Mexican Fender road worn 60's Jazz bass

[MattCvijan]

Hey guys I have seen a new mexican road worn 60's Jazz bass for sale. Does anyone have any experience in this bass?? it is a mexican. and they want £889 for it. it does sound great like all Jazz's should! and it feels nice too. any help would be much appreciated. Does this seem reasonable or could my money be better spent??

Thanks

[firmo]

I'd say you'd probably be best off getting a standard Mexican 60s reissue jazz bass and saving yourself over £300. I know some people on here really like the look of them but for me it's a bit silly.

[Cat Burrito]

I agree with firmo personally. However if [b]you[/b][u][/u] like it and feel its worth the money then get it. I tend to ignore whether stuff is US, MIJ or MIM these days as I've played great examples of all 3. The road worn series are good instruments though from what I have played.

[warwickhunt]

Is that right almost £900 for a MIM bass? ...just Googled it and that appears to be about right. Time to take the sander to my USA P/J before I put it up for sale.

[bh2]

I've tried one of these and I loved it! My main player is a '62 Jazz and this felt like it could have been it's brother/sister. I seriously want one.

At my LMS... PMT in Oxford they have one for £940. Sunburst/rosewood board.

Edited December 12, 2009 by bh2

[AndyTravis]

I really want the Sunburst one I have in stock.

I'd go mad and bang some tatty old covers on it too.

My other half drew a line under it though, "Andy, you really look after your instruments, why do you want one that looks like it's been run over by a truck?" So that pissed on my chips...

I love how it feels, looks and I think with a decent set of Fender CS Vintage, Lollar or Duncan Vintage for Jazz, you wouldn't be too far off the time machine series.

If you look at a 60's classic Jazz for £500, then a strip back and quality nitro refin (body and neck) minimum £300 (i'd say closer to £500), then a decent relic job at least £100?, it really does add up to that £900 easily.
Plus if you did all of that to your New Fender, you'd void any chance of future support from dealer or Fender, what if your truss rod pops, or the fingerboard splits, extreme I know, but still a possibility...

The only thing is, for anyone wanting a quick Jaco tribute, they have 'ROADWORN' stamped under the pickguard.

Edited December 12, 2009 by AndyTravis

[Buzz]

£899 for a MIM?

For that price you'd get a current '09 MIA. Granted, it wouldn't have the relic job, but it would be a better bass and also hold it's value more.

[bh2]

[quote name='Buzz' post='682435' date='Dec 12 2009, 07:55 PM']£899 for a MIM?

For that price you'd get a current '09 MIA. Granted, it wouldn't have the relic job, but it would be a better bass and also hold it's value more.[/quote]

Have you tried one? They really are super...

[AndyTravis]

And they really aren't just MIM basses, they feel as good as some much dearer Fender Relics, i.e. Custom Shop, and with a better set of pickups, you'd be on a winner; If it's what you're into.

At least with the Roadworns, you could for that minute think you actually have that 64' Jazz, or at worst the 64' Custom Shop. If you bought one of the ESP Vintage basses for a grand, you'd always think, 'ooh, i'm playing a distressed copy of a Fender P/J'.

Anyhow, i think they're ace for under a Grand. And the MIM thing really isn't anythink to be sniffed at, My 50's Precision is still in my top 2 basses, and that includes some silly expensive gear. I've sold a load of high end gear recently as it became my 'go to' bass.

*'Go to', eurgh, did i just say that?

[karlthebassist]

Ignore all this knocking MIM Fenders.

It is possible to make a good instrument in any country. At one point Fender USA were making some right tat - so where it's made isn't everything. Since playing a bunch of MIA P's, I've noticed that acutally my MIM P bass is rather good for the money - and its only a standard mex that I've pimped a bit and propperly set up. It's like when people snigger at Korean made guitars - just take a look at my Crafter TB-Bubinga and tell me its poorly made!

Like Burrito Bass says, if you think it's honestly worth the money then buy it.

[AndyTravis]

Agreed, if [b]YOU[/b] [u]like[/u] it, and [b]YOU[/b] can [u]afford[/u] it...

[u]BUY IT!!!![/u][b][/b]

[bh2]

[quote name='karlthebassist' post='682523' date='Dec 12 2009, 09:34 PM']Ignore all this knocking MIM Fenders.

It is possible to make a good instrument in any country. At one point Fender USA were making some right tat - so where it's made isn't everything. Since playing a bunch of MIA P's, I've noticed that acutally my MIM P bass is rather good for the money - and its only a standard mex that I've pimped a bit and propperly set up. It's like when people snigger at Korean made guitars - just take a look at my Crafter TB-Bubinga and tell me its poorly made!

Like Burrito Bass says, if you think it's honestly worth the money then buy it.[/quote]

After a little setting up and moderate pimping MIM P plays like a dream...

[doctor_of_the_bass]

These have been discussed before - there are many people who don't like them and many that do - its your money so if you really want one, buy one! I still have my heart set on a fiesta red Jazz but if I had the money, I'd buy an example of each model in the range (s/burst J, red J, red P, s/burst P!!!). It really doesn't bother me where they are made, a good instrument is a good instrument at the end of the day!! And all the ones I've seen are very good!

Nick

[4000]

The ones I've seen are great. I'll also add that one of the best Ps I've ever played was a MIM; this MIM, MIJ, MIA stuff only matters if you think it does. If the instrument works for you it doesn't matter where it comes from. One of the best Jazzes I've ever played was a Geddy; way better for me than any of the US ones I've played. Judge it with your hands and your ears and forget where it was made.

Edited December 12, 2009 by 4000

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='firmo' post='682170' date='Dec 12 2009, 02:07 PM']I'd say you'd probably be best off getting a standard Mexican 60s reissue jazz bass and saving yourself over £300.[/quote]

I will tie it to the back of my car for a day for £100. How does that sound?

[aznbass]

I love the way Roadworn Basses look.

Id love to get one.

Also, i agree that it doent really matter which country the fender is maufactured to me, because ive had an MIM Jazz and it played nicceeee, And ive played alot of MIA's while finding the one i wanted and some of those were also brilliant.

[Buzz]

[quote name='bh2' post='682451' date='Dec 12 2009, 07:08 PM']Have you tried one? They really are super...[/quote]

No, but if I was buying one to play and spending nearly a grand on it, I think I'd much rather buy a better specc'd MIA Standard for roughly the same price and find a good one of those, what with it having a better bridge, graphite reinforced neck for stability and the lovely rolled fingerboard edges.

Then again, I don't have any strong feelings towards needing to have a used [i]looking[/i] over an actual used bass.

[maxrossell]

FWIW I've played the Roadworn 60s strat in Olly White and it's the only strat I'd consider owning. The Roadworn tele is also phenomenal.

[OutToPlayJazz]

[quote name='AndyTravis' post='682374' date='Dec 12 2009, 06:01 PM']My other half drew a line under it though, "Andy, you really look after your instruments, why do you want one that looks like it's been run over by a truck?" So that pissed on my chips...[/quote]

Well said, that woman!

Yes, these have really divided opinion. Some people (including my brother, St.Nicholas) have said that they are amazing basses & others like myself like them, but baulk at the price tag and don't get the relic job.

Whatever your take on these basses, as Nick says, try before you buy and if you really love the bass, then get one. End of. I will say one thing, though... The Fender marketing department has got a lot of us hook line and sinker with this series. Cunning little b******s!

[sixshooter]

The Road Worn series are seriously good Guitars/Basses, I was a MIM snob until I tried one, and now have bought the 50's Tele. If youlook around although they retail for £800+ I picked up me Tele for £550 brand new!

So forget about the label, go look for one at a good price, and don't pay retail price.

[Moos3h]

I'll probably get taken outside for saying this but:

If you haven't, try a Squier Classic Vibe first. All I'm saying is try one.

I did, I went to Machinehead Music with a clear credit card and tried every Jazz bass they had (which was, from memory 5-6). The roadworn wasn't one of them. I objectively played them head to head through a good amp and made my mind up almost instantly when I picked up the Squier.

I've owned one of these in the past and stupidly sold it, I've got this one from Machinehead and I have another on the way to me.

They won't be for everyone, and some people won't be able to get past the name on the headstock, but all I am saying is that EVERYONE in the market for a Jazz of any kind should at least try one!

Cheers,
James

[alexisonfire]

I played the P bass variant in PMT a couple of weeks ago ...

I own an MIA P bass and, I am a MIM snob.

Lets just say I left the store with my tail between my legs, the neck felt soooo good and it had great tone.

So to make me feel better, I went and played with the Sandbergs which were only about £100 more

[bh2]

Well I tried three back to back in my shop... CV Jazz, RW Jazz, Custom shop Jazz... The CS was nice but not £1300 nice... there wasn't that much between the CV and the RW though!

[4000]

[quote name='Buzz' post='682665' date='Dec 13 2009, 12:05 AM']No, but if I was buying one to play and spending nearly a grand on it, I think I'd much rather buy a better specc'd MIA Standard for roughly the same price and find a good one of those, what with it having a better bridge, graphite reinforced neck for stability and the lovely rolled fingerboard edges.[/quote]

Graphite reinforced necks doesn't necessarily give you better stability 100% of the time. Wal used to use them and abandoned them because they didn't feel they worked and by far the most unstable neck I've ever had on any bass I've owned was graphite reinforced.

I'll also add that for some inexplicable reason I'm not keen on the look of a brand new Fender; I always prefer them worn-in looking.

[gjones]

Tried 5 Fenders recently, one after the other, at my local music shop because I had some money burning a hole in my pocket. A red road worn jazz £930(Mex), a 60's classic Jazz £600(Mex), a 70's classic Jazz £600(Mex), a MIA jazz £990, a MIA Precision £990 and a Squier 60's classic vibe jazz bass £250. Although I really liked the MIA basses, as far a as value for money is concerned, the prize goes to the Squier followed by the 60's classic jazz. I'm not sure about the road worn basses? They do look great but there's is something a bit weird about making a spanking brand new bass look like it's 50 years old (why not buy a stock Mex bass and drag it behind a truck for a couple of miles).
In the end after playing all those Fenders, I realised none of them could compete with my 2006 Geddy Lee for playability or sound so my money stayed in my pocket.