LeftyJ

[quote name='lemmywinks' post='509289' date='Jun 9 2009, 06:30 PM']I'm also strongly against this, and lefty players in general. They'll be wanting to vote next! [/quote] ...but seriously though, that made me LOL

Why does it have to be either an original, or a luthier-made bass? What's wrong with Fender's own reissues? The MiM Classic '70's Jazz Bass is a very good bass and Fender did a very good job catching some of the magic of a real '70's Jazz in it. The MIJ '75 Jazz is also well worth checking out. And if you're willing to spend serious money you could also look at the American Vintage '75 Jazz Bass, they're incredible basses. I believe there's one for sale on this forum right now.

1 made here in Holland (my Ellio Martina) 1 made in Germany (my Sandberg Bullet 5 fretless) 3 made in the USA (my Rickenbacker 4003, my G&L SB2 and my Longbow 5 made in Japan (my 3 Ibanez ATK's, my Ibanez MC924 and my Fender '75 Jazz reissue 2 made in South-Korea (my Italia Torino and my Cort NTL-B FL My guitars (I did not vote for those) were made in the USA, Mexico, the Czech republic, Japan, Korea and China.

If you can handle the tight stringspacing (they have the regular 4-string neck width) they're definitely worth checking out.

I'd love to see how they compare to a MIJ '75 Jazz RI. In price, the MIJ is somewhere halfway inbetween the MIM and the MIA. I wonder if the same goes for quality and workmanship. I've heard lots of good things about the MIM and in its specifications it's actually closer to a real '70's Jazz than the MIJ, if only because of the authentic pickup placement (on the MIJ, the bridge pickup is in its regular '60's position).

Both share the same set neck construction, the difference is in the hardware: the Contemporary has the same pickups and hardware as a German-made 500/1 whereas the Icon has Chinese-made hardware and electronics. Interestingly, the Contemporary also has a solid maple sustainblock, whereas the Icon is a full hollowbody.

I got a lefty 1981 MC924 today, in like-new condition (including the original lefty case, in perfect shape) at an incredible price. The electronics need some attention, but other than that it's perfect! Pics soon.

I still have my last one, and the one before that, and so on. I currently own 11 basses and I wouldn't say any of them really excells above the rest. In versatility and playability I would say my Ellio Martina Forza 5 is a favourite, but sometimes I just need a different tone I cannot obtain from the Martina and I'll grab one of my Ibanez ATK's for their punch and bright edge, or my Rickenbacker 4003, or my Italia Torino hollowbody... They're just different, not so much better or worse. Basses I sold in the past weren't necessarily less good than the ones I kept, they (or their sound) just didn't suit me anymore. There's one I regret selling though: my Yamaha TRB5II. That was a great bass, very versatile. It lacked character and a personality of its own, but playability was excellent, it had an incredibly tight low B and I could really use it for almost anything.

Disneyland After Dark is indeed worth checking out. And Stig's outrageous collection of lefthanded basses too

I own a fretless Sandberg Bullet 5, one of Sandbergs own models, and I love it. Very fast neck, and a beautiful tone. Workmanship is absolutely flawless. And I love the finish of the body: it has a matt tobacco burst lacquer finish over a sandblasted ash body. During the sandblasting, the dark softer parts of the grain were etched somewhat deeper, creating a beautiful texture.

Here in Holland, there seems to be a distributor. There are a few stores that sell these. But all of them only stock 'your basic average Strat, Tele, Precision and Jazz' and some startersets, and not the really interesting models. There are some UK dealers listed [url="http://www.lxdb.co.uk/guitars/sx-guitars.php"]here[/url].

[quote name='josh3184' post='490822' date='May 17 2009, 09:18 PM']waaaaant[/quote] My point exactly! And they're incredibly affordable too, at $160: [url="http://www.rondomusic.com/product2459.html"]http://www.rondomusic.com/product2459.html[/url] They also offer a slightly upgraded version with a heavier bridge, different pickups and different tuners, and a shortscale fretless version. The full line of lefties can be found here: [url="http://www.rondomusic.com/BassLeft.html"]http://www.rondomusic.com/BassLeft.html[/url] [quote name='BigRedX' post='490925' date='May 17 2009, 11:08 PM']Two observations. It's nice to see a bass with a bolt-on neck that has been finished in the same colour as the body. And now I have guitar GAS for RH version of the sharks-fin shape... You got a link for that?[/quote] I certainly do: [url="http://www.rondomusic.com/electricguitar.html"]http://www.rondomusic.com/electricguitar.html[/url] (you'll find the first ones on page 5) Look for the SJM57 and SJM62. The 57 is a maple board version, the 62 has a rosewood board. They have them with both chrome-covered humbuckers and P90's, and both with the Fender Jaguar-style tremolo and with a stoptail. Sorry for the slight hijack

I'm dying to give some other SX' a try too. They have a vast array of lefthanded models, and some very interesting twists on classic designs (mostly guitarwise). For example: I'd dig those!

[quote name='MuseMatt' post='488638' date='May 15 2009, 11:53 AM']as we're posting different basses... mine's a mapleneck/jazz too and I have to say: I wouldn't go back to rosewood anytime soon![/quote] Lovely Van Der End! I usually prefer maple too. I have three MIJ Ibanez ATK's, an MIJ '75 RI Jazz and an Ellio Martina Forza 5 with maple boards. My only exceptions are my fretless Sandberg Bullet 5, my Rickenbacker 4003 and my G&L SB-2. I've been playing that '75 RI Jazz most of the time during the last two months, and love it to death!

MC924 lefty. A bit of a rarebird, unfortunately. But probably no challenge for my Ibanez fairy godmother, she also got me three lefty ATK's.

I have no favourite brand, I am a true gear whore. I play anything as long as the tone and playability suit me (oh, and the looks of course). I do have a slight thing for G&L though. They're everything Fender could have been but isn't, especially in terms of availability of lefty versions of their instruments. At this moment, Fender USA will only get you a lefty American Standard P and J, and only in sunburst with a tortoise guard or black with a white guard, and in either case only with a rosewood fingerboard. The only exception in the past 10 years was the Hot Rodded American Precision, which was also available in see-through white, sunset orange and natural (all with a tortoise guard). That really freaks me out...

Very pretty, looks very convincing too. The only thing that really sets it apart lookwise is the wider skunkstripe in comparison to a real 4001. But still, with another truss rod cover, I'm sure it would fool many Rickenbacker enthousiasts.

[quote name='bubinga5' post='485428' date='May 12 2009, 12:15 AM']Not a 75 bridge pup position on the MIJ? really.. im sure it is on the USA..i could be wrong...I cant see Fender getting that wrong on a reissue..[/quote] Yep, on the USA they placed the bridge pickup correctly, but on the MIJ it's in the regular '60's position. On the MIM '70's Jazz the bridge pickup is placed correctly too, so it's really just the MIJ that's different... I'm not sure if that goes for the Marcus Miller and the Geddy Lee too though, as they're based on the same bass.

My lefty Ellio Martina Forza 5-string and my tiny Line 6 Lowdown Studio 110. I would be the only one there anyway so I don't need my large stack

[quote name='steve-soar' post='478467' date='May 3 2009, 08:51 PM']P.S., I put a Badass on it too. Great upgrade, as the original bridge saddles slid from side to side. [/quote] Yes, the saddles on the bridge of my MIJ '75 RI Jazz have that tendency too. I'm thinking of upgrading that too. Don't know about those custom shop '62 pickups, but there are Fender USA pickups in my MIJ too (it comes stock with Fender USA '75 RI pickups) and they're absolutely GREAT. The MIJ '75 RI is not an entirely accurate replication of a '75 Jazz, the bridge pickup is not in the '70's location, but still it mimics that bright and punchy tone very well. Great bass, definitely not my last MIJ Fender! They also produce a very wide range of lefthanded instruments (even a 5-string) whereas Fender USA only offers some standard models, in a very limited colour range (American Standard P and J, in black with a white guard and sunbust with a tortoise guard only, and only with a rosewood board ). So I've come to like Fender Japan a lot