Geddy Lee Jazz - an update

[MovingPitchers]

I owned several MIM and CIJ Geddy Lees throughout various points in my collecting life and all of them sounded too thin and weak without a preamp or a boost in the EQ. It’s a bass that I feel like needs an HX stomp or a Sansamp to have some punch.

All the regular Jazz Basses I used to have (including most recently a 2020 MIM Player) didn’t need much noodling in the EQ department.

YMMV

 

[BassyBill]

Thanks to all for the responses. There’s some interesting and useful info in there. And thanks for generally managing to avoid “the elephant in the room” as I don’t think there’s much profit in exploring that aspect.

Disclosure - I did at one time buy a used CIJ Geddy, several years ago, but I ended up putting the neck from it onto a white body with black pickguard, purely for aesthetic reasons. I sold the “reverse Geddy” some time ago and really wish I’d kept it. Now I’m hankering after another. I’ll probably end up getting the MIM if I can’t find another CIJ used. No way would I pay the full asking price for the US version, that seems way over the top to me, personally speaking. As always, YMMV.

 

[Kipp Harrington]

You're not wrong, haha! But also, Geddy has literally hundreds of classic basses, and plays a ton of them. I wonder if at some level each is aimed at a different feel/vibe on purpose, rather than just 3 price points of the same exact thing with just country of origin being the differentiator.

Possibly... I doubt it, though. I think it was more along the lines of a marketing perspective.

 

[rogerbmiller]

Why is it Made in Mexico, yet Crafted in Japan?

It is not. They were made in Japan but that was moved to Mexico at some point, I believe just before the US model was introduced so probably 2013 or so.

 

[pbass2]

I have an '04 CIJ I got used, and kinda wish the neck was bit more substantial. It didn't agree with the heavy-ish flats I put on at one point. I just keep regular 'ol 45-105 rounds on it now. Stock pickups didn't last long for me - have had a couple different DiMarzio PUs in there since.

 

[J Wilson]

I don't have a dog in this hunt but it seems weird to me that a "signature" model could have three different neck profiles. Not that I want one but which one did Geddy sign off on?

Funny innit, but I bet all three royalty checks go to the same address . . . . .

 

[Grinderman]

Do they have the authentically correct decal and tuning machine heads though?

 

[Grinderman]

I don't have a dog in this hunt but it seems weird to me that a "signature" model could have three different neck profiles. Not that I want one but which one did Geddy sign off on?

All of them. He didn't want us average Joe's to know the answer to the mystery of what is the real neck profile on his bass plus for the intrigue. It's in his contract with Fender.

The right question is which ones are the decoys... or maybe... they're all decoys?!?!

 

[MovingPitchers]

I still wish Geddy played that ‘59 white Precision on more than one song during the R40 tour.

Sigh

 

[Snert]

It is not.

Yes it is. Basses very often referred to in this way, not just in this thread but all over the forum. Years ago it was MIJ, and that's how I referred to the numerous MIJ instruments I owned, but over time it's become CIJ, but not CIM. I have theories as to why though...

 

[BassyBill]

Now my head is starting to hurt. I’ll probably end up buying something else altogether, like a Squier or Harley Benton 70s Jazz. I already have too many damn basses anyway!

 

[DJ Bebop]

I played them all and as cool as they were, I made my own out of an SX B stock one, year's ago.

Ash body that weighs in at just south of a hundred pounds, added a pair of The Ultra Jazz™ DiMarzio pickups I had and done.

I did have an Audere Pro JZ3 Series 3 band in it for that Marcus thing but pulled it out and went back to passive. I got a few alinement issues to fix but it plays and sounds good

 

[J-Bass RMR]

Yeah - but which one?

IMO the USA Geddy is just one step away from custom shop in build quality, fit & finish, etc.
I think most would agree with that.
The Japanese & Mexican basses can be very good, or we wouldn't still be talking about them.

Why is it Made in Mexico, yet Crafted in Japan?

MIJ / CIJ has to do with the Fender Japan contract and distinguishes which factory they were made in.
I believe MIJ were the original basses made in the Fujigen factory.

Do they have the authentically correct decal and tuning machine heads though?

well, it's a "signature" bass, not an AVRI - so it's made to the spec's the artist requests.
I for one would spec vintage reverse tuners on my signature bass as well.

Geddy has literally hundreds of classic basses, and plays a ton of them. I wonder if at some level each is aimed at a different feel/vibe on purpose

I think the "vintage collectors" bug hit him after the various signature models were introduced.
He amassed a very impressive collection in a very short time...

 

[BassyBill]

I played them all and as cool as they were, I made my own out of an SX B stock one, year's ago.

Ash body that weighs in at just south of a hundred pounds, added a pair of The Ultra Jazz™ DiMarzio pickups I had and done.

I did have an Audere Pro JZ3 Series 3 band in it for that Marcus thing but pulled it out and went back to passive. I got a few alinement issues to fix but it plays and sounds good

View attachment 4930739

That looks terrific - I bet it sounds wonderful with those Ultra Jazz pickups. And I agree with your decision to leave out the pre. It’s fine just as it is. Shame about the weight, but still… nice bass at a great price.

 

[smurfco]

The stock pickups on my older Japanese GL sound good to me ‍

 

[Altitude]

I still wish Geddy played that ‘59 white Precision on more than one song during the R40 tour.

Sigh

That whole thing was weird for me. It was clearly Ged having just bought a bunch of basses and wanting to gig them. Definitely a notion we can understand but there was no notable link between the basses and the songs he used them on.

Me, I think it would have been cooler had he used period correct basses on the tunes, especially since they played them in reverse chronological order.

 

[packhowitzer]

To add to this; from what I’ve read over the years, the MIJ’s had an even skinnier neck. I don’t have any measurements, nor have I sampled an MIM model, but one time I got to try an MIJ Geddy. That neck was razor-thin, so much so I knew it wouldn’t work comfortably in my handsFor perspective, I can handle a chunky MIM Classic Jazz neck without an issue.

My 2006 MIJ Geddy Lee has an almost impossibly skinny neck. At the first fret, it's like playing a broom stick. I like it well enough, but it's not exactly comfortable (to me). And for perspective, I have decidedly medium-size hands.

 

[Snakeman1066]

As stated here

the MIJ/CIJ necks are the thinnest front to back I have one and love it...

the MIM necks are a bit thicker...front to back...than the MIJ/CIJ necks I also have one of these and like it but prefer the MIJ/CIJ neck overall

The USA neck is the thickest front to back of the three...I tried one and decided i didn't like it as much as the other two...

somewhere in all the many many threads on this subject somebody actually posted the measurements and the differences in the three models...I don't currently feel like searching for it...I might break out my digital caliper later and measure...

 

[Smooth_bass88]

don't forget the Custom Shop Geddy Lee and the limited edition us Geddy Lee in crimson red (with flame top)

 

[Ostie]

I believe the first incarnation of Fender’s Artist Series Geddy Lee Jazz was MIJ? The current Fender UK website shows two models, with very different price tags! £1059 vs. £2399. Am I right in thinking that the lower price version is now MIM? Seems like I’ve missed out on some of the background facts about the current offerings. Anybody directly compared the two? What are the differences? Please try to focus on actual differences and not get into a pointless argument about whether the US version is actually “worth” more than double the price.
View attachment 4929948

The string trees are in slightly different locations. That’s all I got.