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Post subject: Re: Fender Elite Jazz Bass
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2014 6:01 pm
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I just noticed that it also has a 24 fret neck, which is rare as rocking horse poop for a Fender. Then again, so is anything higher than 20 frets, for the most part.


That was one cool feature of the Performer series basses, which I know now are the final product of the "Elite Jazz" bass.

that neck was super long and it didn't get very much wider. 24 Frets was all the rage in 1982 on so this bass was long over due for Fender. The performer basses were a lot of fun.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Elite Jazz Bass
Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 11:36 am
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Yeah, I think the (unless I'm mistaken and missed something) only other bass Fender put out like that was the 24 fret Jazz they had out a few years ago.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Elite Jazz Bass
Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2014 6:09 am
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Great bass and a great story!!

In my research on the Precision Elite, I found this webpage:

http://www.glguitars.com/gagon/gagon-2.asp

on which Paul Gagon claims he designed the bass preamp.

There is also a picture of him playing a bass.

Steve, isn´t that the/your Elite Jazz he is playing??????


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Post subject: Re: Fender Elite Jazz Bass
Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2014 9:07 am
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That article is a nice find, as is the pic. Yes, that is the Jazz Elite Paul is playing.

John's paperwork gives Bill Hodges credit for the design of the electronics but says he worked with Paul on the project, so it may have even been a combined effort.

Thanks for passing this along!

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Post subject: Re: Fender Elite Jazz Bass
Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2014 5:24 pm
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The Performer Basses were not the only 24 fret basses made by Fender. The Urge models, Heartfield made DRC (custom), the MIM Dimension basses and the MIK deluxe Jazz basses all have 24 frets also. In addition, the Steve Bailey 6 string model sported 24. Like a car with a speedometer that measures up to 120 mph, it doesn't mean you are ever going to go full speed (24 frets) but very handy to have a little extra horsepower if needed. I would rather have a couple extra frets than run out of gas.

Thank you Steve for sharing the awesome story of the Proto Performer. This bass now has the best documented provenance of any vintage instrument as not many can be traced from inception, design, modeling, color selection, construction, field testing and near destruction. Now entrusted to your capable stewardship, this very unique instrument has been on an awesome journey.

The quest continues with the search for the Bigfoot of basses. Thus far all that we have is some old photos of a 5 string, 3 pickup, red colored Prototype. Could this be the big brother of the Page Pink Proto Performer?

Good Luck!


Last edited by Buckeye bass on Wed Apr 23, 2014 5:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Elite Jazz Bass
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 2:07 pm
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Thanks Buckeye, I will take care of it as it is very much a prized possession. And thanks for encouragement on the Performer 5 proto. I am feeling more confident that I will find it, not as confident that I will be able to secure it at a price that makes sense. I know with the Elite Jazz it would take a really big number just to get my attention, and I assume the owner of the 5 proto feels the same way. But you never know.

And thank you TonH for finding that article on Paul Gagon who was involved with the design of the electronics for the Elite Jazz. Another picture for the scrapbook on this bass, too. I have attached it below.

Paul is playing the Elite Jazz.

Image

It's kind of sad that the active electronic design was removed when they decided not to build the Jazz Elite and moved to the Performer platform, but I understand the need to make the bass less expensive. The design is still alive and well in the Elite I&II Precisions, and perhaps other places?

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Post subject: Re: Fender Elite Jazz Bass
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 6:18 pm
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What's not to love? This thing is a real prize. Fender Protos, real ones anyway, are each something of a Holy Grail.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Elite Jazz Bass
Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2014 12:01 am
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You`re welcome, Steve.

Your story helps me also. On my website I can tell more about the history of the Elite series and I have to mention Bill Hodges as well being involved with the electronics.

Can you let us know what kind of preamp is in the Jazz Elite?
Is it the same as in Precision Elite?

Here are some details of the preamp in the Precision:

http://www.riverband.demon.nl/pcb.html

Regards,
Ton


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Post subject: Re: Fender Elite Jazz Bass
Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2014 2:47 pm
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I will pull the pg off the Elite II and compare. Wife had surgery today so I am the in home nursing care mode, so it may be a few days.

I received more insight on the band members in the picture that I thought I would pass along..not my words. "The guy on the keys is Steve Grom. He's actually not at G&L anymore, he running the ESP USA operation. The guy on the drums is Mike Peterson, an amazingly brilliant engineer that was working for Rhodes at the time. He went onto Disney Imagineering as well as designing some incredibly advanced optic surgery instruments. The guy on the Elite Jazz proto is Paul Gagon (still at G&L, I believe), and the singer-guitar player is P.J. Geerlings."

The story keeps filling in.

Steve

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Post subject: Re: Fender Elite Jazz Bass
Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2014 10:38 pm
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Paul Gagon is a huge Clapton freak and considers him as his all time favorite guitarist.

http://www.glguitars.com/gagon/gagon-2.asp

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Post subject: Re: Fender Elite Jazz Bass
Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2014 10:09 am
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Clapton is great, no doubt. If you haven't read his autobiography "Clapton" it is definitely worth the read.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Elite Jazz Bass
Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2014 11:15 am
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TonH,

Here is the Elite Jazz preamp, pretty simple. If you copy it to a file you can zoom in, it keeps resolution pretty nicely.

Image

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Post subject: Re: Fender Elite Jazz Bass
Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 1:07 am
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Thanks, Steve.


I have problems saving it and zooming in, but what I can make of it, is that is seems to be the same preamp as in the Precision Elite. And what I can see it is probably the AN 021365 A.

Just two transistors?

The wiring and switch options look the same aswell.


Ton


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Post subject: Re: Fender Elite Jazz Bass
Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 11:30 am
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I haven't pulled the other one apart yet, but I would assume they would be the same based on the origination data.

AN 021364 A and 65 A.

Yes, just the two.

I get a kick out of the masking tape. It is everywhere, sometimes to bundle, sometimes to splice.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Elite Jazz Bass
Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 12:03 pm
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The Elites and Specials from the 1980s were the ancestors to today's active Fender basses.


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