Hi there, first post so please go easy on me. I have been playing guitar for close to 20 years and am thinking I want to try bass for a while. I have 6 guitars and now need a bass. I am a Fender guy and was wondering about the MIM Js and Ps. I know the MIM guitars are good but how about the basses? I'm aware of the CVs but really would prefer a Fender proper. Thoughts? I know the whole "Just go play a bunch philosophy" and I agree with it. Just want to know what the general consensus is around here. Thanks for reading!
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Fender MIMs any good?
- Thread starter chipbutty24
- Start date
I have a '94 MIM Fender P that I absolutely adore. I bought it used (and, sadly, abused) and it needed a big truss rod adjustment and my A-string still sits too high (but a capo cures that!) Besides those two things that have since been fixed, it is one of my go-to basses. It's got that authentic Fender growl and it just plays like a P bass should. I personally cannot afford an MIA, but I'm more than content with my MIM.
I have a MIM J Deluxe. My main bass for the last 10+ yrs, so obviously I like it. But really, you need to A/B some basses, to see what you like in neck feel, tone, balance, etc. Just cause I like J`s doesn`t mean you will. If you`re asking about quality, I can`t complain at all. No electronic problems, great neck, literally stays in tune for months. Fit and finish are great as well. The MIM J Deluxes go for around $350 used, I believe - great deal, IMO. But, don`t discount the Squires - although I`ve never played one, they are pretty highly regarded by alot of people here, even the Fender-faithful.
I have a Fender MIM 5 string jazz, i really like it. I bought it on ebay for around 400 total including shipping. Definitely a lot cheaper than buying an american made, and it sounds to me well worth every penny
Thanks for all the input. Is there a conventional wisdom on why someone might choose a J over a P? I hope this isn't one of "those" questions but honestly I know pretty much zero about the world of bass playing.
i had a MIM J and it was pretty good. i never did upgrade the bridge but i bet if i did it would have been really nice.
As a MIM P and MIM Jazz beginner, I'm enjoying playing both. The P is a 2000 model that someone must have left sitting in the case since they bought it, so it's like having a minty 10 year old. Now, I've got the P and two Jazz basses.
Try either before you buy, and make sure it feels right to you! Sight unseen can be a risk since you might buy a problem instrument whether new or used. That said, there's lots of good people on this site that I would buy a bass from without ever seeing it.
I tried a P/J in the stores first, and instead bought the MIM P first. Then, I felt the Jazz was an itch that I had to scratch, so it quickly followed. The Jazz is a more popular bass, but give both a fair run before you decide which will be your first bass.
Enjoy your quest!
Try either before you buy, and make sure it feels right to you! Sight unseen can be a risk since you might buy a problem instrument whether new or used. That said, there's lots of good people on this site that I would buy a bass from without ever seeing it.
I tried a P/J in the stores first, and instead bought the MIM P first. Then, I felt the Jazz was an itch that I had to scratch, so it quickly followed. The Jazz is a more popular bass, but give both a fair run before you decide which will be your first bass.
Enjoy your quest!
well...this is completely up to you..
in my experience, the jazz has a bit more of a growly sound....
GRROOOWWWLLL
while the p bass has more of a bassy, raw, sound with a little more balls.
also p bass has a thicker neck than the jazz.
both good basses though.
i think im eating pizza tonight for dinner
mmmhmm
Welcome to Talk Bass.
There are things that MIA basses have that MIMs don't, like graphite reinforced necks and rolled edges on the fretboard. Tons of people gig MIM basses all the time, and they are good basses. There is an eternal debate as to eveything MIM vs. MIA. Search around and you'll find a ton of threads on the subject.
There are things that MIA basses have that MIMs don't, like graphite reinforced necks and rolled edges on the fretboard. Tons of people gig MIM basses all the time, and they are good basses. There is an eternal debate as to eveything MIM vs. MIA. Search around and you'll find a ton of threads on the subject.
Great info thanks. As I understand it the J is an offset body with a more pronounce mid to cut through a bit better and the P is regular type body with a bassier tone. Is that accurate or just another one of those roll you eyes kind of debates?
Not really. Its all about what feels/sounds best to your hands/ears. I have a MIM P/J and a MIM P-bass as well. I have also owned a couple Jazz basses, though neither was MIM. Generally, P-basses are for more supportive types of bass playing and the Jazz is for more in-your-face styles. However, there are exceptions to both of those generalizations (supportive J-Bass players and in-your-face P-bass players), so it's really more about the player than the bass.
P-basses are actually very hefty is the LOW mids, which gives it the impression of a bassier tone than a Jazz bass. They also have fatter, rounder sounding highs. To me, they always feel like they are underneath the mix. Its not that they don't cut through so much as they fill in their space perfectly. The Jazz on the other has less low mids and brighter highs. The Jazz has one of the default tones for slap-bass because of those highs. However, lots of people get really deep, thumpy tones from a Jazz by soloing the neck pickup, so they aren't shy in the deep lows. The Jazz has more of a cutting, high-end tone.
Honestly, Fender MIMs are VERY hit or miss as far as quality goes. If you want a proper Fender wait for a used MIA or even a MIJ/CIJ to pop up on the classifieds here and pick one of those up. That said, if money is tight and you are looking in the MIM price range definitely don`t be "too good" for a Squier VM or CV. They honestly are (in my opinion) better basses than MIMs on a bass to bass basis. The quality is just much more consistent with the Squiers.
IMHO, IME, YMMV.
IMHO, IME, YMMV.
Or just do what i did 
Love jazz and love p so i got a lakland PJ bass that killz!! Iv owned several MIM fenders of both jazzes and P's and LOVED them all! I wish i had had the cash to keep them. But gas calls!
Love jazz and love p so i got a lakland PJ bass that killz!! Iv owned several MIM fenders of both jazzes and P's and LOVED them all! I wish i had had the cash to keep them. But gas calls!
Production instrument each varies. I had one P that was my main bass 8 months and a MIm jazz my main for 6 months, not bad but i got bored of them.
As a noob you need to know that quality tends to be variable on ALL Fenders. You have a much better chance of getting a keeper with MIA than Squirer or MIM but you can get a great one or dog in ANY of them!
That's the noob problem for you. You want a great bass at a good price, but you haven't the experience to be able to pick out the great ones from the rest. One solution would be if you have an experienced bass player buddy who can help you choose. Another is to just lay down the cash for MIA and hope you get lucky. (chances are pretty good).
I happen to own a MIM deluxe J and I got it used for $300 but was in like new condition. It's a great bass. It plays really well, and sounds reasonably decent and looks like a million. I've got flats on it for old school sound. But it's definitely not my favorite bass. I like my SX much better. I like my G&Ls better too. Why? Because I really find the J neck sort of uncomfortable in a vague kind of way. And secondly I really don't like the tone of the MIM pickups. I DO love the fact that they don't hum when singled. Sure I could lay out the cash for some decent pickups but that would sort of ruin the "bargain" wouldn't it? I can live with the Jazz neck even though I sort of prefer the fatter SX or G&L style feel.
The bottom line is that my advice is not to go the "I gotta get Fender" route and just go to guitar shops and start PLAYING various basses. See how they feel to you. See how they sound with different amps. Feel how they balance. Play EVERY note on the neck looking for dead spots (by the way my Fender only has dead spots when its cold! Yeah, weird, I know.) In short you have to start learning what makes a good bass for YOU and start shedding that noob status.
FWIW if I were starting bass and could only have one bass and wanted a Fender-style instrument, from what I know now I'd buy a Lakland.
Good luck!
First off .... I'm a P-bass guy.
I have a 2001 MIM P-bass, I added covers, thumbrest, and a gold guard .... my '59 Wannabe.
I gigged with it quite often. Then I bought a MIM '50s Classic P ..... better pups, pots, etc. and it became my main player.
True ..... although I would use the term "wider". My 2001 P had a pretty thin neck compared to the thick necks on my '51RI and my two MIM Classic '50s P's.
My '75 P has an A-neck *width like a Jazz neck* but also is slightly thick.
Thick necks don't bother me ... but I sure liked the thin neck with low action on the 2001 MIM.
I have a 2001 MIM P-bass, I added covers, thumbrest, and a gold guard .... my '59 Wannabe.
I gigged with it quite often. Then I bought a MIM '50s Classic P ..... better pups, pots, etc. and it became my main player.
True ..... although I would use the term "wider". My 2001 P had a pretty thin neck compared to the thick necks on my '51RI and my two MIM Classic '50s P's.
My '75 P has an A-neck *width like a Jazz neck* but also is slightly thick.
Thick necks don't bother me ... but I sure liked the thin neck with low action on the 2001 MIM.
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