Fender Jazz Owners Club

[Hamster]

Well, not really!

I've played bass for a fair few years now and I've always avoided the 'stereotypical' Fender Jazz (and Precision) basses as I wanted to be 'different.'

I finally took the plunge a couple of weeks ago and bought my first Fender Jazz bass.

It's passive, Mexican, black and it's just 'right.'

Bog standard, and 'out of the box' with cheap strings it just works.

A terrific range of tones from the 'non-custom' pickups.

The 'non-birdseye quarter-sawn maple' neck is great for my smaller hands.

The bog standard tuners actually do tune.

I don't know what wood the body is made of, but nothing's fallen off it yet

Because the neck is easier for my fingers I now play better.

I'm now really enjoying the simple pleasures of life!

Nice!

[the boy]

Amen to that brother.

[gjones]

It took me 25 years to pick up a Jazz Bass for exactly the same reason. I've had 3 over the last 4 years.

You live and learn.

[JakeFoordBass]

[quote name='the boy' timestamp='1324276396' post='1472403']
Amen to that brother.
[/quote]

+1

[obbm]

Another convert here. I've had many different basses over the years, 4 and 5 string, Musicman, Lakland, Status, Shuker, ACG, Godin but the basses that currently feel, look and sound right are a '96 Jap Jazz and a 2010 Geddy Lee. If I'd have bought a Jazz instead of a Precision when I started playing again 20 odd years ago I'd have saved myself a small fortune.

[jjay69]

[quote]It took me 25 years to pick up a Jazz Bass for exactly the same reason[/quote]

Ditto, (breathes, sighs, relieved, content - for now)

[Dom in Dorset]

I recently got a US standard , it's a delight to play.
We gigged on friday night, I tuned up before the hour long first set , played the set and put it straight in the case. got it out for the second set , plugged in the tuner ... still bang on.
I'm still trying to find "my sound" , it's there but there are so many variables I just need to experiment.

[dmccombe7]

I always end up using my Jazz in the end. I try other basses and yet the Jazz is so simple and easy to play.
Yes it's limited in tonal range compared to active basses but sometimes that's all you want. Simplicity.

Dave

[ROConnell]

Welcome to the club.

[deanovw]

Same here. I have tried a few different basses over the years but always come back to a bog standard Jazz bass.

[King Tut]

I always ALWAYS come back to my MIJ bitsa Jazz - I know this is silly but I got 5 Jazzes at the moment and another in bits waiting parts - sad or what?!

[BottomE]

Yep, done the exotics, actives, 5 strings etc etc

The Jazz bass is the one that gets the call. Its just works. Always sits in the mix beautifully, back PuP for a (tiny) bit of soloing. Job done.

(Also a recent P Bass convert too )

[mckendrick]

Good stuff.

When I was knee-high to a kick start I always wanted a Jazz Bass, don't know why, they just looked slicker than snot somehow.

Could never afford a proper one, but itching to play my first bass became an Ibanez EB-3 copy - a very good instrument it was too and saw me through to my first Jazz Bass which I acquired in 1973.

I've always had Jazzes ever since. I'm not a snob (right!)..., I've gone out of my way loads of times over the years and tried s***loads of other basses, both rank-and-file and exotic, yet although I've been through a few other makes and models, it dawned on me just recently that I've [i][b]never ever[/b][/i] played a gig in all of 39 years where me weapon of choice has been anything other than one of me trusty Jazz Basses.

Just saying, like.



Just two of many....

[peteb]

Just to be awkward…..

I’ve recently got a Fender Jazz – lake placid blue, RW, white pickguard – beautiful looking bass but I couldn’t get on with it, either the sound or playing wise

It went to Jon Shuker for some work and came back with a severe fret dressing and new Seymour Duncan pickups / active circuit! Sounds great now and plays hell of a lot better………

[Cairobill]

Jazz basses all the way. Apart from a rickenbacker, but that's a whole other story!

[Dom in Dorset]

Update on finding my sound: I couldn't quite get the ooomph out of my Jazz, I'd fiddled with amp settings, the knobs on the bass etc. Sometimes it would sound great at home , but with the band it would fade away or just sound ropey.
A new set of D'addario nickel strings and the bass has twice the output, twice as much bass, twice as much trebble and 99% more va va voom.
Best £18 I ever spent.

[ahpook]

my japanese '86 jazz is still my favourite bass, hands down. it's badass-ed and has SD pickups in, but it's the weight and feel that do it for me.

jazzes are the nazzest.

[leonshelley01]

Always wanted a Precision, went in to get an MIA P, came out with a MIM Jazz. Nicest bass in the shop, comfortable to play and great tone. Now I have 2 (and a P!) but I always come back to that first Jazz 90% of the time.

[Cat Burrito]

I'm a bit of a convert too. As a lifelong P-bass player I did have a phase briefly around 1995 that didn't work out so I reverted back to the Precision. I then bought a 70s bitsa Fender Jazz just over a year ago and it's been my mainstay live bass since May this year. I've not gigged with anything else
.

[Geek99]

I have a CIJ export 62 reissue - i always wanted a sunburst one and I bought this one from OldGit back in 2008. I really wanted one with pearloid blocks but this was at a good price. I like it because it has a nice slim (and narrow) neck and I couldnt get on with P basses for this reason. Some kind soul put old style anti clockwise elephant ear tuners on before I got it.

I upgraded it with a tort plate and some split coil humbuckers from matte_black as the original coils were so noisy.
In series they give a nice fat sound.

Pantherairsoft has tried it.

Edited December 23, 2011 by Geek99

[bridge]

Love my Jazz, (2003 MIM) perfect set up, easy play, however, using swing bass 66 stainless at present, good strings, but die quickly, not to much problem there, as I like the "Dead sound" but open to suggestions (clean ones please!) also considering fitting a set of wizzard pups after reading post on here.

[thumperbob 2002]

attachment=95769:DSC05218.jpg]

Just got this last week from a member on this very forum. Always had Jazz basses since the 70s at one time or another but went into stingrays, Warwicks ( presently have a Thumb NT 5 ) Also have a Low End Jazz 5 which is an amazing bass and has been my giging bass for over two years. Loads of others.

However I used the Jazz bass which is a CIJ 75 reissue last night at one of our main gigs. 7 piece soul band- brass- all the old favourites etc.

Through my Bass Pod XT Live this bass just sounded awesome- really old school - warm tone. Lots of compliments. Always felt that Jazz basses sounded slightly ordinary solo but in a band setting they work so well. Had to think on my feet from time to time as I have been a 5 string player but I do feel that a four and specifically a jazz is so small and so easy to play it is like you are totally in control of the instrument. They look great too.[

[Oopsdabassist]

love my MIM Jazz, just feels a bit heavy compared to the Yamaha though.

[ficelles]

'89 Jap Jazz, natural wood, rosewood board, defret, mine since '07. Currently the only bass guitar I own since I play mostly EUB.

ficelles

[Grand Wazoo]

I've found my own heavenly Jazz in a 2011 American Standard Jazz 3-tone sunburst with maple fingerboard. The search for the best Jazz ended for me with this gorgeous one

[IMG]http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r200/xt660/aa9c9261.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r200/xt660/509fd0b8.jpg[/IMG]