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Fender Geddy Lee Jazz bass- your thoughts please


Old Horse Murphy
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GL Signature is a damn great bass, i had one of those basses and still regret that i sold it. If you think about Geddy Lee i think the best idea is to try one first as neck on these basses are really thin, maybe the thinnest Jazz neck ever. It might be a good and comfortable but not for everyone. But on the other side, if you buy one used and it will be not in your taste then you can sell it for the same price. Oh, and one think i dont like in these basses are the truss rod adjustment.

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I had one a couple of years back. Loved it, but sold it and bought a Ric.

Now I've got another, and the Ric is gone! I've never been a big Jazz man, had a CV in the meantime.

Just find the Ged has a quality all of it's own. Just get something from playing it that I've never replicated in any other bass.

I'm a big fan of Ged as well, love the way his Jazz cuts right through the mix.

Had a black one first, now got the sunburst which looks absolutely gorgeous! Bought the latest one 2nd hand - it was a local guy who was selling on E-bay, so got to see it before I paid. Only a few months old with a pro set-up.....good deal and a great bass.

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Never played one but ive read many times the neck is very thin. In my book thats a good thing bu tive read a few people didnt like the bass because of this.
I believe they are made in (or crafted in) Japan so should be pretty good quality.

Damn, now im going to go looking at them :-(

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I just sold one! The necks are great and the sunburst ones look fantastic. I bought mine about 4 years ago and the neck was so, so easy to zip around on it rejuvenated my love of playing.The sound is quite twangy for a jazz compared to my old 62 reissue and my japanese Squier. I put this down to the ULTRA THIN maple neck.
One problem I did have is that although I could always adjust the action to be very low, thanks to the badass bridge, which made it a dream to play, the neck is very sensitive to temperature changes and sometimes I would find that a bass which played fantastically at home ended up unplayable when I got to the venue because the neck had shifted by the time I got there.
For that reason I never set the action too low just in case I got a nasty surprise at the gig when I plugged it in and started to play.

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[quote name='gjones' post='1343768' date='Aug 17 2011, 10:25 PM']I just sold one! The necks are great and the sunburst ones look fantastic. I bought mine about 4 years ago and the neck was so, so easy to zip around on it rejuvenated my love of playing.The sound is quite twangy for a jazz compared to my old 62 reissue and my japanese Squier. I put this down to the ULTRA THIN maple neck.
One problem I did have is that although I could always adjust the action to be very low, thanks to the badass bridge, which made it a dream to play, the neck is very sensitive to temperature changes and sometimes I would find that a bass which played fantastically at home ended up unplayable when I got to the venue because the neck had shifted by the time I got there.
For that reason I never set the action too low just in case I got a nasty surprise at the gig when I plugged it in and started to play.[/quote]


Agree with this wholeheartedly. I also owned the marcus and LOVED it, not a fan of the looks, and always felt a bit gutted it was so close but couldnt look like a dream bass of mine (a 75ri in natural ash) But i felt it sounded and played better and was easier to live with than the prettier Geddy.

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:)

I've never had a problem with the neck on mine, I set it up for a low action when I first bought it 3 years ago and I've only had to readjust it once again due to a change on tuning and string gauges, it's now tuned down to C# and it holds it really well.
It's been my main bass since then, they are great! Edited by PauBass
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Hi Nick
Had one for a while - I think it was in Creative Control when I met you when you did the Lakland trade with Carl about a year/eighteen months ago.

I found it nice, lightweight, super-fast neck, nice balance, responsive and ultimately great sound (albeit touching the shrill at times). The only thing I didn't like was the white scatchplate, which I changed for a single ply black one. I'm a little disapponited that Fender did a sunburst version...I think a red one Geddy Lee uses looks hotter.

I moved it on to finance a Thunderbird, but I think, funds permitting, I might try and pick up another one at some stage.

Best
Paul

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[quote name='Old Horse Murphy' post='1343201' date='Aug 17 2011, 02:54 PM']I'm currently looking to trade a Fender 51 Reissue P Bass for a Fender Jazz and have been advised to look at the Fender Geddy Lee in my search.

I don't know much about them but would be keen to hear some opinions about them :)[/quote]

Hi Nick,
I've never played a GL jazz bass but I read that Geddy recently had the neck of his original 70s JB replaced with one from the standard GL so it must be good. I have played a Marcus Miller and it sounds fantastic and is an extremely good instrument to play - but it looks a little eccentric for me...
Rob.

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  • 1 month later...

[quote name='PauBass' timestamp='1313658762' post='1344104']


I've never had a problem with the neck on mine, I set it up for a low action when I first bought it 3 years ago and I've only had to readjust it once again due to a change on tuning and string gauges, it's now tuned down to C# and it holds it really well.
It's been my main bass since then, they are great!
[/quote]

hey there... i tune to drop B (C#standard then drop the :) and i've had issues with the thing staying perfectly in tune, but i do have FAT gauge strings... I've had it setup recently and the action is really low. basically I LOVE this bass and will likely never swap/sell it. it's totally hefty sound and the neck is awesome. but Im wondering about changing the tuners to something that'll LOCK in tight. im sure the heavy gauge, tension and my heavy fingers are unwinding the pegs... it's not a nightmare, just needs a re-check after every 2 live tunes, but it'd be nice if it stayed in tune.

btw, at normal tuning/gauge im sure this wouldnt be a problem... im not really using it for what it was designed for, but there ye go, we like it Heavy!!! :)

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[quote name='Chest Rockwell' timestamp='1316779265' post='1382724']

hey there... i tune to drop B (C#standard then drop the :) and i've had issues with the thing staying perfectly in tune, but i do have FAT gauge strings... I've had it setup recently and the action is really low. basically I LOVE this bass and will likely never swap/sell it. it's totally hefty sound and the neck is awesome. but Im wondering about changing the tuners to something that'll LOCK in tight. im sure the heavy gauge, tension and my heavy fingers are unwinding the pegs... it's not a nightmare, just needs a re-check after every 2 live tunes, but it'd be nice if it stayed in tune.

btw, at normal tuning/gauge im sure this wouldnt be a problem... im not really using it for what it was designed for, but there ye go, we like it Heavy!!! :)
[/quote]

I have Hipshots Ultralite on mine and the bass stays in tune all the time.

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