BetaFunk Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 I have a MIM Fender Bass VI and it's better made than my 1974 Fender Jazz Bass or any other 1970s Fender i've ever seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louseskaman Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Couple of weeks ago I picked up a 1996 MIM PBass in vintage white...... absolute bargain. plays lovely + looks lovely = one happy chappy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike257 Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 The MIM Classic Series instruments are great. My Telecaster Deluxe '72 RI is a fantastic guitar and I know a bunch of bassists who have owned and loved the Classic Series 70's Jazz. The MIM Standards can vary in quality but if you get a decent one they're great for the money. The USA Standards are better in principle but I'd go to a couple of shops, play the hell out of both and see if the bump up in quality is enough for you to splash all that extra dough. If you grab a MIM you like then you might not feel the extra expense is justified. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fionn Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 [quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1390518197' post='2346472'] I have a MIM Fender Bass VI and it's better made than my 1974 Fender Jazz Bass or any other 1970s Fender i've ever seen. [/quote] That doesn't surprise me. Fenders are such a lottery. In terms of quality, the only consistent is the inconsistency. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Apple Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 I had a MIM Fender Mike Dirnt sig P bass. The neck was lovely. The body was lovely. Beautiful finish. All the hardware was great, and the pup superb. All put together by someone with a glass eye and a brass hand. The screws on the control plate screwed in to air, and the scratch plate had been butchered (badly) to make it fit. The bridge had air between it and wood. As I said the neck and body were great, alas the union between the two not so. Once it was pulled apart and re built by someone who knew what they were doing it rocked! But a tad on the heavy side. Now my Chinese Modern Player Coronado, now there's a nice bass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 A bass is either good or it isn't. Only you can decide, and it's got nothing to do with its country of origin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Dyer Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 I've had several opportunities to compare and play Mex and US fender Jazz and Precisions side by side, it's been immediately obvious which has a better sound and build quality every time, I suggest you do the same before purchasing anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnDave Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 I have a MIM 60s classic Jazz, sounds and feels fine to me, I preferred it to my US Jazz (now swapped for a US Precision.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Only hearsay, but I understand that more recent MIMs are much better than previous years. I have played Classic 50s Precisions, Roadworn Precisions and Jazzes and they are all superb quality. Also the MIM signature models e.g. Roger Waters, Nate Mendel and Geddy Lee basses get a lot of love too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHW Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 I sold on a MIM Strat a couple of years ago- and I regret it regularly. Having played a couple of USA Strats it was every bit their equal to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urban Bassman Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 My 95 MIM P is great. It has a lovely neck and the overal build quality is excellent. It sounded great when I got it. I've since pimped it up a bit and now it sounds even better. I wouldn't hesitate gigging it. I'm seriously considering getting a similar aged MIM Jazz to do the same thing with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 I think Fenders vary from bass to bass & are totally random. I played a Mex Jazz next to a Squier & the Squire was a better instrument in build quality & they both sounded similar. I really didn't rate the MIM at all, especially considering it's about 3 times as much as the Squier (you could get a good set of pickups & better strings & still have loads left to put towards another amp/cab). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sykilz Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Got my MIM P 2001 used for £160 4 years ago, after a good set up it has the best ( for me, lowest ) action of any bass I've owned in 25 years, it stays in tune for ever, not too heavy at under 9 lbs, is well put together and has a slimish neck, which I like. I swapped the pups for some quarter pounders, and it sounded the same, so took them out and sold them ( this may be down to the wiring and capacitor being not all that great, not sure ), anyway it's output is hotter than my active Warwick with a bit of boost on, so no complaints. I can gig it any old pub without worry of damage, and it sounds good in a rock covers band. Do i GAS over an American model....sure, but it will be as an addition to the Mex, not a replacement, just in case.....!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 I'm not a great Fender bass fan, but I found myself in the market for a Fender Jazz a couple of years ago, purely to keep my more 'traditional' punters happy. I tried all three variants side by side. The build quality and finish of all three I tried was reasonable (the MIJ was easily the best of the three). The sound of the MIM was a little weak and flat compared to the MIA and MIJ. So, £1000 extra or hoiking a couple of buttons on my amp up a few notches. I bought the MIM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Rock Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 I had a Mexican Precision, but would never buy one again. When I opened the case, the 'tort' scratchplate was actually tortilla. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 (edited) [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1390515036' post='2346420'] The quality is variable, just like it is for everything... apart from Yamaha. Squiers are definitely above MIMs in the food chain, imho. [/quote] I disagree so that makes you wrong lol but joking aside I have owned a couple of Squires and they are nowhere near as good as my MIM maybe I was just lucky with my MIM ? Edited January 24, 2014 by Thunderbird Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 [quote name='Thunderbird' timestamp='1390586593' post='2347334'] I disagree so that makes you wrong lol but joking aside I have owned a couple of Squires and where are nowhere near as good as my MIM maybe I was just lucky with my MIM ? [/quote] Hee hee, I was just being inflammatory. I haven't seen nearly enough MIMs OR Squiers to qualify that statement. Anyway, as has been said, you really have to play a bass to make a judgement on it. There are too many variables involved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telebass Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 Well, I've played all Fenders up to AmStd and there's good and bad at all levels. My current gigging bass is a Frankenstein of Squire and American Special. Previous to that, I gigged a MIM for 9 years and about 600 gigs. This bass is still working as backup. After recent experience, I'd say buy what you want for the various parts and cobble a personal Fender together. My two are Precision. With Jazz necks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baxter Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 [quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1390586358' post='2347330'] I had a Mexican Precision, but would never buy one again. When I opened the case, the 'tort' scratchplate was actually tortilla. [/quote] HAHAHAHA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spinynorman Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 [quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1390522239' post='2346527'] A bass is either good or it isn't. Only you can decide, and it's got nothing to do with its country of origin. [/quote] That's true as long as the manufacturer doesn't deliberately use inferior materials and components in basses made in certain countries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 I used to have a JV squier Precision - it really was amazing and one of the best instruments (fender type) I've ever played. I sold it. Why? because my flatmate at the time had a Mexican Precison - now the JV was a lot better and more vintage sounding... but the mexican was very very good. The flatmate was moving to oz for a year and considered selling it, chatting about it he decided not too- because, as I pointed out, you would probably have to pay a lot more than you'd get to find one as good. Other mexicans I've played have been awful though. I like japanese, and japanese squiers are good too. Chinese squiers... not bad either american fender.... some good a lot bad... so ignore where it was made and go by what it sounds like. My squier MIJ jazz sounds better than most oner jazzes IMO, but you luck into a good one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 I probably wouldn't search one out, but if I came across one and liked it Enough, then I would have it... if I didn't, I wouldn't.... but being happy with the whole deal is also part of it so I can't really see me owning one.. That is not a comment on how well made they are or coming from Mexico... I can just get very picky about something so personal.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ML94 Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 I'm going to gamble and get a mex p bass. Hopefully it'll be one which is on the better end of the scale ... :/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 If you can afford it, consider the classic 50s/60s/70s series. Been very impressed every time I've tried one of those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ML94 Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 Can't stretch that far on student cash A lot of people mentioned they may sound weedy, what would you say to replace them with if mine turns out like that ? The quarter pounder p's or something completely different ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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