NBD - Japanese Fender Jazz

[paul_c2]

So, after toying with the idea of buying a PJ (two pickups) Precision, I realised that the Squiers didn't really do it for me, and that it was worth the step up in price to a Fender. And it was going to need to be a Jazz. Frustratingly, although understandably, there just aren't that many secondhand MIM Fender Jazzes around. I searched for quite some time, I guess they are really decent instruments and if someone has one, they'll tend to keep hold of it rather than selling (what would you upgrade to, for example?) This contrasts with the numbers of secondhand Squiers out there, and of course there is the frustration of searching for a Fender and it returning loads of results for "Fender Squier Affinity" stuff etc etc.

My local music shop had a MIJ Fender Jazz, not quite in the right colour (it was a turquoise - reasonable colour but I really wanted something a bit more subtle) and it was wonderful to play. It was one of those basses that you knew was "right" within the first 5 seconds of playing it. However the price was a little high and it had a terrible - although I was assured, fixable - electrical issue. So, I put an offer in (it was a commission sale) and waited. The seller declined it, and to rub salt into the wound, didn't even drop the £20 or so the electrical repair would have cost - so in effect the total price to me would have been £20 above its £519 price. It was in cosmetically "reasonable" condition (rather than being brilliant) but that's a non issue, I'll be using the bass quite a lot so it didn't really matter. And no plans to sell it soon.

So with my local options exhausted, I searched and searched on the internet and found a Japanese Fender Jazz for a bargain ~£300, plus duty and shipping which brought it up to around £500. It was cosmetically excellent condition and in the right colour for me. So I bought it. And......(despite having a rosewood fingerboard)......arrived from Japan in only a week or so. Of course, being from Japan I was unable to play it and had to trust the Fender brand name and my instincts - I don't think I'm disappointed. It has that distinct Jazz tone, not so much low end punch as my previous bass but I have a graphic EQ pedal and also a graphic EQ on my amp, so a simple tweak can make the sound "right" for the situation as relevant.

Its not flashy, its not high spec, it just does - very well - what I want it to do, so hopefully this is the one bass I'll predominantly play for the rest of my life, with the luxury of my old one as a backup (might send it in for repair to get a number of its issues sorted out).

Pics on their way....

[paul_c2]

[Geek99]

i had one of these and it was [i]awesome[/i].

[Marc S]

I have one of these, which is fretless. I absolutely love the tone and the feel and playability of my Japan Jazz
It could do with a visit to my local (fab) luthier Dave Dearnaley, for a bit of a set-up tweak - but I just don't want it out of the house atm
I'm really a fretted bass player, but I like having the fretless around to just play with, and if it goes to Dave's workshop, it'll be there maybe a week till I can get time to collect it again lol

It's also fairly light, in comparison to other Jazzes I've played and owned - though I don't have a scale to weigh it properly, it just feels fairly light and comfortable. Mine is also black, with rosewood board (but has a tort plate - which isn't original) I think you had a good buy. As you say, you don't see too many Fender Japan Jazzes knocking around second-hand. Mine does exactly what I want of it, and I can't see me parting with it either

Happy NBD!

[paul_c2]

I have bought a (non-genuine) tort scratchplate ready to go on. It needs a little bit of a tweak around the neck area, so I'll carefully have to do this, then it will be ready to go on. Of course, I'll keep the white one. I might change it to a black one, or a mirror-finish one, later. Variety is the spice of life, after all.

[Wylie]

I have a Japanese Geddy jazz and love it. The neck is super comfortable, though a bit fussy. But a small turn of the truss rod and the action is comfortable. It's my second Japanese Fender and both were not only good instruments but great buys. Congratulations on a very nice-looking bass. I didn't much like the 'tuxedo' look of mine, so I put on a black pickguard--very sharp.

[Marc S]

[quote name='paul_c2' timestamp='1500383770' post='3337341']
I have bought a (non-genuine) tort scratchplate ready to go on. It needs a little bit of a tweak around the neck area, so I'll carefully have to do this, then it will be ready to go on. Of course, I'll keep the white one. I might change it to a black one, or a mirror-finish one, later. Variety is the spice of life, after all.
[/quote]
A 3 ply (Black, white, black) would look fab on this bass - or a mirror one... either would just add to it aesthetically IMO
The white is fine, of course, but either black or mirror is nicer... hmm... or tort of course
But as you say, keep the original - just in case

Edited July 18, 2017 by Marc S

[Danuman]

Ooh, congrats! I have a bit of a soft spot for Japanese Fenders. Some years ago I bought a battle-hardened 1989 Strat for a modest price, had some work done on it, installed a set of David Allen pickups... and I can honestly say I haven't even thought about wanting any other guitars since. I hope to find a bass like that one day.