Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass

dont know the year but it is American made. 21 frets. bolt on neck. 4 strings. it has volume, tone, and something else (find out later) poplar body maple neck, rosewood fingeroard, two j-bass single coil pick ups.

i contected this bass to a peavey microbass 1, 20watts rms. this combo shoke my bedroom and the near by rooms hard. i never knew the potentail that lil amp had, oh wait im suppost to be talkin bout the guitar. sounds get a lil lackin on the mids. but thats fine. i think the sound is great and for what i paid its awsome.

i think with a new set of strings mybe gibson, this bass should handle any style of playing. when i get to the gig level i would use this alone.

bought it used

the necj allows my laft hand to slide flawlessly. effortless playability

A 1997 model, 3 color sunburst with brown shell pickguard (tortoise). Alder body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, made in the USA. It has the 9 volt "prototype" noiseless pickups Fender made before their newer 18v volt pickups. Active electronics: Master volume, master pickup balance, bass boost/cut, treble boost/cut, mid boost/cut. Combination through-the-body/top-load bridge, which is a nice touch. Shaller "Deluxe" tuners which are smaller than usual. The body is scaled-down a bit, as is the headstock. 22 frets. very fast-playing Jazz neck. Straplock ready. Bought it used, so it just came with a hardshell case, but usually Fenders come with a case, wire, strap, etc.

This bass is loud! The active electronics give it a very hot sound, compared to the passive Americans. It's quite bright, with some good lows as well. It's extremely versatile thanks to the preamp, so it's easy to get a trebly sound and a warm, bassy sound. It's absolutely noiseless, even when set to only one pickup. Incredible slap tone. The only downside I can see is that compared to passive Fenders, it's much more, uhh, active. So it doesn't exactly have that classic Fender tone. Similar, but more modern, in my opinion.

Everything seems fine with this bass. The knobs are all tight, the pickups well set-up, great tuners, the bridge seems quite good, and everything is tight. The action can't be set too low, but it's quite low without much buzzing. The downsized body is very nice, in my opinion, without straying too far from the original. It still looks like a Fender. The finish is beautiful.

This bass is just as indestructable as other Fenders. Unless you purposely damage it, it should survive a long time. Truss rod doesn't need much adjustment. Finish is great, good quality of wood. One problem which may arise, but is easily preventable is bringing a spare 9 volt battery for live gigging. It should be changed every few months for the gigging bassist, but it can last as long as a year before it needs changing.

Fender is a big company, so it's not that easy to deal with. However, there is a lifetime warranty on this bass, and if there is any problem such as broken truss rod or broken knobs, they should replace them. They don't fix certain things such as warped necks, apparently. As long as you have a good dealer, you shouldn't have too many problems. Either way, I haven't needed to deal with Fender about this bass.

I've been playing 2 years and this bass is perfect for me. I wouldn't even hesitate about replacing it, because it's very versatile and great, overall. I personally prefer it to passive Fenders because of its wide range of sounds. It has a flawless appearance, it's incredibly durable, and it's just what I want in a bass.

Year 2000 model. Ash body, white blonde finish, rosewood board, ultra-light tuners, graphite reinforced neck, active preamp, passive "Noiseless" pickups, strap locks, tort pickguard, string-through body, abalone dot markers. Features are fantastic, but I'll deduct 2 points for the sub-par preamp. It's a 10 with the Aguilar OBP-3 preamp that I put in it. Compared to a traditional Jazz bass, the USA Deluxe Jazz has a smaller body and more frets. Lighter too.

Tone is harsh with the stock preamp. Sounds FANTISTIC with the preamp upgrade that I made. I thought I could further upgrade the sound by changing the pickups to DiMarzio Ultra Jazz, but I was wrong. I ended up putting the stock pickups back in because they actually sounded a little better. Don't let anyone tell you that the Noiseless pickups are "toneless". The pickups are fine. It's the preamp that's weak. This bass sounds like vintage on steroids. Excellent string balance due to the contoured height of the pickups' pole pieces.

Fender claims these basses have "highly detailed fret work". I believe it. I think the graphite rods in the neck really stabilize this bass. I bought it barely used, so I can't comment on any factory setup.

So far, so good.

I've gotten some inconsistent info from Fender customer service regarding specs (not specifically for this bass, just in general). They're responce is quick, however.

Resell value on these basses isn't great. Demand is fairly low. They're a steal on the used market. I think the Deluxe is an improvement over the classic Jazz bass. The rating I give this bass is based on stock electronics. Change out the preamp and it's a 10. Plan to spend at least $45 for Bart two-band preamp to bring this bass up to snuff. I'm thrilled with my $130 Aguilar preamp. Should sound amazing with a $275 J-Retro Deluxe. This is a great bass for under $650, but I can't see paying full retail for a new one.

Mine is a 1997 Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass. It has the standard 22-frets and 4 strings. It's black with a nice White Pearloid pickguard. The controls are Volume, Blend, Bass/Treble Boost/Cut, and Mid Boost/Cut. It has two Fender humbucking Jazz pickups, but they're surprisingly bright. The body is Alder (with Swamp Ash laminates if I remember BP Mag's review correctly), the neck is Maple, and the fingerboard is Rosewood. The bridge strings-through-body or through the bridge, and the tuners are Schaller/Fender "clover" style. It has a 34" scale. Because my bass was used, it came with a lightweight case from a friend of mine.

The sound of this bass if quite bright, but the electronics allow for a nice variety of sounds. I think the bass fits nicely in my energetic alt-rock and modern rock (DMBish) bands. I'm using it through my Eden CXC-300 combo, which provides a nice, articulate, warm sound. The electronics are dead quiet (the pickups are humbucking and the control cavity is shielded). This bass can go from a nice fingerstyle sound to a nice slap sound with no problems. It sounds great both on stage and in the studio. I wish it had a bit deeper sound, but it still sounds great.

I had my local repairperson set it up when I got it, and he did a great job. My nut did fall off while changing strings the first time, but I reglued it with wood glue and it's working fine. The tuners may be a bit heavy causing a little neckdive, but it's not too major. The cover of the batter compartment is difficult to remove. I had to use the flat side of a nail to pry it out.

I haven't had any problems with this bass. Everything seems pretty durable to me. I did use some wood glue on the strap pins, and that seems to work okay, but one of them did work loose. I always have another bass with me at gigs (my Reverend Rumblefish), and I can't really say one or the other is my "main" bass. I love them both, and they have different sounds!

N/A

I've been playing bass for 7+ years. I also own a Reverend Rumblefish, Eden CXC-300 combo with 2 10s, a Hartke 4.5XL cabinet, and a Peavey Basic 60 combo. It this bass was lost or stolen, I'd be sad, but I wouldn't necessarily buy another Fender. Just a good active Jazz Bass works fine for me. However, there's certainly mojo connected to a Fender. All in all, I'm happy having traded my old Carvin LB75 for this Fender.

A year 2000 American J Bass Deluxe
See others for features.
Has the added value of 3 band active EQ on board.
It is great for trying to dial in your sound at different venues.
This is great because many times I need more bass or less treble and can tweak my bass right on the spot...without having to tweak my amp.
I switched out my bridge for a Leo Quan BadAss 2 bridge. The difference is phenomenal...More sustain, more clarity, definitely worth the 50 bucks + installation.
This bass also has a Maple neck and maple fretboard with satin finish, very smooth and easy playing in my opinion, more so than the rosewood.
The bass also came with a straplock system, cord, and strap.

I play mostly rock and punk and this bass seems to meld nicely with the guitars. If you are a pick player this bass is such a treat. Especially with the new Badass Bridge installed. you can definitely feel more of what your playing.
My only qualms is with the picks ups. The J Bass Noiseless pickups seems to lack bottom end. I find myself boosting the bass to get the low end growl.
The bass is very responsive and punchy. The notes ring out for ever.
I am running it through a 69' SVT and an Ampeg 6x10 Cab...a serious wall of bass... it will definitely piss off your guitar player & drummer

The set up from factory was pretty decent.
Everyone's tastes are different so....

American made fender basses are awesome. Built like a brick shit house.
The neck on this baby is reinforced with graphite to keep it from doing all sorts strange crap, especially if you live in New England and have to endure climate extremes like I do, a definite plus to a own a fender.
Totally reliable

dunno, never had to deal with them

A great bass with a great sound. I only wished it sounded more vintage. The best thing about this bass is the neck, so smooth and playable. I wish it had more of a deep p bass sound, but the smooth jazz tone is great. I would definitely buy another if it were taken from me, only I would want some better sounding pickups.
Sounds amazing through and SVT! Sustain for days. Definitely get rid of the stock bridge and get a BadAss...you will not regret it.

Unsure as to the year (mid-'90s?), made in the USA. Standard frets, 4-string, solid-top with volume knob, pickup knob, hi/lo boost, mid boost knobs. Dual Jazz active pickups. Alder body, triple-tone sunburst finish. String-thru body, Fender deluxe tuners (NOT plastic) and rosewood fretboard.

Sounds pretty decent with rock music -- a little too boosted and hot at times. Using it with an SVT 350 or GK 400 RB with 2 15" Fender cabinets. There's plenty of options tone wise, though not as many as my American P-Bass Deluxe. I think it's better suited for the studio, where its definition shines through pretty well.

I bought the bass used from a guitar repairman, so the bass was already set up quite nicely. The action is decent as well; I've always liked the neck, even though mine has a rather large gash near the fifth fret (damage).

This bass has been dropped and kicked around numerous times, as it's my "thrasher" backup bass. With that said, it's withstood immense peril with excellent playability, granted there's plenty of damage to the body and neck. I give it my highest recommendation in this department. There is nothing like a fine-crafted, indestructable American Fender bass and this is a prime example.

Never had to deal with Fender, not applicable.

I've been playing for about a decade now. I also own a Fender American Precision Deluxe bass, Fender Precision bass (Japanese made, medium-scale), Gallien-Krueger 400RB amp, Ampeg SVT 350 amp, Fender 15" bass cabinets. I just wish the bass' tone was closer to the passive American Jazz; this one unfortunately strays too far away from the traditional tone. A great backup and second bass to my American Precision Deluxe, but not the best as a primary.

The Bass is a 2002, made in The USA(Calif.) 22 medium jumbo frets, 5 strings, teal green stain body, maple neck, maple fret board, 18 volt active electronics, volume, tone, bass treble, pan-pot, 2 ceramic Fender stock J-pick-ups with nickel plated pole pieces (very quiet. Deluxe chrome plated 5 string steel bridge, string-thru-body or top load, with nickel plated brass sadles. The tuners are Schaller style 4 over 1 tuning machine array. The bass was shipped with a molded case, schaller strap locks, guitar strap, set up tools and polishing cloth.

This bass can sound like many different basses, expensive basses, I tried a lot of different bass guitars(spector,music man,warwick, alembic,Ken Smith,G&L,Lakeland )and this one could compete with all of them. You can crank up the treble to full there is no hiss at all very good for recording. I'M using a Peavy 471 nitro head and a fender speaker cabnet with 15" speakers. The Low b does not come through as deep but it is still ok.

The bass was set from the factory just fine but I did change the setting just a little to meet my playing style. The pick ups were just fine no adjustments were needed, The bass is teal green stain Maple body absolutly beautiful, fit and finish was great, This bass was very well made.

This bass is built like a tank, I own other fender instruments never had a problem with them, I would definitely rely on this one as well

Never had to deal with fender If I have a problem I'll take it back to where I purchased it.

I've been playing bass for 20 + years I tried about 50 different basses, I currently own a 1972 Fender Jazz bass, 1998 Warwick 4 string thumb neck-thru, I just sold a spector 5 string(NSCRFM) and I was glad to get rid of it. This fender American Jazz deluxe is a great bass fits me like a glove and so far I like everything about it, Like I said before This bass can sound like many other basses, you can play country and western to heavy metal to pop to jazz and the sound of this instrument will fit the bill just fine. I would highly recommend this bass. Have fun!

This is a 2002, USA, 4 string Deluxe Jazz, 22 frets, transparent burgandy on alder, 3 band Eq, etc.....you know the bass.

I have been playing Blue, Classic Rock and R&B for most of my musical life and in most cases also lead singer. So far this bass suits me just well. I had been using a 78 Jazz w/maple neck most of that time and loved the versitility of it. But the wieght on a 4 hour gig has started to get tiresome. I was looking for a lighter, well made and versitile instrument that could be a workhorse and not wear me out. I play it though a Ampeg SVP preamp, 700 watt QSC amp and a Trace Eliott 4-10 cabinet. I find the tone to be much more defined than my 78 Jazz and reallty seems to cut through the stage mix. I also like the mid boost....really helps when its time to jump into some funky stuff....no more reaching for the amp EQ. I've not had this instrument long enough to take it completely through it's tonal possibilities, but so far there seems to have alot of flexibilty. However, at this point in time I can say I'd be more comfortable in the Studio with my 78 Jazz.

All this needed was some slight bridge adjustments to suit my personal taste. Action was low the way I like it....Just needed to drop the E a little. Also I've read other reviews of the lack of quietness of the "noisless" pickups, but these seem fine to me.....but I've been playing a 78 Jazz for 10 years.

It's very well built. I believe It will stand the test of time. I oly take one bvass with me when I play and I believe this will do me just fine.

Haven't delt with Fender yet.

I have been playing bass for 20 years. I compared this bass at great legnth to a Musicman Sterling and felt that the overall construction on this bass was much better than the Sterling(seemed poorly built)
They both had the same kind of feel and weight, but the Fender won me over.

1999 Americcan made. 4-string, fretted, graphite-reinforced maple neck and fretboard. Active "noisless" Jazz bass pickups. I believe the body is ash (black paint job with polyeurethane finish). Classic jazz bass body with standard bridge. Deluxe "light" machine heads (tuners). Case, strap-locks, truss rod adjustment tool included.

Good J-bass sound. Good response in the "high end", and rich tones in the bottom. However I'm getting a lot of buzz/hum from my "noiseless" pickups, which is very irritating. It sounds as if it has shielding problems. Ok, though, when the rest of the band covers it up. Studio, however, lots of HUM.

I got this bass still in the box, unplayed. The ction was a little high but adjusted nicely to a low playability. Here's where the problems begin... The back of the neck is "lumpy". Running my hand along the back you can actually feel small valleys, and when viewed in the light, it looks like ripples. The tuners have a lot of loose play in them. I've tightened the top screws but no improvement (you can move the tuner but get no change in string pitch). They also "grind" when they are turned 360 degrees. The pickguard is ever so slightly raised from the body, probably from heat storage. I also had to re-tighten every existing screw or bolt on the bass. The fret job is top-notch. There is a raised bubble on the back in the finish. The neck plate on the back is slightly bowed and raised in the center.

It would probably last on a lengthy tour, but I would be so concerned with the flaws that I wouldn't enjoy it. The strap locks are a plus and seem solid. I wouldn't use it in the studio (my Sting Ray is noiselss and fat when put directly through the board. The neck seems stable, and I would use it as a backup, but for the price paid and reputation of Fender, it should be able to be used as a "main axe", not a backup.

One year warranty. Gonna deal with the dealer first.

Been playing 18 years with small acts and big stars, alike. I have an Ernie Ball Sting Ray. I've also owned yamaha, Carvin, westone, kramer and a big old upright. I was going to get a Rickenbacker 4001, and now I wish I had. If it were stolen, I'd pity the fool that took it and probably get a new Sting Ray. I loved the fret work as compared to the Sting Ray, but the Ray has a better neck and feels more solid (I've had it 4 years with no problems). This is the first and last Fender bass I'll buy. I was always skeptical of new Fender stuff, but figured the DELUXE models would prove me wrong. Maybe it's just a fluke or a lemon, but their quality control seems to be lacking. Tomorrow, I'm taking it back to the dealer and get my money back. I've had it 6 weeks but only played it 8 or nine times because of a broken wrist right after I bought it (it gave me lots of time to really look at it). LEMON

1997, USA made, fretless model 4 string, active pickups with bass, mid, high, pick up pan and master volume
whatever stock pickups on '97 amer.deluxe jazz basses were is what is has
finish is antique burst, the red/orange one (not that cheap looking yellow!) with tort.shell pickguard, rosewood fingerboard, very good looking combination. prettiest bass in town, and i bought it sight unseen, how lucky!
string thru body, which i have used since i got it, i wonder if it makes any difference...?
it doesn't come with chrome knobs, like a P bass, though, and that's annoying. i replaced mine, what a hassle getting those knobs to fit! but now it looks so good it hurts

sounds awesome, always getting compliments on it. now using it with Eden and Nemesis gear, small gigs, jazz, blues, rock, funk, fusion

i keep the pickup pan strait up, getting a full blend of neck and bridge, which keeps the sound full and supports the band best, and then when it's time to receive the holy spirit of Saint Pastorius, i turn the pan to favor the bridge and Praise the Lord! there it is!
(i did this trick recently in the middle of a solo and my guitar player thought i'd turned on a chorus effect)

but seriously folks, as great as it is, and it is, i'm still not 100 percent satisfied. i think i need to get the fingerboard coated with jaco style epoxy or something, b/c i really want more of the "mwwaahrr" sound on sustained notes. in a nutshell, i want my fretless to sound more "fretless". i've heard using a ebony finger board can help, in lieu of epoxy. i mean, what's the point of playing fretless if you can't tell it's fretless? that's my only real beef. and i don't want to spend thousands on a pedulla buzz bass b/c their basses look dumb!

the active pickups with eq boosts puts out a very strong signal, and the wide range of tones you can dial up using the knobs on the bass is perfect.

came from factory with flatwound strings. what a dumb idea! i've been using light gauge round wounds since 1997 and the finger board is not in bad shape, even though lots of ignorant guitar store employees told me this would eat up my fingerboard. hah! maybe if i played with crappy technique and squeezed the hell out of every note with super heavy strings...
action? anyone too dumb to set their own action should plan to learn how today. it takes, oh, about 3.5 minutes. same goes for setting intonation!
i think this bass was very well made, the finish is beautiful.
i just wish they hadn't routed such a large pickup cavity, b/c i'd like to play with the pickguard removed (like you know who) but with the big pickup cavity it just wouldn't be very proper.

the neck is very nice, but the back is a little tacky, i've used light steel wool to remove some of the tackiness, and it's doing well.

the rose wood finger board needed some sanding, IMO, to get the action low and still get a good sound all over. i've sanded the upper end of my fingerboard just under the G string, with good results. a good, flat surface is imperative for setting your strings low. i'm a perfectionist, and i believe that with things like this, you can't really expect perfection from a factory, you have to finish the job yourself. if you're not real dumb, that is.

the bass is made of good parts, well assembled. i replaced the black plastic knobs with silver chrome knurled knobs which didn't really fit til i drilled them to make their holes bigger, which resulted it one of them being slightly crooked, which has caused some jiggling of my mid boost/cut knob, which has led to it crackling when set in the middle position, but since i always have my mid's up, it doesn't matter, but someday i ought to get that pot fixed...

the finish has held up perfect since 1997, which is a bittersweet thing, b/c it'd be nice to gain a little more "character" but then, i take good care of it

i know not of this customer support. i bet they'd be a pain in the ass to deal with, though. which is why i suggest you learn how to do everything yourself.

i've been playing for 9 years, i own a generic P bass that i assembled from a kit and love with EMG pickups, i also have a J bass with EMGs that is between necks right now. recently i've been playing anywhere from 10 to 20 or even more gigs per month, and i really only use the fretless occasionally, sadly, b/c that sound is so distinctive, it really doesn't fit my blues band and my upright sound is better for the jazz stuff, but as soon as i get my fusion group together, it's on!

if my fender fretless were stolen, i'd turn on the bat signal and get the caped crusader to beat the crap out of whoever stole it. and if i still couldn't get it back, i'd buy another, if i could find one as pretty. but i'd still have to replace the knobs, sand the fingerboard, etc.

i still wish i had the fingerboard coated with some epoxy or some such thing. then i'd rule the world