NBD: Slightly modified Fender Flea Jazz

[HeadlessBassist]

Alternative title, "I'm not buying that one - it's all scratched!"

 

Alas, poor Nate has gone. It was a lovely bass, but I don't gig Precisions. It's not my sound.

 

So here's another Jazz bass... 

 

Previous owner has added a Parallel/Series switch (like Fender's original S1 switching), quite why, I have no idea. Also a Leo Quan BadAss II bridge, which is an excellent choice, although I'd have preferred the Fender American Standard/Professional bridge with the through body stringing. I guess you can't have everything.

 

Liking the Shell Pink finish and the Pure Vintage 64 pickups (same as my American Original), but the relic job is VERY heavy handed. Then again, I could've been playing it since 1961 (eight years before I was born... 🤔)

 

 

 

With it's American Original cousin...

 

Edited 2 hours ago by HeadlessBassist

[police squad]

these are great basses

I bought one when they first came out and gigged it a lot

best jazz bass pickups I've heard

[HeadlessBassist]

1 hour ago, police squad said:

these are great basses

I bought one when they first came out and gigged it a lot

best jazz bass pickups I've heard

 

 

Agreed. With the right set of strings, the Pure Vintage 64's are just about the richest sounding Fender single coils. The American Original has the same set.

I couldn't get PV64's for silky999's prototype Daphne Blue Nitro Jazz, so I've ordered a set of the newer Pure Vintage 66's from the Am.Vintage II to go in that one.

 

Edited 3 hours ago by HeadlessBassist

[BassApprentice]

It's funny that two of the most well liked Fender signature basses are from rocks bassists from the 90s (or late 80s if you will) and are both roadworn/reliced.

 

Might be nothing in those two coincidences but just crossed my mind there. 

[HeadlessBassist]

11 minutes ago, BassApprentice said:

It's funny that two of the most well liked Fender signature basses are from rocks bassists from the 90s (or late 80s if you will) and are both roadworn/reliced.

 

Might be nothing in those two coincidences but just crossed my mind there. 

 

Yes, interesting coincidence, although I do generally like things to be shiny, new and well looked after. Maybe they both spent their childhoods in bedrooms full of broken toys..?

 

At least with these reliced basses, you're definitely not worried about scratching them! 🤣

Edited 2 hours ago by HeadlessBassist

[Lozz196]

I played a mates one very briefly and was impressed, it just felt "right" if that makes any sense.

 

And yes, thinking about it the Flea, Nate & JMJ are all Mexican reliced signature basses, and the ones that get rave reviews pretty much everywhere. 

[HeadlessBassist]

I guess they're basically the follow on models to the previous Road Worn Jazz and the Highway 1, both of which were universally loved. Same basic recipe with some added 'Signature Bass' dollars added on.