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Sir, we need you to leave. -NBD

View attachment 3857663 View attachment 3857664 Getting ready for everything to finish opening up around here, I went out and finally found a new group of people to play with. I've been going over songs to work on and realized my normal go to is just too heavy for extended periods standing. I packed up a disliked bass and headed down to the nearest big box retail store to see what was in stock. First thought was the MiM Mustang short scale. Nothing about that bass did it for me, not the sound or the feel. I was playing a gorgeous dark green and tort player series P Bass and kept glancing at at Jazz on the wall. I had gone through all the fenders on the wall at that time, decided to give it a go and was shocked at how much better it felt and played. Not to mention $350 less in price. Had them throw in a set of strings, got a check for the remainder of my trade in value, and came home with this gal.

70's vibe Jazz.

nice score.
 
View attachment 3857663 View attachment 3857664 Getting ready for everything to finish opening up around here, I went out and finally found a new group of people to play with. I've been going over songs to work on and realized my normal go to is just too heavy for extended periods standing. I packed up a disliked bass and headed down to the nearest big box retail store to see what was in stock. First thought was the MiM Mustang short scale. Nothing about that bass did it for me, not the sound or the feel. I was playing a gorgeous dark green and tort player series P Bass and kept glancing at at Jazz on the wall. I had gone through all the fenders on the wall at that time, decided to give it a go and was shocked at how much better it felt and played. Not to mention $350 less in price. Had them throw in a set of strings, got a check for the remainder of my trade in value, and came home with this gal.

70's vibe Jazz.
Similar experience to what I had!

I was at the big box petting zoo and probably picked up/played seven or eight bass’s and the last was the VM 70’s Jazz. I walked out without buying but for the next week couldn’t get over how nice it played/felt/sounded. Needless to say, I ordered some little bags of candy and that Squier was in the same box.

Great instrument! I am not a fan of hum so I swapped pup’s for JV-52’s and use Sunbeams on it. Love that bass.
 
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Good buy! A buddy of mine got one of these for something stupid like a hundred bucks with a TINY crack in the headstock and wanted me to fix it up. Fixed the crack and honestly could've probably left it alone and he would've been okay with it, I was very surprised by its playability. I did a half-unnecessary (he hasn't played long and wanted super-low action, I wouldn't have needed it) fret level/dress/polish, fixed exactly two fret ends that were too sharp for me but probably wouldn't have been for a normal person, shielded it, put EMGs, a Fender Hi-Mass bridge from another friend's Geddy Jazz, a black pearloid pickguard, a set of straplocks, and a set of Hipshot UltraLites on it, and it's just about as good a Jazz as I've played. Again, that thing was IMPRESSIVELY good just the way it was.

I have to ask, though, if it was light weight you were after, did it deliver? My friend's had to have weighed 10 pounds. Lower-priced usually equals less-consistent lumber selections, so they might vary wildly, I don't know.
Mine’s 10 pounds on the dot. It mostly due to the soft maple body I’d bet. Some routing under the guard and lightweight tuners would Probably get it to 9 pounds or less.
 
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Mine’s 10 pounds on the dot. It mostly due to the soft maple body I’d bet. Some routing under the guard and lightweight tuners would Probably get it to 9 pounds or less.
Weight (within reason, like between 6 and 12 pounds or so) is of no concern to me personally, but OP said it was a factor in buying a new bass. Id be surprised if that one was much lighter than its alternative unless it was a Warwick or early Stingray or T40 or something.
 
View attachment 3857663 View attachment 3857664 Getting ready for everything to finish opening up around here, I went out and finally found a new group of people to play with. I've been going over songs to work on and realized my normal go to is just too heavy for extended periods standing. I packed up a disliked bass and headed down to the nearest big box retail store to see what was in stock. First thought was the MiM Mustang short scale. Nothing about that bass did it for me, not the sound or the feel. I was playing a gorgeous dark green and tort player series P Bass and kept glancing at at Jazz on the wall. I had gone through all the fenders on the wall at that time, decided to give it a go and was shocked at how much better it felt and played. Not to mention $350 less in price. Had them throw in a set of strings, got a check for the remainder of my trade in value, and came home with this gal.

70's vibe Jazz.
Beautiful in its simplicity, I recommend these more than I recommend any other Fender.
 
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Not a great photo but you can see the contrast between the fretboard and the body colour tones. I’ve had this out in the open for 7 years and there’s definitely tan lines when I take the guard off. I swapped the knobs it came with for regular ones.
1758922B-4941-43F1-A20E-97E4A4585CBE.jpeg
 
Weight (within reason, like between 6 and 12 pounds or so) is of no concern to me personally, but OP said it was a factor in buying a new bass. Id be surprised if that one was much lighter than its alternative unless it was a Warwick or early Stingray or T40 or something.
It's two lbs. lighter. The biggest difference is in the balance, the weight is much better spread out making it more bearable.
 
Wow, love it!
I picked one up last year, put in SD 1/4 Pounders and some Hipshot tuners I had put aside and got my favorite Jazz. I only paid $200 CND for it. Those VM's are gaining a reputation as a great foundation.