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I don't know much about how Fender operates but a MIM PJ Bass doesn't seem to be too much to ask for.
Probably once every couple of weeks. I'm quite fussy when it comes to set-ups, though I hardly ever adjust my action now. I've heard people talking about basses that only need a truss rod adjustment once a year, but I've never owned an instrument that remained stable for anything like that. Then again, there's a lot of humidity where I am, and that affects things quite a bit.
The only flaws with allen key adjustments are:
1.) They're a nightmare to replace if the nut gets stripped
2.) Strings sometimes need to be loosened to make adjustments (though this isn't the case ~50% of the time)
I do think that heel adjustments are better, but there's absolutely no reason why the design should require one to remove the neck to make an adjustment. It makes it hard to gauge the difference, because the neck shifts as it re-adjusts to the string tension, but the obvious issue is that it just adds a lot of work to the process (plus it means set-neck/neck-thru are out of the question). There are many companies who simply cut a larger opening cavity to eliminate the need for neck removal, so there's just no excuse to not do this anymore. The truss wheel used by Musicman et all is another great innovation (goodbye tripped truss nuts!), but at this rate Fender won't be adopting that for at least a couple of centuries....
It isn't that it's too much to ask from their designers/manufacturers, but just that it's a bit exigent to expect Fender to introduce a new design based on consumer demand. That might sound weird to any marketers out there, but remember that this is a company which has ALWAYS rested on R&D laurels from the 50s and 60s. The basic design of the Precision and Jazz has remained the same for 50 years, and as much as they do introduce small novelties occasionally, the PJ design has always been somewhat of an aberration in their product catalogue.
I dunno man.... the higher-end Squires are still pretty cheap, don't weigh too much, and sound/feel pretty great. I've got a student who plays a VM Jazz, and it sounds so much like a MIA equivalent.
Any idea how much they weigh? I have a mia dlx (08) that weighs 7.9lbs! I mean it's lighter than some strats, a MIM and a MIA std jb and both weigh 9.4lbs. Any swamp ash bass is generally lighter.. It makes a big difference, especially for long gigs.
Prices yeah, i should have specified, i wish the MIA and MIM prices were slightly cheaper, especially here in India where after the customs duty etc. we end up paying 40% above the mrp.
They do. I own one. The deluxe Jazz bass MIM. Suhr preamp and electronics. Nevertheless they changed the preamp and electronics when John left Fender. Really great instruments though.
It's not worth it man. Just find something cheaper, then get a good tech to set it up well (or do it yourself), and replace the electronics if they've got issues. You still get the cheap bent-steel bridges in MIM Fenders anyway, so I don't really see much difference in going up to that 'level' (I think the tuners are similar too). I know what you mean about the weight - my Cort A5 is pretty heavy, and after awhile it starts to get annoying - but I just deal with it. My rationale is that a builder has to carry a toolbox around with him, so I shouldn't complain about getting a little extra exercise.
Yeah, I've played them. They are nicer than I remember MIM's were years back, but it's still quite a large mark up for the US models. I can't see coughing up that much for a jazz bass.
A line of very high quality usa made shortscales would be awesome! Imagine a shortscale p bass with a jazz neck and a hand rubbed natural oil finish!
My initial wish post was a bit one the whimsical. What I really want is a return of the pawn shop series. Limited run, innovative, cool looking instruments.
and those bungee material straps help.
A mark hoppus bass with a standard precision pickup configuration (I.e not reversed) closer to the true precision pickup location. And of course without the artist signature.
