• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Which Fender Jazz and Why?

Slaphound

Slaphound

Jun 16, 2003
2,988
1,235
59
Staten Island, NY
#1
Just quit smoking and I'm saving up. I have my heart set on a NEW Fender Jazz Bass and I think I'll end up getting one by November. The question is which one and why. I'm thinking about the Standard MIM one because honestly, it looks like it can do the job. I've tested them in stores and all and I think they feel solid and sound very good. I've also played the American Standard and Special. Both very nice and all and sound good. A little bit more money. The Deluxe and American Deluxe basses seem nice but I've not had the opportunity to play one nor the AV series either. Fender has so many to choose from.

I'd like to know which one you'd buy if you could get any ONE that you like. I'd like to get opinions based on Tone, Feel and quality. Finish and neck options are not that important to me. Right now.

Have fun.
 
#2
I don't want to give anyone the impression that I think MIM basses are junk or something. But if I quit smoking and used the proceeds to buy a bass that is commonly found used for less than $300, I would think it was kind of a waste.
 
#3
MIM classic series , like the 60's or 70's jazz model, I think they are the best bang for the buck , by a pretty wide margin they feel like quality ,sound great , and are well under 1000 bucks
 
#5
I just bought an fender american standard jazz 4 string - love it, it came setup perfectly, plays like a dream. I put on a new set of strings - dadarrio chromes.

I was kind of in the same boat, I lost a bunch of weight and decided to go for it (sold my p bass first).
 
#7
I'd get a custom Fender Jazz built with no Jazz pickups, a Precision pickup, and a Precision neck. :bassist:

But seriously, I'm gonna agree with Meyatch. If you want a MIM for their "gets the job done" value, the market is flooded with excellent condition sub-$300 specimens. To get one new, you'd be paying upwards of $300 more for a Fender warranty, which is basically useless unless the wood in your guitar spontaneously combusts.
 
#9
Couldn't really tell you. The new MIM Fenders I have mucked around on at stores were all good basses.

I've seen it said here that from around 2008-present, the quality of Fenders has improved. I honestly have not played an MIM Fender from before this period.
 
#10
Youngspanion said:
Aren't todays MIM Standard Series basses pretty much the best in the lineage of Mexican built fenders? Not because they are new but because as time has passed, Fender has improved their QC from Mexico.
Click to expand...

no, unfortunately not. i have ran across plenty of mim new fenders that have maxed out truss rods, and raised frets. now having said that i did just buy a new classic series 70's jazz mim bass. truss rod is good but i took it to the shop cause it needs frets filed and leveled. but i got it at cost because of it. $430.00. other wise i wouldn't have bought it. they're $849.00 street price regularly.
 
#11
Youngspanion said:
Just quit smoking and I'm saving up. I have my heart set on a NEW Fender Jazz Bass and I think I'll end up getting one by November. The question is which one and why. I'm thinking about the Standard MIM one because honestly, it looks like it can do the job. I've tested them in stores and all and I think they feel solid and sound very good. I've also played the American Standard and Special. Both very nice and all and sound good. A little bit more money. The Deluxe and American Deluxe basses seem nice but I've not had the opportunity to play one nor the AV series either. Fender has so many to choose from.

I'd like to know which one you'd buy if you could get any ONE that you like. I'd like to get opinions based on Tone, Feel and quality. Finish and neck options are not that important to me. Right now.

Have fun.
Click to expand...

I bought a Fender AV 62 Jazz that was/is a real gem and cost me less than the CS 64 I was considering. But your tastes may be different. If you found a MIM you like, go for it. That's the real test.
 
#14
Youngspanion said:
Aren't todays MIM Standard Series basses pretty much the best in the lineage of Mexican built fenders? Not because they are new but because as time has passed, Fender has improved their QC from Mexico.
Click to expand...

No the standard are the cheapest , they are fine but for that money id get a squire , the roadworn , the classic and artist series are the top of the MIM line and ,come with better hardware and electronics IE the same bridges and tuning machines found on the american vintage reissues ,CTS pots and different pickups, the cts pots /hardware may mean nothing when it comes to the sound of the instrument , but its more expensive and adds to the real/percieved quality on the instrument , the blacktop series hardware looks to be the same as the mim std / squire
 
#16
i think that all of them are good basses.
i also think that the '62 AV RI is the best one by far.
if on a budget, i'd get the new american special since they're lightweight have graphite supported necks that are nice with a slim profile (vintage shape).

IMO, the MIM's are very good basses..... not really in the same league as the previous two mentioned above, but their price also reflects that.
 
#17
I laugh every time I read comments regarding MIM Fenders. Sorry, but I don't think most of it is correct. Fender Mexico has been putting out outstanding instruments. Most of the "issues" you hear about are not quality related. Usually has to do with how they were stored, shipped, etc. Heck, go to a Guitar Center and pretty much every bass hanging on the wall plays like crap. Not that they are bad instruments, they just are not well cared for.

Here is Florida, the necks tends to swell by the heel of the neck. Which can be mistook as bad quality. In drier climates they shrink causing fret issues. But again, nothing to do with bad QC control at Fender. I've had a number of MIM basses over the years:

MIM Jazz Standard: Zero Issues
MIM Jazz Standard Fretless: Zero Issues
MIM Deluxe Active Jazz: Zero Issues
MIM P-Bass Special: Zero Issues (and built like a tank!!)
MIM Classic 60's Jazz: Zero Issues (and a heck of a nice bass)
MIM Classic 50's P-Bass: Zero Issues (beautiful bass, just not a P-Bass guy)

I think that is a pretty good track record.

Thing to remember, Fender probably does not have one Quality Control system for their US plant and a different one for their US plant. Why would they, that would not make sense. Just like the company I work for, our QC standards apply to our US plant and our China Plant.

If it was sub-contractor making the basses for Fender, well that is harder to control. But the MIM basses are built in a plant owned and operated by FMIC.

So all the talk about MIM instruments being sub-par, well sorry I just don't see it.
 
#18
Recent MIM Standards are very good IMO, and I've liked the Classic models too. I've only noodled around for a couple of minutes on an American Special, and it seemed fine, but I probably would do what I've done before: American Standard (or earlier American Series). I like the modern features mixed with classic passive J-bass tone. I have a 2008 Jazz V, and it's excellent, with great fit and finish, and strong acoustic resonance that helps produce great tone. My only gripe is that I can't get the action as low as on my four string Fenders and G&L's.

Speaking of which, why not a G&L JB? I love mine, which I think is a step up from American Standard Fenders. Not a huge step up, mind you, but an upgrade nonetheless. It's essentially a boutique J-bass without the light weight and high price. Mine even has a quartersawn neck.
 
#19
The Mexican products are made just like the pre-cbs stuff was made. The main differences being the edge of the neck and the windings. I've been told the wood shipment that dumps in Calif. is the same that gets dropped in Mexico. I like the early MIJ products I think their equal in many ways and better than the American products. I just bought a used 2008 USA P-Bass with a lg. case, option bridge with EMG-HZ and the orginal pups. With shipping and tx. I paid 720.00 from GC, I thought it was a very good deal for me. If you look and take your time you'll find exactly what you want. MIM, MIJ, USA are all letters if your not looking to invest for an increae in price down the road its all about the play and sound. The rest is letters and numbers. Doc
 
#20
I choose the Reggie Hamilton Jazz Bass. MIM, but all American electronics, pups and parts, still MIM prices. Active/passive switch, 3 band EQ, vintage frets, extender tuner ( drops the E to D), great range of tone. The pups are PJ, which some might not like, but this was a major plus for me. had no issues. Actually I'm so happy with it I'm thinking of buying another.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back