

• Hal Dean
• Sep 19, 2022
• fender jazz

1997 Fender Jazz head stock

It’s clearly an American Deluxe of the nineties .. body shape, preamp, four controls for preamp, tuning pegs .. you own the bass, you should know the bare minimum I believe but, if not, that’s the model.
You can find the specs online, no need to call Fender, no mysteries, no buggies, it is a fairly common model.
Personally, I won’t trade for anything, especially a Rick 4003; hope you’ll try the Rick in some store before making the final decision in this regard ..