MIM jazz and precision quality

Just got a Jazz (see my other post an hour ago) - great quality as far as I can see. Good solid sound, well built, (I took the one with the neck bolted on straight). I guess like people say of the USA basses and Strats that you have to try them all and get one you like and one that's well built. When I bought a Strat there was definetely a difference from one to another - so you have to try them for real - I just don't see how you could buy by phone.

But this bass is pretty great actually, sounds just fab like I wanted it to, and it looks smashing (see we Brits do talk like Austen Powers!)

 

I have a few MIM Fender guitars and basses. I purchased the basses as travel/practice basses. (ie. I would not be upset if anything happened to them) Though I have been becoming attached to one of them. The MIM jazz basses that I have are great. One is pre-2000 and the other was purchased in 2001. Yes, there are differences. The newest of the two is much lighter and has different pick-ups. I prefer it's playability and sound over the older one. The older one almost feels typical of the 90's MIA Fenders.

For the money, you really can't go wrong with the MIM Fenders. You have to try out as many as you can, because the consistency is definitely questionable.

The reason I think you see so many for sale used is that the basses are so affordable, that a lot of people just starting out buy them and then wind up selling them when they don't stick with playing bass.

 

I bought 2 mim jazz basses in 1998, Active 5 string & lined fretless. They were both very high quality,I spoke to a rep from fender, and he told me, they use select wood's and have several inspection's before they leave the factory. I did
change the p/u's in the fretless and added a set of seymore duncan's. They both play and sound great. I have never had any problem with them.
there was a thread about a month ago, about the p/u size's, I am shure you can search for it, and find it.I recomend them,there nice basses for the money.

 

Here in the UK you'll find that so many of the S/H ones are Squires. MIM is still in the zone of quite serious players in the UK although I do have some students who have these - their parents wanted to buy a 'real' bass rather than a cheap $150 one. I think the basses are quite a bit nicer than some of the Strats though. (6 string guitars seem more vunerable to inexpensive electices compared to a bass.)

The USA bass is obviously better in many ways - wood, hardware, PUs, bridge, - but like you I need to use these in a working environment - not sure I'd be so happy to let an 8 year old student loose to thrash with a USA $1000 bass but I'd love to use one live on stage. (Mind you it will take ages to get used to owning this nice MIM - so my students can pay their own for a while yet! Maybe I need to get a Squire for them?!)

 

Hi NV

Those basses - are they really plugged straight into the mains as shown in your photo?

As a bass teacher I still occasionally have to tell parents that this is not how it's done. But if they insist.... I always try to sell a few tickets to their children and friends who are more than happy to watch their parents plug in!! (ha ha - only joking guys - it's that strange UK humour [and spelling])

 

I just picked up a MIM J 5 dlx and although I was riding the fence on this one, It's really growing on me.
Great quality, The finish is perfect, The electronics are killer, The B string sounds good.
I'm diggin it!

 

No there not plugged in, just sitting between the amps, in the land of a thousand wires.

 

i owned 1 of each,1 p-bass and 1 j-bass and i was not impressed by either.i found the quality of the mex made basses were very inconsistent and of poor craftsmanship compaired to other models.i'm not saying they should be compaired to their US. made counterparts but they should be compairable to some of the japanese made basses.my main issues with them is the quality of the wood being used,they sound pretty good but it seems like the the necks dont hold up well to temp. changes in perticuler.my mex j-bass was in need of a t-rod adjustment every couple of weeks while my japan p/j bass NEVER needed any neck adjustments,and the constant moving and shrinking of the wood left my fretts to lift and stick out of the sides of the neck.dont get me wrong there are some years that are alot better than others but for me its not worth the effort to do all that looking.i'll stick to the more consitantly better made japan models that are just as easy to find and similar in price to the mex's.I'LL NEVER BUY MEX AGAIN.