American Deluxe Jazz V

[CamdenRob]

Anyone have an American Deluxe Jazz Bass V in natural with the black scratchplate?

I've never been a Fender man in my life, always been a coffee table bass kinda guy but man these are good looking... I've attempted to post an image below but I'm not sure if it'll work.

[attachment=136885:5.png]

Does anyone have one of these (or the 4-string version) in this finish. How does it play? How does it sound compared to a conventional Jazz?

Rob

[Edit] Evidently the picture worked but has ended up really small... Sadly I lack the skills to make it bigger...

Edited June 14, 2013 by CamdenRob

[Dingus]

Hi Rob , I don't own one of these , but I have played a four string one . They are indeed nice looking basses , but I wasn't that impressed with certain aspects of them . They have got all the conventional Jazz Bass sounds you would expect and you can swith the bass into passive mode for that , and the preamp helps give you the characteristic active Jazz Bass sounds that are a bit more modern - sounding and very fashionable nowadays . However , I wasn't that impressed overall particulaly with the electronics in this particular model . The preamp isn't at all impressive - sounding compared to some of the better ones I have heard and the electronic shielding doesn't seem to to be very good or effective either . The pickups are also not particulaly inspiring . My own personal opinion would be that you would get a much better final result for similar money by buying a post 2012 American Standard bass with the excellent Custom Shop pickups and using an external preamp such as the ones available from Aguilar , Sadowsky or MXR , or adding something like an onboard East J Retro preamp .

Edited June 14, 2013 by Dingus

[CamdenRob]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1371220730' post='2111390']
Hi Rob , I don't own one of these , but I have played a four string one . They are indeed nice looking basses , but I wasn't that impressed with certain aspects of them . They have got all the conventional Jazz Bass sounds you would expect and you can swith the bass into passive mode for that , and the preamp helps give you the characteristic active Jazz Bass sounds that are a bit more modern - sounding and very fashionable nowadays . However , I wasn't that impressed overall particulaly with the electronics in this particular model . The preamp isn't at all impressive - sounding compared to some of the better ones I have heard and the electronic shielding doesn't seem to to be very good or effective either . The pickups are also not particulaly inspiring . My own personal opinion would be that you would get a much better final result for similar money by buying a post 2012 American Standard bass with the excellent Custom Shop pickups and using an external preamp such as the ones available from Aguilar , Sadowsky or MXR , or adding something like an onboard East J Retro preamp .
[/quote]

Ah thats a shame... Its kind of why I asked the question though. I've been down the road of "wow that looks amazing I must have it" only to feel slightly let down once the shiney new bass feeling wears off.

I have seen quite a few options for pickups / preamps in other peoples threads, seems to be no end to the modification options with Jazz basses.

Rob

[Dingus]

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1371221370' post='2111402']
Ah thats a shame... Its kind of why I asked the question though. I've been down the road of "wow that looks amazing I must have it" only to feel slightly let down once the shiney new bass feeling wears off.

I have seen quite a few options for pickups / preamps in other peoples threads, seems to be no end to the modification options with Jazz basses.

Rob
[/quote]

If you are in London then see if you can get to try one of these yourself and see what you think . Don't let me put you off , but listen to how much the bass gives of an electronic hum through the amp . Apparently , some examples are better shielded better than others , so it can be a bit hit and miss . For around what these basses cost there are[i] a lot [/i]of options when it comes to active Jazz Basses , especially if you consider used basses . Something like a Sadowsky Metro would most likely be a better bass all round than one of these and that is where my money would go if I was after that active Jazz Bass sound . They often have them in stock at The Gallery in Camden if you want to try one and compare it to the Fender I am a sucker for blocks and binding on a Jazz Bass myself , but cosmetics are no substitute for sound and playability in my experience .

[CamdenRob]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1371222185' post='2111410']
If you are in London then see if you can get to try one of these yourself and see what you think . Don't let me put you off , but listen to how much the bass gives of an electronic hum through the amp . Apparently , some examples are better shielded better than others , so it can be a bit hit and miss . For around what these basses cost there are[i] a lot [/i]of options when it comes to active Jazz Basses , especially if you consider used basses . Something like a Sadowsky Metro would most likely be a better bass all round than one of these and that is where my money would go if I was after that active Jazz Bass sound . They often have them in stock at The Gallery in Camden if you want to try one and compare it to the Fender I am a sucker for blocks and binding on a Jazz Bass myself , but cosmetics are no substitute for sound and playability in my experience .
[/quote]

Yeah there is no substitute for trying them out obviously. I live about 100 yards from the gallery but I've banned myself from going in until they've sold this Nordstrand sixer they have in there... I've walked past it twice and managed not to buy it a third time I might not be so lucky.

I've thought about Sadowsky and looked at some Sandbergs too. The whole Jazz bass design is somthing I've only recently grown to appreciate and it's opened up a whole new angle on what I look for in a bass.

Thanks for your advice

Rob