Eating Fender USA-shaped humble pie...

[OutToPlayJazz]

Okay, so I retract my comments about the USA Fender basses... I finally found one I like & traded my Geddy Lee signature for it.

Found a new S1 Jazz in Candy Cola with maple board that took my fancy. Biggest changes (for me) are the slightly thicker & hopefully more stable neck & a much higher output. (The Geddy was quiet in the extreme!) Just need to add a badass II now & it'll be up there with the best Pics to follow when I get a moment to take some!

Edit: Hang on - The Badass II doesn't cater for through-body stringing, does it?

Edited February 23, 2008 by OutToPlayJazz

[artisan]

nice on-glad you've seen the light

i rekon mine is easily as good the 'ray i had previously.

enjoy your new bass.

[Leowasright]

Good Call

I got a USA Jazz (sunburst/maple neck) about 3 weeks ago. Apart from a return to the shop to get the set up sorted out, it is monsterous.

Makes my '94 Squier Silver series sound like a scaffolding plank, and a Mexican one isn't that close either.

I cannot see that I am ever going to need any other bass but a Jazz at the minute.

David H

[pete.young]

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='144271' date='Feb 21 2008, 11:07 AM']Edit: Hang on - The Badass II doesn't cater for through-body stringing, does it?[/quote]
I think you need a Badass III for through-body stringing, but don't quote me!

[Muppet]

I've got nearly exactly the same but in Chrome Red. I had a hell of job to find Chrome Red which is a silvery as opposed to the goldy red of Candy Cola. One was discontinued in favour of the other. Managed it eventually though.

You need a BadAss III which will fit for definite - I have one fitted on my Jazz. It's three screw mounting and accomodates through body stringing.

[gafbass02]

yep 'tis true

[Jase]

Just chucking in my two pennies worth....I went from Geddy to American, neck issues for me on the Geddy, there's ultra slim then there's the Geddy. Had a touch of the old hand fatigue with the Geddy neck I still think it's a great bass but there's something about the USA (outside the neck difference) that feels right. As much as I enjoy Fender Japan basses my 62 CIJ is a back up bass should the USA's let me down which I doubt will happen. Thought I'd have a Fender waffle

Looking forward to the pics of your Candy Cola!!

[Wil]

The build quality, playability and tone of my US Jazz is absolutely brilliant. I don't even want to add a badass, as the Fender bridge does the job great (although, this is the first Fender bridge I've had that where the saddles don't lower themselves every 5 mins). Great basses.

[Jase]

[quote name='Wil' post='144315' date='Feb 21 2008, 12:28 PM']The build quality, playability and tone of my US Jazz is absolutely brilliant. I don't even want to add a badass, as the Fender bridge does the job great (although, this is the first Fender bridge I've had that where the saddles don't lower themselves every 5 mins). Great basses.[/quote]


Same here, got a 2004 and a 2000 I think it is, both bridges are fine. I used to do the Dimarzio, Badass and Hipshot upgrades, decided to knock that idea on the head and use them stock, they're gigged regularly and are totally reliable.

[Tee]

I here you OTPJ. I had a Geddy and it wasn't great, output wise (not to mention the dodgy tuners imo). Suffice to say, my 99 MIM Jazz was a lot better (wish i hadn't sold it).

A lot of people here seem to like US Fender-bashing, i imagine due to the price tag. Yes, Japanese Fenders are built superbly but in my experience having owned both Japanese and US basses, i have to say i am a US fan.

[E_MaN]

[u][b]IF[/b][/u] I finally sell my Stingray I plan on getting one of the new American Jazzes in OW. Bit pricey, but for the white, tort, rosewood look I don't mind putting some more smacaroos down!!!!

[sk8]

I'm saving a for 2008 precision - hopefully i'll get my bonus

[artisan]

[quote name='Tee' post='144358' date='Feb 21 2008, 02:28 PM']A lot of people here seem to like US Fender-bashing, i imagine due to the price tag. Yes, Japanese Fenders are built superbly but in my experience having owned both Japanese and US basses, i have to say i am a US fan.[/quote]


+1 fekin agree

Edited February 21, 2008 by artisan

[Buzz]

Dammit, gas gas gas.

[neptunehealer]

gas for me to, it won't be long before i am off to birmingham and getting myself a fender jazz everyone needs at least one in their life.
I am also hoping it will make my peavey/laney rig sound nice aswell.
Only thing i wish i could order one from the states but QC is unpredictable so i will have to get one from the shops that plays nice.

Also will shops throw in a hard case if you buy a fender jazz.

[Jase]

[quote name='neptunehealer' post='144408' date='Feb 21 2008, 02:36 PM']gas for me to, it won't be long before i am off to birmingham and getting myself a fender jazz everyone needs at least one in their life.
I am also hoping it will make my peavey/laney rig sound nice aswell.
Only thing i wish i could order one from the states but QC is unpredictable so i will have to get one from the shops that plays nice.

Also will shops throw in a hard case if you buy a fender jazz.[/quote]


A US Jazz should come with a case, don't be told otherwise

[Lfalex v1.1]

I've an Ash bodied 2004 MIA S1. All Standard, using Fender 7150 40-100 Nickels. It's nice and mellow and feels like a comfort blanket. It's one of the best Jazzes I've ever played.
I tried it as a stalking horse against a Variax I intended to purchase, and it all went a bit wrong...
For a more modern take on the Jazz experience, I have a modded Squier 70's VMJ, with a BadAss II and DR Fatbeams on it.

Totally different basses, and I've little prejudice over where they're built.
Other Fender Flavours I'd favour;

USA Precision Deluxe (but swap out the preamp)
Roscoe Beck Signature (preferably a 4!)
Highway 1 "P". Played some nice ones
Japanese Aerodyne. Them nice translucent blue ones appeal.

[P-T-P]

I think the downer on Fender MIA basses stems primarily from the price tag and then secondly from the fact that most which you try in shops tend to be really badly set up.

The MIJ/CIJ Fenders always come with a far more attractive price bracket and are generally quite well set-up when they come from Japan but also are more often played in a pre-owned state rather than in a shop.

Basically when people try MIAs they often play badly set up and highly priced models but when they get their hands on a MIJ/CIJ, the price tag is appealing and the bass has probably had a decent set-up by whoever owns it.

However, I think once an MIA has been well set-up it's gonna be a much better instrument than it's Japanese equivalent. The Japanese one is still arguably going to be better value for money though and that's always going to be a consideration for most people.

[paul, the]

PHOTOS

I need r..e..l..ea..se.

[bassbloke]

the very helpful Bassthing68/BT68/Thumper who can now be found on Finnbass was very nice and stamped 4 holes in a Badass II of mine to enable it to be used with through body stringing.

If you contact him via Finnbass he may be able to help.

[dub_junkie]

I really liked the rolled over fingerboard edges and neat fretwork on the 2 american series basses I owned.dead comfy,
when they were set up properly they were both outstanding players

[BigBeefChief]

I've A/B'd a USA and a MIM Jazz together to prove the point that there is very little difference and that the USA was overpriced.

Not for the first time, I was proven totally wrong. I hate being conformist, but I loved the USA Jazz so much I went out a bought one. Damn Leo Fender and his amazingly playable but overly common designs!

I even love the S1 switching. Not sure why they've been removed on the new USA Jazz. I don't think anyone could argue that it doesn't give you another option.

[OutToPlayJazz]

Yes, I love the deep punch with the pickups in parallel setting! It was real surprise, as all the USAs I'd played in the last few months had been truly awful, so it's been great to find a really great quality one. Quality & fit/finish is on a par with the Geddy.

Why did the Geddy have to go? Well, no matter what I did or who tried to set it up, it never gave the sound/output I was looking for from a jazz & the neck flex was truly terrible! Lovely fast neck to play, but so thin that it was forever changing shape & profile with the seasons. Additional note... If you lean backwards on stage while playing a Geddy, you raise the pitch of the whole bass by a quarter-tone just with the neck flexing!

Pictures will be added to the original post as soon as I'm at home for long enough. Doing a week of Spend Spend Spend on my cello, so working even more hours than usual!

BTW, just got a call from Dawn at Status... Need to do another trip to Colchester to pick up my new KingBass in the next couple of weeks )

[KevB]

Re putting a badass III on a USA Jazz, very easy though not sure on mine if it made a massive difference to either tone or sustain. It sounded pretty good as it was but a cheap BAIII came up on ebay so I put one on.
Before

After

Only slight negative thing is as I've not been playing regularly recently I've noticed the S1 button starting to stick - any recommended solvents/lubricants anyone? i think its just the spring loaded mechanism that's sticking but don't want to start dismantling it yet.

Edited February 22, 2008 by KevB

[OutToPlayJazz]

Pics now added:)