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Post subject: MIM Jazz nut fitting correctly?
Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 8:36 am
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I have a MIM Standard Jazz bass that seems to have the G string too close to the edge of the fingerboard. This is my first bass, I've been playing guitar for over 40 years, and didn't notice the cut of the nut untill I played it awhile. I emailed Fender support but got no response, which really bothers me, I have quite a few Gibsons and they have always been helpful when asked a question. Has anyone had a problem like this? I took it to a Fender service center in, but the tech at the store told me he thought it was cut wrong but was "good enough" but for $50.00 to $75.00 he would fit a new nut. Is this normal treatment for customers that buy Fender products. I realize this isn't an american built guitar but.... I thought that the nuts were already pre cut and just mounted on the neck, so maybe since I'm new to bass this is a normal fit. Any info would be appreciated.


Last edited by steveoh54 on Thu Jan 22, 2009 7:14 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: MIM Jazz nut fitting corectly?
Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 3:13 am
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steveoh54 wrote:
I have a MIM Standard Jazz bass that seems to have the G string too close to the edge of the fingerboard. This is my first bass, I've been playing guitar for over 40 years, and didn't notice the cut of the nut untill I played it awhile. I emailed Fender support but got no response, which really bothers me, I have quite a few Gibsons and they have always been helpful when asked a question. Has anyone had a problem like this? I took it to a Fender service center in, but the tech at the store told me he thought it was cut wrong but was "good enough" but for $50.00 to $75.00 he would fit a new nut. Is this normal treatment for customers that buy Fender products. I realize this isn't an american built guitar but.... I thought that the nuts were already pre cut and just mounted on the neck, so maybe since I'm new to bass this is a normal fit. Any info would be appreciated.


I have the very same problem as you do. Check out my topic:

http://www.fender.com/community/forums/ ... hp?t=17091

It's nice to know I'm not the only one.


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Post subject: MIM Jazz nut fitting correctly?
Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 7:16 am
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Thanks for the reply. At least I don't feel like I'm nit picking Fender. After all the years playing guitar, I guess I expect all the strings to be spaced the same but maybe basses have to be like this. It plays just fine but I am curious if this is normal. I checked out some replacement nuts on other websites and it looks like they would be factory cut (molded) and this is normal string location. I am disappointed that Fender customer service didn't reply to my email,though. Kinda makes me loose confidence in Fender.


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Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 2:18 am
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Actually, all nuts I've seen made by Fender for the USA guitars have the string spacing correctly. Mine is not only worn, but also broken in half under the A string. I am waiting for a replacement.

I also tried shifting the neck, but it didn't work. Looking from the body down to the headstock, I need to shift it to the left. I can't do it. Why? Because the badly cut pickguard won't let me. That's right, my pickguard is not cut right in the part where the neck cavity goes, so the plastic ends up going over the edge of the body, touching and putting pressure on the neck (and vice versa). I also ordered a new, US-made pickguard (vintage tort). I'll see how that goes.

What I noticed about the crappy 3-ply pickguard is that this part, marked by me on the photo in the circle: http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/8946/247908tw1.jpg is cut wrong. Instead of being smoothly in line with the neck, the upper part is touching the neck, putting pressure on it, whereas the lower part, the curve, is away from the neck. So, it kinda looks like this simple diagram: http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/4332/v ... ramiu0.jpg

That's the best way that I could describe it. Of course, the way the pickguard touches the neck is made more extreme in this diagram, but it gives you an idea what happens, and it's the best way that I can explain it.


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Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 9:51 am
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Location: Portsmouth,VA
Are these new basses or did you buy them used?


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Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 1:17 pm
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Mine is used (1993 model). In my opinion, it sounds very nice and the wood is great. Unfortunately, the parts mounted onto the wood (excluding the pots and pickups) are slowly starting to show how crappy they are.


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Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 8:23 am
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I'm glad you solved your problem with some new parts (nut and bridge). Sometimes buying things used requires a little more work, people making adjustments and not knowing what they are doing.


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Post subject: MIM Jazz nut fitting correctly?
Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 5:12 am
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My Jazz is new. Bought at Guitar center in Fairlawn, Oh April '08. I called them, they refered me to a " custom guitar shop " that supposedly does their warranty work. I've called this shop 4 times with no response. Guitar Center then had me talk to a guy that "works here for the discounts" and told me to drop the bass off to him and he'll take it home and work on it,at $40.00 an hour labor! I don't think so. I guess another call to Fender is in order.


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Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 7:36 am
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I read your first posted over when I have a problem I try calling the company first I seem to get a better response. I'm somewhat disappointed because their Warranty to me should have covered your problem I'm going to re-read it again.

http://www.fender.com/support/pdfs/FEND ... D64CE6.pdf


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Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 7:51 am
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I just finished reading their "Limited Lifetime Warranty" I would give them a call. I also made a copy of my receipt I notice that over time they start to fade.


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Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 2:46 am
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I got pissed off today, ordered a replacement, but before that, I did a small modification on the pickguard.

Before I did this, after putting the pickguard on and later the neck in place and screwing everything together, the neck was not sitting tight in place. So, even with everything as it should be, when the strings were in tune, I could just movie the neck to the left or right, as if the screws weren't holding it tightly.

What I noticed was that the pickguard, white 3-ply, was reaching over the edge of the body, into the neck cavity. So, today, I took a sharp knife and just started scratching off the plastic right at the neck cavity. The result left a 0.5-mm gap between the neck and the pickguard, not pretty, but it was actually worth it. Right now, the neck sits tight in and doesn't move (aside from bending front/back to create a tremolo effect).

The pickguard, as I thought, put so much pressure on the neck that it couldn't sit in place perfectly. After this, everything works just as it should.

I'm still ordering a new tort pickguard, hopefully original USA-made products will work nicely, and this thing was just because of crappy Mexican manufacturing.

I know that the OP had a problem with the guitars nut, not the neck, but this is on a related topic and may help someone, because strings won't be correctly in place on the fretboard in the neck isn't in it's place (as it was with mine - the pressure from the 'guard was shifting it to the right).


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Post subject: MIM Jazz nut fitting correctly?
Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 7:15 am
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Panek, I was on a website looking a replacement pickguards and this dealer states that guards (at least theirs) made for American built basses won't fit 20 fret Mexican basses. Just a thought, but a call or email to Fender before you order a replacement might might save you sending one back. Here's the site I was on. http://www.wdmusic.com/guards_bass_fender.html


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Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 9:35 am
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I was told the same thing at Guitar Center, I was looking for a replacement for my Squire Jazz. Some companies require you to trace your original pickguard. I think hole(s) placement is off a little so they will not line up. Panek, thinking about it that sounds like your problem. What I would do is leave the neck on your bass and see if the holes line-up.


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Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 3:34 pm
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That's what I did with my Mex 'guard, and they didn't. I thought it's the effect of crappy Mexican manufacturing. Screw holes are not a problem.

Doesn't matter anyway. The replacement's been ordered. But this time, I'm going to use sand paper to very carefully make the pickguard fit. The only part that doesn't fit is the edge around the neck.

I'd rather go the DIY way and do it right in 10 minutes than mess around with measuring and then waiting another week for a replacement :P

And don't get me wrong, I really like the guitar. The woodwork is great and I've never played a more comfortable neck in my life. I also like the sound which is better than some of the new basses I've checked out (from various manufacturers). It's just that over the time I've had it, it started to show how crappy the parts on it are. After I change them, it's gonna be better than ever :D


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Post subject: MIM Jazz nut fitting correctly?
Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2009 7:41 am
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Being a guitar player for over 40 years, I've owned a bunch of guitars, some good, some bad. I have a '76 Gibson Les Paul Custom and a '83 Custom shop ES335, but the Epiphone Les Paul Standard I bought shortly after they started selling them, ( I can't remember exactly what year,but well over 10 years ago ) plays better than either one of the USA Gibsons ,for a quarter of the price! The one thing that is most noticable ,however, as you've stated, is the inferior hardware. Once you replace stuff like pots,jacks, etc. there is'nt a big differance in the construction. I hope this is the case with my MIM Jazz.


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