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I think I need a 70's Fender :)
- Thread starter deBont Amps
- Start date
try out the MIA '75 Reissue Jazz.
personally the 70s J tone isn't my cup of tea but if you want genuine mid-70's specs coupled with modern day fit and finish you may like the 75' reissue. it should also be a couple of Franklins cheaper than what older Jazzes are going for nowdays.
also check out the Geddy Lee Jazz. it's made in Japan, can be had for 700-900 dollars used, has the 4 bolt neckplate and a special thin neck.
I sold mine because I personally think it sounded very thin (frankly, I found the two 70s Jazzes I played to be thin too and sound pretty much the same as the Geddy) but thats just me.
personally the 70s J tone isn't my cup of tea but if you want genuine mid-70's specs coupled with modern day fit and finish you may like the 75' reissue. it should also be a couple of Franklins cheaper than what older Jazzes are going for nowdays.
also check out the Geddy Lee Jazz. it's made in Japan, can be had for 700-900 dollars used, has the 4 bolt neckplate and a special thin neck.
I sold mine because I personally think it sounded very thin (frankly, I found the two 70s Jazzes I played to be thin too and sound pretty much the same as the Geddy) but thats just me.
a 1971 J bass is *not* a 1977 J bass. Very different beasts, in my experience. CBS had not fully dorked Fender up yet by '71.
I wonder... In 10 years, will folks be arguing the merits (or lack thereof) of 1980's fenders? In 20 years, will "CBS Fenders" start being worth MORE than FMIC Fenders because they are "mo vintage" despite being widely recognized as inferior?
Will cats sleep with dogs?!!?
Never underestimate the ability of the public to go hog-wild over crapulence.
I think that the "vintage" market was somewhat of an anomoly driven by a variety of factors (Japanese boom economy, then US boom). It has come back to reality, and I see a lot of pre-CBS instruments with $18K price tags going nowhere fast. That said, recognizable icons will always command some value 30-40 years after they were made. You see this with the car market. And despite the Gremlin bashing, clean examples are worth money with collectors (see my first statement).
I think that the "vintage" market was somewhat of an anomoly driven by a variety of factors (Japanese boom economy, then US boom). It has come back to reality, and I see a lot of pre-CBS instruments with $18K price tags going nowhere fast. That said, recognizable icons will always command some value 30-40 years after they were made. You see this with the car market. And despite the Gremlin bashing, clean examples are worth money with collectors (see my first statement).
Jim Carr
Dr. Jim
- Jan 21, 2006
- 16,223
- 7,613
- 76
- Disclosures
- fEARful Kool-Aid dispensing liberal academic card-carrying union member Musicians Local 72-147
+1
I so totally agree. If the OP wants an ash body jazz with '70s pickup spacing and some particular neck, binding, and whatever cosmetic knick-knacks, call Nino Valente!!! I love his basses.
If you just want a cheap and good Fender jazz, try what I did. I sold my much loved '60s Classic (with BAII and sc Fralin's) and bought a USED Road Worn Jazz for $675 on EvilBay. Best darned Jazz I have ever owned, and I had a real '69. This bass feels and sounds better by a mile. Looks? Who cares?
Jim, I'm sure Nino's basses are nice, but I can not believe that they sound like real 70s Jazz basses -- if that is the tone the OP is after. I am always surprised by the emotion that 70s Fenders seem to inspire from some TB posters -- not you Jim 
Considering that they are still on the cheap end of the vintage market (certainly not much more than a new Nino bass), and considering they are fairly easy to resell, why shouldn't the op take a shot at one if that is what he wants?
Considering that they are still on the cheap end of the vintage market (certainly not much more than a new Nino bass), and considering they are fairly easy to resell, why shouldn't the op take a shot at one if that is what he wants?To the OP.
If your looking for a 70's style jazz I would recommend one of the reissues.
I have to say that I am in love with my AV 75 Jazz(reissue).
Mine is the natural colored one made from swamp ash, maple neck with the black block inlays. The fret binding on the neck is like butter. I changed the junk stock bridge out for a Leo Quan BAII though. Scope out my youtube channel if you would like to hear what it sounds like with dead strings.
www.youtube.com/user/zachthebassplayer
If your looking for a 70's style jazz I would recommend one of the reissues.
I have to say that I am in love with my AV 75 Jazz(reissue).
Mine is the natural colored one made from swamp ash, maple neck with the black block inlays. The fret binding on the neck is like butter. I changed the junk stock bridge out for a Leo Quan BAII though. Scope out my youtube channel if you would like to hear what it sounds like with dead strings.
www.youtube.com/user/zachthebassplayer
Jim Carr
Dr. Jim
- Jan 21, 2006
- 16,223
- 7,613
- 76
- Disclosures
- fEARful Kool-Aid dispensing liberal academic card-carrying union member Musicians Local 72-147
+1
True. I guess that as one who got his first Jazz in 1969, and who has owned a '55 P-bass since '73, I clearly remember the horror I felt as I played and listened to '78 and '79 Fender basses.
I was a graduate student at Queens College, and as I walked home from the computer music studio or classes, I would sometimes stop in a music store on Kissena Blvd., just a couple of blocks from home.
Perhaps my memory has exaggerated what I experienced, and I must admit I formed my opinion by playing 5 or 6 instruments over the course of a school year.
I found the sound of several of those instruments quite unfocused--like the old Squiers before the recent quality improvements, the player feel was very STRANGE--probably due to terrible set-ups, but I also recall, loose pockets, cheap tuners, very weird colors and looks (white plastic pick quards everywhere), finish flaws, bullet truss adjuster, 3 bolt micro tilt, etc. Oddly, I didn't really notice the weight, but that is probably because I played them sitting. I also seem to remember that the frets seemed very wide--though I could be wrong.
In any case, yes, this adds up to a sort of prejudice. I agree that the OP should get what he wants, and that if he has a little patience, he will find a great instrument.
this stuff cracks me up because its all preference. if you dont like heavy basses and thick neck profiles than late 70's fenders are junk. however, it you like those things, they are amazing. my 62 jazz has a gap in the neck pocket. my 78 has a gap in the neck pocket. the 78 is junk so therefore the 62 must be junk as well.
if youre into marcus,mark adams or any of the other dudes from that era using a late 70's jazz, an 8 pound alder bodied 72 aint gonna cut it.
if youre into the bloom of the lighter ash, a mia 75 ri with underwound pickups will sound like the real deal.
if youre into marcus,mark adams or any of the other dudes from that era using a late 70's jazz, an 8 pound alder bodied 72 aint gonna cut it.
if youre into the bloom of the lighter ash, a mia 75 ri with underwound pickups will sound like the real deal.
I agree with everything you said, but that last sentence. I had the opportunity to spend several weeks with a American 75 RI and my light ash real 76 and they did not sound all that much alike. The RI was brighter and more compressed than my 76, and did not have the same chunky tone. Of course this is a small sample of both basses, but I have owned several light 70s Jazz basses, and they all had that chunky open tone that the new ones never seem to have.
I own a 74 Ash body,83 alder body, 75 USA RI ash body and 2008 MIM 70s classic alder body. the 83 and 70s classic are not the same animal as the ash bodied basses. They seem to lack that upper midrange bark. They are great sounding and playing basses none the less. The 75 RI is very focused and defind when playing the notes and the 74 blooms nicely, it's also a great recording bass as it has almost no 60 cycle hum. The MIM is quite noisy but I still love it and play it most of all. FWIW none of these basses weigh over 9 lbs.
did they differ acoustically, or just plugged in? the pickups theyre using in that bass sound very, very different than whats in a 70's jazz.
Acoustically. My 76 has a loud chunky almost hollow tone (acoustically) that really good (to my ears) old Fenders have. I have not heard a newer Fender with that tone. That said, the reissues sound great -- just different.
my old 9 pound mia 75 ri had that hollow light ash sound acoustically. i put some old gray bottoms in it and it had the sound. it ended up with some underwound duncans and the new owner loves it. maybe i just had a good one!
i will say my experience with the re issues is limited to that one bass so take my opinion on them with a grain of salt. ive played a lot of 70's jazzes over the years and still gravitate to the heavier late 70's years.
Maybe. Tone is so hard to describe with words, though
I've played several 75 reissues and a couple of Marcus sigs, and none of them sounded like my 76 -- acoustically or through an amp.edit: I will say this, the particular 76 I have now is the best sounding (to me) bass I have ever played or owned. If I could only have one bass for the rest of my life, this would be it. It is a truly special instrument!
Maybe. Tone is so hard to describe with words, though
there was a poster here who was selling a late 70's 9 pound jazz here recently and he had clips up.did you happen to stumble across them? if so, how would you compare them to your bass? the lack of weight came across in the clips which is a sound a lot of people like as well.
heres the thread
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=660814
clip
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