Help with choosing new vintage bass

MIM:

http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0131800300

or

MIA:

http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0190209806

 

New Vintage Bass? That's an oxymoron!

 

Okay, I am admitting to being off base on this. It seems to me that if you were concerned mostly about sound and visual image, you could save a whole bunch of bucks by getting a current version of the Jazz or Precision. If money is no object, by all means, go for the gold. I'm just concerned that you may be painting yourself into a corner, dollarwise, for no good reason.

Respectfully,

Kim

 

yes, most online stores want $1399. I'd get a good case, too.

 

Find a second hand CS Fender '64 NOS or RELIC Jazz bass, they are around for $1600 - $2000 and in my opinion really cop the vintage Fender vibe, 2nd to none.

 

Honest to God, I put my 98 MIA Jazz up against any bass ever made, vintage or not. You can find them all day long used for $700. It may not FEEL like vintage, but it sounds like vintage. As for the cover, it doesn't have one, so you're on your own there. Me, I've always hated them, so I'm glad it doesn't have one.

 

if you want the fender jazz look but a more country sound, i'd look for a p + j bass with a j-bass body... it's too early in the morning for me so nothing comes to mind, but dagnabbit, i'm sure they're out there...

 

+1 on Dr. Jim's suggestions. Jazz basses with that '60s vibe tend to have a mellower sound, which should mesh well with country rock.

Also, although I haven't played one, the Lakland JO model supposedly tries to capture the '60s sound, too. Street price on a new one is somewhere around $1k. And if you buy through theperfectbass.com, they give TBers a 5% discount on Skylines.
http://www.theperfectbass.com/explo...&W=STORE&P=N&S=1001081&U=1&SS=1&CR=N&modify=0

 

An Am.Vintage '62 Jazz or a Lakland Skyline JO are the two favorites of mine in that price range. Both are very well made, though I'd give the edge to the Lakland for consistency, even though the AV series by Fender have a very high consistent standard of fit and finish.

Obviously the Fender will give you the 100% authentic look. It has the same PUPs the CS '64 has, BTW. They are gorgeous sounding and are my favorite Fender J PUPs.

The Laklands feel more broken in from new with the satin neck, and the Lindy PUPs are very close to the Fenders, with maybe a bit more clean high end. The necks are super comfortable and the fretwork is always first rate.

My experience with the modern MIA Jazz basses is that the PUPs are voiced differently, and aren't the best option if you are looking to nail a 60's type tone.

The Classic Jazz is also a great bass, especially for the money. It also really nails the look and tone of the real '60s Jazz basses

One other thing you might try is a nice set of thumpy flats, like the LaBella FL760 or the Fender 9050ML. With that setup and a good modern amp you can sound live just like your fave old recordings...

 

I would recommend a Lakland Darryl Jones or Joe Osborn Signature Jazz basses. These two basses were designed to capture that vintage Jazz sound. I have a Darryl Jones with roundwounds and a Joe Osborn with flatwounds. They both produce a beautiful vintage Jazz sound that my bandmates really love. You would not be dissapointed.

WWW.LAKLAND.COM

 

Greg is right about everything, espec. the place to buy one. They will give you the best price and service. That's were I bought all 5 of my Laklands. A nice TB discount. Ask for Brandt. He's the best.

 

The Lakland DJ is an incredible bass but is a bit more aggressive and brighter than the JO. It was designed to capture the sound of a '70s Fender more than the '60s ones, and does exactly that.

 

The DJ and the JO now have the same pickups. I own both of them with the new Lakland pickups. Very little difference in the tone to me. The size of the body on these will probably be responsible for the slight difference. Most people will no longer be able to notice the difference. I use roundwounds on the DJ and flatwounds on the JO. That gives them more noticeable differences. Boy, do they both sound incredible.

 

from Switzerland, sort of. Amazing instruments.

Cameron

 

G&L L2000.



Vintage looks (exept for the little point on the headstock), vintage sound, and more tonal versatility than you can shake a stick at! With the switching you can approximate a Jazz, Precision, and a Stingray. Leo Fender said this was his crowning acheivement.

New they're going to run you $1200ish but you could easily score a nice used one for less. Here are some links to new ones:

Honeyburst/Rosewood L2000
Sunburst/Rosewood L2000