Fender Geddy Lee Jazz Bass

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.

Basically just sraight forward, simple controls and passive electronics, just what you want and expect with a vintage style Jazz Bass. The USA vintage pick-ups offer more than adequate volume and tone for just about any voice you would ever need, and work quitely without buzz or hum. Bridge is top drawer stuff, offering added sustain and clarity over the old style stock bridge. Tuners work fine, much like the early 70's style, and they stay in tune, as they should. Razor thin neck profile is the reason I bought this bass. Absolutely fast and near effortless playability. Personally, I don't understand all the bashing over the lack of truss rod accessibility. A few of those *****ing about this probably should not be making this adjustment anyway.

Like any good Jazz Bass, this will cover just about any style of music you choose to play with a simple turn of the tone and/or volume controls. I use it with my group mostly to cover 70's and 80's Classic Rock, with a little Country and R&B. It covers all of these styles well. My regular rig consists of a Hartke 3000 amp coupled with a Hartke 2200 Pro Series cabinet (2-12's). No added effects. I also use stainless steel flatwound strings for a more traditional sound. Just a basic, simple set-up that works well for me in just about any venue our band would play.

First off, factory settings are simply specifications that not everyone will agree on, therefore really shouldn't be judged. I haven't owned an instrument yet that I have not adjusted to my personal preference, and this bass was no exception. Once adjusted, mine plays wonderfully smooth and fast, and has not yet been re-adjusted in almost a year of continuous service. The fit and finish is as good as I've ever seen on a Fender instrument. Better than most. Everything is tight, smooth and well polished.

I have owned and played Fender basses since the mid seventies, and all have been fine reliable instruments, and after about a year of steady work with the Geddy Lee, I don't see any difference in a reliability/durability standpoint from the 70's Fenders ('78 Jazz and '71 Precision) I use to own. I'm confident from this perspective that it will last me until I retire. After that, I'm fairly certian it will still be out there somewhere laying down the groove for someone else for a long time. The truss rod on mine has only been adjusted once, after I got it a year ago. Neck remains straight and true, but I'm sure this won't last too much longer before a re-adjustment will be required. We'll see. So far, it's been great. Use without a backup most all the time. Never worry about the bass failing me, just amps and cords.

Never had to deal with Fender CS.

Honestly, my fellow bottom dwellers, this is a very good bass. I almost looked over this model simply because I didn't really want a black finished instrument. That was almost a stupid mistake. Fortunately, someone put it in my hands and demanded I play it. I cannot thank him enough. Been playing off and on since the seventies where I aquired a preference for the Fender Jazz, so I feel right at home with the Geddy Lee model and its super thin neck. In my opinion, that is what makes this quality instrument even better. I would definitely get another if the unthinkable were to happen to it, because to me, nothing with this good of a sound compares in playability. It's almost as if the neck specification was made especially for me, therefore I love it. Great bass.

The feature is it's an excellent representation of what a Fender Jazz Bass should be. In my opinion every bass wants to be a Fender! This includes the MM bass. Who made the MM? Leo. Leo was sent by GOD.

The sound comes from your hands. Ask any bass player who can really play. This bass just growls and is a kick A slapper. It's punchy and cuts through. It is an extension of your hands. Sounds just as good as any overpriced boutique bass.

I've played on a number of so-called boutique basses and wondered what all the fuss was about. Half of the players with them can't play any damn way. My Geedy Lee felt just as solid, and was put together as well as any 2k-4k bass I've played. The neck is so sweet.
It did need a setup though to get it to my liking.

I'm not some dumb A kid so it will last longer than me. True, truss rod adjustments will be a pain and we alredy know why. You can always find better hardware than what comes stock.

Never needed to contact them. I dunno how long the warranty is for but I've always cared for my basses and not abused them.

I've been playing for 37 years. If it were stolen or lost, I'd buy another SX Jazz bass for $139.00, put an audere preamp in it and some DR strings and a bad*** bridge and commence to kickin booty.
Fpr amplification I'm using an old Trace elliot ah300 gp7sm, and I also have an swr 4004. I run either with two 2x10 bass cabs where I switched the speakers with 16ohm 10's for a total of 4ohms. One cabinet is an old Horizon 2x10. The other is a Peavey 2x10 TVX. Portable and won't break an old man's back.
What I love about this bass is it feels and sounds and smells like a Jazz Bass should. Where would the world of electric bass playing be without a Fender Jazz?
I compared it to other Jazz Bass wanna bees. Sadowski, Mike Lull, Lakland (spelling?) and American mande fenders. Better than the americans, cheaper than the boutiques and much more personality.

Standard passive jazz bass - deduct a few points for not having a pocket cut in the body for truss rod adjustment and for the tuners not being so good.

Instrument has a fantastic jazz bass growl that really sits well in the sound mix with a full band - not as nice of a sound by itself but really fits in well with a guitar and drummer.

Typical stock setup - needed a neck shim, bridge saddles lowered, intonation set, etc. Personally, I find that every bass I have ever owned needs these type of adjustments - so no big deal to me. I did not like the stock string spacing at the bridge - 0.78" (20mm) as opposed to the normal jazz bass bridge spacing of 0.75" (19mm) - not sure why anytime that a company or repair person installs a Bad Ass II that they insist upon using the wider string spacing - I had to get a second Bad Ass II bridge to recut the slots to standard spacing (you cannot get the saddles by themselves). I have also routed a pocket in the body to adjust the truss rod - the very thin neck (which I absolutely love - has spoiled me for any other bass) requires constant adjustment. Do not get this bass if you are not interested in adjusting the neck often.

No problems with the bass after replacing the tuners with Hipshots and grounding / shielding the control cavity.

Fender does not have particularly good customer support - have not needed it for this instrument - put not been very good for others.

Absolutely love this instrument's feel and sound. The neck can be a little demanding but the sound and playability are worth it. This is played through an Eden WT-400 and Eden 410XLT. I have had several other high-end basses (Music Man Stingray 5, Fender American Jazz, Sadowsky Metro) and this bass is the only one that I still have (in fact this is the only bass I now own - I just never played any of the others once I got this one).

You should know the drill by now.
Rates a 5 because it's not fancy; it doesn't have anything unnecessary, and has everything necessary (- this is a real flaw in H-C's rating system, since you'd want to give it a 10, but it doesn't qualify as "tons of features"...)

IMPORTANT OBSERVATION.
A) the tone is KILLER.
B) don't buy this bass if you're looking for the "classic Jazz Bass" tone. Get a real vintage Jazz or a more conventional Jazz Bass.

Yes, you can get great, throaty midrange; yes, soloing the bridge pickup and rolling off the tone can achieve the classic "burpy" fusion tone; yes, the neck pickup is deep, clear and growly.
But it doesn't really sound like IT, that classic, slightly honky tone. It's difficult to define, but you'll know when you hear it.

Worth noting: while this would be the ideal bass for rock & metal players, since it sits in the mix with authority, it also has an unbelievable slap tone - in Marcus territory but with perhaps even more "force", as it were....

It has a slightly flat radius, when compared to the standard Jazz profile, and very skinny all around; very comfortable for fast, aggressive playing. Being thus, it will require some vigilance in order to maintain your preferred action.
This is unfortunately rather difficult, as trussrod access is at the base of the fingerboard, and pickguard removal &/or neck removal is required in order to make adjustments.
I also had to install a neck shim in order to get decent action across the whole fingerboard.

(See above. Neck adjustments can be onerous.)
It's a nice, solid instrument, perhaps the single best all-around value in its price range (or even above it).

Never gig without a backup. Just don't. This is based on many years live & studio experience. (Since this bass is so effective, just buy 2!)

Haven't tried to talk to Fender in many years.

This bass is just plain killer. Buy one. You'll play it all the time. This, coming from a dedicated fretless player, and a dedicated Zon player.

Nice features for a passive Jazz bass, except for the truss rod adjustment. If anything the pickguard should have been cut to accommodate adjustments without having to taking it apart. This is a major flaw in my opinion even though it better represents Geddy's bass and the time period of the instrument this is modeled after.

I love the sound. It is closest to the tone, feel and vibe that I've been looking for in my bass tone. I've used MusicMan Sterling, Stingray and Stingray 5 for years. Lately I've been craving a more passive old-school growl, and this is it.

Crafted in Japan instruments are top-notch in my opinion. I've had two others and all three were meticulously created.

I've played a few gigs with it, and it will likely see many, many more. My only complaint might be with the black finish (they should come out with a side line of Geddy's in different colors... they'd sell a bunch). I don't sweat much, but occasionally an outdoor or bar gig will have this thing looking nasty by the end of the night. I find that I have to clean and polish this one quite a lot more often than my others.

n/a

For the money, this is the best true Fender bass there is. It blows the MIM stuff away, and even competes against MIA's (it's better in my opinion). It sounds great, plays great and is generally really cool.

I bought this Fender Geddy Lee in Oct 2006. Specs are easy to find, so I won't bore you with them here.

This bass sounds awesome. Perfect balance of meaty tone, yet clear articulation. I have played this bass in rock, pop, funk and jazz settings, and it has always sounded right at home.

When I bought the bass it was setup well. I don't know if the shop adjusted before purchase or not. I had to lower the pickups just a touch, as I was making contact with a poll piece when I really dug in on the E string. Fit and finish are great, I have not seen a Japanese made Fender that didn't look great.

Totally a work horse. Never a tuning problem. Finish is holding up well, just a bit of the standard buckle rash. I have used it on many gigs with no backup. I have adjust the neck once so far, but I would say that is common on a new bass as it breaks in a bit.

NA

I love this bass. It definately gets more use than the others in my collection. I upgraded to a hard shell case when I purchased this bass, advise I would give to anyone, better safe than sorry. If this one went missing, I would most definately rebuy another one. My one gripe would be overall output, I wish it was a touch hotter. I have debated changing the pickups, but I love the tone so much, I am sticking with the factory pickups for now. I just have to turn up my amp/pre-amp (depending on the gig) a bit more. If you are looking for a jazz bass, and don't have the money for an American model, go for the Geddy Lee, you won't regret it.

So based almost solely on the reviews I'd read here, I went down to Steve's Music Store in Montreal to try out a Geddy Lee signature Fender Jazz bass. They ordered one for me, because they had none in stock. It finally came in a month later, and it's gorgeous.

This is a 2007 model, made in Japan. Some people cringe when they see "made in" followed by anything other than USA, but it's a well known fact that some of Fender's finest axes came out of Japan. They shut down mass production of the cheaper models there and moved it to Mexico because the Japanese basses were outselling the US made ones. Most people agree that the late 80's Japanese Fenders are of a higher quality than their American counterparts.

On the surface this is a typical Fender Jazz bass. 4 strings, 20 frets, two single-coil Jazz pickups, passive electronics, 2 volume pots, 1 tone pot, black finish, white pickguard. But the first thing you'll notice when you pick it up is the neck. It's the thinnest neck I've ever seen on a Fender. We're talking Ibanez thickness on this bass. It's got a transparent gloss polyurethane laquer coating over the entire length of it, even covering the headstock. This gives the bass a really nice look, and also gives the neck an extremely smooth feel. They finish it off with black binding on the top and bottom of the fretboard, and nice fat black fret markers on the fretboard. There's a debate as to whether these are inlays or painted on. Given that Fender's website refers to them as "Black Rectangular Shaped Position Markers", I'm willing to bet they're just painted on, but they still look sweet. I've always been a huge fan of the look and sound of maple fretboards, and this is actually my first bass without a rosewood fretboard. Considering this is my 5th bass, it's about time I got one!

If you've seen the Rush In Rio DVD, this bass is identical to the one Geddy uses for a good portion of the show, including during the performance of YYZ and Tom Sawyer.

The pickups that come installed on this bass are sweet. They are vintage '62 reissue pickups that sound absolutely fantastic on this bass.

I also like that it comes standard with a Badass Bass II bridge. I've installed one on my Precision, and I can't imagine playing a Fender without one now. They're fantastic.

Let's get the one complaint that everyone has out of the way: the gigbag. Yes it sucks that this bass doesn't come with a hardshell case. Yes Fender did this to keep costs as low as possible, to keep this in the "workingman" price range. Yes I would have been willing to shell out an extra $50 if Fender included a molded hardshell case. But does any of this affect my opinion of the bass? Not in the slightest.

This isn't a fancy bass. It doesn't have active pickups, parametric EQ, stereo outs, midi connectivity, or any of that other high tech stuff. This is a bass made for function. There's a reason why the world prefers vintage guitars: they were simple. They did what they were supposed to do. They didn't light your cigarette for you, or call you a cab if you drank too much during your set. They just sounded great, and so does this bass.

I can't get over the sound of this bass. When I plugged it in at the store, my jaw hit the floor. I was playing it through an SVT Classic at the store, and I play an SVT3Pro with my band, so I knew it would be a close representation. I've been buying guitars from the same guy for the last decade, and usually he just smiles and says sure. This time, he made me pull down at least 10 other basses to try out. At first I thought he was trying to talk me out of buying it. But as every other bass on the wall failed to measure up, I realised he was just showing me that this was a great bass. I compared it to the USA Fender Precision and Jazz bass, an Ernie Ball StingRay, a few deluxe model Fenders, a Gibson Thunderbird, a Gibson Les Paul bass, and even a really nice looking Peavey bass. The active basses didn't cut it for me, because I've always found they lack an organic quality that I really enjoy in my bass tone. The USA Fenders sounded good, but didn't have the thump that the Geddy Lee offered.

Regardless of your opinion of Rush's music, you've got to give credit where it's due. Geddy's bass tone is monstrous. This instrument successfully recreates the tone that's graced a ton of classic Rush tracks. I play in a punk band called Humanifesto, and I think we'll all agree that the only similarities between punk and Rush are that they're both 4-letter words with a "U" in them. But the tone on this bass is great for punk rock, I cut right through the fast guitar riffs and break-neck drumming with this baby. I've heard a lot of people say that Fenders aren't any good for heavier music styles. All I have to say to them is this: the bassist of Rage Against The Machine uses a Fender Jazz. The fact is, a Fender bass will almost always be a great choice, regardless of the kind of music you play.

The tonal variety of the Jazz bass is impressive, even with the limited controls. I prefer the ballsy sound of all three knobs on 10. When I want a bit of a fatter sound, I drop the volume of the bridge pickup to 5 to cut back a bit on the highs that the bridge pickups puts out. For a great dub-reggae sound, I found dropping the bridge pickup to 0 and the tone knob to 1 or 2 gives a really round, dub-style tone.

I really couldn't ask for more out of a bass.

The guitar was perfectly setup when we cracked open the box. The action was perfect, no fret buzz at all. The pickups were at just the right height. Everything was setup and finished perfectly. The Japanese shop's attention to detail is remarkable. Even the intonation was dead on after a boat ride over from Japan! Not much else to say on this subject, it was in great condition.

This bass feels like a tank. It feels much sturdier than my Mexican Precision bass, which has already survived 5 years of me thrashing around stage and falling on my face with it. I have no fears of it breaking down.

The finish looks fine. Again, easily better than my old P-bass, which only has paintchips on it from where I smacked it into stuff when I wasn't looking.

I replaced the strap pegs with some Straplok pegs, because the way I fly around on stage, there's no bass that would survive long on me without straploks.

I'll always bring a backup bass with me, but that's just because I break strings fairly often (I play damn hard), but strings have nothing to do with the quality of the bass.

Never spoke with them.

I'm running this bass through an Ampeg SVT3Pro head into an Ampeg Classic 6x10 cab, with a SansAmp Bass DI as a preamp driver. The sound I get out of this rig now is utterly insane. I feel like I've finally found the tone I've hunted for years. Who knows how I'll feel two years from now, but at the moment, I can't imagine ever needing another instrument! Although... that Jaco signature model is pretty nice too...

I've got a 2003 model. They all come setup the same as far as I know: black body, white pickgaurd, maple neck w/black markers, 2 J-style pickups, etc. The bridge is solid, the pickups sound good, and the neck is fast!!! I wish it included a fitted hard case.

An absolutely great sounding bass. My only complaint was the strings that came on it. I quickly dumped the stock roundwounds and put some D'Adarrio Chromes (flatwounds) on it. This bass has a wonderful tone both live and recorded. It's quiet as long as you're using both pickups, but you'll pick up a little hum if you fade a lot. It is very versatile and I've used it to get great Jazz, Funk, Rock, Punk, Grunge, and Metal tones. Both on stage or in the studio, this bass does the job. There is just something about a J-bass that is incredibly universal.

Mine came setup like crap! The action was too high, the pickups were too high, and the neck wasn't flat. I had to take it in to a local shop and have it adjusted. Once adjusted however... it plays like a dream. The fit and finish are pretty good, but it's definitely not an American model.

This thing is a tank. No qualms whatsoever about use and abuse. since the initial adjustment (see above) this thing has played fabulous and I'm sure it will last for years to come. I don't think I'd ever go to a gig without a backup, but this bass has never let me down.

I've never had a problem with a Fender. **KNOCK WOOD**

I've been playing for about 10 or 11 years. I have 3 basses in my arsenal right now, but I've owned several. This is my favorite bass, if it were ever stolen... I'd cry... and then buy another. The Geddy is just a universal, versatile, easy to play, and great sounding bass. If I had to keep only one bass... it would be this one... far and away.

most likely a 2004. bought new beginning of '05. stock features: 2 u.s. vintage single coil pickups, badass 2 bridge, black body, white/black/white 3-ply pickguard, maple neck w/black block inlays and black binding.

play it hard and it'll growl, play it soft and it'll sing sweetly. for the price, it's awesome. i was looking for a little more, and shopped out some parts. replaced the pups w/two bartolini j-style pickups, swapped out the almost perfect but not quite there tuners w/hip shot tuners (bass extender on the E).

i already owned one that straight-from-factory was set up well, but this one went straight to "my guy". swapped pups, tuners....and then did some drastic changes. yanked the frets, refinished the neck with a satiny finish, routed a 3-way pickup selector switch on the lower horn, put in dunlop strap locks, and swapped out the quite boring white pick guard with a vintage looking brownish/red tortoise shell pg. much improvement from the boring black/white color scheme.

this bass is a beast of burden on stage with me, dropped, kicked, stepped on (eat your heart out Jaco). not too many scratches or dings so far, neck still right on. i've definitely played this thing sans backup without any worries!

never had to deal with fender.

i've been playing for almost 8 years. i have two geddys (one fretless conversion), one MM Sterling (active doesn't do it for me). i play through a fleet of effects pedals some vintage, some new, boutique and junk both, run that through an ampeg svp pre-amp crown power amp and then an ampeg 8x10. if either geddys went missing, first i'd put their pictures on milk cartons, then i'd go out and buy a couple more.

Japanese made Geddy Jazz with same stock specs as everyone else.
It's really a pretty bass. I can't find any build flaws at all (and I've looked it over a few times). BadassBridgeII is awesome! Great sustain and playing qualities. The glossy neck is unbelievably fast and comfortable. Makes my tobias feel like a 2x4!

It's a fantastic sound! Nice and loud and I agree it has a natural 'growl' to it when playing hard. It's also easy to get some nice fat smooth bass rollinf from it. I might be wrong, but a earlier review commented on hearing this bass sound on "Moving Pictures" when I believe Geddy played his 'Rick' on that album. Like I said, I may be wrong. Anyway, it sounds great and will work for jueful with the 'tone' knob.

Setup pretty well. It went straight from guitar center to my local music "surgeon" to get setup so I didn't really get a chance to play on the stock setup. I didn't really like the stock strings though. I replaced them with some half-wounds.

So far, nothing has happened to it. Everything works and the neck is staying true. I have a few other basses (Pbass and two tobias') and this is what I play EVERTIME. Those others are my backups now! =)

Fantastic bass. Probably the best playing bass I've ever layed my hands on. I'd buy it again, even if it wasn't stolen! =)

10 - Review date October 2006, Geddy Lee crafted in Japan Jazz bass bought summer 2006 new. Top notch construction, badass 2 bridge, beautiful, skinny maple neck with black block inlays, nice black body and perfect "fit/finish.

I am a R and B, Funk, classic rock guy and it suits me fine. I bought this bass as (believe it or not), it is the closest instrument I could find to my '83, Japan made Squire/Fender Jazz bass (which is heavenly). The difference between the two in playability is non existant and I would put both up against a Mex or American Jazz any ole day. The difference in sound is as follows: The Geddy has hot, hot pickups! The bass is not active but the output is comparable. Besides being aggressively loud in a good way, the Geddy almost creates its own gain/ever so slight fuzz. Do not be nervous though, it is a wonderful tone and the best way I can explain this is to tell you to listen to a few tracks of of Rush's Moving Pictures album and you will hear this basses signiature tone.

Perfect set up from a large Canadian retailer, I do not know if they set it up or the factory did. No noticable flaws!

Here is the bad part......The good news is, warranty covered everything!
After 5 months the neck pickup died and the tone pots soldering failed. These are American vintage pickups with cloth wire wrap and the whole bit but they failed anyway. I should report that I got a loaner covered by Fender and the repair was obviously free but it was a strange disappointment after a fast love affair with this instrument. I cannot however complain about service as ther was no questions asked.

As above - no worries!Fender and my local music store have been great and I expect that the instrument will be repaired properly and promptly!

7 due to the pickup and wiring failure - I am 41 years young, playing 26 years, Have had everything, Rick's, P-bass's, Ibanez, vintage Hofner etc. Very satisfied with my G.L Jazz and my ancient Squier! I would definately buy another as the '06 American Jazz I got as a repair loaner simply did not compare to the palyability and sound of the Jap Geddy model!

Fender Geddy Lee Jazz Bass ~ made in Japan.
- 4 strings
- 20 frets
- Maple neck w/black block inlays
- Black lacquer finish w/white pickguard and metal plate for controls
- 2 Jazz pickups, V/V/T passive electronics
- Big ass solid tuners
- Fender gig bag

I chose 10 for features because it isn't the amount of features, it is the lack of extra garbage. This bass has exactly what it needs, no more, no less.

This bass is, hands down, the best sounding bass out there. Plus it is so versatile. From slap, funk and jazz, to country, rock and driving metal this bass will cover it all. This bass proves why a well designed and manufactured bass doesn't need active electronics!! The growl and vivid precision of each note is absolutely remarkable. It is no wonder why Geddy chose this bass. I had two Ibanez SR 400 basses (one fretted, one fretless) and after playing this guy honest to God, I couldn't touch the Ibanez again. They immediately went up on eBay.

The bass was setup standard from the factory and is not really a fair question. When you are shipping a wooden instrument to potentially anywhere in the world where climates will be from dry to humid you can not setup decent action in the factory. That is why the instrument manufacturing industry has an unwritten standard for adjustments out the the door. Although standard, the action is set a bit high for my liking but this I expected. Since I am a guitar tech anyways it wasn't more than 15 minutes to dial this guy in. Minor neck adjustment and lowered the saddles a smidge, then set the intonation and it sounds like a star.

The hardware is best explained as; "solid as an oak". The wood is nice and durable and with the larger headstock, larger tuners, solid body and bad ass bridge this bass certainly had to inspire Geddy himself into writing 'The Trees'!!

I replaced two basses with this one bass and I have all the confidence in the world that I do not need to lug around a backup. If something happens to this guy while playing either the stage is on fire or we were nuked!! An instrument just doesn't come much more solid than this.

I have no experience with Fender customer support because I've never needed it. For those that give a lower rating because they've emailed and never got a response...come on guys, with spam filters and the barrage of emails assailed at there customer support it is impractical that you would expect any kind of loving service via email. Try calling them. They are good people and will help you. Email is impersonal anyways so rating Fender Customer Support on electronic email is like rating affection based on a robot!!

Although I am more experienced as a Lead guitarist (27 years) I've been playing bass for 10+ years. I started out playing just so I could record myself, in my studio, and it progressed until bands were hitting me up. It didn't take me long to graduate from Ibanez SR400/500 basses to a 'REAL' bass. What a frickin' difference it makes. If it were lost or stolen I would definitely find the thief and send him back to Fender in the box!! There isn't anything I'd do different with this bass. It was perfect and by the reviews of others, I totally understand what they feel.

If your bass playing and bass sound is blah...I'd suggest giving this a test drive and you'll see. Make sure your finances are in place before you do because you will have to have it immediately.

2004 Geddy Lee has a very smooth neck and nice inlays.

Awesome sound for practically any music. From jazz to rock to worship music.

The looks were great. I love the inlays on the neck. But I'm planning to upgrade the pickguard to a pearl white one and add a J-Retro preamp and add hipshots.

A very sturdy instrument, well designed and solid.

Very helpful.

This is one of the best basses I've ever played on. The bass is just perfect.

This review is for a 2004 Fender "Geddy Lee" Jazz Bass. This is the second one I've owned (2002). The features are the same but the build and feel is better on this one. See below...

Great growl, awesome for both funk and fingerstyle. Not quite as bassy or organic as my 2003 US standard jazz. The Geddy has a snappier sound , more harmonic ring, problably due to the maple neck and different bridge. Very even sounding up and down and across the neck. Great pickups, very little noise..there's a brass plate on the bottom of the control cavity..my US and Mexican jazz basses don't have that...might be a factor?

This is the second Geddy I've owned. The first one (2002) had a thinner neck and cheaper/loser tuners. The 2004 has a slighlty larger neck and the tuners are solid. The finish on this is better than my 2003 Black US Jazz. Maybe they have changed a few specs over the years I don't know, but I recommend trying a few different ones before buying. The 2002 Geddy I had did not like Rototsound strings the action had to be constantly adjusted. A little thicker neck might help. Also the finish on the 2004 neck and body is better than the 2002. The action/playability on this bass is awesome I wouldn't change anything. The Japanese Geddy is slightly under the build quality and playability of my Modulus Genesis Jazz ($2,000 +) and is better than my 03 Fender US($1,100) and Mexican 60's Burgundy Mist Ltd Jazz bass ($800). The Japanese are buiding a great product.

Fender jazz basses are players. The Geddy is definately one well built bass. Only time will tell how the neck holds up but as far as everything else that is why Leo Fender designed his instruments so parts could be changed.

I have emailed fender about the different types of jazz bass pickups...but no reply...too busy taking our money.

Great bass a little different flavour than some of the other Fenders I own..great for funk and rock. For the price IMHO Fender doesn't have a better value in a bass. Just be aware that a thinner neck and certain types of higher tension roundwound strings (ROTOSOUND)can cause problems.

2004/2005 Fender Japan, features as listed. Bought new in late 2005 as a replacement for a "well gigged" 20-yr-old Aria Pro II. Fantastic finish and very easy to play. I've bought an ABS case to replace the included gig bag, a black scratchplate for vanity reasons, Dunlop Straploks to prevent accidents and put a new set of fender 7350M's (the OEM strings) on it. I might change the machine heads to a set of Hipshot Ultralites purely to shave some more weight off the already anorexic neck, but the originals stay in tune even after a right pounding.

Sounds and plays like all basses should and a soundman says the DI sound is louder than some active basses. Plays country, funk, punk and metal beautifully and growls, pops and slaps in all the right places. I use this bass, a Boss TU-2 and a Peavey Combo 300.

Action a little high and a little too much neck relief when it arrived, but a 1/4 (maximum) turn of the truss rod and an Allen key to the Bad-Ass II sorted that out nicely. G string intonation was slightly out, but otherwise a perfect set-up. There is a tiny (2mm)laquer bubble on the fingerboard binding, otherwise the bass is flawless. The neck needs to come off to adjust the truss rod, but hopefully I won't need to do this again. This is the only thing prohibiting a 10!

Gigged a few times, rehearsed plenty and played everyday (yes, everyday). Nice light bass, stayed in tune throughout. Finish still flawless despite the odd "meeting" with the guitarists SG during some on stage japes. Strap buttons replaced with Dunlop Straploks 'cos I really don't want to break it. Only needed to adjust the neck & bridge once. I have no backup bass and I can't see me needing one.

I emailed Fender UK about a replacement scratchplate about 3 weeks ago and have had no reply. eBay sorted me out though!

Been playing over 20 years and only Wal basses are equal to tone and playability of this bass. I would replace this bass tomorrow with 2 more in case they ever stop making them.

Standard Fender Jazz bass made in Japan. The Jazz bass is versatile but when compared to the latest stuff with actives electronics etc. any Jazz bass could only mamange an 8.

As a straight forward solid Jazz bass, this is hard to beat at any price.

Over the years I have owned an eighties Squire, a 60s re-issue, a 62 stack nob re-issue & still own an original 72, a Mexican fretless, an Overwater J5 & a cheep no name jazz copy with EMGs. The only jazz that tops the Geddy Lee is the hand built Overwater with active electronics. Not bad for a mid priced instrument.

The bass has a very agresive, punch about it and cuts thro the mix well with strong mids. It can be pulled back on the tone control to give a warmer sound when needed.

I find that some of my previous (passive) jazz basses required a bit of boost in the bass department to keep up in a live situation, not with this one. It does still have a bit of pickup buzz but that is single coils for you. It is good for any type of music.

I use either a Hartke 3500 or an Eden WT500 amplifier via EBS & Euphonic Auidio cabinets. The Eden proves to be an excellent match to this bass. The Hartke is already a very punchy amp so it all depends how much punch you need.

The bass arrived from a mail order shop and was set up perfectly. A number of other reviews mentioned the tuners, I have had no problem with this bass so it may only be certail instruments.

Finish is completely flawless, everything lines up properly and the badass bridge is a welcome adition.

Only time will tell but I reckon this is built better than my original 72 Jazz and that is still going strong after 34 years. I think this one will be the same........

Never needed to use them.

Been playing 36 years and owned all kinds of basses and equipment during this time. I will always have room for a decent Jazz bass and this is certainly a decent bass. Straight out of the box, this bass delivers.

Bought my Getty Lee Bass used from a dealer got a great deal. The original owner made a few minor changes. The pickgaurge was repalced with a Moto Gray one, and the control knobs where replaced with Crome "skull" knobs. But the main change was the pickups were replaced with EMG active electronics. These mods where done professionaly so the bass looks excellent, body and neck were "like New". I'm usely not so yep on modified basses but this one was a rare find very professionaly done.

It is louder than any other Bass I have every owned, and I've had at least ten basses over the past 25 years. Must be the EMG's. It's very articulate and clean sounding, nice highs or just roll off the tone knob and hear it growl.

Jappaness workmanship can not be beat. The thing that impressed me the most was the great feel to the neck. The black body finish is purfect. NOW the tunners, well they seem to slip and don't always stay in tune. Which is a first because I have owned 7 other Fenders and they always stay solid in tune. I don't know what the problem is but this is the only shortcomming of the bass. Once you tune it up it stays though the gig but as soon as you put it in the gig bag it slips out of tune. Oh and the gig bag looks well paded but the zippers are cheap. Maybe I'm to picky because this is still a great bass but I have never had a Fender before that had any tunner problems. It's a minor flaw to an otherwise AWSOME bass.

Will I replace the tunners? No I think this will get better with age.
Typical Fender durablity is expected. Can't beat it with a stick.

Take good care and it shouldn't need anything.

Been playing 25 years, semi-pro. Own 6 other basses including Carvin 6 string, Yamaha 5 string, and 4 other Fenders. Not sure if I will take this one to my grave with me like my old P-Bass but it's good enough to give to my children when I retire. In consideration of the price I paid, I think this is a GREAT value, that's why it gets a 10 here.

I got my Geddy Lee in 04 and it has enough frets to keep my happy and way more tone options than i could shake a stick at.
I love it i have allways been a jazz bass fan but this model is so much more diverse than any other and the neck is like butter it is all most effortless with its tiny little frets and anorxic neck.

as I said the tone of this beast is so nice i cant decide wether i want to go with high tone or a thundering groove sound it all depends on my mood i change my mind more than my ... well what ever sound i want it has it.
on stage this bass mops the floor with any other i have played live for clarity AND all round good sound from thick low end to ratteling highs

the bad ass bridge was a god send but i had it set up at the shop
and i had some warwick reds put on it and it was awsome
but factory set up i cant really say

never broken yet

same as above so no complaints to fender yet

AWSOME!!! any one who is thinking of getting one do or you will regret it its a bargin and it should be worth so much more.

Features are pretty standard - except for the slim neck - love it - it is very fast and sleek - I hate a bulky feeling neck - replaced the tuners with a set of Hip-shot with a D-tuner - I agree with other users the tuners are very lacking.

The sound is great - has the vintage pickups and if you love that tone it's an awesome bass - I have had Warwick, G&L, Lakland, Kubicki X-factor, Steinberger, Rick, etc... and I seem to come back to the Fender Jazz - I play Modern Worship music...ie. (Planet Shakers, Hillsongs United, etc...)

I am playing through a Behringer 450 watt head and an Ampeg 410 SVT HLF cabinet and I use a Tech 21 Bass Driver DI - that combo is supreme tone...Not great for every application but fits my style just fine.

I like my action LOW - so I had it set up to fit my style of playing the instrument looks great on stage - I have replaced the pick guard with a vintage tortise shell look - looks pretty cool. Every thing else was great - quailty craftsmanship.

I baby my instruments - so they last longer but I play a lot and has never given me any trouble - stays in tune through out gig - Nice...

Never needed any - But feel sure it would be good.

I have been playing Bass for about 27 years and have been blessed to play with some national recording artist as well as Youth Conventions, youth camps, rallys, many outdoor events, overseas, you name it. I love the Fender tone and this bass delivers - If lost or stolen I would probably buy another one but who knows.