Marky L Posted October 13, 2008 Posted October 13, 2008 Hey there Fender aficionados. I was hoping I might be able to leech some of your vast experience and try and confirm if my Fender Jazz is (or not) a kosher MIA bass. So, I bought it around 5 or 6 years back off ebay (choosing to go for this instead of a Ricky Blackstar .. pfft!) from a guy selling it in Southern Ireland, for a friend if I remember correctly for about £450. Black US Fender Jazz with a white scratchplate and rosewood board. I did speak to him before and after getting the bass and he seemed like a straight up guy. So it arrived in A1 condition and I was reasonably happy except for the horrible Strat style knobs on it. I wanted to get it set up and so took it to the local guitar shop who said words to the effect "Yeah it's a Fender, but they had a period at the end of the 90's where they sent US parts to Mexico for construction.. probably worth £350". So that pissed me off a bit. As is I did nothing about it. Replaced the plate for a black one that did not fit very snugly and I had to drill an extra hole in the bass to fit it. I can't actually recall if it was a genuine Fender plate I put on, I think so. Anyway, I have taken some very poor pics on a crappy camera with no lighting but it may help. Please ask any questions and I'll try to answer. Serial number N901850 Logo decal says - Jazz Bass Made in USA On the right of the headstock is another decal saying - American Traditional The machine heads have no obvious makers marks The underneath of the old plate has a piece of masking tape with a signature and 7 7 99 written on it. Thanking ye all Mark [attachment=14730:jazz_front.jpg][attachment=14731:headstock_front.jpg][attachment=14732:headstock_r ear.jpg][attachment=14733:knobs.jpg] Quote
Musky Posted October 13, 2008 Posted October 13, 2008 The American Traditional series were built with US body and neck with Mexican hardware as far as I know. Actually assembled in Mexico. Unless someone knows differently? Quote
birdy Posted October 13, 2008 Posted October 13, 2008 Found this on Talkbass - looks like it was the precursor to the Highway one possibly! [url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=450518&highlight=fender+american+traditional"]http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.p...can+traditional[/url] Steve Quote
Metal-Mariachi Posted October 13, 2008 Posted October 13, 2008 the sn and number on scratch plate date is as a 1999 American made. [url="http://www.fender.com/support/usa_instruments.php"]http://www.fender.com/support/usa_instruments.php[/url] the '90s are not the best years for Fender but is an American made. MM Quote
Marky L Posted October 14, 2008 Author Posted October 14, 2008 Appreciate your input here guys. So I get the feel that it's US wood, sent to Mexico for building with Mexican parts.. hmm a Tex/mex special Maybe I paid a bit on the high side for it, but it's a sweet machine to play, but I think I would change the PUPS at some point now. Mark Quote
Marky L Posted October 14, 2008 Author Posted October 14, 2008 [quote name='birdy' post='305922' date='Oct 14 2008, 12:22 AM']Found this on Talkbass - looks like it was the precursor to the Highway one possibly! [url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=450518&highlight=fender+american+traditional"]http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.p...can+traditional[/url] Steve[/quote] Fantastic linkage there Steve. Interesting stuff and it's exactly as I have. Ugh that one piece pickguard is nasty, I'm glad I sorta standardised mine a bit more. Quote
birdy Posted October 14, 2008 Posted October 14, 2008 [quote name='Marky L' post='306016' date='Oct 14 2008, 09:24 AM']Fantastic linkage there Steve. Interesting stuff and it's exactly as I have. Ugh that one piece pickguard is nasty, I'm glad I sorta standardised mine a bit more.[/quote] No Worries, how does it sound and play? Some of the guys at Talkbass seemed pretty impressed! Steve Quote
Marky L Posted October 14, 2008 Author Posted October 14, 2008 [quote name='birdy' post='306028' date='Oct 14 2008, 09:55 AM']No Worries, how does it sound and play? Some of the guys at Talkbass seemed pretty impressed! Steve[/quote] Well it plays good, and I do like the neck, there is a dead spot but I do have heavier strings on now so maybe the truss rod needs tweaking. Also I think the PUPs could be improved. But I do like it and its great to play, so I suppose I just wanted to know it's pedigree Mark Quote
artisan Posted October 14, 2008 Posted October 14, 2008 i bought an olympic white one of these of beedster a year or so ago. was a nice bass but i agree the one piece plate looks sh*te,changed mine too-then sold it on. i got £350 for mine. Quote
Stu-khag Posted October 14, 2008 Posted October 14, 2008 I remember almost buying one of these in the same colour back in 2000. Didn't like the colour so I bought an MIM Jazz in Midnight wine instead (still my number one bass) I quite liked the one piece plate as it reminded me of a Fender Jazzmaster Quote
doctorbass Posted October 14, 2008 Posted October 14, 2008 (edited) Ive got one in Oly White, 99 American Traditional. Changed the PUs and plate. One of the best J Bass's Ive played!! There have been a few threads on here about them. Edited October 14, 2008 by doctorbass Quote
Beedster Posted October 14, 2008 Posted October 14, 2008 [quote name='artisan' post='306219' date='Oct 14 2008, 01:46 PM']i bought an olympic white one of these of beedster a year or so ago. was a nice bass but i agree the one piece plate looks sh*te,changed mine too-then sold it on. i got £350 for mine.[/quote] Thought that was the best Jazz I've played personally. Way better than my old 2002 MIA or my old Geddy Lee and on a par sound-wise with my old CS Quote
richardd Posted October 16, 2008 Posted October 16, 2008 Hi Chris Glad to see you are still alive Best Wishes Rich Quote
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