afterimage Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 I have a mia jazz bass deluxe and a fender Geddy Lee mim both are well made but the american has better fit finnish but mim are fanstic value try before you buy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickcope Posted November 11, 2014 Author Share Posted November 11, 2014 Turns out they stopped making the unlined MIM jazz a few years ago anyway - so need a change in plans - thanks everyone for the advice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notable9 Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 Agree with the US models being generally lighter and also the body contours seem to be sanded smoother......they just feel nicer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazz Bass 65 Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 I've owned Fender Basses (Transition 65 Jazz from new) MIA Precision, MIA P Deluxe, Mexican Jazz Bass, 25th anniversary precision, Chinese Affinity, all of them good basses for the money you paid even the Affinity. In between I've owned Musicman, Burns & G&L. I just don't go in for tarting them up other than fitting John East J-Retro active kits to some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hutton Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 USA all the way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilco Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 (edited) The worst Fender instrument I've owned (& I've had a few inc Squiers & MiJ) has been a MiM Jazz. It was a 5 string and admittedly it was a 2000 model so the newer ones could be better. There was no life to it at all, even after a decent pickup upgrade... The U.S. Fenders I have tried have been the better instruments. Edited December 25, 2014 by Wilco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annoying Twit Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Not an expert, but when I did a big Fender/Squier comparison at a local store, I thought that the MIA basses I tried played head and shoulders above the Mexicans, and the Mexicans were pretty much the same as the Classic Vibe and Vintage Modified Squiers. Another Mexican bass I tried again didn't feel that wonderful to me. It could be a placebo effect, but I've always found MIA and MIJ Fenders to feel really nice, and everything else ... not so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Defo Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 I've had both. The MIM was awful, felt cheap and nasty, I would have been much better off spending my cash on an Ibanez. The American on the other hand is like a work of art. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coilte Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 [quote name='Defo' timestamp='1419506899' post='2640476'] The MIM was awful, felt cheap and nasty, I would have been much better off spending my cash on an Ibanez. [/quote] ...or better still....a Tribute G&L JB2. [size=4] [/size] [size=4]http://www.glguitars.com/instruments/TributeSeries/basses/JB-2_new/index.asp[/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 MIM Classic Series ................................................that's all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 [quote name='gareth' timestamp='1419510204' post='2640504'] MIM Classic Series ................................................that's all [/quote] indeed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
machinehead Posted December 26, 2014 Share Posted December 26, 2014 [quote name='gareth' timestamp='1419510204' post='2640504'] MIM Classic Series ................................................that's all [/quote] Yes!! My 70s classic jazz is a gem. Not quite as good as the US 75 reissue but only about 33% of the new price and easily good enough to be my only bass. Frank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted December 26, 2014 Share Posted December 26, 2014 American Deluxe would be my starting point.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
machinehead Posted December 26, 2014 Share Posted December 26, 2014 [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1419610135' post='2641272'] American Deluxe would be my starting point.. [/quote] Yes. A good call. I've owned a couple and the most recent ones are a big improvement over the early ones. i like the additional fret and the smaller body too. They are very pricy though. Frank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted December 26, 2014 Share Posted December 26, 2014 [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1419610135' post='2641272'] American Deluxe would be my starting point.. [/quote] As you know from my old 5 string jazz thread I had a relatively open cheque book but went for the usa standard over a choice of two deluxes, the preamp to me was just a bit meh, drop a john east in mine and it would be much better than the deluxe imo, I still got a trans urethane finish rather than poly, 4 ply pickguard, graphite truss reinforcement rods etc and I ended up with a deluxe case thrown in as pmt had sold mine! I could enjoy the OPs Squier no problem, I dont think you can choose a level like "deluxe as a starting point" with Fender but rather choose one thats good which could have any price tag on it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted December 26, 2014 Share Posted December 26, 2014 The bass would have to stand up as an instrument first and foremost but my next bass is going to be RW block and bound so there aren't many places I can start. I have the 5st thing covered with 2 excellent, IMO basses so I am looking at the aesthetics as well so that rules out anything without those and the DJ5 is tooooo passive sounding. Whether a pre amp was rescue it, I am not sure but I wouldn't pay more than £700 or so for one anyway. I pretty much know what I am going to have to get from what I have found and played so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted December 26, 2014 Share Posted December 26, 2014 Rickenbacker? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
machinehead Posted December 26, 2014 Share Posted December 26, 2014 (edited) [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1419614832' post='2641306'] The bass would have to stand up as an instrument first and foremost but my next bass is going to be RW block and bound so there aren't many places I can start. I have the 5st thing covered with 2 excellent, IMO basses so I am looking at the aesthetics as well so that rules out anything without those and the DJ5 is tooooo passive sounding. Whether a pre amp was rescue it, I am not sure but I wouldn't pay more than £700 or so for one anyway. I pretty much know what I am going to have to get from what I have found and played so far. [/quote] Don't discount the MIM classic series either. (The classic 70s is rosewood, bound and blocked) They are excellent basses and well worth the money. The neck on mine is ever so slightly deeper to the touch than my US 75 RI but strangely, it measures the same, so it must have a slightly different profile? Edit. My US 75 RI is also the more rare rosewood board which, to my eyes, looks much nicer than the more common maple fretboards. Not everyone will agree with this of course. Frank. Edited December 26, 2014 by machinehead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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