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Fender Flea Signature Jazz Bass


NJE
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Here are some photos from yesterday. As I said in a previous post, I didn't think I would ever like pink, but this bass is really stunning in the flesh.


[attachment=223898:image1.JPG][attachment=223899:image2.JPG][attachment=223900:image3.JPG][attachment=223901:image4.JPG][attachment=223902:image5.JPG]

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So last night I had decided the bass was to go back - I even packed it up ready.

Then this morning the house was empty so I thought I'd have one more try of it. Out it came from the box and it immediately felt good in hand. After a little slap and then some finger style I realised what a great sounding instrument this is. I think I finally got what a great passive tone was. The more I played it the more I realised there was something special about the bass. I was pretty much sure I was now going to keep the bass. I then went to pull out my lead and the below happened :-o


[attachment=223903:image1.JPG][attachment=223904:image2.JPG][attachment=223905:image3.JPG]

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The jack socket on a few of my basses is super tight. This is the same. I usually press on the control plate whilst pulling the cable out. I can see how the above might be done...

Strange to see how the wear is so similar! On Maldy's pics, the rear picture shows a missing piece of finish on its own, with a 'smile' of darker colour underneath it. That is identical to mine. WEIRD.

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[quote name='Kev' timestamp='1469020263' post='3095129']
:o

There's a GAS kill if I ever saw one! Sorry dude! :(

What kind of wood strips like that, must be super soft?
[/quote]


[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1469022190' post='3095147']
The jack socket on a few of my basses is super tight. This is the same. I usually press on the control plate whilst pulling the cable out. I can see how the above might be done...

[/quote]


I'm no expert, but I don't think the wood is soft. It seems to me that the drill holes are slightly too big, or have been drilled twice in slightly different positions, then filled in a bit.

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[quote name='maldy' timestamp='1469022691' post='3095159']


Weird. I took my plate off to have a quick looky and the screws were really nice n firm.



I'm no expert, but I don't think the wood is soft. It seems to me that the drill holes are slightly too big, or have been drilled twice in slightly different positions, then filled in a bit.
[/quote]

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[quote name='police squad' timestamp='1469026532' post='3095198']
could just be bad luck. When you've owned P basses and broken the scratchplate, you do learn to support the plate when you unplug. (this comes from years of the plates being held together with tape because I couldn't be bothered to change it)
[/quote]

Lesson learnt!

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Thinking about it, on the rare occasion I have owned a bass with a pick guard covering controls, I tended to hold the guard down with my thumb as i pulled the cable out with my fingers. Never actually thought this would happen though. It certainly can't be normal!

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[quote name='Kev' timestamp='1469034887' post='3095278']
Thinking about it, on the rare occasion I have owned a bass with a pick guard covering controls, I tended to hold the guard down with my thumb as i pulled the cable out with my fingers. Never actually thought this would happen though. It certainly can't be normal!
[/quote]

Remember its a Fender and their quality control history is not the best.

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I had a quick play on one of these at promenade music in morecambe this week (it's probably gone now!!) and it was very hard to hand it back.
I've been playing my Musicman basses mostly for the last month or so, and have forgotten how nice a passive jazz can sound.
The neck profile shouldn't be too much concern, I have tiny hands and was also concerned about it being slightly deeper, but felt easy to play. As Karl has said, the neck pickup with the tone off sounds KILLER!!!!
My only criticism of the bass is the relic job. It is quite heavy, and a little too heavy for my taste. I'd rather it looked like someone had looked after it and loved it, but had just worn the paint off after decades of use. This looks like it's lost a fight with a pit bull, then been played in a punk rock band for a decade... I'd still have one though!!!

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[quote name='rhcp128' timestamp='1469056069' post='3095502']
Doesn't seem to work like this on mine. If I turn both volumes to 100%, then each individual tone pot will affect the tone of both pick ups if turned down...
[/quote]

How do you know that it's effecting the tone of both pickups? Think about it. <_<

Frank.

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[quote name='machinehead' timestamp='1469056925' post='3095504']


How do you know that it's effecting the tone of both pickups? Think about it. <_<

Frank.
[/quote]

Because the sound from the output sounds like both pickups have the tone rolled of, even if one tone is fully open and one is rolled off (all lows and no highs, both volumes at 100%)

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One of the limitations of that wiring is that with both pots, both tone controls will work equally on both pickups, and both tones together actually work at a lower frequency than both singularly.
When the volume is down on a pickup, the other tone has progressively less involvement in the other pickup, but it will always have some while there is some volume in that pickup.

No way round that without going active. I assume that is why fender changed the wiring shortly afterwards, because its operation was hard to predict.

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[quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1469058567' post='3095510']
One of the limitations of that wiring is that with both pots, both tone controls will work equally on both pickups, and both tones together actually work at a lower frequency than both singularly.
When the volume is down on a pickup, the other tone has progressively less involvement in the other pickup, but it will always have some while there is some volume in that pickup.

No way round that without going active. I assume that is why fender changed the wiring shortly afterwards, because its operation was hard to predict.
[/quote]

Thanks! That explains it

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Apologies rhcp, shows I know nothing!!! I was always lead to believe that they operated that way, but I guess it would make send due to the common grounding that you would get some bleed from one to the other.
I would assume it is less noticeable which both pickups than with them singled out, otherwise, besides looking nice, there would be no point!

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The screws in my control plate were/are like the poster above less than secure, I was going to pack them with a match stick, I might do that next time it's on the bench.

Also what are everyones thoughts on the strings, I don't think they sound as balanced as the Fender flats I'm used to. I have a bit of volume increase on the E, over both pickups so I assume this is a string issue ? It's not an issue.

It was the second time at band rehersal with the bass and first time after a setup tweek, sounded and played really nice last night though the new nitro got a bit sticky in the heat and humidity.

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[quote name='njr911' timestamp='1469088266' post='3095574']
The screws in my control plate were/are like the poster above less than secure, I was going to pack them with a match stick, I might do that next time it's on the bench.

Also what are everyones thoughts on the strings, I don't think they sound as balanced as the Fender flats I'm used to. I have a bit of volume increase on the E, over both pickups so I assume this is a string issue ? It's not an issue.

[/quote]

Both my pickups were not flat to the body. I.e. the pickup was higher under the G string than the E string. To compensate any height difference in the string? Not sure if was intentional in the set up, but the volume seemed fine across the strings.

[quote name='njr911' timestamp='1469088266' post='3095574']

It was the second time at band rehersal with the bass and first time after a setup tweek, sounded and played really nice last night though the new nitro got a bit sticky in the heat and humidity.

[/quote]

The nitro finish seems/feels different to the nitro finish on the RW Jazz. I get how it might feel a bit stickier in heat. Still a really nice finish though :-)

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[quote name='rhcp128' timestamp='1469057614' post='3095507']
Because the sound from the output sounds like both pickups have the tone rolled of, even if one tone is fully open and one is rolled off (all lows and no highs, both volumes at 100%)
[/quote]

Ah. I stand corrected. Apologies. :(

Frank.

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