That new P/G with the black white black bevel looks great on that bass!
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Fender JP 90 club?
- Thread starter Geroi Asfalta
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And Welcome!!!!
Congrats and welcome!
Your bass is less than 100 serials newer than mine.
Definitely not the stock p-pickup. I would be willing to bet some other electronics mods were done. Any picks of the insides?
The JP-90 has a slim profile, Jazz-bass neck, 7.25" radius. Over the decades since its introduction, the J-bass neck has changed a number of times, depending on what was "in" at the time. I think the JP-90 actually has the slimmest version of the J-bass neck. There can be considerable variation in radius, and the difference between a 9.5" radius and 7.25" radius is really not much. Just for fun, I just now tried my radius guages on the JP-90 and the difference actually very small, but my JP-90 is 7.25" for sure.
What's best? Just whatever feels good. For people getting into bass, or switching between guitar and bass, the slim neck and small radius usually feels easiest.
For comparison, I also have a Geddy Lee signature bass, the made-in-USA version, vs. the MIJ (original) or the current MIM.
The MIJ and MIM Geddy Lee J-bass are modeled on his "number 1" 1972 bass he bought at a pawnshop. Someone had already sanded the back of the neck down to slim it even more. It has a maple neck and the black block fret markers.
The USA version of his signature bass is different, that one is patterned after his bass *after* he had the Fender custom shop build a new neck for it, since the original was worn out after so much road use and re-fretting.
Geddy Lee said that after he got older, his hands were more comfortable on a beefier neck. So the replacement neck he commissioned is 9.5" radius, considerably bigger (more like most modern J-bass) with aged pearl blocks and bound edges.
I have to agree with Geddy, as I get older, the beefier neck is a bit more comfortable for me as well. But the JP-90 is easier on my back since it is considerably lighter.
I think the Jazz Bass Plus from '90~'94 shares the headstock with the JP-90. They wouldn't be interchangeable though. The Plus has 22 frets, making that a problem for swapping. Other than that, the Plus has a 9.5" radius and has the metal block in the heel for the microtilt.
I've been more into the Fender actives from the '90s lately. Namely the Jazz Plus since my main players are Kubickis and they share the same preamp, and the Jazz Deluxe since I prefer the smaller bodies over the "normal" passive Jazzes. The Plus and Deluxe both have 22 fret necks too. Maybe I'll keep my eye out for a deal on a JP-90 as an alternative to all the battery powered jazzes in the collection, and I've been extremely pleased with the other somewhat oddball Fenders from the era.
Yes, you're right about the headstock shape; my guess is that the bigger obstacle to a replacement neck back then would have been the logo. It's always been easy to find knockoff P and J Fender decals, but I seriously doubt JP90 decals were available until fairly recently.
I'm a pretty committed player of FSOs, and my guitar is a Tele. I've never been able to get into Strats... but the Strat narrow headstock shape, which the JP90 shares, is for my money the best piece of industrial design of the entire 20th century. That's a little hyperbolic, but only a little!
I have always really liked the skinny head stock and slimmed down body of the JP-90. It is very practical. I think the smaller head stock, along with the smaller tuners that have to be fitted to it, decrease the mass at that end and contribute to the nice balance of the JP90.
The comic bubble pickguard is quirky, but I like it.
The comic bubble pickguard is quirky, but I like it.
@JIO said something about another Fender having a similar headstock shape as the JP 90. Hello @JIO
I tried to find some of this Formica material to make a pickguard for my red JP-90, but I couldn’t get a sample that was large enough. I suppose I’ll have to wait until a 50s-retro diner closes down.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,589
- 221,974
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- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
My 2nd bass and first 'real' bass was a used all black JP-90. Had one of the best necks of any bass I've ever owned and I played the heck out of that thing. But I can't for the life of me remember what happened to it. Probably sold or traded it.
I see them pop up online now and then and the prices have really gone up. I think I paid around $300 or $350 for mine over 20 years ago and that price range stayed consistent up until recently.
I see them pop up online now and then and the prices have really gone up. I think I paid around $300 or $350 for mine over 20 years ago and that price range stayed consistent up until recently.
Yes, it seems so. A little bit ago they'd been stuck in the $500 range for what seemed like several years, but now I'm seeing them creep up toward $700. Some optimist on Reverb even has a refinished one listed for well over a thousand, though at that price it'll be sitting for quite awhile.
It's nicely specced out, though, with a classy silver PG.
Yeah, back in the day when I bought mine new, it was a blow out sale at Guitar Center, $249, no case. I asked the guy I knew who was the fender rep for the region and he said there was no specific case for the JP90, just the generic blow-molded, universal-fit bass case. Same as the retail one at the time. Brand new P and J basses got form-fit cases.
In that era, Guitar Center was notorious for “exploding” SKU’s, separating cases and accessories from instruments even when they were included from the factory. Then they’d try to upsell you the case that should have come with it. It allowed them to advertise unusual low prices, without disclosing that didn’t include the stuff the factory always sent with it. I think they got sued for the practice.
One wonders what the heck they did with all the cases and accessories.
In that era, Guitar Center was notorious for “exploding” SKU’s, separating cases and accessories from instruments even when they were included from the factory. Then they’d try to upsell you the case that should have come with it. It allowed them to advertise unusual low prices, without disclosing that didn’t include the stuff the factory always sent with it. I think they got sued for the practice.
One wonders what the heck they did with all the cases and accessories.
My original pick guard will be worth a lot of bucks some day 
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,589
- 221,974
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
I just bought a nice birdseye maple neck from Warmoth... Problem solved
Nicknamed the PJ- 90 neck, the whammy neck, because it was so inconsistent...
I still have it, looks good on the wall... Looks better than it played!
Probably stiffer than the original...Amazing what a three ply pearloid pick guard can do. Very classy.
if I remember the original was a bit flimsy
Yes, but heavy as all get-out. 4.3oz. vs 3.9oz. for the standards. Another full set to hit the classifieds soon. I gave in an swapped in a set of M4 Lights. They brought my '90 Jazz Plus down from 8.5lbs. to under 8lbs. The originals were good when standing but quite noticeable when sitting... neck heavy.
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