Jono Bolton

Have you tried [url="http://www.highlystrung.net/acatalog/Pickguards__electric_guitar.html"]Highly Strung?[/url] Those Jazz pickguards are the perfect size for an MIM Jazz, screw holes line up perfectly and everything. I've got one on my Jazz just now, and it cost me all of a fiver.

My vote goes for regular 'elephant ear' tuners as opposed to closed, 'butterfly' style ones, they just look wrong on Fender-types in my opinion. Yes, it's more work, but it would look so much better.

Thanks very much guys. I'll have a look at the tweaking the truss rods. I tried to get a set of Allen Keys today but had no luck. I'm going to try Maplin tomorrow. JLP, I think you may have misunderstood part of what I said. 3mm is the height of the E and A strings at the 17th fret when no notes are fretted, while Fender recommends that it be between 2 and 2.5mm. When doing the fret-at-the-first-fret-and-press-the-strings-at-the-end-of-the-neck trick, the height if the strings seems to be less than 1mm, leading me to believe that the neck is too straight.

[quote name='ianrunci' post='301842' date='Oct 7 2008, 11:50 PM']Has anyone tried to upgrade an MM2 to active with a decent pick up. I was just wondering if there is much work involved?[/quote] Take a swatch at [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=14009&hl=olp"]this[/url] link to neepheid's OLP pimping thread. Between him and sibob, there's a lot of ideas, and they probably wont bite if you ask for help.

I currently have a Mexican Fender Jazz, and the action seems pretty high to me, and there's a bit of a choking issue as well. I used to have a Badass II on it, and had the neck shimmed to lower the action but without having a lot of fret buzz. I've since removed the Badass and put a more vintage styled Wilkinson bridge on it. I left the neck shim in and I have have to have the action quite high to eliminate any fret buzz. It's not too bad, but I'd like it as low as I could get it. I tried taking the neck shim out to be able to lower the saddles, but there was still a fair bit of buzz. It occurred to me the other night that the only thing I haven't tried is the truss rod. I bought the Wilkinson after speaking to BassBunny, who recommended it and said he didn't have to shim his neck. I've done that thing whereby I fret the neck at the 1st fret, use my arm to press the strings down at the body end of the neck and measure the string height at the 8th fret, and it doesn't seem to be too high at all, but I also have a Fender set-up manual that my flatmate got with her Tele and has instructions for guitars and basses, and according to that, my action is about 0.5mm higher than Fender recommends as a comfortable string height at the 17th fret (Fender says about 2-2.5mm, mine is about 3mm). First of all, does all that make sense? Secondly, would it be an idea to remove the shim and put a bit of relief in the neck? Roughly a quarter-turn clockwise? Thirdly, what size Allen Key would I need to undertake such a task? I didn't receive one when I bought the bass a few years back. Any help would be greatly appreciated fellas.

I had a black pickguard on a black Precision, but only because a brown tort one was too expensive

Don't know really. Obviously I'd like to get away with spending as little as possible but at the end of the day you get what you pay for. About £40, either new or second hand depending on what's available, would be sweet.

I've recently noticed that the original machine heads on my Jazz are starting to go out of tune a bit easier than they used to and so I'd like to replace them. It's a Mexican Jazz Bass, and I'd ideally like a set of direct replacements, or ones with as little fannying about to fit as possible. Does anyone have any recommendations? Cheers Jono

I checked the online prices, soundslive.co.uk has them for £489, or I could have a dinged one for £450. There's not a huge choice colour wise, but i'd go for black or sunburst anyway, so it's no big deal. I'm not a huge fan of that 'baby sick' colour, think it's called transparent Honey Blonde, and I can't find a picture of the Daphne Blue one anywhere

Ive just started a new job with a monthly bonus and so, as an extra, extra incentive, I've decided that my bonus each month is going to the new bass fund, along with whatever falls through my letterbox at Christmas. I was looking at getting a new Jazz, and I've been tempted by the new American Standards and the Lakland Skyline Joe Osborn, but while I've heard of the Highway 1 series, I've never really been completely sure what the score with them is. Taking a look at the Fender website, they're pitched between the Mexican Std and the Deluxe series, which I believe is made in Mexico. Am I right in thinking that they're American made parts, assembled in Mexico? I've had a look at one in Sound Control, and I've noticed the thinner matt finish than the American Standards, and I've heard the Grease Bucket tone circuit is really good too.