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Post subject: Fender Jazz Bass output
Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 8:36 pm
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Hi, fellow Jazz low-enders!

I have in intriguing poser. :?:
After having taken a sabbatical from playing bass for 8 years, I recently took it up again. Thanks to some impulsive buying, after 2 months, I find myself in possession of 4 Fender Jazz basses... don't ask why, but GAS bit hard after years of staying away. The amp is the Fender Rumble 200 v3 combo.

These are the basses:
1. American Professional Series Jazz (the latest acquisition) - maple fretboard
2. American Select Series - rosewood
3. US Geddy Lee - maple
4. American Special - maple

1, 2 n 3 are sweet to handle... tonally, they stay within the template, the Geddy Lee having a bit more kick, the Select with a bit more warmth and the Pro, tighter sound... all 3 would be great in the studio. Their outputs are of the same level.

4, however, seems like a beast from another era. To start with, it seems to have a hotter output. And a more pronounced growl. I go through all 4 and find myself returning to the Special each time, for its playability and tone... seems more responsive to the touch than the other Jazz basses.

Question is - why is it noticeably different? Pickups? Different values for the volume and tone pots? Would love to get to the bottom of this, and maybe tweak my other Jazz basses.

Look forward to and appreciate any feedback/thoughts on this.

Thank you!


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Post subject: Re: Fender Jazz Bass output
Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2017 1:49 pm
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I have been playing Jazzbasses for >30 years and recently wanted a fretless. I bought the inexpensive one with the Ebanol fretboard. I was so blown away with the pickups first, then the overall quality of the bass. I have many basses with custom pickups in all of them and these pickups just sound better and are more controllable with the tone knob than any of my other Jazz's. I was so impressed I wanted the fretted version of the same bass. It came in tune and I gigged with it that night. I'm in 3 bands and all 3 prefer the sound of this Indonesia Squire over my basses that I payed over $2,000 for. I've had those two Indonesian Squires for about 6 months now with no issues playing them daily. I am so impressed with the sound I bought the all maple 5 string and sure enough it is perfect! I don't know who is building these basses but they blow the American basses away! I want to buy a set of these pickups to put in my bass that currently has Seymour Duncan's in it but I can't seem to find them. These quality things come and go, but right now is a great time to buy an Indonesian Jazzbass. I'll bet you got a set of these new pickups that are in my new basses, they are higher output and have more growl, a nicer low mid, no click on the top end, they're just awesome!


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Post subject: Re: Fender Jazz Bass output
Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2017 8:10 am
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You have one post.
What did you do with your very first post?
You did not just say an Indonesian Squier is as good as MIA.
No, it "blows them away."
If you had said "as good as," I might have been able to attribute that to a personal preference or a lack of understanding but you didn't.
You're clearly trying to stir up the pot.
Go be a troll somewhere else.
We don't need you here.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Jazz Bass output
Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2017 8:17 am
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Bassraptor, we encounter these things from time to time.
It could be the pickups.
In fact, it's likely the pickups but there's no guarantee it's the pickups.
You have 4 different models.
You could sit down with 4 identical model guitars and still choose one you like best.
I wouldn't worry about it.
If you find you're never playing those other basses, maybe you might think about selling one or two.
In my opinion you have had a very joyful experience.
You've found an instrument with uncommonly good mojo.
Cherish it.

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Jazz Bass output
Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2017 3:17 pm
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About the only thing I would venture to say about the four basses, the USA GL has the 70's style pups, as compared to the more recent the other 3. It's a decent set of pups on the USA GL. Just my .02 cents, all good basses.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Jazz Bass output
Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2017 10:04 pm
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:roll: Sorry, I shouldn't have said "Blows them away", you're right. I as well as the other band members and Techs think that these Indonesian basses have more output for sure which isn't that big of a deal to me, but they have this incredible low mid warmth and top end to spare that I just cut down with the tone knob a bit or I would say they are too much. The tone knob (and the volume pots) are very linear. They just play and sound great and are easier to get a great sound out of thru my SVT, B2 and B1 RE than my USA basses.

My point is actually has anyone on here bought or played one of these recent Indonesian basses? Someone posted terrible things about the quality BEFORE THE TSUNAMI but I haven't seen anything after what I understand was the loss of the factories. These might be built on new equipment and sadly enough by different people. I would really like to buy a Tele from the same factory if it will have the same attention to quality, but I don't know if they build Tele's there. The basses say "Crafted in Indonesia backed by Fender" on them.


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