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What's on a par with an American Fender Jazz


The Hat
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[quote name='GrammeFriday' timestamp='1455394193' post='2978829']

In purely financial terms, yes - both cost about the same (i.e. about £1300 new). But in terms of build quality they are not on a par at all - the TT leaves the Am Standard in the dust. And the TT will be infinitely customisable - any colour combination you like, blocks, dots or plain fretboard, your choice of fingerboard wood, matched headstock if you want, etc etc etc ...
[/quote]

Fully agree.

I only sold mine because I'm only playing 5 strings now.

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FWIW I just traded in my Sandberg California TT4 for a Fender USA Jazz, and for me personally, the jazz is way more my type of bass.

Ok it's a bit heavier, the set up isn't as super fast, nor the neck as slim, but to me it sounds fatter, fuller and more like the solid bass sound in my head.

I don't think USA Fenders are a second best to Sandberg at all. I like them both, but they are different. I guess if you want a Fender, you gotta get a Fender.

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[quote name='bassbiscuits' timestamp='1455551715' post='2980107']
FWIW I just traded in my Sandberg California TT4 for a Fender USA Jazz, and for me personally, the jazz is way more my type of bass.

Ok it's a bit heavier, the set up isn't as super fast, nor the neck as slim, but to me it sounds fatter, fuller and more like the solid bass sound in my head.

I don't think USA Fenders are a second best to Sandberg at all. I like them both, but they are different. I guess if you want a Fender, you gotta get a Fender.
[/quote]

I agree with much of this. Having owned both as well, I'd still maintain that USA Fenders [i][b]are[/b][/i] most emphatically second best to Sandberg Calis in terms of build quality, playability, value for money … in fact, in every conceivable way except in terms of sound. But where sound is concerned, there is no point in talking about ‘better’ in any objective sense anyway, as what sounds ‘better’ is of course 100% down to personal taste. All we can say for sure is that they do sound very, very different. It would be a big mistake to buy a Sandberg Cali and assume that it will sound like a Fender just because it looks like one.

This YT vid does a good job of capturing how different they sound from each other. (OK, he’s comparing an Am Deluxe with a Cali TM, rather than an Am Standard vs a TT, but it’s still a relevant comparison, I think.)

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6xlqoanONo[/media]

Edited by GrammeFriday
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Yeah good point - that is a useful video too.
I guess I didn't realise how used to the Fender sound I was until I bought a bass that didn't have it, and for me my sound is everything, and my main consideration.
The Sandberg was stunning in its set up, build quality and comfort, and the Fender jazz is a bit less refined in that sense, but the overall sound and vibe totally wins me over.
The eternal 'horses for courses' I guess!

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[size=4][quote name='The Hat' timestamp='1455477677' post='2979472'][/size]
[size=4]I nearly didnt get it as the guy was having serious second thoughts about selling it[/size]

[size=4][/quote][/size]

[size=4]Yeah, i still sort of do. Im after another as we speak. Had it been my ideal colour scheme, it would have stayed.[/size]


[quote name='mr zed' timestamp='1455474512' post='2979429']
Congratulations - the recent Fenders are fantastic. The custom shop pups are punchy and have a great tone. You've scored a very nice bass there.
[/quote]

Funnily enough, the bridge pickup was dead when i bought it, so i had a guy in chester, under the name of "house of tone pickups" make me a set of formvar pickups. Sounded amazingly sexy on the last gig i played with it, which is what made me have second thoughts.

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[quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1455961216' post='2983909']
Never ceases to amaze me the amount of Fender bashing by those who have obviously played every single one made :ph34r: :rolleyes:
[/quote]
Fair point, and obviously expressed with a bit of tongue-in-cheek hyperbole, but just out of interest, in your opinion how many Fenders (or basses by any manufacturer) would someone actually need to have owned in order to be qualified to offer a useful opinion about them?

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[quote name='GrammeFriday' timestamp='1455964376' post='2983973']
Fair point, and obviously expressed with a bit of tongue-in-cheek hyperbole, but just out of interest, in your opinion how many Fenders (or basses by any manufacturer) would someone actually need to have owned in order to be qualified to offer a useful opinion about them?
[/quote]

47, 214 per manufacturer :mellow: :P

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:lol:
Oh bugger, that massively rules me out, then - only two Precisions and two Jazzes here!
Mind you, the MIJ Jazz I had was a lovely and special thing - only sold it cos I decided to move 100% to 5 string playing.
But anyway, yes, I agree, it never ceases to amaze me how many people are happy to bash bass brands that they've never owned. Actually, it goes for all sorts of other things, too. For example, I've noticed that there are quite a few folks on BC who like to bash Apple, and loudly boast that they have never owned an Apple product in their lives and never will. I mean, WTF?! :P
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[quote name='GrammeFriday' timestamp='1455970972' post='2984074']
:lol:
Oh bugger, that massively rules me out, then - only two Precisions and two Jazzes here!
Mind you, the MIJ Jazz I had was a lovely and special thing - only sold it cos I decided to move 100% to 5 string playing.
But anyway, yes, I agree, it never ceases to amaze me how many people are happy to bash bass brands that they've never owned. Actually, it goes for all sorts of other things, too. For example, I've noticed that there are quite a few folks on BC who like to bash Apple, and loudly boast that they have never owned an Apple product in their lives and never will. I mean, WTF?! :P
[/quote]
[quote name='ead' timestamp='1455972650' post='2984099']
I'm right in the ball park for ACGs then :ph34r: .....unless that is you don't mean either 47 or 214.
[/quote]

Ahh chaps, so good to see gentle piss taking alive and well on BC :D

Only Fender (there's been a few :blush: ) I've ever been massively disappointed in was an Aerodyne jazz.
Top edge designed by Torquemedes and absolutely awful weak pups :(

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[quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1455961216' post='2983909']
Never ceases to amaze me the amount of Fender bashing by those who have obviously played every single one made :ph34r: :rolleyes:
[/quote]

That's the problem though isn't it. One in a shop can be amazing, the other 25 in the same shop appalling.

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[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1455975654' post='2984138']
That's the problem though isn't it. One in a shop can be amazing, the other 25 in the same shop appalling.
[/quote]

Not my experience.
Perhaps I'll go to PMT or somewhere and try 26 :mellow:

Sadly few shops actually set up basses properly anyway.

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[quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1455975846' post='2984140']
Not my experience.
Perhaps I'll go to PMT or somewhere and try 26 :mellow:

Sadly few shops actually set up basses properly anyway.
[/quote]

Often wondered on this - it takes me some 15 - 30 mins to get a bass with good action and playability. Why then do music shops not spend that time, as I`m sure many people try out instruments and don`t buy them thinking they`re crap, rather than just in need of a decent tweak.

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[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1455976987' post='2984158']
Often wondered on this - it takes me some 15 - 30 mins to get a bass with good action and playability. Why then do music shops not spend that time, as I`m sure many people try out instruments and don`t buy them thinking they`re crap, rather than just in need of a decent tweak.
[/quote]


Amen to that Lozz.
I'm sure most shops would say it's down to cost.
There again, how often do you go in a music shop and see 3 or 4 staff just standing round banging their gums?

Bit of good training?
Better use of staff in slower spells?
Doesn't seem impossible to me :)

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[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1455980265' post='2984214']
Depends how many gtrs they stock... and action is one thing... not sure tweaking the neck is something
something they'd do lightly..
[/quote]

Any senior assistant, manager or owner of a music shop should be confident and competent enough to tweak a truss rod.

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[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1455982059' post='2984243']
Any senior assistant, manager or owner of a music shop should be confident and competent enough to tweak a truss rod.
[/quote]

But I know plenty of bass players who aren't... and don't/can't do their own set-ups so I'm not sure on the shops around here.

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[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1455986462' post='2984323']
But I know plenty of bass players who aren't... and don't/can't do their own set-ups so I'm not sure on the shops around here.
[/quote]

So,
You accept it.
Shops accept it.
Difficult to relate how many lost sales that has cost.
The shops loss perhaps?

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