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The age old Jazz bass search...


Musicman20
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[quote name='LukeFRC' post='1121955' date='Feb 9 2011, 09:45 PM']fender japan.... ...[/quote]

I had a MIJ P which Nig bought off me. It was a very cool bass, but the current prices are too high for me...(they seem to be £700 ish now and some stores will do an American Standard for £150 more with a hardcase etc).

Id also have to get USA pups, as I can hear a huge difference with them.

Thanks anyway! If you could buy them new for £500-£600 Id have one!

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[quote name='Musicman20' post='1121961' date='Feb 9 2011, 09:51 PM']I had a MIJ P which Nig bought off me. It was a very cool bass, but the current prices are too high for me...(they seem to be £700 ish now and some stores will do an American Standard for £150 more with a hardcase etc).

Id also have to get USA pups, as I can hear a huge difference with them.

Thanks anyway! If you could buy them new for £500-£600 Id have one![/quote]
It's the Premium non-export CIJs you want, they have USA pups. Mine has USA Vintage pups. Have a chat with John Blackman at Far East Guitars mate. Have a good chat with him. Bog standard MIJs are not worth as much. Mine was £645 and is a limited run Premium 62 RI, these cost more, but it's virtually mint. They do these limited runs with special paint jobs, odd specs, etc. The Badass on mine is stock for instance.

Seriously, have a chat with John and let him know what you're after, any concerns you have about QC, spec., etc. he will explain stuff to you and keep a look out for you. But you may need to be patient if you want a particular spec or colour. John seriously knows his stuff.

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[quote name='gareth' post='1121998' date='Feb 9 2011, 10:20 PM']Your search is over and your perfect jazz bass is here:-

[url="http://musical-instruments.shop.ebay.co.uk/Musical-Instruments-/619/i.html?LH_SALE_CURRENCY=0&LH_LocatedIn=1&_nkw=bass&LH_SiteWideCondition=Used285fdd&_armrs=1&_dmd=1&_from=R10&_ipg=50&_mPrRngCbx=1&_salic=3&_sop=10&_udhi=10000&_udlo=50"]http://musical-instruments.shop.ebay.co.uk...00&_udlo=50[/url]

I have a 69 and it is easily the lightest, sweetest sounding jazz bass I have played.[/quote]
It could be a dog or it could be amazing, or just mediocre. who knows without trying it. At least the strings are in line with the neck. But what pups are in it? There's very little information given by the seller, who I think may be an estate agent :)

I presume it's the cream, block inlay one you mean ?

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[quote name='Clarky' post='1122426' date='Feb 10 2011, 10:44 AM']Check out 4 Candles's seafoam green MIJ Jazz that he has up for sale on BC. Phwoar![/quote]
Possibly not to Gareth's specs but it is very nice! I would guess it would be an MIJ export, basswood body and Jap pups, but it depends. A good clue is the size of the tuner plates, small = probably basswood / large = probably alder. It's tricky to be sure though.

Edited by silddx
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[quote name='Clarky' post='1122426' date='Feb 10 2011, 10:44 AM']Check out 4 Candles's seafoam green MIJ Jazz that he has up for sale on BC. Phwoar![/quote]

yes..look fab..but the truth is none of us can pick out a bass for G..he has to find it himself.
All we can do is post a few links or ideas and let it go from there.

I really hope he finds one soon though or his wallet will explode..

If it were me, I'd want an active option on a passive bass... just to help out live without going back to the amp so some basic 2 way might be enough....but if you run these hard then you get the active sound that some bulk at..
I think they can be run without spiking everything..thinking classic MM here...!!
The idea, IMV, is to run them without people knowing for sure, you are doing so..

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I'd just go and try out a bunch and get the one you like. So what if there is a small gap in the neck pocket or whatever,it's no big deal. Get one and work with it. For me,Fenders feel nicer as they get played in,and that won't happen in 20 minutes. Get a decent feeling one and work with it for a while.

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[quote name='Doddy' post='1122551' date='Feb 10 2011, 01:11 PM']I'd just go and try out a bunch and get the one you like. So what if there is a small gap in the neck pocket or whatever,it's no big deal. Get one and work with it. For me,Fenders feel nicer as they get played in,and that won't happen in 20 minutes. Get a decent feeling one and work with it for a while.[/quote]

This was the plan...however, at £900-£1100 I just cannot accept a bass that isnt well made. As we all know, there are dogs in the Fender world, so Im quite paranoid haha!

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[quote name='Doddy' post='1122551' date='Feb 10 2011, 01:11 PM']I'd just go and try out a bunch and get the one you like. So what if there is a small gap in the neck pocket or whatever,it's no big deal. Get one and work with it. For me,Fenders feel nicer as they get played in,and that won't happen in 20 minutes. Get a decent feeling one and work with it for a while.[/quote]
Agreed, neck pocket gaps are over-rated as an issue IMHO. Most of my Fenders (young and old) have had a small gap and I very much doubt it had any affect on the bass' sound or playability (although I cannot of course prove that). Big gaps are different (I sent back a 2009 MIA Jazz with a whopping gap you could squeeze a coin into) but small gaps no biggie

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I came across an MIA Jazz going for about a grand in my local music shop and it had sooo many flaws, the Squier they had was put togethor much better (and played better IMO). There was even a gap between the PG and the Control plate, i could have dropped a 5 pence down there and never had seen it.

In my eyes its all about playing as many as you can get your hands on and finding the right one, the one or two VMJ played much better than any Fender i have tried. I think i was just lucky when i built mine and it came out perfect (in my eyes :))

Good luck finding THAT jazz Musicman

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[quote name='Doddy' post='1122551' date='Feb 10 2011, 01:11 PM']I'd just go and try out a bunch and get the one you like. So what if there is a small gap in the neck pocket or whatever,it's no big deal. Get one and work with it. For me,Fenders feel nicer as they get played in,and that won't happen in 20 minutes. Get a decent feeling one and work with it for a while.[/quote]

+100

You need to try them.. I must admit I am a real Jap fan.. you can't go wrong. The USA you definitely need to try. To be honest, I think you know usually from just picking it up, even before I plug it in, obviously I plug it in...

or is the force strong with me :)

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[quote name='Musicman20' post='1122560' date='Feb 10 2011, 01:16 PM']This was the plan...however, at £900-£1100 I just cannot accept a bass that isnt well made. As we all know, there are dogs in the Fender world, so Im quite paranoid haha![/quote]

Don't spend that much then. You can get a great one for half that-I'd never spend that much on a Fender( but,then again I've never
spent a grand on any bass guitar)

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Just a thought dude, but what about the G&L JB?
[url="http://www.glguitars.com/instruments/USA/basses/JB/index.asp"]http://www.glguitars.com/instruments/USA/basses/JB/index.asp[/url]
[url="http://www.youtube.com/user/BassGuitarMag#p/u/14/EJNxLqWcJLQ"]http://www.youtube.com/user/BassGuitarMag#p/u/14/EJNxLqWcJLQ[/url]

Sounds the part to me, and with the higher end G&L quality control, you're probably up there with the MusicMan(Men?)...

Eude

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[quote name='eude' post='1122654' date='Feb 10 2011, 02:13 PM']Just a thought dude, but what about the G&L JB?
[url="http://www.glguitars.com/instruments/USA/basses/JB/index.asp"]http://www.glguitars.com/instruments/USA/basses/JB/index.asp[/url]
[url="http://www.youtube.com/user/BassGuitarMag#p/u/14/EJNxLqWcJLQ"]http://www.youtube.com/user/BassGuitarMag#p/u/14/EJNxLqWcJLQ[/url]

Sounds the part to me, and with the higher end G&L quality control, you're probably up there with the MusicMan(Men?)...

Eude[/quote]

I know what you mean....lovely! However, I think they retail for about £1700!!!! :)

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[quote name='Clarky' post='1122564' date='Feb 10 2011, 01:18 PM']Agreed, neck pocket gaps are over-rated as an issue IMHO. Most of my Fenders (young and old) have had a small gap and I very much doubt it had any affect on the bass' sound or playability (although I cannot of course prove that). Big gaps are different (I sent back a 2009 MIA Jazz with a whopping gap you could squeeze a coin into) but small gaps no biggie[/quote]


ok..that is one POV..and if it isn't a deal breaker to you, then ok....but I am with G here, £900 should at least make these things be put together well enough. We must be talking CNC here so I don't get it at all..!!
But, for me..if they can't get the basics right.and this applies to so many other pieces of kit as well..then why trust them to get the unseen bits right.

If it is beyond makers to do that for the above sort of price, then fair enough...but I can't believe it
If they can't match up a neck joint, I'd be thinking that is some old hacket job operation they have going on there :)

Having said all this...I talked to a luthier who sold direct and he said that his £1500 bass would be way too good a match for any bass made on a production line and some of them came with £2500 plus price tags back then. For a start, his direct prices did away with the retail mark up. Having seen these basses..he was as good as his word.

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What about a brand new Sandberg California?
[url="http://www.sandberg-guitars.de/basscat-overview/calj-series/caljj"]http://www.sandberg-guitars.de/basscat-ove...lj-series/caljj[/url]

I WILL have a California PM-5 in a (hopefully) near future! It's worth selling my Stingray5 for one.

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Ive got a lovely MIJ 50th year Jazz bass, 3TS

Its passive, but if thats your bag, then this has everything else you would wish for

Ive seen and heard special jazzes worth 2k, but there not worth the £1500 or so more than this IMO

I know you've done the Jap thing, but they do offer great value


I may put it up for sale soon, I seem to always want to gig a P neck, and have a desire for a stingray

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[quote name='lojo' post='1122794' date='Feb 10 2011, 04:00 PM']Ive got a lovely MIJ 50th year Jazz bass, 3TS

Its passive, but if thats your bag, then this has everything else you would wish for

Ive seen and heard special jazzes worth 2k, but there not worth the £1500 or so more than this IMO

I know you've done the Jap thing, but they do offer great value


I may put it up for sale soon, I seem to always want to gig a P neck, and have a desire for a stingray[/quote]

Hi Lojo

Do let me know if you do want to sell. :)

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