Anyone out there played/own a Fender Noel Redding sig. Jazz Bass?

[Beedster]

Just been reading a few reviews and these seem to be really highly rated. Wondering if anyone can give me any first hand experience?

Cheers

Chris

Edited September 28, 2010 by Beedster

[dr1]

i couldn't tell. seems these aren't in production anymore. probably good basses,(japan) i like the alder/rosewood for the sound and 3t sunburst and tort too for the look. in fact i had one japan fender jazz i sold couple days ago which you could call "noel redding sig" haha! a marvelous bass.
here it is:







(sorry for OT)

[Mickeyboro]

Sorry Chris, no 'experience' but a NR story.

I had to interview him (by phone from Ireland) a few years before his passing and asked him what he thought of the 'new' (ie latest) Hendrix box set to have come out.

It's all right, he said.

So you've got one?

Yeah - I called up the record company and it arrived yesterday. The postman charged me £20 COD...

[wateroftyne]

AFAIK, they're standard MIJ J's with a scribble on the pickguard...?

Not that there's owt wrong with standard MIJ J's...

[andytoad]

I had one once, it had quite a nice feel to it, but buzzed a little when on the "bridge only" pickup. I remember it being quite cheap to but, worth the money.

[spongebob]

I was in Clonakilty, West Cork last week, and popped in to the club where NR regularly played.

There's a lovely little wall dedicated to him, with photos and memorabilia, and a NR signature bass (behind glass) which he donated to the club - with a handwritten note.

There's also a little plaque on the floor as you walk in. I went into the back to stand on the stage - I know I'm a sad gig, but I had to!!

I'm a big NR/Hendrix fan, and whilst back in Ireland, specifically went there to see this - nearby you can also pop to the village where he lived for 30 years - the village clubbed together for a plaque there, too.

I actually memtioned this bass the other day on a 'rival' forum....was told they only made 1000 of his sig bass, but was mentioned above, the MIM classic 60's bass is apparantly pretty much the same!

I'm not a Fender man, but his Jazz looked lovely.....

I always feel NR is remains quite underrated - maybe because he was a guitarist first, I don't know....I'm a massive JH fan, but the Experience records NR played on, it's hard to imagine anyone else playing on them....hard also to imagine NR playing in the Billy Cox era.

[LastBass]

Hello Chris

You've probably either got one or lost interest by now, but I got mine back from long term loan recently and idly looking for info about it via Google (there's quite a lot now including a couple for sale in the US at around $1300 - I'm not up to speed with prices of MIJ 97 Jazzes, but that sounds a lot.) led me to this site which I'm really pleased to have found.

I got it new in Feb 99 from Axe Music in Colchester for £429. Its serial number is in the high 800's of the 1000 made and has NR's autograph and the date 97 on the scratchplate. I'd had a much loved 72 sunburst/rosewood/tortoiseshell Precision stolen and it just called to me. It looks fabulous, perhaps even better now with the nickel hardware gently fading and a minor dinge or two on the body. The wood and the finish was much better than US Fenders of the time I think - the neck maple has a hint of flame and is a lovely honey colour and the body is two pieces of alder not bookmatched, but joined almost invisibly on the centre line. The 3 colour sunburst might be a bit unsubtle maybe? As regards spec, I don't think it's any different from a standard MIJ 97 "65 Vintage" Jazz apart from the signature decal on the headstock, "Special Edition" on the neckplate and the autographed scratchplate. I remember a photo of Noel signing them in Bassist magazine at the time, but have no idea how many are autographed. Maybe the unsigned ones are rare?

It makes all the right Jazz noises - I've never owned another Jazz so I'm not an expert, but I've always found it hard to play for some reason. Neck relief, action etc all are OK. I feel it needs the neck shimming slightly, the bridge saddles are right at the bottom of their adjustment. So it's spent most of its life in the cupboard (the youngster who I lent it to just used it for a bit of recording and as a spare to take to gigs. He probably took it out of its bag about 3 times in about 5 years. It has been on the stage at the Shepherds Bush Empire which is more than I have.)

Maybe I'm just a precision man, not a jazz man. It can happen I think. I bought a new US Standard Precision from Wapping a year or three before the NR Jazz and though it's bland beyond belief in terms of build and materials and is a pretty vile translucent semi sparkly crimson, the sound and feel for me are spot on. But about 10 years ago I found a 96 Warwick Corvette bubinga/wenge for absolute peanuts and have hardly touched Fenders since. But you have to have a Precision though don't you? And the NR Jazz isn't for sale either.

Hope that's of interest.

All best wishes
LB

[Thomas H]

I have one, it doesn’t get used nowadays. I just love the thought of the history of this guitar. It sounds great to me against the other basses I own when played through my 100w Marshall. Bought for my son but recovered from him before any grunge influence transferred to the guitar.

also numbered in the 800’s…