Fretless Jazz

[Joe Gress]

Don’t now if this is the right place to ask, but:


At the local school music store there is a New MIM Fender Standard Fretless Jazz bass for $329. The list price that the price tag shows $630. It sounds very nice, a very clean smooth Fretless sound. The question is, should I get it? Or should I strive to save money and get an american?

 

[SundanceChile]

If you like it, go for it. That's all there is to it really. If you want it to be more "american" just swap out the bridge, pickups, and tuners, ta-da, you just saved yourself a few hundred bucks.

 

[ClassicJazz]

Normally those go for around $450 new, so that is a great deal. I had one for awhile, and was a great bass. I slapped on some round-wound strings and it sang! Did not have to change one component on the bass.

If you want to step up from that, I would say get a CIJ (Japan) '62 reissue jazz fretless. Looks just like the Jaco fretless (not the relic) and is half the cost. That is what I play now. The quality and construction in my opinion is better then most of the MIA jazz basses I have tried. Mine ran me around $700 which included shipping from Japan.

 

[Mark Wilson]

My MIM Fretless is one of the most amazing fretlesses i've ever played.
I think it was supposed to be an american, but they screwed up somewhere. It's got a killer rosewood fingerboard, beautiful body, amazing feel on the neck.

I'll post pics soon haha


-Mark

 

[lonote]

I think that's a hell of a deal, I'd jump on it. FYI, you can often find used MIJ fretless Jazz Basses for $300 - $350 on e-Bay, HC or here in the TB classifieds. They have unlined fingerboards; the MIM's have lines. I don't know if that matters or not, but I thought I'd mention it.

 

[fr0me0]

I bought a used MIA deluxe for 650. I like the tuners, the active pickups and having a couple extra frets never hurt. I wish it had 24 though came with a non molded hard case too.

 

[sabbath1977]

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I just found this japanese web site. There a few good looking jazz basses.

 

[SRT31]

I bought a mid-90's CIJ fretless Jazz used. I love it!

 

[Standalone]

Don’t now if this is the right place to ask, but:


At the local school music store there is a New MIM Fender Standard Fretless Jazz bass for $329. The list price that the price tag shows $630. It sounds very nice, a very clean smooth Fretless sound. The question is, should I get it? Or should I strive to save money and get an american?

The sweet spot for buying bargain yet still good quality instruments is right around $350 IME — if it plays nicely and your hands and ears like it, it’s a good move.

And at that price, if you feel you’ve made the wrong move, you can sell it very quickly especially if you list it for a few bucks less.

 

[BurningSkies]

At the very least you can buy it and use it until a MIA one passes into your hands and you know that you'll at the very least be able to sell it for what you put into it or more.

 

[toddsterbassist]

If you want to step up from that, I would say get a CIJ (Japan) '62 reissue jazz fretless. Looks just like the Jaco fretless (not the relic) and is half the cost. That is what I play now. The quality and construction in my opinion is better then most of the MIA jazz basses I have tried. Mine ran me around $700 which included shipping from Japan.

Do you know if you can order just the neck?

 

[Gregc57]

That's an awesome deal. I have one, incoming. I paid ~ 600. They're nice, especially if you're not playing fretless full-time and it's not your only bass. I bought one to see 'if' it's gonna be my thing*

 

[Nenor]

I suggest you run back to the store and get that sucker before someone else does. I recommend using a time machine.

 

[ClassicJazz]

Do you know if you can order just the neck?

Probably not. There are some guys on eBay that part out instruments. But they typically sell American and Mexican Fender components. Not the Japanese ones.

 

[Tubehed]

The original post is from 2006.

 

[BurningSkies]

The original post is from 2006.

I guess that no matter how fast anyone runs back to the shop now, the bass will be gone.

 

[Tubehed]

I guess that no matter how fast anyone runs back to the shop now, the bass will be gone.

How likely is it that the shop is even there now?

 

[BurningSkies]

How likely is it that the shop is even there now?

OP *slowly rolls by the store, now abandoned and empty, dust clinging to it's empty rain stained picture windows. Dark and empty with a few broken fixtures and torn "going out of business" signs on the floor...there's the dull glint of a single instrument in the twilight-grim lighting of a single broken exit sign...an unloved MIM Fender Jazz bass sits akimbo on a rusty stand.*

 

[Tubehed]

OP *slowly rolls by the store, now abandoned and empty, dust clinging to it's empty rain stained picture windows. Dark and empty with a few broken fixtures and torn "going out of business" signs on the floor...there's the dull glint of a single instrument in the twilight-grim lighting of a single broken exit sign...an unloved MIM Fender Jazz bass sits akimbo on a rusty stand.*

Except now the price is $750

 

[BurningSkies]

Except now the price is $750

I bought my MIJ Fender Fretless Jazz when they were $420 on the sales floor.