Fender Jazz Bass Special

[t_080_t]

Good evening,

I have always been interested in the Japanese made Fender Jazz Bass Specials. If anyone has one or has had any experiences with them i would really appreciate any information, reviews on them.

To be honest i am just attracted to them in cosmetically, i just love the black headstock and like the idea of PJ pickup configuration. The only thing that puts me off it is the fact it has no pickguard, does anyone know if their bodies are standard size and if the holes can be put in them so that a normal Fender pickguard can be put on them?

I have always dreamed of buying one, cleaning it up and then spraying it black and putting a tortoise shell pickguard on it, i imagine you will either love or hate the idea!

But would really appreciate any information on such bass

Cheers

[wez]

[attachment=83901:DSC_4700.JPG]

This is my '87 power jazz bass special (active pups). Been doing some research on it as i didn't know a lot about it despite having one for over 20 years! The body is basswood, the neck on mine is Tri-laminated maple, graphite with rosewood fretboard (no graphite on the non active specials as far as i'm aware). Carbon graphite nut, 34'' scale length, 20 frets on jazz bass, 22 on power jazz bass. Standard fender tuning pegs, 3 position selector, 2 volume and tbx tone control. Gotta say i love it, lots of different sounds possible from the P/J pickup config. These are going for about £500 +. The body is precision in shape so not sure about pickguards personally i would leave it off.

Couple of links for u
[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1987-FENDER-POWER-JAZZ-BASS-SPECIAL-ELECTRIC-GUITAR-MIJ-/290533159857"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1987-FENDER-POWER-JA...J-/290533159857[/url]

Owners manual
[url="http://www.fender.com/en-GB/support/articles.php?section=downloads&category=product-manuals"]http://www.fender.com/en-GB/support/articl...product-manuals[/url]

Edited July 3, 2011 by wez

[Paul S]

I also have a mid 80s Power Jazz Special - which is not really what you are asking about but I guess everything about the build quality etc will be the same - simply phenomenal. I love it to bits. HUGE rock sound - when played active or passive there is a grittiness to it that really blasts out. I found the tbx control a little odd to start with but there is a sweet spot in there that just sounds like nothing else I have played. If you know the start of Black Country by Black Country Communion that is exactly what it can sound like. Great slim neck - narrow AND shallow. Mine is pearl white with black headstock and hardware - the lack of scratch plate I find more attractive than if it had one. Comparatively lightweight, I think under 9lbs, and felt comfy from the moment I put it on.

[swanbrook]

I have an 83 one I think, I can't remember theexact year I bought it. Back in the day we where on many a tour together
I really do love this bass and a friend of mine has it to record his album as he also just love it. These days I normally play five string so I don't use it much

The body is more of a p bass than a jazz so you would need a p shape guard. I have no idea if one would even fit as I have never measured it. But u should pick one up for a few hundred quid these days.

Oh yeah over the last 20 odd years the colour have gone into the most amazing deep pearl I have ever seen. It would really be a shame to paint it

D

[Dood]

Strange, I could have sworn I typed a reply about my PJBS on a thread like this one! I have one in red (it's the 'Power' active model) and love it. Mine is well used, I bought it off eBay US years ago, but it's neck and frets are in superb nick and it plays like a dream. I'm toying with a pick up upgrade, but I actually really like the sound and worried that I'll spoil or lose that character even though I'd be gaining another.