basshead56

Went from a Jazz to being obsessed with Precisions for 15 years to Singrays and all things humbucker and then back to Jazz and super Jazzes. And just picked up another P lol

Time for an updated family photo shoot All present and correct minus my 75 Musicmaster which is on the workbench Had to do it in 2 pics as not enough floorspace 🤣🤣 Top Pic is everything Fender (P's and J's, vintage and newer). Second Pic is everyrhing else - weirdly all humbuckers too, lol.

This week, I 'ave been mostly playin'... Went round to the rehearsal space last night to drop off the new biamp cables for my GK rig and test it out, so thought I'd kill two birds with one stone, so to speak and brought the new P Bass to test out with it. To say I'm happy is an understatement 😁😁

One last (ever) pair: 21 Am PRO II FSR Jazz 21 Am PRO II Precision both in Dark night with Rosewood boards. Picked up the P bass last night - was a swap with my sunburst 06 American Standard S-1 P Bass and a couple of other little bits (so no, I didn't buy it!!!! 😋🤣🤣🤣) Had planned on stopping off at Bass Centre in Melbourne, as we had a long layover on the way back to the land down under-er (after visiting the motherland last week) but a jetlagged missus and a very tired and dangerously-bored 3yr old did not make for happy travel mates, so had to skip it in the end. Just as well because they were having a clear out on some lovely Fender goodies, including a gorgeous and long-coveted Dark Night P (which was efffffin cheap too!). There was also a brand new Adam Clayton Jazz there for a used bass price 🤤🤤🤤 But as it happened, a really cool bloke in the same neck of the woods as me happened to want to downgrade from his AM PRO II DN P Bass around the same time. Worked out a trade deal on the 06 P Bass over messenger and boom - I'm now set for life bass-wise, I didn't buy any basses like I had previously promised AND the credit card was not cut up after the holiday! We all win. Or so I told the better half! 🤣🤣 PS -yes, the plastic is coming off the Jazz this evening!

I normally don't like maple on maple neck/fingerboard combos - that thing is OBSCENELY beautiful!!! I too am on a mid-life 'straying from Precisions path', mostly stuck on Jazzes and Rays. Always had a G&L on my radar but never found one I absolutely loved. I could see me falling in love with a bass like that though! Well done! If it plays half as good as it looks it'll be an absolute monster!

Sure do! It is ABSOLUTELY ye olde business!!! Easily nicer than some Custom Shop stuff from the same peroid (the couple i've played). It juat feels like it has a hearbeat or a soul, or... something. Not sure how to put it, but it just sing! Every time I open the case I giggle 😁 Also, in terms of excellent build quality, I have to say the early 2000's American Deluxe QMT Jazzes are also INCREDIBLE! have an 03 and im afraid to pick it up because each tine I do, I cannot put it down for days at a time!!!! I have had some incredibly lovely Mexican and Japanese Fender basses over the years (including my forst Fender, a white 2002 Standard Jazz) and some absolute planks too. Though not many out of Japan. My current Roadworn 60 Anniversary Jazz in Firemist Silver is a true thing of beauty. It just feels amazing. Does have a whiff of Custom Shop about it, more so the feel than the heavy relic, but amazing instrument! The American made stuff I've experienced has been mostly great with the odd 'meh' unit and one absolute dud Jazz that could not be redeemed. Put me off Jazzes for years lol. Picked up a 98 USA Jazz in March and despite being an absolute boat anchor in weight, it is easily worth that weight in solid gold. The boomiest, smoothest Jazz Ive ever played in terms of the low end - i use it for gigs a lot.Most of the late 90's stuff I've played has been excellent. And my 2 American Pro 2's Jazzes are both spectacularly nice! A very good friend had a Pro 2 P Bass and said it just felt flat and lifeless despite endless tinkering. He returned it and bought a never Japanese Hybrid thingy in a cool lava kind of colour. I think there is a decent level of QC across the Fender group as a whole but hey, the odd Friday arvo builds do get through now and then. One of the concessions in large-scale production.

I arrived home to a package 😁 Beautifully presented and arrived lightning fast once shipped from Greece, though lead tine was a month. The steel pick made from an offcut used to make it is a very cool touch Very happy with how it looks and feels, just need to strip the bass down and get her started...

Been on a bit of a pedal detox the last few months. Got rid of most of the synthy stuff and downsized a fair bit overall. Amalgamated the newly-downsized big, big board and my much smaller, more simple set up, to create one board for all occasions. The Irish tricolour scheme on the bottom was just a happy accident

It was exactly one of these that re-stoked my love of the Jazz! Picked one up in March last year - lovely Firemist Silver, which is more of a light blue if I'm honest... But WOW! The feel of the neck, the sound of the pickups, the matching headstock and the lovely stacked knobs! Truly beautiful and almost impossible to put down! It does feel like a genuine vintage bass, for the most part. Since then I have added a few more Jazz basses: a 2003 Am Deluxe QMT, a 2010 Victor Bailey, a 98 American Standard and 2 x American Pro II's (the most recent being the Dark Night, which will serve as the last bass i ever buy - still no one believes me hahaha) I started off on a Jazz many many ago (Mexican Standard J - still at my parents house in Ireland to this day) but decided the P was way more punk back then hahaha. Always preferred the look and the feel of the Jazz but preferred the sound of the Precision - maybe that's why I love my pink Mark Hoppus Mk 1 so much! I agree with some of the above posts around them sounding a little less full when compared with a P. They definitely need a bit more tweaking when trying to get them to sound more bottom-heavy but I do find them to be incredibly versatile when it comes to dialing in some different tonal options. It has taken me a long time to learn that the trick is NOT having both pickups and tone all the way up. I like swapping back and forth between J's and Stingrays live. I do find myself having to play a little bit lighter when playing with fingers and swapping from P or Stingray to a Jazz, as I find the Jazz pickups are a little less forgiving when it comes to 'digging in' - never a problem with any of my Precisions!

Have decided to go with the Halon option. Placed an order this morning for their drop in Musicmaster bridge with brass saddles and 17.5mm spacing. Can't wait to see how it goes

Hi all, Now that I've finally managed to put down my newly-acquired Am Pro 2 Jazz (amazing!!!), I am circling back to my 75 Musicmaster project. It's still playable but rough enough to warrant the need to make some changes. I am happy overall with the neck (needs a buff, polish and waxing, fretboard will need de-greased and oiled), tuners (will de-gunk those), pickup and a few other bits but I will definitely be needing to completely redo the tone pot, input jack and bridge. Still debating as to whether or not I'll repaint it. A luthier in these parts is apparently very good at doing 60's and 70's Fender catalogue colours and I have always fancied the Daphne Blue look... Anyway, looking into bridges, I have happened across two viable options: 1: Halon Musicmaster bridge from Greece https://halonguitarparts.com/product/musicmaster-bass-bridge/ 2: Albridge Musicmaster bridge from Via Ampshop in the US https://www.ampshopbassexchange.com/product/albridge-parts-mms18-vintage-bridge-for-musicmaster-short-scale-direct-replacement/ Both look like excellent options. My question would be - has anyone had experience with either provider? I've heard great things about the AmpShop products but not-so-great things about communication, lead times and customer service. I've emailed Halon and have had a reply from the owner, Haris, who seemed quite nice and helpful. Keen to hear your thoughts

Will be coming off this evening

The Dark Night is probably the lighter of the two American Pro 2's - at least it feels that way on a strap but it is marginal. Will get the scales out tonight to confirm. The rosewood is also a little darker/richer looking up close. They both sound identical for the most part and the feel in the hand is very similar also. I do love consistency!!! The black 98 Am Std is a different beast to the PRO 2's. Heavy as a very heavy thing. Slightly different feel to the neck but still very much a Jazz like I remember them, different radius I imagine. But it just absolutely roars! Definitely covered for all my Jazz needs!

A trio of triumph! Spent the day with all 3 and the SVT. JOY!!!! Fairly confindent in the assertion that this will genuinely be the last bass I buy 😎😁

The latest (and final) addition