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Which Jazz Bass

Which Jazz?

  • Fender Classic 60s

    Votes: 35 24.5%

  • Fender Geddy Lee

    Votes: 44 30.8%

  • Fender Marcus Miller

    Votes: 27 18.9%

  • Fender American Deluxe (Worth the Extra money?)

    Votes: 37 25.9%
  • Total voters
    143
  • Poll closed .
#6
I owned an American Deluxe and it was an excellent bass. Almost Custom Shop nice but I got a very good deal on it. It's the only Fender Bass I've owned that I would put ahead of the CV 60's Jazz I have now but I wouldn't say the MIA Deluxe is a $1500 better bass. If I was buying a new MIA I'd probably opt for the Classic 60's myself but all those you listed are great basses.
 
#7
truly, i would say the Fender Victor Bailey... absolutely awesome sound, and great looking; unfortunately, it is outside your price range unless you can find one used.

so... Geddy Lee, definitely. it also has a great sound. not familier with the marcus miller, but I have heard good things about it also.

put me down as Geddy, however.

davesignatureII.gif
 
#13
That's a pretty wide swath of Jazz basses. You didn't list the one that I would recommend, and that's the Road Worn Jazz bass. Every single one of those that I've played (including the one I own) feel great and sound amazing. You can get a used one for about $700 in the classifieds.
 
#15
I would recommend the American standard I own one and love it. Its a better bass the others you listed. Better meaning better for me of coarse. I know you said you only like the white and don't want to copy your friend. Just get one with a maple neck or rosewood depending on what your friend has and get a different pick guard. The reality is that its a fender jazz, no matter what you get there is going to be a metric butt ton of fender jazzes that look exactly the same or similar anyway. Here's what you should be ask yourself though. Do you like active electronics? If not the MM and american deluxe are out. Do you like the sound of jazzes with the 70's pickup spacing? If not, the MM and Geddy are out. Do you like a really, really, thin neck? If not, the geddy is out as it has a substantially smaller neck compared to the others (far to small for me). Do you like a glossy thicker finish on the neck? If not, they are all out except the deluxe.

Like some others here, I recommend the american standard or roadworn. They both sound, play, and feel great. All IMO. If I was to buy another jazz (if i could i would) it would be one of the two.
 
#16
BassBob1 said:
I would recommend the American standard I own one and love it. Its a better bass the others you listed. Better meaning better for me of coarse. I know you said you only like the white and don't want to copy your friend. Just get one with a maple neck or rosewood depending on what your friend has and get a different pick guard. The reality is that its a fender jazz, no matter what you get there is going to be a metric butt ton of fender jazzes that look exactly the same or similar anyway. Here's what you should be ask yourself though. Do you like active electronics? If not the MM and american deluxe are out. Do you like the sound of jazzes with the 70's pickup spacing? If not, the MM and Geddy are out. Do you like a really, really, thin neck? If not, the geddy is out as it has a substantially smaller neck compared to the others (far to small for me). Do you like a glossy thicker finish on the neck? If not, they are all out except the deluxe.

Like some others here, I recommend the american standard or roadworn. They both sound, play, and feel great. All IMO. If I was to buy another jazz (if i could i would) it would be one of the two.
Click to expand...

+1

Both Fender Ps and Fender Js are very popular. There are only a handful of color combos out there to pick from. I wouldn't worry too much that my friend also had a Jazz bass. It isn't too hard to change out a pick guard or, as mentioned above, select either the RW neck or Maple to have your own look. My short list was a RW Jazz, and American Standard, and a American Jazz Deluxe. If I could get over the RW look, it would have been a closer race. That is a nice bass. Their Fiesta Red is just not for me, and I am not a huge sun burst finish guy. But the back of the necks on the sig modles turn me off. They have too much gloss for my taste. I liked the AMDJ, but it is a good bit more expensive. I decided to pull the trigger on the tried and true American Standard. It has the feel and the sound that I dig. Now I just have to be patient while my Fender catches up on production and can make another black jazz with maple neck. Must.... be.... patient.... I am resisting the urge to call my music store and ask for updates. :D
 
#17
I voted Geddy, but with AmDlx being a really close second. That one is a great bass, but I really have a thing against having to put a battery in my bass for it to work. It does have the passive side, but at that point the Geddy wins; it's got a monstrous passive tone. More growl and the like. So if I were taking only one, it wouldn't be the AmDlx... although I wouldn't be sad if that's all I could have.
 
#18
Best legacy: 60s. I prefer passive. Just think of what was accomplished on 60s jazz basses.
Best feel: Lee.
Best punch in the face: Miller.
Bass I love to hate: Deluxe. The Deluxe is the bmw w USC Trojans license plate frame, of basses.
 
#19
Might I also add, my american standard jazz is 3 tone sunburst with a rosewood neck and tort guard. Undoubtably the most common color combo but knowing there are a ton of the same looking bass out there doesn't bother me. In fact a friend of mine got the exact same bass a couple years later.

Have you played any of these basses yet?
 

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