NBD Fender 54 Paranormal Jazz

[kerrycares]

Picked up this bass and I love it.
Lightweight
60’s Jazz Bass Pickup Spacing
Stacked knobs
Best bass Fender has come out with in years

 

[Sean150]

It’s a Squier. Don’t give the Fender part of the group credit for the much more interesting stuff coming out of Squier.

most importantly nice bass. If I had the space I’d get one in an instant.

edit: I am thinking of adding a 40th anniversary p soon.

 

[CletusMarley]

Very cool! This is probably going to be my next purchase. I played one a few months ago and was blown away. Only reason I didn't get it was because I had just bought something that morning.

 

[klattman]

Got one also. Price was right.

The single coils do not cancel each other out noise wise very well. I was excited about the stacked tone knobs but they are more like switches, they don’t do much in the middle range and then bam when you get to max.

however it came set up very nicely and feels and plays great. Sound seems vintage enough for me with a bit of harsh brightness that is easily dialed out as needed.

 

[klattman]

Oh and I put gold flats on it. Even better.

 

[kerrycares]

I play everything wide open and I’m taking it to rehearsal tomorrow.
If it’s too noisy I’ll get it shielded.
Just in time to play my Motown Christmas show.

 

[kerrycares]

It’s a Squier. Don’t give the Fender part of the group credit for the much more interesting stuff coming out of Squier.



most importantly nice bass. If I had the space I’d get one in an instant.

edit: I am thinking of adding a 40th anniversary p soon.

 

[Spidey2112]

Only reason I didn't get it was because I had just bought something that morning.

I'm gonna tell you right here and now, breakfast is a necessity.

 

[foolforthecity]

I couldn’t resist making my Squier Paranormal look more Fenderish

 

[BassDaddy77]

Congrats on the new bass. I also picked one up awhile back, and have been impressed with it as well. I find the overall tone very old-school. Great sounding and playing jazz for sure. Enjoy it in good health!

 

[andare]

Got one also. Price was right.

The single coils do not cancel each other out noise wise very well. I was excited about the stacked tone knobs but they are more like switches, they don’t do much in the middle range and then bam when you get to max.

however it came set up very nicely and feels and plays great. Sound seems vintage enough for me with a bit of harsh brightness that is easily dialed out as needed.

My new Squier 40th anniversary Jazzmaster also has weird taper in the pots. But the CTS pots in my Strat also. Like volume cuts off at 2. I'm also used to a 100nF tone cap so modern ones with a smaller value don't seem to do much to me. On bass I also like 100n but 47n is decent enough.

Alpha pots are the best compromise to me. They work well and smoothly and they are much cheaper than CTS or Bourns.

 

[kerrycares]

Oh and I put gold flats on it. Even better.

I’m rocking the strings that are on it until they go dead or break.
I’m having my tech set the action and pickup height.
I happen to have a badass bridge sitting around that I’m going to have installed as well.

 

[2F/2F]

Got one of these when they were first introduced.

Better fret work and finish work than most brand new Fullerton G&Ls I’ve had in my hands in the past decade.

Changed to some substantial flatwound strings instead of the rubber band rounds it came with. Slotted the nut for the new strings. Raised the action, set everything else up, then and Crazy Glued the saddle height screws in place (my ghetto-ass version of Loctite, which works just fine). Added a bridge cover and some precisely placed sustain dampers. Sprayed a gloss clear coat on the guard. Use bass pickup only with its controls dimed. Sounds indistinguishable from my $2,000 AV ‘64s, and cost me less than 20 percent as much.

In terms of classing up the “user interface” and looks, it would benefit from some high quality tuners. But the stock ones keep it in tune just fine; they’re just ugly, heavy, and feel cheap. The knobs, strap buttons, and screws also feel terribly cheap…but I don’t really care. The bridge is fine IMO, after adding the Crazy Glue, dampers, and bridge cover. But I might exchange it for one with threaded saddles, for no reason other than being able to adjust the string spacing. I probably won’t ever bother replacing the tuners…but maybe.

Really good bass for the price, IME.

 

[mcnach]

Picked up this bass and I love it.
Lightweight
60’s Jazz Bass Pickup Spacing
Stacked knobs
Best bass Fender has come out with in yearsView attachment 4903903

Great basses! But don't call it a Fender, it's a Squier, play it with pride

 

[mcnach]

View attachment 4903923

A friend had a Seat something or another in the 90s. The engine compartment had some big "Porsche system" labels. It wasn't a Porsche.

:shrug:

 

[Hevy T]

This bass is defiantly on my radar. A partner for this bad boy

 

[Sauron_]

A friend had a Seat something or another in the 90s. The engine compartment had some big "Porsche system" labels. It wasn't a Porsche.

:shrug:

No, their engine were designed by Porsche. When Seat left Fiat and before entering VAG group, Giugiaro designed their models and Karmann developed their car bodies and project industrialization.
So, it was true that their 1.2 and 1.5 engines were "sytem Porsche".

 

[Joybass]

This bass is defiantly on my radar. A partner for this bad boyView attachment 4904022

Check out the price on the Thomann website.

 

[LowEndLobster]

No, their engine were designed by Porsche. When Seat left Fiat and before entering VAG group, Giugiaro designed their models and Karmann developed their car bodies and project industrialization.
So, it was true that their 1.2 and 1.5 engines were "sytem Porsche".

A fellow VAG fan I see

 

[CaribooBass]

What is a Vag car?