Great things about the USA Geddy Lee Jazz thread

[ntang]

As some USA Geddy owners know, I am currently waiting for mine to be made and shipped! The current ETA is March/April and as the days go by, the wait is getting tougher and tougher.

So... I am reaching out to all who have owned one to share what they love about the bass! The more great things I hear, the more excited and the less anxious I'll be. I'm hoping it will get me to the New Years since my next university term starts in January so that will take my mind off of it.

The only bass I currently have is a 5-string multiscale Ibanez and although it's great for pop and musical theatre. It just feels wrong playing Rush with it.

 

[MMiller28]

A thread made for Dr. Cheese.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Neck is fabulous !!
Lots of growl .
Thunderous lows.
Nice mids.
Sweet trebles .
Sounds great with rounds or flats.
Looks great.
Rivals custom shop build.
Excellent value .
70’s Jazz at its best .

 

[ModuMan]

No need to be anxious. It is great. You don't really need our reassurance do you?

 

[Dr. Cheese]

If you like Jazz Basses at all, you will love this bass.

 

[ntang]

No need to be anxious. It is great. You don't really need our reassurance do you?

Nope! Just anxious to play it that's all.

 

[Sponson Thrisby]

I'm with you. I ordered mine last week, and they're saying April. It's going to be a long winter here in Southern Ontario...

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

I'm with you. I ordered mine last week, and they're saying April. It's going to be a long winter here in Southern Ontario...

There is one on Reverb right now.

 

[MattZilla]

I think that if it weren’t for modern fans of classic Rush, Geddy would’ve been playing Dingwalls exclusively for at least the last decade.


The Geddy Jazz is sweet though. Very scooped low output pickups which are great for getting that Grundy clang. Very very thin for a Fender neck. Absurdly not bad for a Fender fretwork.

 

[Sponson Thrisby]

There is one on Reverb right now.

I only see MIM ones there now. Maybe someone grabbed it fast.
That's ok. They've taken my money, so they owe me a new one.

 

[Sponson Thrisby]

I think that if it weren’t for modern fans of classic Rush, Geddy would’ve been playing Dingwalls exclusively for at least the last decade.

I don't know about that. Have you read his book? He definitely loves the vintage stuff.

 

[ruju]

I'm with you. I ordered mine last week, and they're saying April. It's going to be a long winter here in Southern Ontario...

Especially with the lockdown starting today

 

[Pacman]

The tone! I wasn't expecting mine to become my main bass, but it's fast approaching that status. You just can't beat a 70's jazz.

 

[MattZilla]

I don't know about that. Have you read his book? He definitely loves the vintage stuff.

I haven’t. A book like that definitely seems like it would be written for the fans.

Live and in the studio he’s got a super modern signal path from the tone pot to the speakers.

Just as it’s not surprising for car journalists like James May to only keep old Ferraris and Astons to look at while their actual driven cars are Teslas, fresh 488’s & 911’s, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Mr. Lee’s next-to-the-couch bass were some fanned fret active preamp monstrosity painted to match the furniture/decór with a little Markbass or GK combo inside a custom wife-friendly enclosure.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

1wq

The tone! I wasn't expecting mine to become my main bass, but it's fast approaching that status. You just can't beat a 70's jazz.

Great playing, Pac-Man. It is amazing how quality components and attention to detail can get such results of a basic passive bass design. As much as I love modern actives Jazzes, I cannot say they outperform my USA Geddy Lee.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

I only see MIM ones there now. Maybe someone grabbed it fast.
That's ok. They've taken my money, so they owe me a new one.

It’s listed under Fender US Geddy Lee Artist series. $1300 + $75 Shipping. It’s a 2015 model.

 

[ntang]

I think that if it weren’t for modern fans of classic Rush, Geddy would’ve been playing Dingwalls exclusively for at least the last decade.


The Geddy Jazz is sweet though. Very scooped low output pickups which are great for getting that Grundy clang. Very very thin for a Fender neck. Absurdly not bad for a Fender fretwork.

There's no way he would play a Dingwall. Dingwalls are better for 5-strings. He began playing the Fender exclusively during Counterparts. He immediately decided that he was going to ditch the active electronic stuff and has stayed the same since. Now he just plays a lot of vintage basses. He even said that his 62 seafoam green refin jazz is starting to edge over his #1.

I love Dingwalls though (I love Phil Collins and Leland Sklar). I hope to own a custom Z5 at some point in the future.

 

[ntang]

Just got the Big Beautiful Book of Bass for Christmas! Went right to the section with his main collection. Learned some cool stuff.

Turns out, the neck profile on his #1 and the USA Geddy looks exactly the same. The thickness and all (although the fingerboard radius is 0.5" smaller on the #1). The biggest difference would be the finish on the neck (before sanding the back and adding oil) on his #1 is Nitro (I'm pretty sure). So it has more of a vintage look. I also learned that the reverse tuners come from his red and surf green custom shop basses (judging by the pictures).

The book has made me want to go shopping for more jazzes.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

It’s listed under Fender US Geddy Lee Artist series. $1300 + $75 Shipping. It’s a 2015 model.

Decent price, but new ones aren’t much more if you can actually find one!

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Yep. That’s what I paid for mine new in July of this year.