Fender road worn or Highway one jazz

[Jim Carr]

I've never seen the point in the Road Worn guitars, if you want a guitar that looks years old & like someone's thrown it down a flight of stairs every day, buy a guitar & do that

Ding ding ding, we have a winner. We have finally reached the actual point of this and all such threads....

 

[HMZ]

I've a "08" Fender American Standard Jazz 4 string with a great neck, it's great sounding, mint..........................
I've got it for sale locally...
When it sells, it'll be replaced by a Road Worn Jazz!
Absolutely love the Road Worn's...

I was at Sam Ash yesterday and played a Road Worn and an MIA Jazz and I have to say I liked the sound and feel of the Road Worn better.

 

[mpdd]

are the 60's classic mim basses the same as the road worns minus the wear?
i really think both basses are excellent, although i chose a highway one, because of the money issue. my style of play, lack of strap locks, and general clumsiness will produce the wear eventually

 

[Dark Horse]

are the 60's classic mim basses the same as the road worns minus the wear?

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General
Model Number(s): 0131810300, 0131810340
Series: Road Worn™
Color(s): (300) 3-Color Sunburst
(340) Fiesta Red
Neck
Neck Shape: "C" Shape
Number of Frets: 20
Fret Size: Vintage Style Frets
Position Inlays: White Dot Position Inlays
Fingerboard Radius: 7.25" Radius (184 mm)
Fretboard: Rosewood
Neck Material: Maple
Nut Width: 1.50" (38 mm)
Scale Length: 34" (863.6 mm)
NeckPlate: Vintage Style 4 Bolt
Electronics
Pickup Configuration: S/S
Bridge Pickup: Standard Vintage Alnico Magnet Jazz Bass® Single-Coil Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup: Standard Vintage Alnico Magnet Jazz Bass® Single-Coil Neck Pickup
Controls: Volume 1. (Neck Pickup), Volume 2. (Bridge Pickup), Master Tone
Hardware
Hardware Finish: Nickel/Chrome
Bridge: American Vintage 4 Saddle Bass
Tuning Machines: Vintage Style Reverse Tuning Machines
String Nut: Synthetic Bone
Miscellaneous
Strings: Super Bass 7250ML, NPS, (Gauges .045, .065, .080, .100)
Unique Features: Distressed Body, Neck and Hardware Creating an Aged and Worn Appearance, True Vintage Styling, Synthetic Bone Nut
Accessories
Case Gig Bags: Deluxe Gig Bag
Included Accessories: Deluxe Gig Bag
Control Knobs: Black Plastic Knobs

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General
Model Number(s): 0131800300, 0131800306, 0131800305
Series: Classic
Color(s): (300) 3-Color Sunburst
(306) Black
(305) Olympic White
Neck
Neck Shape: "C" Shape
Number of Frets: 20
Fret Size: Vintage Style Frets
Position Inlays: White Dot Position Inlays
Fingerboard Radius: 7.25" Radius (184 mm)
Fretboard: Rosewood
Neck Material: Maple
Nut Width: 1.50" (38 mm)
Scale Length: 34" (863.6 mm)
NeckPlate: Vintage Style 4 Bolt
Truss Rod Nut: Original Vintage Style
Electronics
Pickup Configuration: S/S
Bridge Pickup: Standard Vintage Alnico Magnet Jazz Bass® Single-Coil Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup: Standard Vintage Alnico Magnet Jazz Bass® Single-Coil Neck Pickup
Controls: Volume 1. (Neck Pickup), Volume 2. (Bridge Pickup), Master Tone
Hardware
Hardware Finish: Nickel/Chrome
Bridge: American Vintage 4 Saddle Bass
Tuning Machines: Vintage Style Reverse Tuning Machines
String Nut: Synthetic Bone
Miscellaneous
Strings: Super Bass 7250ML, NPS, (Gauges .045, .065, .080, .100)
Unique Features: True Vintage Styling, Synthetic Bone Nut
Accessories
Case Gig Bags: Deluxe Gig Bag
Included Accessories: Deluxe Gig Bag
Control Knobs: Black Plastic Knobs

 

[mpdd]

cool thanks dark horse, some time ago i read that there are over 32 different fender/squier jazz basses in production now it's hard for me to keep them straight sometimes

 

[Dark Horse]

cool thanks dark horse, some time ago i read that there are over 32 different fender/squier jazz basses in production now it's hard for me to keep them straight sometimes

They're VERY close . Nitro vs Poly is the biggest difference.

Personal experience - the RW's I've played have been lighter in weight than the 60's Classics I've played - but I'm sure there is variation in that.

 

[BassDudeSA]

I could care less where a bass is made, the electronics, bridge, pickups, whatever... as I judge the bass as it is, not the pieces that add up to the total. Price does matter though. So whatever technical differences the Highway and Road Worn have is of no significance to me. With that said, I can't give a fair response as to which I like better as I have not used a Highway 1 Jazz for hours in mutiple rooms in order to give it an accurate review. For those that have just "tried" a bass, or picked it up for a few minutes in a music store, those opinions should be meaningless, except for maybe an opinion of feel.

With that said, I did buy a slightly used Road Worn Jazz about six months ago, for $800 on Ebay. By FAR the best Jazz I've ever played and I have an original '78, 2009 USA and have owned several MIM as well as the Geddy Lee, Jazz 24 and a few others, though never a Highway 1. Anyway, this bass was so good that I bought another one (now own the red and the sunburst) and both are equally fantastic. So I bought one of the Road Worn Ps too, and by comparison to my 2010 USA Precision fiver, I like the Road Worn better with the P as well. As you can see, I can't praise these Road Worns enough. They may not be for everyone, but they are certainly for me. Oh, and I bought all three slightly used on Ebay for around $750 - $800 each.

 

[Jim Carr]

I could care less where a bass is made, the electronics, bridge, pickups, whatever... as I judge the bass as it is, not the pieces that add up to the total. Price does matter though...

With that said, I did buy a slightly used Road Worn Jazz about six months ago, for $800 on Ebay. By FAR the best Jazz I've ever played and I have an original '78, 2009 USA and have owned several MIM as well as the Geddy Lee, Jazz 24 and a few others, though never a Highway 1. Anyway, this bass was so good that I bought another one (now own the red and the sunburst) and both are equally fantastic. So I bought one of the Road Worn Ps too, and by comparison to my 2010 USA Precision fiver, I like the Road Worn better with the P as well. As you can see, I can't praise these Road Worns enough. They may not be for everyone, but they are certainly for me. Oh, and I bought all three slightly used on Ebay for around $750 - $800 each.

+1

Very similar to my experience. I had a '68 Jazz years ago--sold many moons ago. I had a very nice early 2001 '60s Classic Jazz. It was better than my '68. I liked it a little better than my friends very nice first run HWY-1, though that was a very nice Jazz, too.

In the course of 2009, I played nearly a dozen Road Worn basses, comparing them to each other, and two '60s Classics. There is a thread about part of that here: http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?p=7245513&highlight=#post7245513

In 2010, I finally got a used late 2008 Fiesta Red Road Worn Jazz ($675 on ebay). I love it, and one of my bass teachers, Yuka Tadano, who is a bona fide upright and electric Jazz star also loved it when she tried it out.

As Ed Friedland noted in his Bass Whisperer review cited above, the Alder and Maple they are using for these humble MIM nitro finished period correct Jazzes and P-basses is top quality. IMHO, it is a bit better than the classic series--and I loved my '60s classic--which had a flamed Maple neck, but some obvious small knots in the body Alder. Sounded good, even after the mods, but the RW is the champ for me. Now I want a P-bass, too, and I already have 3 older P-basses. Heavens!

 

[Tusec]

They're VERY close . Nitro vs Poly is the biggest difference.

Personal experience - the RW's I've played have been lighter in weight than the 60's Classics I've played - but I'm sure there is variation in that.

Here's another difference:

That's a 60s Classic on the left and a Road Worn on the right (forgive the crappy pic). The RW is 1/8" thinner.

Has anyone else found their RW's body to be a little thinner than normal? Mine measures 1-5/8". Typical Fender is 1-3/4".

 

[BassesForTheWin]

Highway One, simply cause they are a more low budget American Standard model, Ive never seen any point of the RW series, if you want a guitar with a aged look, do it yourself.

 

[HMZ]

Highway One, simply cause they are a more low budget American Standard model, Ive never seen any point of the RW series, if you want a guitar with a aged look, do it yourself.

I really don't care about the Aged or worn look I just really liked the sound and the feel of it.

 

[J. Crawford]

RW.

 

[St Drogo]

I really don't care about the Aged or worn look I just really liked the sound and the feel of it.

yeah but it is annoying. Here's hoping they make a clean looking nitro bass to wear yourself, but with the lighter weight, comfortable neck and frets and other stuff the RW features.

 

[HMZ]

They're VERY close . Nitro vs Poly is the biggest difference.

Personal experience - the RW's I've played have been lighter in weight than the 60's Classics I've played - but I'm sure there is variation in that.

So the 60's Classic is the same as the RW with out the wear

 

[mr.mow]

So the 60's Classic is the same as the RW with out the wear

No..

 

[Tommygunn]

^^^^^^^^^^

It had to happen.

Always does.


I don't agree. But I vote HW1

Cheaper, and fun to see the time lapse that would happen in 40 years, happen in 5.

 

[HMZ]

Well according to Dark Horse it just the finish that's different.

 

[mr.mow]

Well according to Dark Horse it just the finish that's different.

'finish' and 'wear' are two different things..

One is Poly, one is thin nitro (and I mean THIN).

 

[HMZ]

'finish' and 'wear' are two different things..

One is Poly, one is thin nitro (and I mean THIN).

That seems to be the only difference.....Why do think you could hear the difference in a poly finish for a nitro finish?

 

[mr.mow]

That seems to be the only difference.....Why do think you could hear the difference in a poly finish for a nitro finish?

Thats a whole 'nother debate!

Look up Poly Vs Nitro.. I warn you.. it gets long and passionate.

Personally.. I like the feel of nitro, I like the way nitro wears.. poly doesn't really wear.

In the end I think it more comes down to the 'how' the finish is applied rather than the 'what'.. In general Nitro being more expensive to apply is reserved for higher end items, meaning its applied more carefully and thinner.

Poly can be applied very thin, but is usually associated with cheap instruments where it is slathered on thick.

So.. The how.. not so much the what.

having said that, others will have their own opinion.