bubinga5 Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 A thing just occured to me.... An MIJ 75 RI non export (like mine) is prob worth around 600/700 max... then i see people selling there MM Jazz for as much as 1000... My Jazz has USA pickups, while the MM has japan pickups... i really cant see how the Miller is worth so much more.. i actually think a non export 75 MIJ is a better bass... no bitterness here,...just sayin.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjb Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 The Marcus Miller bass also has horrible pickups, and I believe the preamp costs Fender something like 50 cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 1000 for a miller is delusional. Jap 62 jazz and an East preamp wold be my choice. If I didn't already have a Sandberg that craps all over fender build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted April 9, 2012 Author Share Posted April 9, 2012 1000 being the highest ive seen... but i see them being sould secondhand for 800... ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Wazoo Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 Can I add that I can get a Miller sound out of my bog standard, no preamp, American Standard Jazz with no effects and straight through a Mark Bass Little Mark Tube 500W amp (the other thing I reckon that also helps me getting such a close sound to that of Marcus must be the maple fingerboard) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daz Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 (edited) [size=4]Marcus said that his bass is made from mainly Ash, but [i]several[/i] different woods.[/size] [size=4]Millers own one has a [font=Verdana]Bartollini installed by Roger Sadowsky. So your saying that the Fender made ones don't ??[/font][/size] [size=4][font=Verdana]He plays the UK in May [/font][/size] [size=4][font=Verdana][size=2][url="http://www.marcusmiller.com/tour_entry.html?tourid=764"][color=#000000][b]London, UK[/b][/color][/url][/size][/font][/size] [size=4][font=Verdana][size=2]May 4, 2012[/size] [/font][/size] [size=4][font=Verdana] [/font][/size] [size=4][font=Verdana][size=2][url="http://www.marcusmiller.com/tour_entry.html?tourid=789"][color=#000000][b]Cheltenham, UK[/b][/color][/url][/size][/font][/size] [size=4][font=Verdana][color=#000000][size=2]May 5, 2012[/size] [/color][/font][/size] [size=4][font=Verdana][color=#000000] [/color][/font][/size] [size=4][font=Verdana][size=2][url="http://www.marcusmiller.com/tour_entry.html?tourid=763"][color=#000000][b]Manchester, UK[/b][/color][/url][/size][/font][/size] [size=4][font=Verdana][size=2]May 6, 2012[/size] [/font][/size] Edited April 9, 2012 by daz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjb Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 The Marcus bass is well made though. Shame about the ugly pickguard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daz Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 (edited) I remember when I first started thinking about getting a bass. I saw a Bacchus Marcus Miller Bass from Japan on ebay going for £450. If I knew then what I knew now id have snaffled it. Always worried about buying abroad though. Edited April 9, 2012 by daz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machines Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 I know I want one but wouldn't pay the premium for the name. I actually like to pick guard addition too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floyd Pepper Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 Well, I think my sunburst MM Jazz is worth every penny but I do admit to it being one of the most fluctuating prices (new and used) over the past few years. I upgraded the preamp to a John East Marcus Retro which I'm really pleased with. So much so that I decided to sell my Olympic White one which I had a Bartolini TCT (the one that Marcus has installed). Pricing has been difficult to judge but I've advertised it for £795 so we will see how the market accepts that.????. Saying that, I paid the same price for my current used MM (bought last year) as I did for my first (new) ash one in 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreeneKing Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 (edited) Many Jazzes have come and gone in GreeneKing towers, including 2 Marcus Miller 4's and a Sadowsky. My present Fender is a 87 CIJ 'Jazz Power Special' and is indeed a bit special. Not only is it a 'mid focused' Jazz (lower mids is where I kinda get off) I've enhanced the sonics further by adding a Wizard Thumper (yes it's a reversed P/J) and an '84' at the bridge. A Babitz bridge and a U-Retro modified by John East make the bass tonally awesome. The U-Retro now has a 3 way switch like the original. If I put the blend knob to the bridge pup the switch gives me instant and switchable thump/jazz/barp that's so useful when gigging. The blend works too and the pup switch is fully 3 way functional in passive. This is as a black bass with a carbon reinforced neck with the carbon weave extending across the headstock. If only all Fenders were as good as this. Vs a MM it's a league apart in my opinion. I do like MM's but the original pre can be a flawed beast. Edited April 9, 2012 by GreeneKing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjb Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 I do like the Olympic white ones a lot. Like I said earlier, they are well made. If you spend a bit extra and upgrade the pre and maybe the pickups then you'll have a really nice bass. One thing to bare in mind though. Say you paid £800 for a used bass, plus another £150 on an improved pre, that's not far off what you'd pay for a used Sadowsky, which is a far better instrument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichF Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 (edited) i have noticed the price sneak up. I love my MM4 with an East and it's the best jazz i've owned but i haven't owned or played that many. Great neck, good build, nice weight etc. bought off Gaf from BC. If I were to sell my East loaded one I would be thinking about £750-800, which probably values the bass itself at £650-700. Edited April 9, 2012 by RichF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cairobill Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 My one experience with the Miller sig (MIJ) bass was a let down. It felt rough and sounded thin and weedy. It could have been that particular bass but it lost against the lakland J, Lak DJ and US Fender. A disappointment. The MIA 75RI however, is an amazing j bass and I wish I had never sold mine. Anyone got a light one with no neck dive for sale? Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 [quote name='Cairobill' timestamp='1334011187' post='1609772'] My one experience with the Miller sig (MIJ) bass was a let down. It felt rough and sounded thin and weedy. It could have been that particular bass but it lost against the lakland J, Lak DJ and US Fender. A disappointment. The MIA 75RI however, is an amazing j bass and I wish I had never sold mine. Anyone got a light one with no neck dive for sale? Nick [/quote] +1 on the MIA 75RI- one of the few times I've played a bass in a shop and *almost* just forgot the price and gave them my credit card. Kinda glad I didn't but it was a good bass. Actually the MIA FSR 70's ri I actually bought was even better- all the goodness of the '75ri an alder body s a bit beefier tone mmmm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 So, in answer to the OP - it would seem that nobody knows!! Ugly plate for sure. Are they really £200 better than a Geddy Lee? The GL has US pickups I believe... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 Yes, but... [i]Marcus![/i] Obviously a MM Jazz is going to cost more! It's practically guaranteed that you will immediately be able to play like Marcus and your 'tone' will be indistinguishable from his! And a Geddy Lee will make your nose a funny shape while you bang on about 'currents flowing and circuits blowing' or some such load. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikegatward Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 Prices for Marcus Millers seem to fluctuate greatly. six months or so back on here, there were Millers as low as £550. I remember as at the time I was torn between a MM and the Suker satinline prototype. Went for the Shuker as I figured I could get a MM just about anytime whereas the Shuker was a one off. Right choice, especially since adding the east retro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1334052845' post='1610048']And a Geddy Lee will make your nose a funny shape while you bang on about 'currents flowing and circuits blowing' or some such load. [/quote] Ah, but there are benefits too... [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOVh_C7XTHA"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOVh_C7XTHA[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 [quote name='Conan' timestamp='1334053470' post='1610065'] Ah, but there are benefits too... [/quote] '...hand your toboggan to your roadie to take back up the hill...' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1334053840' post='1610072'] '...hand your toboggan to your roadie to take back up the hill...' [/quote] Uh-oh... isn't that elitist? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LloydyG10 Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 I've had my Marcus Miller for around 5/6 years now, bought it new from a shop in Edinburgh for around £700. I agree with kjb the pre amp in to was rubbish ans the pickups were ok!! I converted the bass to straight passive, as i prefer the simplicity of a passive circuit on a bass, replaced it with on of those varitone circuits sold by Rawsound on Ebay and i replaced the pickups with an DiMarzio Ultra Jazz set. Much prefer the sounds i'm geting now and the varitone offers some nice tonal variations at the flick of a switch!!! Plus i like the pickguard, was one of hte features that drew me to the bass in the first place!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Rich Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 (edited) I hate the control plate and the stock Fender preamp is junk, I run mine passive through an old Sadowsky outboard preamp. With DR Highbeams it's instant Marcus if that's the sound you're after. It's a well built and great sounding bass and sounds much better than my ash body / maple necked '74 and '78 Jazzes which are frankly pretty disappointing by comparison and have terrible build quality. With hindsight I think I would have been better off with a Jap 75 reissue since I don't use the MM preamp plus it has a standard control plate which looks much better to me, however I got mine cheap so I shouldn't complain. Edited April 10, 2012 by Fat Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybassdoyle Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 Never actually done the MM model but have done loads of JBs over the years, often with the Marcus sound in mind. Biggest single factor for me was the maple fingerboard. The various other factors seemed to be pretty marginal to me but the maple board had quite a transformational effect given reasonable amp, cab etc. My current MM variant is my old MIM body (no idea what wood this is), maple JB stock retrofit neck with maple board plus barts and badass all run passive into an aguilar OP3 that I've built into an external stomp box so I can use it with different basses. I am now told that the only obsticle between me and Marcus is talent. I like the pickguard although I've gone t.shell myself. Front pickup cover on which I did actually find to be helpful for thumbs, not so good for fingers if you want them over the front pu. At some stage I should really come up with some ideas of my own....... As far as the MM is concerned the prices have always put me off a bit. I was wavering a couple of years back but in the end just went with my own take on it. I've heard great ones and indifferent ones since, not to the degree though where I could conclude it was a good or bad bass as such... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 [quote name='Machines' timestamp='1334004630' post='1609612'] I know I want one but wouldn't pay the premium for the name. I actually like to pick guard addition too. [/quote] Me too, I think it looks kind of cool. That said, Roger Sadowsky himself if quite embarassed by his efforts in crafting that scratchplate. He remarked about it on Talkbass, saying that if he were to take the project on for Marcus now he could switch the electrics and leave a standard looking scratchplate on the bass. At the time when he coverted Marcus' jazz bass, he wasn't so experienced in his craft and decided on extending the scratchplate to cover the extra routing he had done! On the question of the MM basses, the prices have just skyrocketed, for whatever reason. I remember when you used to be able to buy them new at Sounds Live for £679! And used ones were selling for as little as £400. That said, having played a few there and at Guitr Guitar I was never massively impressed with them. They were a fine enough jazz bass but nothing special. Maybe with some Bartolini pickups... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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