FENDER ARTIST SERIES FLEA JAZZ 2019 - ROADWORN SHELL PINK ON HOLD - SOLD
£775
Nottingham

petecarlton · July 1

TL;DR: It's a super Flea Jazz. You know you want it!

This is my Flea Jazz, won back in March in a competition run by BassBros (thanks, Will!). They’re based on a 1961 Jazz given to Flea by a fan, but this one was built in March 2019, so just over six years old. The relic work by Fender Mexico is excellent, and a great deal more realistic than some of the ridiculous stuff turned out by the Custom Shop recently. Given that it is pre-dinged and rubbed front, back and sides, the bass is in great nick. A friend pointed out over the weekend that the fretboard looked a bit dry, so yesterday I gave it some TLC (and lemon oil) and it’s really bucked it up.

Weight is 4.1Kg (9 lb).

The bass is strung with rounds, I assume Fender’s own, but I cannot be sure. All I have done in the short time I’ve owned it is replace the strap buttons with Schaller S-locks in nickel finish, to go with the vibe of the existing hardware. I had intended, if I’d decided to keep it, to do a bit of careful relicing of the bridge, pup covers, screw heads and the S-locks themselves. The machine heads (reverse-geared) are lovely vintage things with a wonderful patina, so I would have left those as they are.

However, I’ve been out of work and on the sick for several months now and I need cash, so I’m slowly thinning the herd when necessary, and it came down to a straight choice between this and my SBMM Joe Dart as to which was going to have to go next. This is a lovely thing, but the Ray has a beautiful neck, which I find faster and more playable, even though they’re both 38mm at the nut and the Flea undoubtedly has more tonal options, with its twin concentric knobs.

Anyway, she’s gotta go. Talk about looking a gift horse in the mouth!

I’m not looking for trades (see above) and – looking at recent sales here – I think £775 is fair, especially with the S-locks. A new Flea Jazz is £1349 in places like Andertons and GuitarGuitar.

I’ll also throw in the little teeny-weeny D’Addario tuner you can see in the pix (original machine-head screw and strap buttons included). And there’s a plush Fender Deluxe gigbag, also pictured.

I have a suitable box, so I’m happy to post to the UK at the buyer’s cost (it’ll be about £25 insured). Or you can collect from Mapperley in Nottingham (tea/coffee and biscuits available). Or I’m up for a meetup within a 45-minute drive from home.