Just upgraded my MIA Fender Jazz. Let me know what you think.

Much nicer Never did like those one piece pickguard/control plates or that "bent bit of tin" fender bridge

 

I like it, although I would have been happy with the more affordable Gotoh 201 bridge.

 

I hope you kept the original parts. Ugly ducklings like that bass are the kind of thing that become tomorrow's vintage oddity.

 

I did the same except for the pickguard on my MIM bass-and it is wonderful now. The Badass Bridge helped so much, some people don't think they help much but i could tell the difference from before I modified it and after
I bet you love your bass now and can't put it down!

 

Very nicely done! I have an '03 MIM Deluxe Active 5-String J Bass. It has their noiseless p/u's which I like, but I also swapped out the bridge for a BadAss like you did. Much better than their original crappy bridge. I don't know why they don't just put the bridge that's on their new American P-Bass on all of their basses, it's much better than the "bent piece of tin" they put on most of them.

 

I have a CIJ 70's Jazz reissue. I just got a Badass II bridge that I'm about to install and I've been thinking about getting the Fender Vintage pickups since (I think) they're the same ones that are on the Geddy Lee Jazz and I like that sound. How do the mods you've done affect your bass's tone? (good, bad, different)

IMHO, your bass looks great now! I think your mods greatly improved its looks.

 

That looks great, though I dig the one piece pickgaurd. I'd like to find one of those for a Jazz I'm putting together.

 

^^^ If I'm being honest, I dislike that black pearl stuff it looks un-natural to me, but then again I like Tortoise on black and a lot of people would not like that either.

 

I'm sure the pickup replacement was a good move.

Personally I love the black pearl on the black body. I have that combination on my Strat and I think it looks fantastic. I also like that you now have a pickguard / control plate rather than the full one piece pickguard and that you also have the knobs to go with them.

I was never sure there was a real difference in the sound you get from "upgrading" to a Badass bridge. It always seemed to me that there was a bigger bang-for-your-buck from changing pickups and strings than changing the bridge. That being said, I really like the look of the Badass.

All in all, I think it was a great set of changes. It looks great!

That being said, as lonote said earlier, this is a not too common bass so unless you plan to keep it forever because it's such a great player then keeping the original parts is a good idea in case you do decide to sell it. It would probably be worth a lot more if you can restore it to its original condition

 

i would have put a black pickguard on it, I just don't like black basses with anything except a black pickguard.

 

I REALLY like the black pearloid! If the pickups made you happier, then they were also a good move. I'm indifferent to the bridge swap.

 

Well, the PUPs are probably an upgrade, but the pickguard is only a cosmetic change, and I've never found a BA to be an upgrade, but a degradation of tone. But, it ain't my bass so it's not really my concern.

The pickguard is a nice change, but I'd hardly call it an "upgrade".

Looks cool though.
jte

 

Well, I like it a LOT better. I never cared for those 1-piece pickguards on a Jazz. It needs that chrome plate to really look like a Jazz (IMO, of course).

Another nice thing about a Jazz is that when money allows, you can get another pickguard and easily switch them off occasionally just for a change. But it looks good.

 

Aside from it looking better, the key issues are which bits were made in which country. You replaced the MIM p'ups - - is the body MIM? If so, you might get a better sound from a body made from better wood. BUT... if you're happy with the sound of the bass now that you have new p'ups, and you like the way it plays, I'd say your work is done. Well done.

 

man, I like the original pickguard...

 

I wouldn't have swapped the bridge since you put some vintage pups but it's definitely way better now imho