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Fender Roadworn Questions/Discussion Thread

#261
"The Captain" is now wearing a Barker Bass Mute! I've used DIY foam strips forever but this is way better.

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Also has an AVRI tort guard and a set of 70's DiMarzio Model P pickups. Really liked the stock set but a little more oomph certainly doesn't hurt in my band.
 
#262
I traded a Victor Bailey jazz for a 1st year road worn jazz bass 3TS because I didn't care for the active electronics and 22 fret neck. BTW;I generally dislike the whole worn guitar marketing scheme but I fell in love w/ the neck on this jazz bass. These are extremely playable and really do feel much like my pre-cbs bass. First off I really like vintage specs of 7 1/4" curvature, the rolled fingerboard edges, small vintage frets, vintage bridge, passive pickups etc. I like simplicity in an instrument. I also use TI flatwound strings so...that will tell you what want to hear. I made 1 small modification which was to install fender ground plates/rubbers under the pick-ups and ran the wire under the bridge, not sure why they left that little bit of work out? ($) It did help w/ hum. I also had it set-up professionally as I do w/ all my basses for no relief and low action. The pickups sound sweet, the bass plays great, it looks right...and it costs lots less $ than a real vintage bass. Easy decision for me to use one.
 
#263
ShoeManiac said:
...

I've got a roadworn 60's Jazz bass, and I simply love playing mine. All of the relicing aside, it plays really well and it sounds great... ...I've also been looking for a second Jazz bass over the past several months...that I can keep strung with flat wounds...

So, I checked out an American Standard Jazz bass... ...Good enough craftsmanship, solid neck joint, clean fretwork. But tonally? It didn't really compare with my roadworn. And now, my roadworn Jazz is my own benchmark for a good sounding Jazz bass...
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I solved my need for a second Jazz by purchasing an '09 Road Worn that had hung in a local shop for 3 years. It is even more resonant than my '08 Road Worn. Good thing they live in different states.

My benchmark for a passive vintage sound and feel has been raised from a Road Worn to another Road Worn. :cool:
 
#264
Jim Carr said:
I solved my need for a second Jazz by purchasing an '09 Road Worn that had hung in a local shop for 3 years. It is even more resonant than my '08 Road Worn. Good thing they live in different states.

My benchmark for a passive vintage sound and feel has been raised from a Road Worn to another Road Worn. :cool:
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A second roadworn Jazz would be cool, but I think I need a little variety. The nitro finish is something I definitely want. But I think I'd like a color other than 3 tone sunburst. And unfortunately Fiesta Red is NOT an option.

It's something where I still have to wonder what Fender was thinking. If they had offered another classic Fender color like black, olympic white or lake placid blue, I may very well have taken the plunge on a second roadworn Jazz bass. But Fiesta Red? UCK! Sorry, but this is where my own sense of aesthetics comes into play.

So, I'm looking in another direction for a second Jazz bass. Either an American Vintage Reissue Jazz, or a Nash JB-63. I'm going to do some bargain hunting, and maybe something good will turn up. Because I really want to get to where I can have 2 great playing Jazz basses: one strung with rounds, and the other strung with flats.
 
#271
freshbass said:
I traded a Victor Bailey jazz for a 1st year road worn jazz bass 3TS because I didn't care for the active electronics and 22 fret neck. BTW;I generally dislike the whole worn guitar marketing scheme but I fell in love w/ the neck on this jazz bass. These are extremely playable and really do feel much like my pre-cbs bass. First off I really like vintage specs of 7 1/4" curvature, the rolled fingerboard edges, small vintage frets, vintage bridge, passive pickups etc. I like simplicity in an instrument. I also use TI flatwound strings so...that will tell you what want to hear. I made 1 small modification which was to install fender ground plates/rubbers under the pick-ups and ran the wire under the bridge, not sure why they left that little bit of work out? ($) It did help w/ hum. I also had it set-up professionally as I do w/ all my basses for no relief and low action. The pickups sound sweet, the bass plays great, it looks right...and it costs lots less $ than a real vintage bass. Easy decision for me to use one.
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I couldn't agree more with the relic thing. But, I also couldn't agree more about how these basses feel. Mine is a '50s RW Precision, and I love everything about it. The only modifications so far are additions of the ashtrays and a tug bar. As long as you are going cheezy, you might as well go all the way. Anyway, it was the neck that got me. It feels perfect, and strung with Chromes, it sounds like it should. I have discovered the whole relic thing doesn't stop when you buy it, either. Mine has quite a few spots it has worn a whole lot more than the original "wear." That's what happens when you play an instrument nearly every day, I guess. It is a keeper, and the wear is quickly becoming the real thing.
 
#273
tdizzle said:
Speaking of which, I just got this RW Jazz and was pleasantly surprised to find no identification hole in the body, although there is the stamp (which doesn't really bother me).
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drbakker said:
Was there ever an answer to this?? I was sooo disappointed, i removed my pickguard, and their is a CNC alignment hole :(
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rodl2005 said:
Mine's got the cnc hole too.
Sneckin great Pbass it is.
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svtb15 said:
Mine does not have the CNC hole.. But it has the ROADWORN stamped into the body under the PG
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Mine has tatoo "ROAD WRN" and big DOT.
 

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#274
I hope it's okay to post this thread reference here. The RW thread has been very informative to me and I know (most of) you share my love for the RW series.

This P bass still takes my breath away... it seems to represent the materialization of a long-held dream. And it is a killer bass, light - 8lbs 8-12oz, with a nicely broken in set of D'Addario Half Rounds. Absolutely no issues. I just want the Jazz.

I was after a RW Jazz when this came up, and I grabbed it. Can't afford both, so I thought I'd see if anyone wants to make a trade. Feel free to try to talk me out of it.

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f126/ft-road-worn-p-rw-jazz-893520/
 
#280
tekdiver500ft said:
Far and away the best of the Mexican Fenders.
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Followed very closely by the Classic Series guitars and basses. Not to hijack my own thread, but to me the classics are really outstanding instruments, and totally underrated. I believe that they embody the look, feel, and sound of Fender far better than any of the standard models, US or Mim, but that's by design. To me it's fine that the standards are constantly updated with 'modern' features and whatnot, as long as they offer the classic series. I don't have a lot of experience with the AVRI instruments, so I left them out of this post. Also, I am clearly a much bigger fan of vintage type instruments than modern ones, so make of that what you will :)
 

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