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Which Fender Jazz and Why?

#21
Doctor Dirt said:
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
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Yes the wood is the same but it is shipped to Mexico where it is then worked. The pots and knobs are split shaft while the American's are solid shaft.
 
#22
If you're going to get a Fender,don't even look at the Deluxe lines. They're active,and the "Fender sound" is NOT active :P

If I was rewarding myself for quitting smoking,i'd pay the extra and get the American Standard. There's a reason the greats have played them for so long.

Best of luck finding your axe dude,I played a 60's J-Bass for the last 4 years and it killed me to give it up.
 
#24
SchecPeg said:
If you're going to get a Fender,don't even look at the Deluxe lines. They're active,and the "Fender sound" is NOT active :P

If I was rewarding myself for quitting smoking,i'd pay the extra and get the American Standard. There's a reason the greats have played them for so long.

Best of luck finding your axe dude,I played a 60's J-Bass for the last 4 years and it killed me to give it up.
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I agree with the Deluxe lines, however you can get an American Special for $879 (what I paid for a new 2011 model) which has excellent tone and feel. The electronics are USA quality as with the American Standard. The necks are thinner front to back with a satin finish allowing your hands to glide smooth and quick along the neck. There were no fret issues on mine and the neck is straight with low action. The body is the same as the American Standard but with string throught the bridge only. The tuners are same as the Hwy One which are quite as nice as the American Standard but work well. For $1250 you get the American Standard with a nice hardshell case while the special you get a nice gigbag. The special has a Greasebucket circuit like the Hwy one had which I personally like while the American Standard you get the Fender deluxe tuning keys that are very nice and a heavier duty bridge which is also nice.
 
#25
You quit smoking so reward yourself. Get the MIA Standard. Normally I'd say go used but if you want extra reinforcement... Buy new. If you start smoking again, immediately sell the bass. When you see the bath you just took on resale, remind yourself that that amount pales to what you are getting ready to spend on smokes.
 
#26
Once you get to your target date and/or dollars in the bank go out and play every bass within striking distance and try to ignore the price tags and headstocks.

You may end up loving a MIM and have a few hundred bucks to pick up a new amp, or some pedals, or....
 
#28
Nedmundo said:
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.
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Love my SB2. Just got an L2K which is going back to the factory. I have something about the "Fender Jazz®". I may end up going towards the G&L. Right now I'm a little disappointed with them.
 
#30
i have a cij basswood 62ri jazz from the mid 90s with a gotoh bridge and cs 60s pickups, it might not have the lowest action or the fancy wood, but it is a great sounding bass

thought i'd get rid of it when i got my sb2, but i can't, i like it too much
 
#32
SchecPeg said:
If you're going to get a Fender,don't even look at the Deluxe lines. They're active,and the "Fender sound" is NOT active :P

If I was rewarding myself for quitting smoking,i'd pay the extra and get the American Standard. There's a reason the greats have played them for so long.

Best of luck finding your axe dude,I played a 60's J-Bass for the last 4 years and it killed me to give it up.
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Aren't the Deluxe basses Passive/Active?

I owned a real nice Marcus Miller Jazz a few Years ago and the thing that made me sell it was that I wanted the G&L L2000. Sorry I sold it? Yes. But also at the time I did not like that stock, I did not have tone control in passive mode. Still don't like it. Could have switched the pre. Just didn't.
 
#33
Nedmundo said:
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.
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The G&L JB was what I was originally going for but of the loads of G&L's all they had were the Active models and the SB2. I hated the active tone but they sure looked good. The SB2 didn't quite do it for me. I prefer a tone control (yes, I know you can eq the amp but I like EQ'ng the amp then having the abilty to change to some degree at the bass end too. Anyway to make the story short, after playing all these and some MIM's I picked up the one new American Special Jazz they just got in and fell head over heals with it. I was able to trade 3 Classic Vibes plus $302 cash to obtain it. I am totally smitten with this bass.
 
#34
Youngspanion said:
Aren't the Deluxe basses Passive/Active?

I owned a real nice Marcus Miller Jazz a few Years ago and the thing that made me sell it was that I wanted the G&L L2000. Sorry I sold it? Yes. But also at the time I did not like that stock, I did not have tone control in passive mode. Still don't like it. Could have switched the pre. Just didn't.
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Most of the Deluxe models are active. I believe there is one that is not.
 
#35
If you are giving yourself a goal as in "If I dont smoke until x date I will by myself y" I think it is extremely important to have a specific model in mind for visualization purposes. I say go for something that maybe you wouldn't normally spring for (MIA Jazz, AV 62, etc). Are there close 2nds or better values out there? Yes. Will they have the same motivational pull? Maybe not. Most people's default answer is "go play a bunch". If you're like me, the idea of buying SOME bass at SOME point in time wouldn't motivate me. I'd want my eye on a specific prize.

Also - congrats on quitting! My Dad finally quit in his mid-50s and has been smoke-free for about 8 years and counting. It can be done!
 
#37
One of my MIM Jazz basses had a wicked dead spot in the neck...an issue not limited to MIM. I didn't like the stock pickups at all. Even though my MIA Jazz V played much nicer with no dead spots and sounded much nicer to my ears, I still wasn't really happy with the sound I was getting (personal taste). I found what I was looking for in the new Carvin SB5000 and the B50. Both are jazz bass configurations. It is ALL about what you like.
 
#38
MIM is cool
youll have fun
if it's a matter of saving $$$$, then geddy lee or lakland skyline.
g.lee feels mmmm +sounds bettter than the special or standard or the squier vintage mod j. --which i think are neck & neck no pun intended.
laklands are baaaaaad aaaaaaass thats why
--their skyline series is the affordable korea stuff

i think you should try a koreanlakland before you invest in fende
 
#39
johnk_10 said:
IMO, they have the best feeling necks, higher quality of construction and materials ( i.e.better pickups, better hardware, better wood) and a nitro finish. IMO, as a rule, they're as good as the custom shop, and most of the time, better.
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Just curious if you've had a chance to play the AV 75. Would you say it has the same quality?
 
#40
sigmafloyd said:
Just curious if you've had a chance to play the AV 75. Would you say it has the same quality?
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yes, i've set up one for a friend and played two others at a local GC. maybe it's just me, but I wasn't impressed with any of the three that i've played. IMO, it's a good bass, but, to me, just not quite in the same league as the '62 AV RI (since it has the three bolt neck and a polyurethane finish). it's ash body is also ALOT heavier, so not only is it less comfortable for me to play on a strap, but i think that it makes it's tone suffer, being a bit too bright and clacky for my taste, especially when combined with the 70's located bridge pickup, but if you're into bright sounding jazz basses, it may be what you want.
 

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