TGEvans Posted May 17, 2009 Share Posted May 17, 2009 Hey all. After much thought I think I want a Jazz bass. From the day I started playing I said to myself that I would never play a jazz or a precision as when I went to buy my first bass the guy in the shop, who is now a friend told me I needed a jazz or precision. being a typical kid I was not going to do what an adult told me to do!!!! Down to business.... My first thoughts were to get an MTD 435 or 535. But in reality, if I did get one I would not be happy to parade one on stage. If I damaged it I would never forgive myself, if someone else damaged it, they would die,not good. So, money wise up to about 1500 pounds limit me thinks, I really like the look of the 75 Jazz reissue's, I have also seen these in the american series and also in the Japanese. Any info on both models would be good, and also other Jazz types worth looking at? All the best,Tim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 Wow, there really is about £3000-3500 price difference between the MTD 4/535's and the Jap '75 reissue! If you want to save money then you've made a good choice! In terms of current Fender products, and being a U.S Jazz bass owner myself, the quality of instruments can be hit or miss at times. I have, however, enjoyed a lot of the USA model basses, but I'd recommend trying before you buy. Other Fender style basses I would recommend in your price range would be Lakland Skylines, I believe the quality and sound of these instruments IMO exceed that of most of Fender's current range. Aside from that, there are Sadowsky Metros, which although are not entirely vintage Fender sounding, are superbly well-built and for me personally, are sonic perfection personified. There is a lovely second hand Sadowsky RV-5 being sold in the 'For Sale' section of the site, and the seller I can tell you is a very nice chap indeed! Check it out here [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=48010"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=48010[/url]. At the price, this bass is a complete steal, I'd have it myself if I had the money! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGEvans Posted May 18, 2009 Author Share Posted May 18, 2009 Thanks for that, I know there is a big price difference. My main thought though is that I need a bass as a tool, not something to buy and play at home in an airtight room with soft walls and floors! Will start my research now as I know which direction to go in. Where is the best place uk wise to try fenders out?Thanks again, Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 Fenders, along with Squiers, generally hold the biggest sales quota in music shops up and down the country, so any good music store to you locally should stock them. Lakland are somewhat more limited, being much less popular and a less familiar brand but they are picking up now in a lot of good music stores, and I'd really advise checking them out if possible! Hope that's some help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutToPlayJazz Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 There are so many different versions, but mainly just try before you buy. The quality can be excellent, but there are some dogs out there. My personal favourite at the moment is the current American Standard Jazz with the through body stringing. No unwanted noises, great tone & lovely finish to the neck. And if you want more shove/sparkle, get either the Sadowsky outboard preamp or the Aguilar Tone Hammer. Best of all worlds there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus27 Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 I have a Lakland Duck Dunn Precision and all I can say is its amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyparrot Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 [quote name='Linus27' post='491091' date='May 18 2009, 08:27 AM']I have a Lakland Duck Dunn Precision and all I can say is its amazing.[/quote] They are very good indeed. I would say a us jazz is a very good choice. Out of 4 that i have had, they are all very well built, with very quite passive electronics, and lets face it nowdays you can but pre amps cheap enough if you wanna emulate another bass, so as Rich says, best of both. If you have money to burn, then you wont go wrong with fender custom shop jazz. I got to hear a sadowsky last night, and they are great, but they dont have that vintage fender growl. I dont think any active bass can get that vintage growl quite like the fender jazz bass. I think new usa models have a very high build quality, and having yesterday played and compared the mex to a us, there is no dought the us feels much better built, and a little more hot than a mex. Another great bass that i tried was a yamaha trb4. FAntastic bass at the same price range as a mex jazz. I may look for one myself, although the trb5 sounded nothing like the 4! Seemed less sparkle. Out of all the jazzes, its got to be a usa fender jazz everytime, cos that what they are. Many copies and good ones, but nothng to touch it. The other week, i had the chance to a-b my fender c/s jazz against a lakeland darrel jones. With back p/u solo'd and tone rolled off, i have to say my fender sounded growly and more of a full rounded tone compared to a lakeland jazz. Thats where they score high, in the growl factor. There are many great fx and amp simulators out there, if you need other tones, but the important thing is you will always have that core funky passive jazz sound that you here on many albums and records from 1960-today. Good luck with your search, Rich. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fingerz Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Re: 75 Re issue Jazz. I was looking for a jazz for a while and found what I was after in a 75 re-issue japanese model from mid 80's. I really rate these basses, and they won't break the bank. To my ears my one sounds as good as any vintage jazzes and didn't cost nearly as much. It has a rosewood board but I know a guy with the same bass with maple board who loves it. I recommend the 75 re issue. Jazzes tend to have loads of dead spots just in how they're designed so try to get something that seams to have minimal probs, ie play a load of them. The other good thing about Fenders of any sort is that they are always well received by people you play for. I think even if you get an MTD later and like it, you'll never tire of some good old single coil tone so you've probably made a sound choice.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slobluesine Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 This is just what you need... [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=50876&hl="]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=50876&hl=[/url] blatant Mon night plug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 From the day I started playing I said to myself that I would never play a jazz or a precision They were my thoughts when i first started playing...Like Rich said your best bet is to get a US Jazz and get a external pre amp, like the Aguilar Tone Hammer, or the fantastic Sadowsky pre... All the best... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Born 2B Mild Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 [quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='491080' date='May 18 2009, 07:54 AM']There are so many different versions, but mainly just try before you buy. The quality can be excellent, but there are some dogs out there. My personal favourite at the moment is the current American Standard Jazz with the through body stringing. No unwanted noises, great tone & lovely finish to the neck. And if you want more shove/sparkle, get either the Sadowsky outboard preamp or the Aguilar Tone Hammer. Best of all worlds there![/quote] I've just got a 1996 American Standard V. I'm really impressed. It's my first through body strung bass, my first Fender 5-string, and it's also my first American made Fender since I had Ps & Js in the 70s. I forgot how cool a Fender sound can be, after preferring a 'modern sound' for so long. And this fiver feels like a four-string to me. Didn't cost much either! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starless Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 There is no 'hit or miss' with Japanese Quality Control (as you would expect). I have a '62 re-issue which was half the price of a USA model and I just can't fault it. As with Rickenbackers, USA Fenders seem to have a premium added because of some ill-conceived perception over the years that they are 'the best', but Fender Japan produce identical models which are immaculately finished. Rather than pick up a USA Jazz, why not spend the same amount of money on a Jap Jazz and a Precision to keep it company. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibob Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 (edited) In defence of US Jazzes, my US Jazz Standard is a diamond! Wouldn't swap it for anything..... I've never played a load of MIA's & MIJ's too compare, but going by others experiences you do have to search for a good one a bit more with the MIA's, but mine is testament that awesome ones are about! I would say, regardless of where they're made, try a load of basses. There might be a MIJ and MIA hanging on a wall, the MIJ might not be as good in this particular instance, but you'd buy it over the MIA because of peoples preconceptions about them! I will say that the MIA Reissues are a little overpriced, but then who on here actually buys 'new' basses lol, go second hand! MIJ prices are starting to creep up as well, as they know that people are starting to choose them over MIA's. You also have to be careful not to fall for a 'basswood' bodied/cheaper pickup japanese model, the more expensive alder/ash bodied ones (with US p'ups) are where you wanna be looking regarding MIJ. There's a MIJ 75RI for sale in the FS section here, £475 I believe. Bargain! Good luck Si Edited June 23, 2009 by Sibob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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