Upgrading my MIA Fender Jazz. Next step ?

[Papersen]

I own a quite rare MIA Fender Jazz made back in the 90`s (produced for overseas markets). It`s been my main gigging bass for several years now and somehow my reference to compare with other jazzes.

The bass originally had a mix of MIA and MIM parts (Hardware was MIM and neck / body was MIA).

I`ve slowly replaced several parts:
- Fender Vintage pickups
- BA II bridge
- Pearloid pickguard
- "Standard" knobs and control plate

I`m still thinking whether to change the pots or not. I truly don`t know it they make a difference (sorry for my ignorance) and in case they do, please tell me which ones to buy.

Thanks for the input.

 

[Papersen]

BTW, this was the bass in its original form

 

[Mental Octopus]

If the hardware is MIM, I would definitely replace the tuners with a set of hipshots. Made a huge difference in tuning ease and stability for me.

And I don't know much about pots... but I hear that CTS pots are really good compared to the stock MIM ones.

 

[LuckyCondlins]

well if the pots are not scratchy then there is absolutely NO reason to change them.

 

[Bone]

To me that body look like a MIM body from the 90s, is the pickguard beveled? Don't know how rare a 90s MIM jazz bass is, Have a headstock pic?

CTS Pots(500k) could'nt hurt.

 

[Papersen]

Thanks for the advice.

I`ve read about CTS pots but didn`t know if they made a difference. In case they do, in what specifically ? Output ?

BTW, here`s a pic of the headstock. It says "American Traditional" at the top of it (and believe me it`s original).

Fender created some weird creatures during the 90`s.

 

[Bone]

Another Fender oddball, The serial number dates 99 but by 99 fender had moved the serial numbers to the back of the headstock. In 1990/91 Fender screwed up and let a bunch of Strats,Teles and basses out the door with N9XXXX serial numbers. I've also read(but can't comfirm) that the Factory in Mexico did not have the tooling early on to make necks and were getting finished necks from the Corona plant. I had a P bass from 1991 that had the MN1XXXX but the trussrod was adjusted from the heel(like the usa reissues)slab board, and Scaller tuners, neck stamp date Feb 1991.

Mexi pickguards were beveled while usa pickguards were not.

 

[Bone]

I`ve read about CTS pots but didn`t know if they made a difference. In case they do, in what specifically ? Output ?

I really don't notice any tonal difference unless you change the value, what I do notice is mostly a smoother feeling when turning and a bit better signal response(better swoop when turning the knob you don't have to give it a 1/4 turn before you can hear a change in volume or tone, the cap will still make a difference on the tone pot).

 

[lowtide]

One thing you wanna be prepared for is if you change out your pots for CTS some cavities are so tight at the tone pot area it may need to be hogged out so the larger CTS tone pot will fit. (Don't forget your shielding).

And I'm also of the opinion that if it works now with no issues then run it~!

 

[Papersen]

Thanks for the info. Very interesting.
I`ve also realized that the N9 suffix didn`t match the 99 models. What you say makes sense considering the first MIM Fender Jazzes were produced in 1990/91, IIRC.

Maybe this was a "transitional" model with MIA and MIM parts.

Another Fender oddball, The serial number dates 99 but by 99 fender had moved the serial numbers to the back of the headstock. In 1990/91 Fender screwed up and let a bunch of Strats,Teles and basses out the door with N9XXXX serial numbers. I've also read(but can't comfirm) that the Factory in Mexico did not have the tooling early on to make necks and were getting finished necks from the Corona plant. I had a P bass from 1991 that had the MN1XXXX but the trussrod was adjusted from the heel(like the usa reissues)slab board, and Scaller tuners, neck stamp date Feb 1991.

Mexi pickguards were beveled while usa pickguards were not.

 

[Bongolation]

well if the pots are not scratchy then there is absolutely NO reason to change them.

+1000. A 250K audio-taper pot is a 250K audio-taper pot. Cork-sniffing potentiometers is almost as stupid as cork-sniffing the tone bypass capacitors.

I've also seen a lot of CTS pots on MIA Fenders that were loose, rattley junk, brand new.

If you're clever, you can disassemble and restore pots to like-new condition anyway. I do it all the time on old stuff with weird shafts that are not available any longer.

 

[Bone]

+1000. A 250K audio-taper pot is a 250K audio-taper pot. Cork-sniffing potentiometers is almost as stupid as cork-sniffing the tone bypass capacitors.

I've also seen a lot of CTS pots on MIA Fenders that were loose, rattley junk, brand new.

If you're clever, you can disassemble and restore pots to like-new condition anyway. I do it all the time on old stuff with weird shafts that are not available any longer.

I agree with everything here except the tone cap. Are you sayining there is no tonal difference between a .022mf .047mf or .010 tone cap?
Also if it ain't broke don't fix it is always sound advice.

As far as new rattley junk I personally have never seen this. We buy our 250k and 500k CTS pot in hundred lots and wire one or two new guitars a day and I don't remember having to ever send any back. If your talking new Fenders that were hanging on the wall at GC with loose rattley pots, Ive never seen it myself but I'm sure they're out there.

 

[lbwdog]

I own a quite rare MIA Fender Jazz made back in the 90`s (produced for overseas markets). It`s been my main gigging bass for several years now and somehow my reference to compare with other jazzes.

The bass originally had a mix of MIA and MIM parts (Hardware was MIM and neck / body was MIA).

I`ve slowly replaced several parts:
- Fender Vintage pickups
- BA II bridge
- Pearloid pickguard
- "Standard" knobs and control plate

I`m still thinking whether to change the pots or not. I truly don`t know it they make a difference (sorry for my ignorance) and in case they do, please tell me which ones to buy.

Thanks for the input.

I'm curious. How do you know the hardware is MIM? Is that a published spec?

I have a '95 MIM Jazz (bought used) that looks exactly like yours (white "Strat" style knobs and all), only it's red.

To me that body look like a MIM body from the 90s, is the pickguard beveled?

My MIM pickguard is beveled, but solid white, not layered.

One thing you wanna be prepared for is if you change out your pots for CTS some cavities are so tight at the tone pot area it may need to be hogged out so the larger CTS tone pot will fit. (Don't forget your shielding).

You're right....My originals were "mini" pots which went bad by 2004. I've replaced them with standard CTS pots but had to modify the cavity routing as it's narrower than a traditional J bass.

I've also changed out parts to make it a conventional looking Jazz.
1; Tort pickguard & chrome control plate.
2; Vintage bridge (simply because of set screws instead of allen screws).
3; Dimarzio "Model J" pickups 'cause they sound so good.....(and adjustable pole pieces)

Someone mentioned MIM tuners, but I've found these to be totally acceptable. My long range plans for this bass is to make it even lighter than it already is by stripping the thick, poly finish, stain and tung oil the body, and installing Hipshot Ultralight tuners. That will make it one of the lightest Fenders I've ever owned.

This bass has become my favorite as it has a slimmer neck profile than most, and plays like a dream. I've owned lots of vintage Fenders but this is one of my all time faves!!

 

[Bongolation]

I agree with everything here except the tone cap. Are you sayining there is no tonal difference between a .022mf .047mf or .010 tone cap?

No. I'm saying there's no audible difference between tone bleed-down caps of the same measured value. Note I was comparing pots of the same value when I mentioned this. Replacing a perfectly good .047mFd tone cap with a fancier brand of .047mFd tone cap won't give you magic tone except in the imagination.

Also if it ain't broke don't fix it is always sound advice.

Works for me. I'm not a scab-picker, though -- you know, the people who just can't leave well enough alone?

As far as new rattley junk I personally have never seen this...If your talking new Fenders that were hanging on the wall at GC with loose rattley pots, Ive never seen it myself but I'm sure they're out there.

I own two at the moment, one a MIA Telecaster and one a MIA HRPB, both bought new. You can bump the instrument and with the weight of the heavy metal knobs, the shafts literally rattle, though not much. Extremely loose, from the day I bought them. Zero shaft damping. Nasty, cheap feeling to use.

Others are adequate, tough. They're just pots. If they're not noisy, who cares? Not me.

 

[Papersen]

I`ve finally done it.
Replaced the pickguard with a metallic control plate, black knobs and pearloid pickguard. Also added a Badass II bridge.
Finally decided to keep original tuners and pots.

The bass looks simply fantastic.
I`ll try to post some pics this weekend.

 

[Papersen]

I'm curious. How do you know the hardware is MIM? Is that a published spec?

I have a '95 MIM Jazz (bought used) that looks exactly like yours (white "Strat" style knobs and all), only it's red.

My MIM pickguard is beveled, but solid white, not layered.

Well, pickups were definitely MIM. I`ve owned MIM and MIA Fender Jazzes from the nineties and they`re different. Cosmethically speaking, MIA pickups are heavier, plastic cover looks shiny and their corners are round shaped