Conan Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 (edited) A beautiful example of a sought after bass! These are now made in Mexico, so the Japanese-made ones will only increase in value in the future. Get one now while they are still affordable!! Being CIJ, the routing is immaculate - so the scratchplate can be dispensed with according to taste. I like it without! (See pics below) This particular bass has been sold or traded a few times on here in the last couple of years. Links to the last two threads: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/179869-95-fender-marcus-miller-with-l500-of-upgrades-tradesale/page__p__1753965__hl__fender%20marcus%20miller__fromsearch__1#entry1753965"]http://basschat.co.u..._1#entry1753965[/url] [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/215479-gone-fender-marcus-miller-japan-with-upgrades/page__p__2288494__hl__fender%20marcus%20miller__fromsearch__1#entry2288494"]http://basschat.co.u..._1#entry2288494[/url] The bass has been listed previously as being made in 1995, but the MM signature model wasn't introduced until 1998! I e-mailed Fender, who confirmed its year of manufacture as 2005/6. It has the standard MM features - Badass II bridge, reverse-action tuners, lovely bound maple neck with pearloid block inlays, ash body, chrome neck pickup cover (currently not attached)... but this one has been upgraded with the addition of a [b][i]John East Marcus J Retro [/i][/b]preamp (widely regarded as far superior to the original Fender one), a real bone nut and a different set of pickups (again, the standard Fender ones are thought of as a bit average). The threads above refer to Seymour Duncan Antiquity IIs, but I found them a bit polite for my taste and swapped them for a set of [b][i]Wizard Hammers[/i][/b] - which are the best J pickups I've tried. There are a couple of minor dings on the neck which I have tried to show here. They are noticeable but in no way serious. There is one more just next to the jack socket but I can't get it to come out on any pictures! I have taken lots more photos but seem to have reached my upload limit... Just ask if you want more and I will e-mail them. [attachment=153024:CIMG0226.JPG][attachment=153025:CIMG0228.JPG][attachment=153026:CIMG0236.JPG][attachment=153027:CIMG0235.JPG][attachment=153029:CIMG0255.JPG][attachment=153039:CIMG0222.JPG][attachment=153040:CIMG0251.JPG][attachment=153041:CIMG0252.JPG][attachment=153042:CIMG0246.JPG] It plays beautifully and sounds incredible. The preamp offers massive amounts of cut and boost to bass, treble and middle (which is sweepable). It is the control over the mids that really gives this Jazz such enormous versatility. If I am honest though, I find the East controls a bit excessive. I spend more time fiddling with them instead of just playing the damn thing! It would be fantastic as a studio bass, but I don't do a lot of that at the moment. I think the standard VVT J controls suit my simple brain better. I have weighed it on my kitchen scales and a set of baggage scales, and although neither are massively accurate, the bass weighs around 10.5 pounds. No lightweight by any means, but due to its excellent balance I find that it feels less heavy after a three hour rehearsal than my 8.5lb MIM Standard J!! Not sure how that works! The upgrades alone are worth over £300!! Happy to consider trade offers for other basses (ideally a CIJ Geddy Lee J with cash in my direction), amps, cabs, effects, women, etc... Edited February 24, 2014 by Conan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingus Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 If this bass has got the East J Retro then that immediately improves the overall sound about three hundred percent compared to the standard Fender preamp, which is indeed rubbish,for want of a better term, by comparison to this version . Those Wizard pickups are very beefy-sounding too, and highly sought-after nowadays. GLWTS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monsterbassman Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 nice love em Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazz Bass 65 Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 [quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1390996718' post='2352021'] If this bass has got the East J Retro then that immediately improves the overall sound about three hundred percent compared to the standard Fender preamp, which is indeed rubbish,for want of a better term, by comparison to this version . Those Wizard pickups are very beefy-sounding too, and highly sought-after nowadays. GLWTS. [/quote] Agree 101% I've fitted East J-Retro kits to several of my basses including a now sold 1965 fender Jazz Bass, I also agree that the electrics on active Fenders leave much to be desired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreeneKing Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 [quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1390996718' post='2352021'] If this bass has got the East J Retro then that immediately improves the overall sound about three hundred percent compared to the standard Fender preamp, which is indeed rubbish,for want of a better term, by comparison to this version . Those Wizard pickups are very beefy-sounding too, and highly sought-after nowadays. GLWTS. [/quote] I can only confirm this 100% as this is my 3rd. One standard, okay -ish, one with Sadowsky pre onboard, great and now one with John East, utterly brilliant! Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted February 9, 2014 Author Share Posted February 9, 2014 (edited) If you wanted to buy one of these new, it would cost at least £930 (rrp £1222!). And that would be the Mexican-made version. [url="http://www.gak.co.uk/en/fender-marcus-miller-jazz-bass-natural-maple/15834"]http://www.gak.co.uk...ral-maple/15834[/url][list] [*]The East preamp would set you back another £230 (plus fitting costs, if you couldn't do it yourself). [*]A bone nut could well be over £50 (not that I've ever had one fitted myself). [*]Wizard Hammers are no longer made, and are very well thought of by many J players. They are my personal favourite J pickups. You might be able to pick up a used set for £80 if you were [b][i]very[/i][/b] lucky... [/list] So a new MIM Marcus Miller J, with similar upgrades to mine, would cost upwards of [i][b]£1320[/b][/i]. All I am asking is[size=8][b] £800[/b][/size]. [i]You[/i] do the maths!! Edited February 17, 2014 by Conan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted February 19, 2014 Author Share Posted February 19, 2014 (edited) On hold pending trade. Edited February 22, 2014 by Conan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 Gone now. Thanks for all the interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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