AndyTravis Posted October 19, 2012 Posted October 19, 2012 Took a delivery of new Fender Basses in work today... Delivery Note Says... 'Marcus Miller Natural MN' - Nice to see one back, been a while I thought (about a Month) A 'Made In Mexico' box arrives. "What's this?!?!" I opened it up, and i'm so overly impressed I had to show you. Having Owned a Marcus Miller Jazz for 4/5 Years, and Having sold them in a shop for 10, I think I know what I like, and Dislike aboput the original 1998-2011/12 MIJ model... Action, Fit and Finish are Flawless - Equal to the MIJ stuff we see. Weight - This particular one is 9lbs whereas the last 5/6 Japanese ones have been well over 10lbs, my 2004 one was about 9.5lbs. The 3 piece pickguard is gone...All one piece now - Looks wicked. Now an 18v (!) Circuit...Battery Compartment Round the back for quick changes - Massive flaw on the original in my opnion, little screws to change a battery, not cool. Headstock remains fairly similar. The serial number is round the back now, so the front looks a lot cleaner. I've regretted selling mine a couple of years ago, as it was a great example of the MIJ ones. I think I'm sorely tempted... Will have a play and see how it sounds and report back. Pics are phone pics... Trav x Quote
AndyTravis Posted October 19, 2012 Author Posted October 19, 2012 OOOOH! Loads better. Not harsh sounding, sounds a lot closer to 'that' sound. Also, Passive is true passive, took the bastteries out, and it works just fine. GAH! Tempted! Same Price as the last 4/5 We've had in, but to my mind a much better all rounder. Can I afford this...er. Quote
RichF Posted October 19, 2012 Posted October 19, 2012 All improvements on the original CIJ model. I love mine especially with the John East fitted but preferring to swap out pre shows that there was scope for improvement. I am delighted to hear that the fitting and finish is good cause my Japanese one is exceptional. Quote
Ghost_Bass Posted October 19, 2012 Posted October 19, 2012 I know it's a signature model and has to look like the original but i've always hated that pickguard, it would have been nice to reshape it now that there's no need for that extra chunck of plastic to cover the battery! Does Marcus personal basses really have the battery front loaded? I don't think so, even knowing for sure that his roadies probably use new batterys for each gig it would be a PITA to have to unscrew and screw back the plastic cover every time and the threads on the wood would start to become loose with time! Anybody has any insight on this? Just out of curiosity. Quote
Ghost_Bass Posted October 19, 2012 Posted October 19, 2012 Andy, do you know if it will come out as a 5er also? Quote
RichF Posted October 19, 2012 Posted October 19, 2012 Sadowsky always indicates some regret on how he modded MM's jazz - he created the infamous plate to cover that he had routed on the front. I always assumed that included the battery compartment? Quote
AndyTravis Posted October 19, 2012 Author Posted October 19, 2012 [quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1350638791' post='1841490'] Does Marcus personal basses really have the battery front loaded? I don't think so, even knowing for sure that his roadies probably use new batterys for each gig it would be a PITA to have to unscrew and screw back the plastic cover every time and the threads on the wood would start to become loose with time! Anybody has any insight on this? Just out of curiosity. [/quote] Not sure on his personal bass. The MIJ basses battery compartment was secured with small bolts. They had threaded brass inserts in the body to stop the wood splitting/threading issue. [quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1350639183' post='1841496'] Andy, do you know if it will come out as a 5er also? [/quote] Still the USA model as far as i'm aware. Quote
AndyTravis Posted October 19, 2012 Author Posted October 19, 2012 (edited) As a point, there was a small run of Custom shop Marcus Miller basses (about £5000 IIRC) and the features/changes/improvements from that bass are what's seen on this new version. I'm rarely 'wowwed' by stuff, but having sold my MM when the 2010 deluxe's came out with a view to buying one, I'm sort of glad I hadn't made the jump so far, as all the things I found myself frustrated with on mine are now addressed. EDIT - Just spotted the two chrome knobs are now flat headed Telecaster/P-Bass knobs as opposed to the 'dome' topped knobs on the old version... Edited October 19, 2012 by AndyTravis Quote
AndyTravis Posted October 19, 2012 Author Posted October 19, 2012 Headstock looks loads better actually. Quote
Ghost_Bass Posted October 19, 2012 Posted October 19, 2012 [quote name='AndyTravis' timestamp='1350639652' post='1841514'] They had threaded brass inserts in the body to stop the wood splitting/threading issue. [/quote] Good news, a lesser evil. Post more pics! [size=3]( I really shouldn't be GASing on a bass today... i have a Sandberg California VM-5 on my car's boot that i just picked up from the post office... Am i a sick person? )[/size] Quote
AndyTravis Posted October 19, 2012 Author Posted October 19, 2012 Ive been sent home from work today. Had a sinus infection for 3/4 days, and it's slowly but surely shifting with antibiotics. The Miller MK2 looks all in all the same as the previous model with few minor cosmetic changes. They just seem to have improved it functionally. It always has been a fantastic version of the Jazz Bass, but this pushes it over and above; this removes some of the fairly minor objections some people may have had. Quote
Doddy Posted October 19, 2012 Posted October 19, 2012 [quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1350638791' post='1841490'] Does Marcus personal basses really have the battery front loaded? I don't think so, even knowing for sure that his roadies probably use new batterys for each gig it would be a PITA to have to unscrew and screw back the plastic cover every time and the threads on the wood would start to become loose with time! Anybody has any insight on this? Just out of curiosity. [/quote] Yes it does. Check out pictures of Marcus' original '77 Jazz-there is no routing on the back of the bass,and the battery compartment is in the same place as in the Japanese signature model. I'm not sure about his current Custom Shop models (he doesn't tour the '77 much anymore) though. Quote
MacDaddy Posted October 19, 2012 Posted October 19, 2012 [quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1350645076' post='1841630'] Post more pics! [/quote] this Quote
Fat Rich Posted October 19, 2012 Posted October 19, 2012 The original Japanese Marcus Miller bass is a great bass, apart from the preamp which makes the bass sound less Marcus than running passive. Glad to hear they've improved it. Quote
ML94 Posted October 19, 2012 Posted October 19, 2012 When I had mine it had a massive shielding problem. Everytime I rolled it onto the bridge pickup, Bang! Noise comes through the amp like crazy. Did anyone else have this problem or am I the only one? Quote
risingson Posted October 19, 2012 Posted October 19, 2012 If a 5 string comes out I'm on this like white on rice. Quote
skej21 Posted October 19, 2012 Posted October 19, 2012 (edited) The Mexican stuff is getting really good these days. We took delivery of an FSR strat today. £699 and it has a full hardcase, the same pickups as the 2011 USA standard Strats and a nitrocellulose finish! It's unreal that they can create an instrument with such high spec at such a low retail price and back it up with such good QC. Bravo Mexican fender workers, bravo. Edited October 19, 2012 by skej21 Quote
AndyTravis Posted October 19, 2012 Author Posted October 19, 2012 I'm just weighing up how to afford it. I really was bowled over today. Quote
afterimage Posted October 19, 2012 Posted October 19, 2012 Quality control must be. Well better. Now Quote
AndyTravis Posted October 19, 2012 Author Posted October 19, 2012 I've owned a fair few MIM basses, and about 6 MIJ Fenders and they've been evenly matched. The recent stuff is ace though, and this miller proves that point. Quote
bigsmokebass Posted October 20, 2012 Posted October 20, 2012 I don't get it, there's a fender Marcus Miller MKII out but I haven't seen anything "official" on the net???? :-S If there is, can someone send me the link, please? BSB Quote
such Posted October 20, 2012 Posted October 20, 2012 I guess they just moved production from Japan to Mexico and didn't bother announcing this fact, or the upgrades. Quote
AndyTravis Posted October 20, 2012 Author Posted October 20, 2012 [quote name='such' timestamp='1350725212' post='1842645'] I guess they just moved production from Japan to Mexico and didn't bother announcing this fact, or the upgrades. [/quote] I'd go with this too. The MIJ stuff really suffers from poor supply, so stuff like the Geddy and Miller which are really healthy sellers take much longer than we'd like to be replenished. The Mexico factory really seems to be able to give healthy supply, and recently has been able to keep quality right up there. If being made in Mexico means better spec and same price, then I'm happy. The MK2 designation isn't an 'official' thing, just me indicating that the bass has been the same since 1998. Wonder if Geddy Lee MIM's are next... Quote
Fat Rich Posted October 20, 2012 Posted October 20, 2012 [quote name='AndyTravis' timestamp='1350730863' post='1842758'] ...... Wonder if Geddy Lee MIM's are next... [/quote] Thought I read somewhere on Basschat that they are MIM now? Or maybe I dreamed it. Quote
Doddy Posted October 20, 2012 Posted October 20, 2012 [quote name='AndyTravis' timestamp='1350730863' post='1842758'] Wonder if Geddy Lee MIM's are next... [/quote] They are. Quote
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