HeadlessBassist

I have a secondary pupil in Wiltshire who has a very metal looking Schecter bass. I have to say it's very nice to play, but the sound is a little generic. I would however, like to try one of the Charles Berthoud Signature Schecters. Not keen on the looks particularly, but it certainly sounds good in the right hands.

Ha! Yes, I have a lot of sets from B&Q - Typically, I need metric for most basses, but imperial for the American Fender stuff. In fact, after leaving my Travelodge yesterday morning on the way to Petersfield, I happened on a traditional little DIY store run by a little old man in FourMarks near Alton, who sold me a small Philips Screwdriver for 70 pence. I gave him a pound and told him to keep the change, of course. The two 9V batteries for the active preamp from Tesco Express cost me considerably more!

Agreed. I had a Candy Cola American Series with S1 (thanks for the correction. American Standard came out in 2008. Duh me!

A very late end to three hard days, after two days away teaching in the Cotswolds/Wiltshire, I continued onto Petersfield in Hampshire via a night in a Travelodge at FourMarks near Alton for a gig at the Petersfield Festival Hall with the three tribute act live show I play for. Excellent gig, sounded fantastic in the Festival Hall, but a long 180 mile trek home to Derbyshire afterwards. Getting home at 3am isn't getting any easier now I'm getting older.

The best iteration of the truss rod adjustment was the Music Man style wheel at the bottom of the neck - no messing around with detuning strings. You could set the truss rod with a small screwdriver, as opposed to the usual Alun key.

Yes, I guess inflation and cost of supply chain items will have a large part to play. Oddly, the S1 switching (pre 2008 American Standards) was originally for series/parallel switching.

Depends on how many Mexicans are working at the Corona factory, I guess.

No, my KingBass MkII is the "penultimate" one ever made, out of around 60 total production. It was a one-off special order in 2019 for a customer in Hawaii who had already ordered about 7 other Statii. Even though the main of KingBass MkII production was between around 2008 & 2010, the last ever MkII was made in 2020. I played one Mark King's personal MkII's at the factory back in about 2008 and always wanted one. I tried to get one made in 2014, but it wasn't worth them reprogramming the CNC machine for a one-off bass, so this is the realisation of a 17 year wait.

Anyone who's followed the gradual development of the Fender Jazz/Precision Deluxe/Elite/Ultra line will have noticed that there's an increasing cheapening of the brand going on. More and more, these instruments are being built down to a price. Similar to the motor manufacturers, they're gradually charging us more and giving us less. Fender have obviously streamlined bass neck production in recent times. The part which really caught my attention was that the Ultra II now has the cheaper 'Skunk Stripe' neck construction with the truss rod hole above the nut, the same as every other Squier/Fender bass. Look back in time, and you may notice that the previous Ultras had the truss rod access at the bottom of the neck in the usual (difficult to get at) curved recess under the scratch plate. Then go back to the excellent Elite basses, which had a Music Man style truss rod wheel adjuster recessed at the bottom of the neck. I played a couple of the early first generation Ultras not long after launch, and wasn't impressed. The instruments were badly set up, being practically unplayable and QC was definitely lacking in some areas. The Deluxe/Elite line had always produced some very good basses between 1995 and 2016 (I've personally owned a 2016 Elite Dimension and currently have a really nice 2004 small-body Jazz Deluxe), but the visible cost-cutting on the Ultra II is disappointing. Maybe Fender needs to cheapen the brand with production cost cutting, but it is disappointing when we know some of the great stuff they can produce.

Thanks again. Yes, it’s actually the bare front and binding/slimline body that I like. My Butterscotch Blonde American Deluxe and sunburst American Original are my more traditional ones.

Very nice. I was playing one of those the other day when I got my Aerodyne and Deluxe Jazzes in a trade in Manchester. Quite liked the RockBass Clayton bass. Really solid and punchy sound. i found the sound was at it's best when everything was turned full up, or ‘dimed’, as it were. Congrats

Ah, thanks for that I guess that would create some confusion! It’s had a hard life, and has a few bangs and scrapes, but the pickups are seriously hot in output terms. Henceforth it will be called, “Scruffy Jazz”. I took it to my tech on Wednesday and it’s had the neck put back into proper order and a little work on the nut. Might need a neck shim at some point, as the action doesn’t go down to quite where I’d like it, but all good. Thanks for your help, LeftyJ.

Thanks LeftyJ. Serial is Q049342.

I’m pretty sure there’s always been a five string version of the Deluxe Jazz.

Preamp is very even, although Deluxe models don’t get the active/passive switch until 2008.

Thanks KWM, yes it's practically mint, with just the slightest of "mic stand" knocks on the top of the headstock. Action is on the deck too - whoever set it up did a fantastic job.

I picked up an old, slightly 'roadworn' early AJB-DX Aerodyne Jazz in a trade yesterday and have a query about the manufacture date. Now, as far as I know, we didn't get the Aerodyne until 2006 here in the UK, but was it produced earlier in Japan? I've been through all the old PDFs online of Fender Japan "TWANG" brochures (great name, btw!), and I can't see the model appearing until 2006-7. Two serial lookup databases seem to suggest my bass was produced at the Tokai Gakki factory between 1993-94?! See my confusion?

I've just picked up a lovely 2004 small-body Fender American Deluxe Jazz in transparent Butterscotch Blonde. Can't recommend it enough. I'd forgotten how good these were 20 years ago.These would now be at the lower end of your budget.

Very nice. I've never played a German made Sadowsky Metroline, only the American and Japanese ones. But that looks lovely. Congrats!

You've got the right idea there. Having played quite a few CS basses, I've never seen the extra value in Fender Custom Shop products. Yes, we all know that you're best trying any given standard production Fender in person, as QC can be a lottery, but find a good one that you love the feel and sound of, and it'll be a diamond. A lot of it is down to the terrible Fender standard strings, and the wildly different setups (or lack thereof!) from the factory. I played a few CS Jazzes a couple of years ago, and none played as well, or sounded as full, sonorous, or rich as my American Original Jazz. My usual Jazz Bass guide is how it initially feels in your hands, light-ish weight, nitro cellulose finish is a must (nitro finish basses always seem to naturally sing better), and get some 40-95 Elixirs on asap. (Just my personal preference.) So no, I don't think the CS models are worth the extra coin. I'd much rather have something that sounds fantastic to my ears that makes me want to actually play it.

You've got the right idea there. Having played quite a few CS basses, I've never seen the extra value in Fender Custom Shop products. Yes, we all know that you're best trying any given standard production Fender in person, as QC can be a lottery, but find a good one that you love the feel and sound of, and it'll be a diamond. A lot of it is down to the terrible Fender standard strings, and the wildly different setups (or lack thereof!) from the factory. I played a few CS Jazzes a couple of years ago, and none played as well, or sounded as full, sonorous, or rich as my American Original Jazz. My usual Jazz Bass guide is how it initially feels in your hands, light-ish weight, nitro cellulose finish is a must (nitro finish basses always seem to naturally sing better), and get some 40-95 Elixirs on asap. (Just my personal preference.) So no, I don't think the CS models are worth the extra coin. I'd much rather have something that sounds fantastic to my ears that makes me want to actually play it.

So is this helping you lot feel better? I spent ALL the money, so you guys don't have to. 🫣

No that I know of, unless the Chameleon Circuit on my Warwick Alien/Tardis case is working very well indeed.

Not yet - haven't had time to take any pictures of it yet. I'm waiting for new strap buttons to come from Status, as the locking ones are a bit tarnished and grotty. The picture is from when it was on stock at BassBros in Warwickshire.