Fender Geddy Lee Jazz Bass

It's a typical Geddy Lee bought in 2006 new. I suspect you all know the rest of the details. Gig bag was the only downer.

The sound is typical 70s Jazz. Great punch and growl. I use it with an Eden Metro and it's great with that amp. I've also used it with a Fender Blues Breaker, (2 x12 version of a '59 Bassman.) That was vintage Fender. I've heard other Jbasses with more snap than this, I've also heard ones that were nowhere near as good. The bass is good value.

Factory setup was good, no buzzes or dead spots, but a little high for my taste. A bridge and neck adjustment put things to right. I have several MIJ/CIJ Fenders and they are, without exception, superbly crafted instruments. The thin neck is obscenely fast but for me can get a bit uncomfortable if it's a long session.

I have to really dock the instrument on this one. The neck needs seasonal adjustment and it spends most of its time in a temperature/humidity controlled room. I ended up using a Dremel and notching the body where it meets the neck so I could more easily adjust the neck. A screwdriver is part of the tool kit if I take this one out to play somewhere. I've the neck start buzzing as the temp rises. Some mentioned a quarter sawn neck should be standard. They may be right.

Never had to use them.

Playing for 30+ years and this is one of several basses I have. My favorite Jbass is the Marcus Miller. Its neck is more comfortable for my hands and the active electronics let it give a very big sound, without sacrificing the '70s Jazz sound. The MM is the one I take for most playing. Yes, I always bring a backup. In spite of my gripes, I think this is a superb bass for the money and I find the MIJ Fenders to be as good as the American Standards if not better. I really think you need to go CS to get better build quality

I've wanted a geddy for years, but since I'm a 5 and 6 string bassist in my working musician life, I could not justify the vanity purchase. I finally found a used on for $400 on CL, I live in Seattle and drove to Tacoma to get it. The bass had been in a wet basement and was pretty beat up. The wood was slimy and there was green corrosion on the frets, pitted jackplate, nasty machines, all screws were rusted. Strings were black with funk. I took it home and took it apart, steel wooled the frets, replaced the jackplate and got new black hipshot machines, black string tree, new black Bad Ass, black screws and a black perloid pickguard. I cleaned up the electronics, but did not replace anything, all my new parts are direct replacements, albeit in black. I took it to my guy to get set up and... holy smokes, this bass is not only stunning to look at, but plays like butter. Rating is 5, it's just a Jazz Bass maaaan..

The bass was a huge hit with fellow musicians, have lent it out to many others for them to play (that's how I roll, yo). Everyone raves about it. If i were to change anything, I'd shield it better but it's not been that much of an issue. Rolling both pups to the same-ish volume usually fixes the hum. I've talked about making the active conversion, but this bass is warm and comfortable and I love the no frills aspect. Oh, and the neck... good lord, the neck.

Got it used, and I don't know anyone that takes a factory set up seriously. Drop the few bucks and get it done right by a pro. I have a Mike Lull jazz 5 string that was PLEK'd, I may have that done to it as well if I have an extra $200 laying around. It's worth it, since I intend to hold onto this bass forever. Again I got it pretty trashed, but the finish gleams nicely after some elbow grease. I love the big Jazz Bass lettering on the headstock too.

I've started using it for casual gigs, mostly blues. played it with Tab Beniot when he came through. It's not given me any trouble at all, it's built like a tank. My other basses are boutique, very expensive (Mike Lull MV5, Fender Marcus Miller V), this one I drag around in a gig bag and it's just solid.

Never dealt with Fender, but everyone is conversant in them and knows how to work on them. Parts are easy to get from a million sources, makes them inexpensive.

I've been playing, recording and touring for 25 years. I play through a GK700RB through an SWR Goliath III, just use a MXR auto-Q effect for solos and to get funky. I have the Geddy, the Marcus 5, the Mike Lull 5, a heavily modded Jazz 5 that's now a 6, Fender Jazz fretless 50 year aniversary bass and an ancient Yamaha BB1100S.
The Geddy conpetes with all of them for sheer fun and playability.

Typical Jazz bass...although the neck is a bit thinner and wider that my other jazz bass...It is very comfortable and not very heavy weighs about 8 lbs.

My band plays various styles of music (classic rock, blues, R&B Otis not Beyonce!, 80's Rock etc etc) this bass fits in well with most of our music. Dialing in the right volume settings is crucial though.

I am running this bass through a GK RB700II and an 8X10 GK cab....it hums a bit but I have yet to play a Jazz that didn't.

When I bought it had round wounds on it, the sound was brittle and sterile...I put on a set of Rotosound LB-77s and this bass really came alive. It has a great growl and lets you know it is there!

This was a bit of a let down, I had to take the neck off and reset it, the string sat closer to the E side so if I fretted to hard our gave a slight amount of up pressure the E string would roll off the edge of the fretboard. This was an easy fix...but one would think that Fender Japan would not let out of the factory...

Built like a Sherman tank, I would take this bass to a gig any day without a backup...

N/A

I have been playing bass off and on for about 10 years now, guitar for about 25 years. I have a Lakland Skyline Duck Dunn and a MIM Fender Jazz...this Geddy Lee is about ready to take the place of my Duck Dunn (which is my numner one)...I have a USA Duck Dunn on order...we will see in time who wins!

My only gripe with the Geddy Lee bass is the limited color choise (any color you want as long as it is black!. I know this is a minor detail but I like standing out in a crowd with wild colored instruments...

MIJ, 2008, standard features, w/gig bag. I upgraded to an SKB/Fender deluxe hardshell case. IMHO it's much better than the gig bag or standard fender hardshell. While there are various P/J combinations in terms of pickups and preamps, I preferred the simplistic nature of the features on this bass. Although, I can see the benefit of the versatility of those other models, I wanted a bass for recording that would bring a good tone all the time without a bunch of fiddling and fuss. Additionally, the MIJ basses appear to have better hardware than many of the USA basses (i.e. bridge/tuners), and the quality can appear to be as nice as a USA bass. Features I would like to see are real fret marker inlays (as opposed to painted on) and a better neck adjustment, either by routing out some space near the adjustment or by placing the adjustment above the nut. While I realize these are cost cutting features, I personally would have paid more for these options and would upgrade to one if Fender issued one. I was aware of these deficiencies when I bought the bass.

I perform indie rock, mellow to hard. My other bass is a Peavey Rudy Sarzo from the 90s with humbuckers. I wanted a bass with single coils. I run the bass through an Orange AD-200B MK1 which is pure bliss. I also compliment my sound with the use of a countryman and sansamp di. This bass just has a nice bite to it.

This is where you have to be absolutely careful. I went to about 5 stores looking at this exact bass in each one, including ones in the box. The fact is each instrument is different. You absolutely have to play a lot of them. Probably the best one I played was dinged up at GC, but I couldn't bring myself to buy it due to the cosmetics. I even ended up taking one home, only to return it the next day after I noticed an issue I hadn't noticed in the store. Thankfully, I was able to exchange it for the one I have which I am pleased with. Out of 10 basses, I can actually say I would have only considered buying 2. I am very picky though and know what I'm looking at. I kind of expected a little better consistency from the MIJ basses than I actually encountered.

It's reliability seems good. I haven't owned it long enough to know how the neck/truss rod will fare over time. I imagine with good care it should be fine.

I really have no idea on this one. I've heard it's a lifetime warranty on the MIJ basses. Don't know.

I have been playing for 20+ years. I have a semi-professional studio with a wide variety of amps.

The usual Geddy Lee jazz bass: I won't bore you with the details, but it's probably a 2007(ish?) model? Usual Jazz bass accoutrement, so: two tone knobs, passive (and low output) vintage pups, badass bass bridge (a must have upgrade), painted on inlays, and the thinnest/fastest neck this side of a Rickenbacker. I'm giving this category a "ten" because -- instead of having a crapload of active ridiculousness -- this bass keeps its perfect and simple. Dial it in. Play.

Our band (original) plays an early 90's style of alt.rock (Husker Du, Pixies, Nirvana) with some nerdy/indie flourishes thrown in (Rush, Fugazi) for good measure.

I have a few basses in the trailer for gigs and tours: this Geddy Lee, a Lakland Darryl Jones Sig, a 1989 Musicman Stingray, and a Yamaha BB614. At the moment, the Lakland and the Geddy are battling it out for "favorite on-stage bass." We're recording our album in Water Studios and MEDIA51 in Hoboken with John Seymour (U2, Alice in Chains, Dave Matthews Band, Santana) and the Lakland won hands down in the studio. LIVE, however, the Geddy rips the Lakland's prissy *** to shreds, to the point that our drummer insists on me playing it.

As the guy below noted, it's low output -- which was annoying with a lower wattage amp, but no problems with my current rig -- and has a very distinct tone. He called it "anemic," which I can see: but rather, I assess it's very focused in the low and mid-midrange, with lots of growl and an awesome bite and a slight overdrive. Which is to say, it sounds very much like Geddy Lee's tone, if you sort of generalize that tone down (he's had tons of different tones over the years: RIC, WAL, etc.). If you want a studio clean, Mark King kind of tone, you're not going to get that. This is a straight up rock bass.

My current live rig is the Geddy into an ALEMBIC F1-X / ALEMBIC SF-2 combination, run through a Behriner Europower 2500 amplifier into a BASSON B810B. My tone is, hands down, the best on any stage I play, to include when we've hit it with nationals. The Geddy through the ALEMBIC DI to the board freaking rips the heart out of the audience, while the middy growl of the Geddy gets a tube warmth added to in the alembic and a TON of *** by the cabinet. Massive.

The manufacturing on the bass is great; people seem to rag a little bit on the Crafted in Japan basses, but actually think they seem more solid than some of the American models and DEFINITELY the mexican/indonesian crap.

When I bought the bass, the action was admittedly high...but after a few turns of the truss rod and adjustment of the BADASS, it now plays like a dream. The neck is ridiculously thin, and fast as hell. Seems to be built like a tank and, unlike some on this forum, I've had no problems with the inlays getting scratched off.

Like I said, I usually have at least two and sometimes four basses at our gigs; I'd never gig without a backup. But in this case, it does seem very durable and has withstood my abuse (I bought the thing over 18 months ago, so I've really lived with it...).

The truss rod, I have to say, is a pain in the *** to adjust since you have to take the neck off and adjust from the bottom. A bullet trussrod would really make my life a lot freaking easier. But, that said, it also hasn't needed much adjustment. In Spring and again in Winter, and I'm usually good for 6 months.

Never dealt with Fender, but I haven't heard anything good. I'll reserve judgment.

When I got this bass, it was a kick *** value for a phenomenal bass. Since now, my scanning of the various online music stores appears that they're raising the price slowly but surely...I wanna say I paid $599 for mine at a local music store, while the current online price appears to be $999. Hmmmm. At either $599-$799 this bass kicks the crap out of everything else around. At $999? It's a way tougher call: for $200 more dollars you can really get some great US-made basses. So, I dunno. If you can get one used, that's really the best way to go, I think.

Anyway, for ME, this thing sounds incredible, looks incredible, built like a tank, etc. I got a fantastic bargain on it. The playability, durability, and sound of this bass are really amazing. Go forth and rock.

Made in 1998, USA jazz pickups, Badass II bridge, etc....

In my case, it was a complete let-down. Compared to a 2007 USA fender jazz standard, it produced a thin, anemic sound when plugged directly into the Fender Bassman and Ashdown I use. I fact, I couldn't get a decent tone out of any amp I tried with this guitar. With an active DI box between myself and the amp, it was a little better, but it was really disturbing how much better the standard jazz sounded plugged straight in. When it comes to bass, I believe it's best to keep pedals etc. to a bare minimum at all costs, so the Geddy was really getting on my nerves. I bought this bass used at a really low price, and just kind of went for it because I believed it was impossible to go wrong with any Fender bass, let alone one that now costs about a grand brand new. Word to the wise: really sit and play this (or any) bass before you pull the trigger.

Though this guitar looks awesome and the super-thin neck is an interesting touch at first, I found that this has one of the most unforgiving necks of any bass I've ever played. Even after raising the action a tad, I got tons of nasty fret noise all up and down the neck. So the thin, wimpy pickups and ugly string rattling that occured finally sent me over the edge, and I promptly sold the bass. Did I just get a dud? Who knows. Again, I guess it just goes to show that you can't ever buy an instrument based solely on a brand name.

On the plus side ??? and with my Geddy, this will be a short list ??? it seems as tough as any Fender bass, and it stays in tune wonderfully. Go ahead and drop it, kick it, whatever. It'll hold up. The electronics didn't ever fail me in terms of functionality. So, what do you want? I'll give it a 9.

no idea

I've played bass for about 14 years. The majority of that time was spent playing a Mexican P-bass. A few years ago, I started playing a bandmate's USA jazz and was really stoked about the tone and slim neck. I wanted one of my own, so when I got the chance to get the Geddy cheap, I jumped. I've never played a Geddy other than the one I had, so it's possible that I got a bad one (most people on this page rave about theirs). But after a VERY brief honeymoon high wore off, I found my bass to be seriously lacking in the low-end, with a neck that turned every note into a tinny fart.
On a side note, I have seen tons of used Geddys for sale from private sellers in my area. Anything's worth a try, I guess, but don't just jump into one thinking it's a sure bet.
My main bass is now an old Ibanez musician. It's punchy, it's got an obiese neck, and notes ring out clear and true. A true workhorse that sounds good at any setting.

2008 vintage I think. you've seen a million reviews of this bass so I'll skip listing them. I like the simplicity of the controls & am not a fan of those borg-like active basses that can sound like "any other" bass and have more knobs & switches than an analog synth.

very versatile jazz bass & by far the best one I've owned. It trumps the american '62 reissue that I had in the nineties by several degrees. the pickups are pretty close to noiseless on this one (don't know if that's the norm). It's not as aggressive as the '73 JB that I used to own which sounded like a freight train from hell, but it sounds . . . better. was only a rush fan briefly and am thoroughly familiar with their music but have no intention to reproduce it --I suppose you could get the "geddy" sound with this or many other basses. It's not as deep & rich as my old P, but is more versatile & punchy.

I don't want to give the impression that I bought this bass for the set-up, but that was a big part I took the floor model, dings and all. loooow action, no buzzing or dead spots. the neck feels as solid as the 73's. it's heavier than the '62 RI but lighter than the '73. about the same as my '78 p-bass. the neck is identical to the "a-type" neck on the P, but even more sturdy. the pickups are well-adjusted (they must have been brought-up in a nurturing environment). other than a small dent and a scratch, no structural flaws. this baby keeps it's tune better than any other fender I've owned --the late-models with hipshots obviously do the same.

this bass barks reliability better than a rottweiler fed only fillet mignon

playing 23 years. bands, shows, recording, etc. Perhaps I would welcome a hardshell case but, otherwise, no complaints. If the bass were lost or stolen, I would sell or give away the rest of my gear and enter a zen monastery, mental hospital, & probably both.

The usual Jazz Bass appointments. A very basic Bass, that can do anything, IF you get the Jazz Bass Vibe.

I was half looking for a new Bass when I auditioned for a Rush Cover band.. My 18 year old 62 PBass Reiss is getting long in the tooth, and it's time was limited.

I stopped by Music 6000 in Lacey, WA (Shameless plug)and picked up a Geddy and played it for about half an hour on my way home from the audition. It felt REALLY good.

The next week I took it home for a couple days, and never took it back! Regardless of what happens with the Rush Cover Band, The Geddy Lee bass is my Bass of choice :-)

I play through a Mesa BB750 and 4X10 cab. The beauty of this Bass is that the pickups are very low output, so the amp can do all the work! I think that, and the very fast neck, are what I like the most! With low output PU's, dynamics can be had. I think this Basses output is a perfectly flat tone, that can be altered by either an amp, or finger/ picking styles.

I do agree the shielding is pretty poor, but easy to fix.

I changed the factory strings with Roto's and made a couple minor adjustments to the bridge.

I've been hauling it to gigs for a month now, in hot humid weather in it's gig bag, and it's stayed in tune through it all!

No problem here!

I've had the Bass a month now, and have no question about it's durability. This is the fourth Fender instrument I've added to my arsenal that was made in Japan, and I still have them all..

Too New!

This Bass is the best out there! Ya, you could get something with active, battery operated joy, but then the Bass has taken over YOU!

I'm an old fart, and WISH I'd have held on to the 72 and 73 Jazz basses that were given to me in the 80's.. I got rid of them because they weren't "loud" enough compared to a PBass.. my bad. Amplification available will now make anyone with a Geddy Bass SING!

This is going to be a bit of a departure... I do not own this bass, I am a repair tech, with a number of them out with customers...

I won't skew the numbers, would rather leave the info for those that would like it.

Features wise- It's a Jazz Bass. seems to be well appointed. COuld use with a better shielding (have done this one a few of them, much quieter)

Sounds great... That 70's Jazz Tone. I like it...

It is not a P-bass. It won't get that fat "punch to the gut" tone that P's are known for. it is a more articulate beast... finding the proper blend of pickups is crucial!

Fit and finish from the factory tends to be pretty good.

Reliable enough, if it is treated well. Beating it to a pulp ona regular basis will reduce it's lifespan.

Fender can be tough to get ahold of... make friends with your local friendy Fender Authorized repair tech! Those of us on the front lines see a lot of these basses (details in overall impressions) and know how much of a fight they can be..

OK... I like this bass. I like Geddy Lee... BUT

Be careful when you purchase this bass. IT is cool, but make sure it is for you. It is a 70's style reissue... It has a traditional Jazz neck, smaller than a P-bass... less wood, less stability.

Small truss rod changes (like 1/8 turn) can make a big difference with this bass. IF you like low action, this is NOT the bass for you... unless you live somewhere without big seasonal changes... up here in Ontario Canada, These basses can go from Perfect to unplayable to Perfect again over the winter... The necks are small and flatsawn, so there tends o be a LOT of flex... if you do your own wrenching, it may need a few setups, in fall, in winter and in spring... If you like low action. If you are a little more forgiving on the action, it is different in the winter, but not unplayable.

To Fender.... Great bass... Offering it with a quartersawn neck would be a BIG step... but i realize that changes its position on the cost/placement chart.

To prospective buyers... This is a great Bass, if you are looking for a Jazz tone in a little different look... just realize it is going to need to beb abied a bit.

2006 MIJ Geddy lee signature model J-bass. straight black finish; w/b/w scratchplate; black (painted on) 'binding' and black (painted on) inlays; alder body/maple neck+ fretboard; bolt-on (FAST!!) neck; badass II bridge; US single coil passive pickups; 'vintage tuners'.

came with fender gig bag and two allen keys (one of which didn't fit...), which was a dissapointment. A hardcase and polish cloth would have made a me a very happy man

Currently playing in a 5pce melodic metal band- aka a big wall of sound, and this thing cuts through bass-heavy guitars and a full scale piano like nothing else... rolling back the neck pickup gives an uber punchy, defined (Geddy?) growl, and running both pups is great for a crisp, hot signal with plenty of bottom end... which sounds great picked.

Though this thing DOES have american pickups, I found the neck position a little muddy and bland (not at all like a ballsy p-bass tone, as i was told..), and with either of the pups solo'd, there was quite a bit of hum depending on the environment.. nothing surprising. They've since been turfed for Seymour Duncan Basslines for recording.

This bass is the staple jazz tone on steroids; thanks to the badass bridge. It's not going to give you thirty different tones, but why would you need them?

I'm running a Gallien Krueger head and mark bass 4x10. This sounds crisp and punchy through the solid state GK, and for different styles I use a Peavey tb-raxx valve preamp, which really brings out the harmonic value and 'jazzy' warmth in this thing... Whichever way you swing...

(note: sounds awesome with some pre-fx 'cutting and humping', dressed up with some light RAT distortion, with some bass added back in at the amp stage)

*Perfect* factory setup (wow). low action, minimal bow, didn't have to touch the pickup height.

nothing wrong with the build quality, and it looks sexy. Exactly what you'd come expect of an MIJ fender.

they poured a bucket of lacquer on the neck, which looks fine... but kind of detracts from that 'vintage' feel. Some people are moaning about the over-finished backside of the neck, which is 'tacky' and 'slow'. The neck IS 10,000 leagues under the lacquer, but it really is not a problem. It's a VERY fast neck, and i wouldn't ever bother considering sanding it back.

my only gripes:
a couple of bubbles in the neck finish and 'binding'. Don't care. That said, this 'painted on' inlays and binding business REALLY irritates me.
One tuner had a little bit of play in it; another has since done the same.

basically you could stuff this bastard in a wood chipper (with Dunlop straplocks installed, just to be safe..) and it'd come out apples. tough as nuts. usually play live with a backup, but never need to use one.

Despite the wafer thin neck, i've only needed to adjust the truss rod once, for D standard tuning. I'll mention here that the truss rod is a ***** to get at; you can JUST get away with removing the scratchplate to adjust it. I ground a small semicircle out of the scratchplate around the screw to remedy this. Changed to a heavier gauge of string with no dramas, as well.

1 year warranty. It won't break.

I've been playing 'Geddy' for about nine months now, and it's never let me down.

When I was shopping around, I also considered a musicman stingray, an Ibanez ATK, and a warwick (memory fails me... thin neck and j/j setup). The warwick came close, and the ATK was a kick*** look and tone for its price tag, but this one owned all of them.
My other bass is a Ric 4003. I payed about a thousand more for it, and for all its godly renown, it can trump the Geddy in nothing but sex appeal.

I really, really wish Fender did proper inlays and binding on this. it's just cheap and nasty. And i wasn't happy with the cost-cutting on the gig bag. Also, one of those Fender pushy switchy-on-tone-knob preamp boost.. things.. would be a great adition on these models.

Simply, this is the best thing i've ever played. Sure, it's got the build of your average MIJ, and the painted inlays and binding are absolutely pathetic... but it could be the ugliest thing in the world and I wouldn't care- In terms of tone and playability, it's everything i'll ever need.