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Fender Plus Deluxe Club

#222
Scanning Fender basses on ebay and right now there are a number of these basses for sale. A couple of P bass Deluxe's (including a nice natural ash/maple example) and a Jazz Plus in Midnight Wine (like mine) w/HSC. All in the $700-$800 range. However, I saw this one, a '89-'90 JBR-80 - something from the same period and likely a Japan import only Fender Jazz. 9v active with Fender lace-looking pu's, V/Blend/B/T, no pg, 70's large barrel/large fluted clover tuners, butt-end truss adjuster, 22 fret neck, a curved neck plate and the same (nice) Schaller bridge as on the Jazz Plus. It has a light-ash body w/a trans red finish. The body could be the downsized version like the Jazz Plus but the large rear control cover is not the same as the J+. (!?!) Looks pretty cool and w/shipping and possible customs charges (I've never purchased a bass from Japan - anyone know what this usually runs?) it's in the same price range as the others. Once again.., another bass I don't need at this point, but it's very tempting for cool-factor alone.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1989-90-FEN...J-/281543446135?pt=Guitar&hash=item418d4c0e77

and another one!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fender-Japa...131003132420&rk=5&rkt=6&sd=281543446135&rt=nc
 
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#223
JIO said:
Scanning Fender basses on ebay and right now there are a number of these basses for sale. A couple of P bass Deluxe's (including a nice natural ash/maple example) and a Jazz Plus in Midnight Wine (like mine) w/HSC. All in the $700-$800 range. However, I saw this one, a '89-'90 JBR-80 - something from the same period and likely a Japan import only Fender Jazz. 9v active with Fender lace-looking pu's, V/Blend/B/T, no pg, 70's large barrel/large fluted clover tuners, butt-end truss adjuster, 22 fret neck, a curved neck plate and the same (nice) Schaller bridge as on the Jazz Plus. It has a light-ash body w/a trans red finish. The body could be the downsized version like the Jazz Plus but the large rear control cover is not the same as the J+. (!?!) Looks pretty cool and w/shipping and possible customs charges (I've never purchased a bass from Japan - anyone know what this usually runs?) it's in the same price range as the others. Once again.., another bass I don't need at this point, but it's very tempting for cool-factor alone.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1989-90-FEN...J-/281543446135?pt=Guitar&hash=item418d4c0e77
Click to expand...

That does sound very cool I've seen some basses being sold from Japan and the shipping is usually around $150
 
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#226
Hey fellas, thought I was the only guy out there that had one of these gems until I decided to search it up. I have a '92 Fender Jazz V Deluxe in blue. I am the original owner and it was my main bass for many years. I actually have worn a groove in the lace pickup from where my thumb rests. She has been kind of been neglected that last few years as I was really enjoying being back on a 4 string. However she has recently been resurrected and is in the middle of a make over. This having a lot to do with my newest member, a Nordy NP5, that I can't put down. The only problem was, is that I think I really am a jazz bass kinda guy but cant really justify forking out the cash to grab a NJ5 so I did the next best thing. I am putting some Nordy pick-ups in my Fender Jazz V Deluxe. I was a little reluctant after listening to some older recordings I played on with the stock Plus V, these stock pickups sound stellar, but think the Nordy pickups are going to take it even higher and suite todays needs. It was a pleasure reading through this thread and I would love to add to it with a few picks and possibly a sound bit once the makeover is complete. BTW the pickups in the pics are the Nordy's Cheers!
photo 1.JPG photo 2.JPG
 
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#227
You can't go wrong with anything Nordy she's going to sound fantastic. Fender put a lot of love in these basses and it's the only bass I have never attempted to change anything so I'm looking forward to any sound clips and congrats on the NP5 another beautiful bass I think they are one of a few custom bass shops that make their own pickups? which makes a huge difference in my opinion.
 
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#228
I got a 93 Jazz Plus a few weeks ago. For the last 2 years, I've exclusively gigged a Squier Tele Bass Special. Friday night, after some woodshedding and new strings, I gigged the Plus. I'll never play another bass, (yeah, I know, until the next one). I'm very very impressed with this bass, and the tones I'm able to get out of my Bassman TV15. Outstanding quality electronics, and the neck, well, I think I'm in love.
 
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#229
I just saw on my calendar that I've owned my '93 Jazz Plus for a year now. I'm a chronic customizer but like SirMjac28, I haven't touched one thing on this bass - it was a complete statement and it will remain unaltered. The neck is great, and I'm a fan of 22 fret necks. I have both 20 and 24, but 22 is a nice sweet-spot offering just enough crayons to colour with!

IMG_6139_zps86e548dc.jpg
 
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#230
Just found a nice '90 JB Plus on the bay. It's a great instrument but I can't figure out what's wrong with the sound. With the blend knob in the middle position, the sound gets very thin with half the volume. Totally unusable for slab. Anyone knows what's causing this? Or is this normal?
(I have two other active Fender Jazz basses and neither of them does that.)
 
#231
jay loren said:
Just found a nice '90 JB Plus on the bay. It's a great instrument but I can't figure out what's wrong with the sound. With the blend knob in the middle position, the sound gets very thin with half the volume. Totally unusable for slab. Anyone knows what's causing this? Or is this normal?
(I have two other active Fender Jazz basses and neither of them does that.)
Click to expand...

That does sound odd (not normal) - are you sure the battery isn't low? To not drain the battery you need to have the selector switch to the 'off' position (last click) and be unplugged when not in use. If it's a good battery - look around to see if there is a loose wire inside or something unusual. Start with the obvious and work from there when trouble-shooting.
 
#232
Thanks for the tip, JIO.
The battery was good, but here is what I found:
A previous owner had tampered with the electronics. Because the pan knob worked the opposite way, I switched the little plug connectors for each pickup. Curious, I also reversed the polarity to see what would happen, and bang, that was it. One of the plugs's polarity had been reversed causing the above problem.
It's all good now, the bass sounds great and it's dead quiet. There was a slight buzz that other members had encountered but that is gone also.
 
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#233
jay loren said:
Thanks for the tip, JIO.
The battery was good, but here is what I found:
A previous owner had tampered with the electronics. Because the pan knob worked the opposite way, I switched the little plug connectors for each pickup. Curious, I also reversed the polarity to see what would happen, and bang, that was it. One of the plugs's polarity had been reversed causing the above problem.
It's all good now, the bass sounds great and it's dead quiet. There was a slight buzz that other members had encountered but that is gone also.
Click to expand...

Great! (why do people mess with basses like that?) Mine does buzz when more treble is dialed and wish it didn't. Not sure if it can addressed w/o jeopardizing the integrity of the pre-amp. It's not terrible but I have other active basses that are dead quiet in any setting.
 
#234
I found this on the Fender website (Invalid Link Removed
that might be helpful:

"For all you Jazz Plus owners who have noise issues, had my 92 Jazz Bass Plus operated on by an electronic tech. This is what he found: Check the ground wire under the bridge. Most Fenders have the ground wire mashed into the finish with 1 strand of wire exposed to the bridge. That's all mine had. Lace Sensors need to be grounded to the body, according to Lace Sensor schematics. Mine was not. Check the PCB where the Pups connect with quick connects. There's a hole marked GRND, mine had nothing connected to or from it. My tech said he played around with alligator clips on certain spots till he found the right spot. I guess he grounded it from there. Tech said it's 99% quieter now..."

Good luck.
J
 
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#235
jay loren said:
I found this on the Fender website (Invalid Link Removed
that might be helpful:

"For all you Jazz Plus owners who have noise issues, had my 92 Jazz Bass Plus operated on by an electronic tech. This is what he found: Check the ground wire under the bridge. Most Fenders have the ground wire mashed into the finish with 1 strand of wire exposed to the bridge. That's all mine had. Lace Sensors need to be grounded to the body, according to Lace Sensor schematics. Mine was not. Check the PCB where the Pups connect with quick connects. There's a hole marked GRND, mine had nothing connected to or from it. My tech said he played around with alligator clips on certain spots till he found the right spot. I guess he grounded it from there. Tech said it's 99% quieter now..."

Good luck.
J
Click to expand...

Thanks man - will definitely check that out and report back once I do - it's the only thing that's not perfect on these/my bass!
 
#236
Well, I took the bridge off and it had a nice braided ground wire that was well grounded to the bridge plate, even indenting the wires position into the brass. Just for extra measure, I scratched the chrome to expose brass at that spot. I found the GRN hole (uninhabited) soldered a wire in and touched around the control cavity hoping to find a ground that would quiet the hum. No dice (nothing changed). So I'm back to it as it was, which is not terrible by any means - just a bit buzzy w/more treble. I think that's just the way it was. I had a few Factors and I can't recall if that was an issue on them as well. It never stopped me from playing/recording and enjoying them and I feel the same about the Jazz Plus - it sounds great!
 
#240
jay loren said:
Here you go.
Click to expand...


Wow - that looks great! I haven't seen a natural J+ before. Is it ash or alder? (can't tell from the picture) Come to think of it I don't know if I have seen a definitive text stating what the body wood was in these basses - I'm assuming alder.
 

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