Starting with your point "how does it compare to a Fender Jazz V" - I played one for 20 years, but it originally arrived new with the neck set in badly, I had to install a shim straight away, the single coils picked up lights and hummed in many venues and the range of tones was not as good as I expected. Probably should have sold it earlier but instead I bought 2 others. An electro acoustic Washburn AB35 which was fitted with a tree trunk for a neck, that went quite soon, then more recently the Spector Spectorcore (fretless) which I still have and really like. Perhaps not enough growl from the EMG pickup (and new ones have a Bartoloni) but it is well put together for the money looks great and doesn't weigh a tone, which the Fender did!
I have also had access to a Status headless 5 which is amazing, but not everyone's cup of tea & expensive and a Godin which is a good workman like bass but not exciting.
The trouble is there are now too many out there and one man's (or woman's) meat etc........
Hope you find something you like and can afford, hear very good reports of MTD & am tempted to try one.