Geddy Lee Jazz - MIM vs. MIJ

[Corevalay]

Hey guys,
I'm looking to purchase a Geddy jazz (hopefully from some TBers) but I'm a little torn. I see that production has moved to Mexico on these vs. Japan. Does anyone have any experience with one or the other? Should it be something that makes me not buy the bass? I've always played MIA basses so I'm a little weary of the MIM. The only one I ever owned, I wasn't crazy about. I've heard great things about the MIJ though so I wouldn't hesitate to grab one of those.

Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Rockbassist4]

I'm with you. I have always played MIA Fenders and have heard good things about MIJ models. I have a friend with an MIM that I didn't like at all. In my opinion, get an MIJ.

 

[mdogs]

The MIJ GL's are really nice, I do not like any of the MIM's at all. However, the GL's sound very thin to me vs. MIA's, but of course this could be easily rectified with a pickup change.

 

[exidor]

Just a couple of months ago when I heard that the GL was going to move to Mexico I to got spooked,so I went ahead and bought a used MIJ GL I LOVE IT LOVE IT!! I say you do the same! Geddy bought his used for $200.00 so why shouldn't I buy a used one for $650.00 Dammit!! Geddy got a better deal then I did. wait Geddy got his in the late 70s
anyway I'm looking forward to reading reviews on the Mex one. I say buy a good used GL.
My brother just bought his girl friend a 2012 USA candy cola jazz,just a awesome bass!!! I say fit & finish and feel of the MIJ very comparable to the MIA though the GL neck is a little slimmer.

 

[blackandwhite]

Just a couple of months ago when I heard that the GL was going to move to Mexico I to got spooked,so I went ahead and bought a used MIJ GL I LOVE IT LOVE IT!! I say you do the same! Geddy bought his used for $200.00 so why shouldn't I buy a used one for $650.00 Dammit!! Geddy got a better deal then I did. wait Geddy got his in the late 70s
anyway I'm looking forward to reading reviews on the Mex one. I say buy a good used GL.
My brother just bought his girl friend a 2012 USA candy cola jazz,just a awesome bass!!! I say fit & finish and feel of the MIJ very comparable to the MIA though the GL neck is a little slimmer.

I must say that I did try a new MIM GL and it felt great, and the fit and finish was immaculate. If it wasn't for the different wood grain I don't think I would have been able to tell the difference between this one and my MIJ.

 

[Corevalay]

The MIJ GL's are really nice, I do not like any of the MIM's at all. However, the GL's sound very thin to me vs. MIA's, but of course this could be easily rectified with a pickup change.

Reading this worries me a bit.

Here's my "backstory"...
I play a MIA Jazz Deluxe. I'm looking to get a passive bass for a more natural sound. I've read the Geddy's have a little extra bite to them, so that's why I'm looking into that vs. a regular MIA Jazz. I also have to say I love the way they look! So basically I don't want to lose TOO much of my grit and growl by going passive.

I have heard the weight is kinda high which also worries me because I just sold a Stingray due to the weight (I recently had back surgery so need light basses)

 

[exidor]

I must say that I did try a new MIM GL and it felt great, and the fit and finish was immaculate. If it wasn't for the different wood grain I don't think I would have been able to tell the difference between this one and my MIJ.

That's good news!I know the fear was that cheaper parts would be used.

 

[vegas532]

Reading this worries me a bit.

Here's my "backstory"...
I play a MIA Jazz Deluxe. I'm looking to get a passive bass for a more natural sound. I've read the Geddy's have a little extra bite to them, so that's why I'm looking into that vs. a regular MIA Jazz. I also have to say I love the way they look! So basically I don't want to lose TOO much of my grit and growl by going passive.

I have heard the weight is kinda high which also worries me because I just sold a Stingray due to the weight (I recently had back surgery so need light basses)

I've noticed that Geddys are all over the map weight wise, but they can indeed be very heavy. If you don't wanna lose grit and growl (which it has plenty stock), you can always get a set of Dimarzio Model J's and replace the volume pots with 500k pots like I did mine. It sounds HUGE!!

 

[mdogs]

Reading this worries me a bit.

Here's my "backstory"...
I play a MIA Jazz Deluxe. I'm looking to get a passive bass for a more natural sound. I've read the Geddy's have a little extra bite to them, so that's why I'm looking into that vs. a regular MIA Jazz. I also have to say I love the way they look! So basically I don't want to lose TOO much of my grit and growl by going passive.

I have heard the weight is kinda high which also worries me because I just sold a Stingray due to the weight (I recently had back surgery so need light basses)

I don't have mine anymore, but I don't remember the weight being a big deal, but I have a few all maple basses that are pretty dang heavy. I attribute the extra bite to the maple fingerboard, so I would get an American Standard with a maple board, especially since they now have the custom shop pickups.

 

[Calaverasgrande]

I think the whole thing about MIM is not that they can't make great stuff in Mexico, it is that moving production to Mexico is symptomatic of cost cutting in general.
They probably use their tools until they break, then duct tape them back together and use them some more.
Now if you take the same workforce and give them some higher quality tools and raw materials I am sure they can knock it out of the park.
Mexico DOES have a tradition of luthiery and guitar is featured prominently in most opular forms of music.
Japan has a deep history of woodworking, and they have really taken to the American musical idiom.

 

[eccles77]

MIM basses have come along a lot in recent years. The Classic Jazz, Mike Dirnt and classic P, all of which I have owned, are as good as their US cousins. I have seen bad MIM`s but I have seen bad MIA`s too. I think with Fenders and all basses, you should try before you buy. What intrests me more is will the price come down any due to moving it to Mexico where I assume the labour charges are cheaper?
I doubt it.

 

[ics1974]

I played one today (MIM GL). It was just opened from the box right in front of me. I tuned it up and first thing I noticed was the incredibly high action. I then checked for neck straightness and the neck had probably the biggest bow I have ever seen in a bass. Yes this is correctable but I wasn't impressed. To me the bass was unplayable with that high of action so I didn't even plug it into the amp. It's too bad because it looked very cool.

 

[Mike M.]

Reading this worries me a bit.

Here's my "backstory"...
I play a MIA Jazz Deluxe. I'm looking to get a passive bass for a more natural sound. I've read the Geddy's have a little extra bite to them, so that's why I'm looking into that vs. a regular MIA Jazz. I also have to say I love the way they look! So basically I don't want to lose TOO much of my grit and growl by going passive.

I have heard the weight is kinda high which also worries me because I just sold a Stingray due to the weight (I recently had back surgery so need light basses)

You're right about the GL models having a lot of bite. A few weeks ago I did a BIG comparison at my favorite local music store between a MIJ GL and an Am Std Jazz bass. While they were both fantasitic players in thier own right, I couldn't believe how much more overall presence the GL model had...even with the semi-dead strings and with the tone knob rolled off! The Am Std almost sounded dead in comparison, even with it's tone knob opened up all the way!

But they both had very strong points in thier own way. I had a very hard time deciding which one I prefered. The GL model was also a bit heavier compared to the Am Std model as well.

 

[pdusen]

I bought a new Geddy Lee Jazz last week from Sweetwater, not aware of production having been moved from Japan to Mexico. The bass arrived at my home still in great shape, perfectly in tune and set up. It looks, feels, and sounds fantastic. Certainly, it's in better shape than the MIJ Geddy I played at the local Guitar Center a few years back.

I will need to get it shielded at some point, but I understood this to be a problem with the MIJ basses as well. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[armybass]

I had a couple of GL's a few years back and they were fine instruments. I have often thought the MIJ stuff was well made but not really worth twice what MIM stuff was. I now have a 75 RI MIM Strat and I can tell you it is a fantastic instrument, well made and feels every bit as good as a US made axe. I am really impressed with the MIM stuff and would love to check out a MIM GL.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

When Fender wants to make a good MIM bass, they do. The Reggie Hamilton Sig is killer.

 

[superdick2112]

My Geddy is one of the 1st year MIJ ltd. editions. When I bought it, there were three to choose from - one was a dud, one was just O.K., and one was fantastic.
I have experienced the same thing when comparing identical MIM and MIA Jazz basses - there are good ones & not so good ones from every line. I would imagine the MIM Geddy basses would be the same - some good, some not.
My advice? Play before you buy.

 

[SlingBass4]

I don't have mine anymore, but I don't remember the weight being a big deal, but I have a few all maple basses that are pretty dang heavy. I attribute the extra bite to the maple fingerboard, so I would get an American Standard with a maple board, especially since they now have the custom shop pickups.

+1! The extra bite comes from both the maple neck and pup placement, but I think you might find the MIA neck more consistent in playing with your MIA Deluxe. The GL neck is smaller (cramps my hand) and heavy on the poly (I prefer lacquer or satin finishes). Overall you'd have a better instrument with the quality of a MIA and it's custom shop pups

 

[bassdude51]

I can't comment on the MIM Geddy Lee signature bass 'cause I never tried one out.

But, I used to own a MIJ GL. It was very, very well made. There were a couple of things about the GL signature J that I didn't like. The tuners were kind of cheap and the damn neck is so thin and small! Thinner than a normal J neck. IMO, that neck can only handle very low tension strings because when I put flat wounds on it, I could not adjust to proper relief.

Also, in my opinion, other than the maple fretboard with the black block fret markers and the paper thin neck................what's the big deal? It's just a regular Jazz Bass and pretty much any Fender Jazz Bass with a BadAss and Fender 60s pickups is gonna sound just like the GL model.

Buy a black J bass with a maple neck, put a BA and Fender 60s p/u in it and there you go! Same as, same as.

 

[Inconnu]

I wouldn't mind too much about that MIJ vs MIM debate. I have a MIM fretless Jazz bass that I absolutely love, and it sits just next to my MIA G&L! Really, MIM Fenders can be great. I tried some I didn't like, even owned one (a fretted 60's Jazz bass) I didn't keep long because I it wasn't up to expectations, but alot of the MIM Fender basses are pretty good. I lately tried a deluxe J-bass and couldn't tell it was an MIM until I looked at the headstock and read "Made in Mexico"...