Please can you link that? That's Oundle very interesting. Theres no rush on which bass to buy. Any more thoughts on G&L by the way? Though I've pretty much decided on the Fender, it would be good to have another option to fall back on.
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Fender player series jazz bass?
- Thread starter Low end rocker
- Start date
I’ve been through dozens of MIM J basses and the fret ends are not as finished as what is found on MIA basses. I had one i took to a local luthier and had the neck edges rolled for $180 and it made a big difference but it was never difficult to play before it was done. Back then I could get a used MIM bass, upgrade pickups, upgrade the bridge, fancy guard, etc, even roll the neck edges, and wind up with a better bass than any MIA Fender, for a lot less than an MIA would run.
In October of 2020 I bought an Am Performer Precision and did some upgrades to it. To offset the cost I put an American made Peavey Foundation 2000 lined fretless up for sale here and at Reverb.
Within a week I had someone from here wanting to make a trade for that bass. The deal was a 2019 Fender Player Precision in sunburst with a gold anodized brushed aluminum pickguard and a FCS 62 P pup, plus the original pup and white pickguard. I thought sure, I can flip it pretty fast and maybe make even a little more.
A year later and I still have the bass. Once I got it home and plugged up, the idea of flipping it went right out the window. The neck on it is as good as the neck on my Performer. The body, not as contoured, a little thicker, and a little heavier than my Performer. Other than that, not a lot of differences between my Am Performer and MIM Player series.
Matter of fact I want to add a Jazz to my arsenal and I'm considering a Player Series myself.
I have a fretless Player Series Jazz, in 3-Color Sunburst. There have been some mods.... 1) the nut cracked and broke off in the middle of the G string slot, so I replaced that with a Tusq Nut. 2) I put a high mass bridge on it, and 3) I put a tortoise shell pickguard on it. I do like the pickups, for example they are a step up from something like a Squier, but probably not as great as a made in the USA. The neck is nice, I haven't had to touch the truss rod very much at all in the couple of years that I've had it. It stays in tune very well. The Pau Ferro fingerboard is alright, not as nice as rosewood in my opinion. They're decent basses, but you should look at G&L basses, they're pretty darned spiffy.
I’ve got a MIM and it’s free from flaws.
I’ve had more than a few.
Never any major issues.
I’d buy a MIM fender over a G&L tribute any day. Had a tribby jazz and it was cheap feeling and not refined at all. it was ok , a squier jazz would be better. A mim jazz would most likely be ok.
Get one with a return policy.
that’s my two cents.
I’ve had more than a few.
Never any major issues.
I’d buy a MIM fender over a G&L tribute any day. Had a tribby jazz and it was cheap feeling and not refined at all. it was ok , a squier jazz would be better. A mim jazz would most likely be ok.
Get one with a return policy.
that’s my two cents.
I don’t have a Player Series, but I have a 2016 MIM Jazz that’s a superb bass. I was looking at a buttercream Precision a couple years ago. I love that color.
If you can play the exact bass you will be taking home and don’t find any sharp frets or other quality issues then I say go for it. I have seen some of the American models with less than perfect finishing. Always play the one you are going to buy whenever possible. If it speaks to you then bring it home.
I have a Player Precision, with not a thing wrong with it. I upgraded it, but only because I wanted to.
I recently bought a Squier CV60s jazz, and it's awesome. Nothing wrong that needs attention, it sounds great and it could be my #1.
As for fret ends, I do my own using my wife's fingernail boards. It doesn't take much.
I recently bought a Squier CV60s jazz, and it's awesome. Nothing wrong that needs attention, it sounds great and it could be my #1.
As for fret ends, I do my own using my wife's fingernail boards. It doesn't take much.
Not that a US made bass would not suffer from frets sprout .. this issue can hit a Fodera as well as a MIM Fender based on the fretboards wood’s residual moisture content ..
Don’t worry too much about frets sprout with a maple board .. they are sealed by the finish coat and tend to be much less sensitive to weather-related air moisture variations if compared to unsealed rosewood or wenge boards for instance
Never had any issues with MIM Fenders. All beautiful. I have a Classic 50s MIM Black Lacquer Precision that is fantastic and a Classic 60s Jazz MIM.
I did try a Sterling Ray24CA at Guitar Center once and the frets sliced my fingers. I've seen those more with the fret issues.
I did try a Sterling Ray24CA at Guitar Center once and the frets sliced my fingers. I've seen those more with the fret issues.
You know problems or not a Players series Jazz bass is worth it. If you are worried about the frets then your answer is easy.
It is the best thing I have ever done.
Answer what your Soul has the desire for,
Go Fretless.
It is the best thing I have ever done.
Answer what your Soul has the desire for,
Go Fretless.
I have a G&L Tribute SB-2. It's OK, but for me the neck doesn't feel as nice as the Player Jazz neck.
As for my 2021 MIM Fender Player Jazz bass, this information is incorrect. It's the blueburst GC limited edition with the maple fretboard, though. At any rate, the pickups are the new alnico 5s and sound great. There is no discernable fret edge sharpness. In fact, the neck is one of the smoothest I've ever played. The tuning machines are smooth and hold tuning just fine. If you like the way it plays and it sounds good to you, get it.
Overall, I agree that a MIM Player series is well worth buying. Also, now they have the Player Plus, if you like active basses.
I have an American made G&L, which completely blows away my Fender Player Series Jazz. I'm not saying the Fender is bad, it's not. It's a nice bass. That said, when I compare them, the G&L is just a much nicer instrument. I reviewed mine here: G & L Fullerton Deluxe J B
I cannot say anything about G&L Tribute instruments as I've never owned one, but I would imagine that they would be something like Squier.
