• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Fender jazz : to spend or not to spend

P

Professor Jones

Sep 22, 2009
111
0
#1
Please help me make my decision here.

After trying several basses it seems like what I were after all this time was a "simple" jazz bass.

After a bit of searching I settled on a mexican classic 60's, which is currently out of stock on the website I wanted to order it from.

So I kept looking around and found that an american standard was "only" ~300 euros more than the classic 60. I can afford to spend the extra money, but I'm also very pragmatic when I buy something, and don't like to spend more than needed.

So my question is, is the extra money worth it or not ?
 
#9
Professor Jones said:
The classic vibe do seem nice, but I'm not looking for an entry model bass. I'm planning to keep it for a while and don't want to have to replace the electronics right away or anything else on the bass.
Click to expand...
You have to satisfy your head as well as your hands. The USAs are better in every way--better wood quality, better pickups, pots, cooler color selections. The suggestion to buy used USA is a good one. You can get a wide range of high quality USA Jazz basses for $500-800. My local bass store has a late '90s American Standard Jazz V in like-new condition in Shoreline Gold with ohsc for $799. Given that that's only about $150 more than a new MIM, I consider that a no-brainer.
 
#10
JohnnyB53 said:
You have to satisfy your head as well as your hands. The USAs are better in every way--better wood quality, better pickups, pots, cooler color selections. The suggestion to buy used USA is a good one. You can get a wide range of high quality USA Jazz basses for $500-800. My local bass store has a late '90s American Standard Jazz V in like-new condition in Shoreline Gold with ohsc for $799. Given that that's only about $150 more than a new MIM, I consider that a no-brainer.
Click to expand...

I'm located in France and here the price difference between MIM and MIA instruments is greater : used MIA Fender basses are still expensive (usually more than 800 euros from what I've seen). Considering that I can get one new for a little more than 900 euros, the choice really is between an MIA and an MIM. I'm currently leaning towards buying an MIA, the higher quality + resale value seem really worth it :)
 
#13
I have 2 x Japanese jazz basses and they are great. One of them is a '62 reissue (fretless) which I got from Ishibashi. Well made and comparable to the MIA Jazz basses I have owned (about 8) in terms of build quality. Some models are lower end with cheaper woods/hardware etc so you need to investigate the models before you buy. Good luck with your decision.
 
#14
Fender Japan instruments are great (I used to own a japanese made stratocaster and it was excellent) but importing them is expensive because of the taxes (20% of the total price, shipping included ;_; ). Getting a jb-62us from ishibashi would be approximatively as expensive as getting an american standard from a european dealer.
 
#17
I'm going to move away from the general consensus here and suggest a new MIM Fender Jazz.

I've owned one for 3 years now, and it's been with me through just about everything: gigs for 10 people in junky old bars, gigs for 500 people on club main stages, DI and mic'd up, multiple studio sessions, even things as dumb as outdoor music video shoots in 20 degree weather. My friend, a professional recording engineer, has told me that it's one of the best-sounding basses he's ever recorded. The thing is a tank, and it has been nothing short of excellent the whole time.

The only things I've done to it since I purchased it have been a simple shielding job (basic $10 copper tape from StewMac) and a black spraypaint job on the pickguard for cosmetic reasons.

I would suggest that you seriously consider purchasing a MIM. Don't shell out more for a MIA unless you can absolutely justify it: test each one, throw out any bit of bias, and be open to anything. I had every intention of buying a MIA myself, but the sounds coming from my rig could not rationalize the extra expense. You might be surprised as well, just as your wallet might be.

I will agree that buying used is always a good idea, and there is certainly nothing wrong with a MIA purchase. I'm just recommending you not jump into a decision where you could have saved some money, haha. I think that's the economist in me speaking.
 
#18
ttasselm, while the sounds could not justify it for you, the playability definitely could for me.

Then, as I played more and learned more things and had new playing styles, I noticed a difference.


I dare you to play that bass HARD, tell me how it compares to an MIA them.
The MIA really beats it in playability and snarl. It handles heavy attack very well too.

MIM's don't sound nice with tapping either.
 
#20
jarrhead said:
ttasselm, while the sounds could not justify it for you, the playability definitely could for me.

Then, as I played more and learned more things and had new playing styles, I noticed a difference.


I dare you to play that bass HARD, tell me how it compares to an MIA them.
The MIA really beats it in playability and snarl. It handles heavy attack very well too.

MIM's don't sound nice with tapping either.
Click to expand...

How about just giving it a basic set-up? I tweaked my truss rod and adjusted the pickup heights in about 10 minutes.

You state that it "beats it in playability and snarl." Those sound like pretty subjective criteria. If you find the snarl lacking, perhaps a pair of new pickups would remedy the problem - and still keep you under the cost of a MIA. Like I said, I found them to be equal so I didn't spend more money than I had to. Of course experiences will differ, this is why I'm merely suggesting that potential buyers actually play with their potential new toys before just rushing into a purchase. I don't think that it's really fair to make generalizations about an entire product line.

And you don't have to "dare" me to play it hard, I've played it just as hard as anyone for about 3 continuous years, as I already said in my post. You make it sound as if a MIM is only for an uneducated few who have not experienced "new playing styles." I've been playing bass for over 7 years now, and I actually play a wide variety of styles - jazz, rock, reggae/dub, and funk, to be specific. The MIM Jazz has been amazing with everything I've thrown at it.

The reason for my post is this: I see too many people blindly opting for a bass based on reputations, regardless of learning from their OWN experiences. I'm not saying that a MIM is definitively, absolutely, unquestionably better than the MIA. I'm simply asking that the OP experience the bass for himself before buying.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back