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Fender Standard Jazz Question


Treeb
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I’m thinking about buying a bottom-end Fender Jazz and improving it as money becomes available. By improving it I mean changing the pickups, bridge and pickguard (and possibly the tuners) and adding a J-Retro preamp. This would be done in stages as and when I can afford it.

Now, I can pick up a new MIM Std Jazz for around £350 or a new MIJ Std Jazz for around £390. I know what a MIM sounds and plays like, but I can’t get my hands on a MIJ (locally) for comparison.

So my question is … is the build quality of the body and neck of the MIJ generally better than the MIM and, if so, by how much? Okay, the difference is only £40, but that’s one Wizard pickup or 2/3rds of a BadAss II. If the MIJ is appreciably better, I’d rather start from a better base (no pun intended!).

Can anyone enlighten me? Thanks.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'd say initially - go for a MIJ/CIJ, but............if you find a mexi jazz that does it for you - looks, feels and sounds good - then go for it. A MIJ will always have a better resale price, but you can't beat buying a bass that looks good in the flesh, and by playing it, you know has no deadspots or other issues.

If this bass is gonna be your 'one and only' please..... don't trust to a mail order online sale - try before u buy!

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Having went thru a phase of not knowing which to buy, I definitely found the MIJ/CIJ nicer to play that the MIM. I too was going to go down the buy a Standard and upgrade, but then made the mistake of trying a Marcus Miller. Then I made the mistake of going into my local guitar shop the day someone accidentally put the secondhand price on a brand new Miller :) Needless to say I bought it!

If you can be bothered with the hassle, importing a CIJ/MIJ is fairly easy, there are a few threads on BC just now dealing with it. I'm likely going to be getting an Aerodyne Jazz thru Ishibashi, cost in the UK for an "official" one is £630, cost from most importers is £450, cost buying it direct is around £380-£400. More bang for buck.

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I had exactly the same goal when I recently purchased my MIJ JB. The pickguard has already been changed and Wizard pickups should be on their way to France within a few weeks. I will keep the original bridge (for vintage/cosmetic reasons) but probably add an Hipshot Xtender to get the low D.

The (used) bass was ok when I received it, just the usual dings on the body and head that you will find on almost every Fender bass coming from Japan. The rest showed absolutely no scratch and even the frets seemed to be brand new and unplayed. LOL

I have got 3 MIJ Fender basses since the beginning of the year. All were upgraded (or are about to be) and I am now a happy man. :)

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