Fender Jaguar Bass

These basses are all Japan made. I personally got the Red one because I loved the color and it had the matching headstock which looks awsome on it. Mine turnedout to be an '06 or '07, not sure due to the serial number starting with the letter S, and S being a serial number on MIJ Fenders between years 2006 and 2007. The instrument has the standard 20 frets and 4 strings. This bass has a bit of both worlds: it can be active or passive. I'm not much of a fan of active, but it doesn't sound too bad as an active. A bit noisy on the static, but that's just how all active basses sound. The passive mode is my favorite though, and there's a ton of features between the two single neck and bridge J pickups. There's the Volume knob, the tone knob, then you have the on/off switches on the left bottom side: bridge pickup, neck pickup, and a series switch which allows for a boosted tone which cuts through really nice. The active mode has 2 additional wheels at the top left, which control the bass and treble of the tone. I'm not 100% positive, but I believe Maple is one of the main material woods of this bass. Feels very soft and light. Usually maple feels like such. Neck is not painted, but has a tinted look to it with a coat of clear coating to give it the laminated shine. I believe the bass also comes in Black, White and Sunburst, but those finishes do not have a painted headstock like the Red one does. The scale is the standard 34" with a rosewood neck and jumbo frets. Although this bass has a Jazz bass neck, the body has a hint of jazz, but for the most part the bass is it's own kind of animal. This bass is not string-thru body.

I'd say this bass is very similar in tone to a Rickenbacker 4003 bass, very warm and mellow, yet has a nice groove to it's low end notes. I played it through several fender amps, Hartke Amps, my crate practice amp, and my Line6 Lowdown 110 amp. Also tried it through Ampeg BA112 and BA115, sounds great on all, but surprisingly Ampeg and Line6 turned out to be my favorites for tonal range. I didn't really try too many settings on the fender amps as these were only small amps that I only used to test out the tuning @ the store. Line6 has a few effects on it including the vintage ampeg sound, a full range of distortion/overdrive, a bit amp sound, and a synth bass sound. Sounds very good on all 4 settings. This bass is great all around live or for practice. It is not a P bass, nor is it a Musicman stingray. So don't expect either sharp bright tone or super mellow round low end, it's got the jazzy mellow warm sound. Sounds more like a vintage sound than the modern clear sound. I really don't have any dislikes other than the fact that Fender in general is retarded in terms of not making a full 24 fret neck and adding the 5 string as an optional model. Some of us do like the wider scale range.

Before I got my bass, it was owned by a collector, who hasn't really played this bass at all. Even had some dust on it from displaying it. No dents or signs of wear at all. Flawless finish. The owner said he never adjusted anything because he only played it to make sure everything was in a good functional condition. So everything on it sounded great the way it came from the factory. The only thing I was itching to change were the tuning pes and the bridge, as they were the only cheaply made parts. Well I fixed that problem by adding adding Hipshot pegs with one D-tuner key in black and a black Hipshot bridge. Looks really cool on a Red bass. The action of this bass is very comfortable, good for picking, slapping, popping, and tapping.

This bass seems very durable. Any active bass is not 100% prone to battery failure, but hey, you can save yourself with this one by simply switching to passive mode. The hardware is fine, but cheap, tuners are imprecise when downtuning at first. Swap them for nice Hipshot tuners, and you solved the problem. So far the finish is fine on my bass adn it's at least 2 years old. Strap buttons are solid. This bass does not have any flaws nor is there anything wrong with it's hardware or it's durability. It is a very dependable bass, if it was my only bass I'd use it all the time, but since I have a bass that's more beat up, I'd rather keep this one clear of accidents. Like I said, the tuners are about the only thing that you may find yourself complaining a bit about, but they do keep their tuning fine once tuned. I highly doubt you'll have any problems with this bass, so playing with this bass live shouldn't require any backups unless you need a wider scale range (ie. 5 string, more frets...)

Never had to deal with them, as my instruments are all tested and adjusted before I decide to keep them. I don't even know if this thing is warrantied. I never got a certificate for it, and never asked the previous owner if there is a warranty for it. All I know is what I heard about Fender's customer service from many music store dealers, and they all say, Fender is a pain in the ass, they are hard to get through to begin with. That is all I know. But I wouldn't deal with them either way as all the parts that would need, I can find on ebay or elsewhere online, and in worst case scenario just go to my local music store and ask them to get me a certain part/accessory.

I've been playing for almost 11 years now, and I've owned 10 basses so far, starting with a Dean Edge 1 back in '98, then moving on to Ibanez EDC705 in 2000, a Rick 4003 in '02, giving away the Dean, trading the ibanez and Ric for a Warwick Vampyre SN 5 string in '04, getting the vampyre stolen by my ex-gf, getting an ESP F255 in '06, then moving onto warwick corvette 5 string in '07, selling the ESP. Earlier this year obtaining an Ibanez BTB405, trading my warwick corvette for a '91 Musicman Stingray5 early this year ('09), then selling the IbanezBTB, and purchasing a Fender P-bass, which I later gave as a gift to my student. And earlier in April purchased a Fender Jaguar bass. So currently I own only 2 basses a '91 Musicman Stingray5 and a Fender Jaguar which I play though my Line6 Lowdown 110 amp. I also own and play 2 synths: Roland XP10 and Roland XP80.
Some of my previous gear I do regret trading/losing (Ric4003 and Warwick Vampyre), but I probably would've never looked at a fender if it wasn't for the loss of my then favorite bass the Warwick Vampyre whcih led me through a series of temp basses (esp, warwick corvette, ibanezbtb), which turned into a trade offer for a Musicman, and I was skeptic about this bass, but I do remember bassists bragging about it's sound, so I agreed to it, and what do you know, turns out it's one of my favorite basses so far, I then discovered it was started by Leo Fender, and then decided to give Fender A try with the Fender P bass, which totally blew my mind when I played it. A Jaguar was a more natural approach as it grabbed my attention when I was looking through fender basses. And if the Jag is ever stolen, I'd buy the same exact one, new and tested. They're very affordable now too. like under $600 for a made in Japan Fender, that's unheard of. I hope they're not discontinuing them. It's a very good bass. My musicman on the other hand is another bass I'd replace, but in a different color option and maybe with the extra bridge pickup. If there was one thing I'd add to the Jaguar bass, it would be a p-bass pickup in between the J bridge and J neck. Well a 5th string wouldn't hurt as well as a few more frets, but I guess that's like pulling teeth, when asking fender to make something like this in a standard package not made in Korea or mexico.

Great features if they worked

Just received this instrument this morning from Sam Ash
direct. I had tested one out about a year and a half ago,
and thought it was pretty cool. It is in looks and finish.

I have already packed mine for a return as it has more snap,
crackle, pop than a bowl of Rice Crispies. The pre amp
switch does not work at all. I tried a new battery and a "fix"
I found online were you wedge the battery for more contact ...
it didn't work.

The pickups sounded fine and the action great, but other than that
I am surprised they let this one out of the factory.

No arguments from Sam Ash

I researched it a year or so ago. Wish I would have
checked it out again.

Made in Japan, very nice neck rosewood with block inlays, no binding which is very nice. Active passive switch. Sunburst.

I am a p bass guy. I have several my fav is a modded '77 p bass that i have toured across the US and Canada with for over 10 years. I play a pretty broad range of music in a cover band as well as in a Clapton tribute band. It covers all of them very well. Nice warm sound and with the active preamp engaged lots of punch. I play alot of chords under the guitar solos and the active switch really cuts through.
The electronics are a bit noisy but no more than one of my other j basses.

I have been playing for so long no matter what bass I buy there is a whole list of mods I need to do to it to make it gig ready. so the factory set up "which was fine" needed to be all redone by me anyway. I did not see any flaws looked and played great.
only suggestions would be a better quality bridge "baddass will be added" and better machines they felt a little cheep, also the battery door seems a bit flimsy but easy to get to so we will see how it holds up

the fender japan basses are pretty bad ass, the hardware could be better, finish seems like a thick poly strong finish. Seems pretty dependable fender ussually is. I always bring a back up.

Fender is always great and always stands behind there products! no need for then yet

I have been playing for 18 years, I own several vintage fender basses ampeg svt, mark bass set up and ampeg b15. I would buy another one of these if it were stolen I may buy one in whit just because. I love the look, feel and tone. The first gig I did with the bass a had a line of people who wanted to know what it was and commented on the tone being awesome. I do not know if it will replace my number one p bass we will see but for now I have been grabbing it first! can not beat it for the money

I love my black Fender Jaguar bass! Was great right off the wall, caught my eye when I least expected it and I walked out of the store with it after running it thru and amp and putting it thru its paces...i was definitely taken by its sound and playability, especially in a shop thats not terribly renowned for its set ups right out of the box

This might get me into a bit of trouble if a purist was to read this lol...I like the wierd and wonderful and I'm sure that played a big part in my buying this instrument. I immediately wanted to make it into my own with what would definitely be considered a major mod. I took it to my tech, got him to notch out the nut (which i am replacing with a high quality bone nut this week) so I could string it up with the low 4 strings of a 5 string set, Rotosounds of course (130,105,80,65) and its tuned BEAD. This bass is punishing with that setup! I'm not a big fan of 5 strings just because of the string spacing but I'm definitely a fan of that low B lol The fact that I can play a fretted low E note is a definitely a plus and on this bass its super fat. Because of my mod I always use the active setting with a db cut on my rig. I'm playing it thru an SVT pro3 into and svt 8x10 cab by the way and i shook a clock off the wall at my house gig a couple of weeks back! Now that was COOL lol I honestly can't say enough about the sound of this thing, its deeper than hell itself but at the same time it has a really nice transparency to it. I'm seriously considering buying another one just to have as a standard 4 string in the very near future.... one thing i should mention is altho it doesnt have a hum per se, it seems to have a shielding problem as mentioned by other reviewers in this forum

Like I said this guitar felt great the second i picked it up, love the neck! It is heavy tho lol

I replaced the strap buttons with Jim Dunlop strap locks immediately as i do with all my basses...Finish is great but I wouldn't consider the red one, I'm not a big fan of the matching headstock but thats a personal preference

I'm a pro player and have been for the past 27 years, a few basses have passed thru these hands lol my main bass is a 1990 Mexican Jazz thats been heavily modded, the only stock parts are the tone and volume knobs lol I have a 3 night a week house gig playing blues, rock, funk and country with some of the best musicians my city has to offer. Thats certainly not meant to be boastful, rather its more to convey the point that instrument and gear quality is top notch among these players. I'm what could be considered an aggressive player so I do demand a lot from my gear.
Like I mentioned before I absolutely love this bass and when I pull it out of its case, the reactions are nothing but positive both on its look and definitely on its sound, with my Ampeg and this bass i"ve been seriously shaking my pant legs...I've been told by a few young people that its rad lol, that kinda seals it dont ya think?

2008 Fender Jaguar Bass (Japan)
Alder body, Rosewood Neck, Pearloid Block in-lays.
Active/Passive electronics circuit
Neck/Bridge Pickup Switches
Series Switch

This bass has some really good features however some features could use an improvement. I really like the use of the series switches and the pickup switches. I think Fender Japan did an excellent job with that. I also like that the bass also has a passive/active switch and also the incorporation of a tone knob that you can also use even in active mode. However, I was highly disappointed with both the volume and tone pots. They are cheap, and I would highly suggest replacing them. Also, the bass and treble roll adjustments are pathetic. It is either all bass or no bass.....no in between. You have to toy with the controls to get the bass and treble just right. The tuners are ok, but this is another area that if I had kept the bass....I would've replaced as well. The bridge is standard.....had I kept the bass I would have went with a Gotoh bridge or something along those lines. Because of the cheapness of the pots and the almost unusable eq roller knobs and par tuners I'm giving this bass a 6.

This bass can pull out a plethora of sounds. I think the bright spot of this bass is the passive side though. The active eq could use some work....to me it just sounds boomy and muddy when I use the bass eq. It does have some brightness that is pretty good for slap though. In a live performance though.....my bass got lost in the mix. So again I will not give a high rating for the sound. Let's not talk about the loud buzzing sound that I get from the bass. I'm like this....if I faulk out money for instrument I should not have to have it put in the shop to be shielded or anything else. Again I'll give this bass a 6.

Now....this has got to be the best part of this bass. The action, fit, and finish of this bass was awesome!! Straight from the factory to the store the setup was excellent. Low action, fast neck, beautiful finish, nice body.....this was what made me buy the bass in the first place. Best four stringer I've laid my hands around. I just wished the features and the sound would have matched.

I'm sure this bass would be reliable....but I would not use this bass on a gig without a backup. With it having cheap parts, I would question whether this bass would hold up on its own.

N/A

Overall....I love the concept of this bass. I think if they made these in the US and maybe took their time to make a good instrument with good quality parts, they would sell millions of these basses. It would be awesome to see the Fender Custom Shop make these basses. If they correct some of the problems such as the busted eq controls, the horrible shielding and loud buzz, and adjust the bass frequency of the eq and make it more musical Fender could have something. Needless to say....I played this bass in store, laid it away, paid for it brought it home and was shocked at how terrible the bass was. I gave it a fair shake, but when I took it on a performance and played it.....it just did not cut it.....my Mexican Jazz bass blew it straight up....and my Mex has no mods what so ever. Good news is that I took it back and got a full refund for the bass in which I used that money to order a American Vintage Series 75' reissue Jazz Bass. I'm sure that my 75 reissue will perform well. I have had and owned a number of Fender's....and this one rates very low on my list.

You all know the features...but mine's a red one!!! I bought this because it is sooo different from my Warwick Streamer Jazzman 5 - variety is the spice of life.

Hot signal but what about that buzz/battery pops/cutouts etc. Started just after I bought it. After sending this bass to FOUR guitar techs (including Fender) the fix is A PIECE OF DOUBLE SIDED TAPE ON THE INSIDE OF THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT LID TO PUSH THE BATTERY TIGHTER AGAINST THE CONTACTS!!! Since doing this frankly ludicrous repair the bass has been perfectly well behaved. I hope Fender is reading this so they can rectify this issue in the factory. I almost stopped loving this bass but can now see a long and passionate relationship (it is red remember). The sound was a 2 but now it's an...

Overall this bass is well built and finished. Action is great and paint is RED!!! Did I mention that before? Typically high quality Japanese product.

I have owned for this for 6 months. 5 months chasing the buzz. Possibly unfair to judge reliability just yet... Have done 20 0dd gigs and still looks new. Only damage caused by one of the guitar techs...Dragged a pickup screw across the (red) finish.

To paraphrase the Fender tech, "We have checked this bass against others in our factory and the buzz you hear is normal for this pickup set up.." Fender has dropped the ball on this one - I'm very disappointed with this attitude especially after the incredibly simple fix. (Thanks Hindy - you know who you are).

Now the probs are fixed it is great. This rating will be higher in 6months time I'm sure.

2006 Fender Jaguar Bass made in Japan in Hot Rod Red w/ matching headstock. Two jazz bass pickups and two fairly intuitive modes of operation: Active mode with bass and treble controls and passive mode with pickup selection, parallel/series selection and a master volume and tone control. Gloss maple neck with pre-aged rosewood fingerboard complete with 70s-era block inlays.

Tons of tonal options on this bass. It ended up replacing my Geddy Lee Jazz bass primarily due to its ability to nail the jazz tone with a few other tricks up its sleeve. I didn't use the active circuit much, but it was nice on gigs where I had to run direct or through an in-ear setup. The active mode is simple, turn it on and it gives whatever pickups are selected a boost of bass and treble via two sliding controls. A nice way to add gain to the signal or boost things overall when needed. That said, I primarily ran the bass in passive mode. The series option is nice and a fairly standard mod (think S-1 switch).

The build quality of the bass were great as I have come to expect from Fender Japan. The pre-aged look is nice and the finish both on the body and headstock was very nice. As is the case with these gloss finishes from the vintage series, the finish chips fairly easily. A couple of cymbal bumps in a cramped rehearsal space put a couple of dings in the headstock, so I learned that lesson quickly. The only construction issue was a loud popping that would come up when the battery compartment was bumped. It would pop or even cut the signal if bumped and I tend to move a bit when I play, so this quickly became an issue. I did have the bass repaired on Fender's dime, but the problem persisted. I believe mine was the only one to have this problem and it only affected the active mode, so I simply removed the battery and never used the active mode after the trip into the shop. The low rating is not on the construction side, but due to the persisting electronic popping.

The only durability issue was the aforementioned active circuit problem. Since I stopped using the active mode, it stopped being an issue and withheld live playing. That said, if you are a strong slapper or would plan to use the active circuit a ton, make sure that contact with the battery door doesn't produce the pops and cracks that mine did.

Fender makes warranty work easy with their large network of service shops. I was able to take care of the Jag bass and a tube Deluxe Reverb of theirs in one trip. They also answer their phones if you know the numbers to call.

This is a very solid bass and a great player. It's tone is very jazzy with a voice of its own. It became the signature tone on a single from an electro-pop session that I played on, so it sounds good to producers and audiences alike. The looks, playability, and tone come together better than some of Fender's other offers. A great way to play a Fender without having to play the "same old" jazz or precision.

I swore that if my band ever went on tour I would buy an Ernie Ball Bongo bass. It's the one I always wanted. I really enjoy active pickups and when my band got booked I went out to buy the Bongo... until I played the jag.

I have to admit that I wanted something American made, but this Japanese axe is built really well-- it sounds as good as the bongo but plays better! Most of all, this guitar is really versatile with the ability to turn off pickups, run series and parallel and turn off the active feature.



You already know the features from the other posts. Here are my favorite:

Green-tinted pickguard-- follows the faded color of the original jag bass pickguard.

Matching headstock (for the red bass)

Active EQ-- the two wheels on the top of the guitar shape the bass and treb tone of the guitar when in active mode. You can switch on the fly and not suffer any pops or buzzes-- cool feature!

The reason I decided to write a review was to talk about the buzzing. Yes, the Jag buzzes. When I plugged it in once I bought it the buzz was HORRIBLE. I reduced about 80% of the buzz by grounding my amp-- no one's talked about this yet on the forums. There's still some buzzing and I'm sure that when I take it to get set up by a pro he will take care of the rest. It doesn't buzz as bad as my old Jazz V, though, and it has the same pickups.

Out of the Guitar Center it played really well... odd, I know. It was by far the best playing bass I played for under $1500. Some vintage basses had a better feel but none had the versatile sound of the jag. I'm planning to get it set up by a pro, so it can only get better.

I give it a 9 because there ARE better playing basses out there-- just not for the price.

I cage fight on an every-other-saturday basis. Usually my opponents come with baseball bats... I come with my jag and beat them to a pulp.

n/a

I just started playing bass again after playing guitar in my band for 6 years. I had been playing my Mexican Jazz V for the past month (since it was the bass I played when I first picked up bass guitar 10 years ago) and it sounded like crap at a gig . I needed a guitar quick for another gig, so I played virtually every guitar at multiple stores and chains.

I really didn't want to buy the jag because it was japanese, looked funny and had the same pups as my jazz V. After dozens of try outs, though, I realized that every bass I played was being compared to the smooth feel of the jag; I couldnt get it out of my head. So I bought it and loved it.

This bass is loaded with features. The most notable feature for me is the sheer variety of tones you can get out of the Jaguar. It has great Jazz-like tones when in passive mode and crank some serious bass and treble when in active mode, with a whole range of tones in between.

Not only does the bass sound great but it looks amazing as well. I went with the hot rod red with matching headstock. As far as "look" goes, what really hooked me are the aged pearl block inlays on the neck, it has a great vintage look to it.

If there were one "feature" I would complain about it would be the lack of a free gig bag with the purchase. You would think Fender could throw in a $20 bag with the bass.

I guess I already went over the sound in the features section. To sum it up, great tone. I was deciding between the Jaguar and a traditional Jazz bass. The Jaguar, just has so many different voices it is great.

I had read reviews that the Jaguar had problems with a humming noise. I haven't witnessed anything like this on mine. Perhaps Fender has since fixed the problem.

My Jag didn't need any adjustments out of the box, besides a slight tuning.

I was coming from playing an Ibanez Roadgear which has really fast action on it. For a Fender the Jaguar is comparible. I've tried a few Jazz basses and the action was a little high for my liking. The Jaguar is much closer to what I'm used to, I hardly noticed a difference.

The only flaw I could find in the finish was a bit of varnish on the side of the nut. You can tell it was in place before the next was varnished. There were no other flaws besides that.

If I had one improvement to suggest would be to use a satin finish for the next instead of high gloss. I find the satin finish a lot faster and not as sticky as a high gloss finish, but that is personal preference.

The Jaguar is a solid instrument, as solid as any other Fender. I seems like it will hold up well, even considering the vast amount of electronics in it.

I have never needed to make any adjustments to it and all the parts seem to handle the everyday wear and tear of playing.

I don't think I would be foolish enough to play a gig with only one instrument, but I think the Jaguar could do the job if required to.

NA

This is a great Fender bass, at a very reasonable price. Fender lists the bass at $999 CDN. I managed to find it (when the Canadian dollar was at a high mark) for $589. It was definately a steal.

You can't go wrong with a Fender, and the Jaguar continues that legacy.

This bass is pretty awesome! if it wasn't for the stupid hum, I'd give it a ten.

Neck feels good, finished just right. I could play this bass for hours!

It hums. It only hums when it's sitting there and you're not playing - if you want one of these better get yourself a gate and use that.

The bass sounds awesome other than the hum. You can get fat sound, thin, whatever it is that you're looking for.

Set up was great! No problems, everything was perfect.

Gigged with this bass, I would use it in a heartbeat.

I did replace the bridge with a leo quan, and added dunlop straplocks.

I would (and have) used this bass without a backup.

Haven't ever dealt with fender support.

Been playing about 5 years. Love this bass!

I most of all like the sound (except the hum).

I love it, and if it were stolen I'd replace it right away!

I've had this baby about four months now and I've gigged it at least once a week since then so it's about time I tell you what I think.

I'm not going to go into features, everyone else's review has already covered it. I will say however, that the feature, basically the Jag circuit, is brilliant, more on that in sound. I'd give this lovely tone circuit a 9, but if you're an enthusiastic pick player like me, those switches easily get knocked, or gouge into your hand if you're not careful!

I don't miss a pickup blend knob either, but some may.

Sound is jazz bass in series, growly almost-p mids in parallel. The active isn't bad at all, but it isn't great either. I don't think theres enough EQ threshold or sensitivity in those two boost/cut knobs. By that I mean, theres a sweet spot, and if you over or underdo the setting, it messes up the sound. The master/passive tone knob is nicer to use, and sounds good wherever you point it. I'd give the active sound a 7, but passive...for the price...perfect.

This was shipped from Japan, as they all are, so I expected a lot worse. The neck was perfect out of the box. string radius was exactly what Fender recommends on the Geddy lee neck (the Jag has the same dimension neck). Nice low action too, but too low for me, I like a bit of resistance! Finish was as good as you'd expect. Theres not much to do wrong on a black laquer body, but the neck varnish was nice and even, and very very smooth. I've heard of some lemons from the factory but mine certainly wasn't. A perfect example of a well crafted Fender.

Higher register frets could be easier to access, but it just takes some getting used to.

I replaced the strap buttons with Schallers the second I got the bass but they seemed sturdy. The hardware is nice but chrome gets dirty fast! Finish is nice and thick but I'm pretty clumsy, It's got a couple of chips already, but it's my fault. The finish is by no means fragile. No neck adjustments needed as of yet, and stays in tune nicely.

I doubt Fender has great customer support, but I doubt i'll need to find out with this specimen.

I didn't want this to be a "glowing" review, but it's ended up as one. The only complaints I have are the sketchy active circuit (not too hard to swap out) and the multitude of switches that have gouged pieces of my skin out, and the less roomy neck pocket. But compared to a Fender Jazz, the closest couterpart to this thing, it's worth it for the sound of the Jag circuit, the thinner, more comfortable neck, and the cool retro style. If you didn't mind not having a more interesting circuit, but wanted the nicer neck, you could try a Geddy Lee jazz. But I'm in love with this thing. Theres just something about it. All the switches, the flexible sound, the bassists at gigs going "I'd love a jag!!" Or the guitarists going "your jazz looks funny..." It's a cool, out of the ordinary gem to me. For the value it's amazing, all Japanese Fenders are.

My fender jaguar bass is black with white scratch plate. Its japanese made and has looks that kill.

The sound is great. It has all the settings I need for a full bodied sound with more of a clasic style sound than a clean crisp modern bass. Unfortunately it has a hideous buzz that occurs from the lack of good shielding around the electronic circuit board in the internal components of the instrument. I have gone to great lengths to iscolate the problem and have suffered reoccuring noise. be aware that you may have to earth the shielding on the scratch plate and the insulating paint at the bottom of the internals. Also there were some problems with the soldering as some wiring was porely conected. So get a tec to check the wires.

No complains as it has the great fender feel and comfort of a great rock bass.

Just be aware of terible soldering. Even the machine solders were porely overlooked when leaving the factory. It has to be personly modified to iscolate the lake of earth and shielding

I just worked with my tec. I didnt take it back to fender as I preferd to work out the issues of the guitar with someone I trusted

Sounds great for its intended set up. Noisy and frustrating problems with the earth/shielding which is unfortunate for a respectable company like fender. If these issues were thaught out properly I am sure that i would not have to have spent many weekends with a tec figuring out these problems.

This is a 2006 model. Mine is Hot Rod red with the matching Headstock. The Body style based on the Fender Jaguar guitar


Mine came in a Box - no allen wrench, and had a lisght scuff on the lower bout/back. Not a big deal. Setup was basic and about 9/64ths to 7-64ths (@ 12th fret) with slight relief.

Here is all the boring Tech Spec Data from the website:
Model Name Jaguar?? Bass
Model Number 025-9505-(Color#)
Series Deluxe Series
Colors (506) Black,
(515) Hot Rod Red,
(Polyurethane Finish)
Body Alder
Neck 1-Piece Maple, Thin ???C??? Shape,
(Gloss Polyurethane Finish)
Fingerboard Rosewood
No. of Frets 20 Vintage Style Frets
Pickups 2 Vintage Jazz Bass?? Single-Coil Pickups
Controls Master Volume,
Master Tone,
Preamp Treble Control Wheel,
Preamp Bass Control Wheel,
Preamp On/Off Slide Switch
Pickup Switching 2-On/Off Slide Switches, One for Each Pickup,
1-Series/Parallel Slide Switch (Operates only when both pickups are on)
Bridge Standard 4-Saddle
Machine Heads Vintage Style
Hardware Chrome
Pickguard 3-Ply White
Scale Length 34??? (864 mm)
Width at Nut 1.50??? (38mm)
Unique Features Block Position Markers,
Active/Passive Preamp System,
Slim Neck Profile
Strings Super 7350M, NPS, p/n 073-7350-006,
Gauges: (.045, .065, .085, .105)
Accessories None
Case Not Included. Will Fit:
099-6173-400 Deluxe Tweed - Red Poodle Plush Interior MSRP $209.99
099-6178-422 Deluxe Brown - Gold Plush Interior MSRP $209.99
099-6172-406 Deluxe Black - Amp Logo & Orange Plush Interior MSRP $199.99
099-6172-306 Standard Black - Black Acrylic Interior MSRP $174.99
Introduced 1/2006
Notice Product Prices, Features And Specifications Are Subject To Change Without Notice

I Love the sounds you can get from this instument. I prefer the active sounds, but have no issue with getting great tone from teh passive circuit either. It fits everything I play it for, which is primarily blues and rock. It has MORE ASS and PUNCH than any other bass I have, or have ever had. Not old school gibson clank, but tremendous low and opunch, especailly through my Ampeg Cabinet (HLF410).

Here is my only negative and it will also impact Customer Service.
Upon purchase, it had a serious Buzz, more in active mode than passive. I tried it in several locations and with several rigs. I took it back to the shop where I got it and it did not replicate the buzz Noise. I took it to a room that I play weekly and it was unbearable - keeping in mind that this room has many lights on dimmers, and the other guitars with single coils always have trouble. NONE of my basses, or either of my two rigs ever gave me trouble though. I bought a Furman power conditioner and most of it went away, but I knew that this did not fix the real issue though. I caontacted fender to tell them abotu the issue - their response was short - take it to an authorized shop (Which I had done, and told them that I had).....so they were no help.

I found that the control and pickup cavities were well shielded with paint, but the shielding was not grounded. I installed a ground wire from the wall (grommet into the wood on the paint) to the chrome control plate and it all went away. It is almost dead quiet now.

I like the bass, its setup, and feel/sound.

I am disgusted with customer support.

I rate it 10, but it would have been a 2. Lets take a point off for having to do it myself though.....seem fair enough?

Set up good out of the box
minor tweak for me

Pups were good out of the box

A few sharp frets, - I fixed

Scuff -

BUZZING

Good hardware, not premium, but really good, well made, nice finish, will play passive if active battery dies, I like to take a back up, but sometimes just take extra strings.....

It seems fine.

Score of 2 out of 10

Fender Customer support it consistant. At least they answered me this time.

Not a good answer, and i would still be waiting to get it back fromt the "Authorized Fender Repair Center" if I had gone that route.

In fact, when I sent the courtesy response to tell them what I had done, and that they had apparently not read my email, suprisingly, I got no response. I am just amazed.

I have been playing bass for 3 years now, and own 5 basses, 3 of which are fenders. I own one strat, but have had 5 of them. I have been playing guitar for about 8 years, now, and spent all of that time, more in learning how to setup, build/rebuild, reconfigure instruments.

this is a nice instrument. it is full of tone-shaping features, and feels great with an absolutely thunderous low end. I would consider installing a Badass II, but it really doesn't need it.

My favorite feature besides the great fellign neck is the Phase inversion and the active circuit. It is one bad instrument.

Japanese made (2006 I believe), Three-tone sunburst finish with Tortoiseshell pickguard (beautiful!)

Lovely skinny Jazz style neck, 34inch scale, 20 frets, excellent smooth finish, tight neck join. Real Inlayed block fret markers, not just painted on.

Two stock vintage Jazz pickups, on/off switches for each one, series/parallel switch. I think the bridge pickup is slightly closer to the bridge compared to standard J-basses. Master volume, master tone knobs. Active circuit in/out, bass boost and treble boost wheels.

Standard bridge, stock open gear tuners. Also the batter cover for the active circuit is flip-top.... handy!

Also no worries if your battery dies mid-song, active circuit can be switched out.

Alder body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard.

Rating: 8, only minor criticisms; the body shape makes reaching the high few frets harder than a P or J bass. Stock bridge is a little flimsy for my liking, no blend option between pickups.

Replaced stock bridge with a badass II, and also put in a little stick-on ruber thumbrest between the pickups.

Fantastic sounds, vaguely resembles a Jazz, but has a few quirks of its own. The active circuit gives a lot of possible tonal options, especially with the series parallel boost. Great for rock, blues, jazz, funk, whatever. Not going to emulate a ricky or a stingray, it's not a fender sound, but a distinctively new fender sound.

My rock sound generally involves distortion of some sort and it handles this really well, retaining clarity where some of my other instruments would muddy up.

Clean sound is great for supporting acoustic artists too.

A little noisy with soloed pickups, or both in series, but what would you expect?

Hum-cancelling when pickups both on in parallel, very suitable for studio work, have recorded some excellent sounds so far.

I mainly use fingers and slap, and occasinally pick. It's been fine for all of these so far. The slap sound is a little middy, but this can be fixed by boosting the treble and bass.

Rating:9 Fantastic sounds, but with all the usual Fender bass limitations, not that that's necessarily a bad thing :-) Would be nice to be able to blend pickups.

Bass arrived playable, but the action was a little high. Intonation was fine.

No blemishes that I've been able to find, there was a slight rattle between a circuit board and the underside of the pickguard, but a little foam sorted that out.

The neck pocket is very tight and sturdy, the bass is well finished and looks very good when polished.

Rating: 8 Generally good, except for the minor things I had corrected, but that's to be expected when ordering from overseas.

Very well made, impressed with the Japanese craftsmanship. Standing up well to acoustic and rock gigs so far.

Tuning is pretty stable, very rarely feel the need to check it during a performance.

Strap buttons were much too small in my opinion, replaced them with dunlop strap-locks. Problem was,, with some rock gigs I move around a lot, changing the angle of the bass. When I lifted it too high, my strap would just slip off the bass and the headstock would bash me. Hard to keep your cool when this happens.

Finish is pretty strong, has resited a few minor knocks without even a dent so far.

Would gig without a backup certainly.

Never contacted Fender

I love this bass. The 3TS finish is not available in the US or UK as far as I'm aware, and last time I check, they are no longer being shipped overseas.

I bought it from Ishibashi.co.jp, very friendly, helpful people there, with frankly a better command of english than most western companies I've dealt with.

After having it setup and modified to my satisfaction this has basically become my ideal bass. I can't see myself ever selling it. If it was lost or stolen I would buy another in a heartbeat.

It also gets a lot of attention at gigs and recording sessions, most people seem to have never seen one like it before. A few have assumed that it is actually an old Vintage bass because of its styling.

Odd than Fender never made them before 2006, though to be honest, I'm pretty glad they didn't!

Pino Palladino's been seen using them live with The Who, can't really argue with that.

It's all been said, so many electronics options it is mind bogging...

Literally sounds like almost anything you want it to. Best sounding Fender I've ever played, possibly best sounding bass period... and I have played a lot. The only thing I couldn't pull out is a really "woody" semi hollow/hollow tone... Tons of meat, if you want it, or thin, if you want it. Or anything in between. Teeth or semi-toothless tone. I bought it for the sound and playability.

Finish is very nice, a small, small blenish on the neck, size of a pin head. Otherwise, flawless. Regarding the neck playabilty, sweet, nice and thin, with a narrow spacing on the lower frets, ideal for average sized hands.

Not sure on this, seems good, just bought it. All the switches make me a little nervous, but otherwise pretty typical Fender construction.

I have owned/played many basses, play professionaly... had some nicer looking (Guild Starfire), some better playing (Kubicki Factor), perhaps none better sounding though. Unexpectedly good for the money.

very cool features block inlays matching head stock. and active or passive electronics. there is alot going on with this bass but once you find your setting it is dead on.. really thin neck thats a blast to play as well

I love the sounds comeing out of this bad larry through my svt

this bass came from the factory a little poor on the set up. the a string was poping out of the nut. and the input jack a little buzzy but after a good set up this thing played it self

no problems yet

its a fender

ten on the overall rating becouse after it was set up and all figured out this bass was the perfect fit i love it

Perhaps too many features for a Bass Guitar. If you have a regular amplifier then this will help you get the best out of it but if you play through an Ampeg SVT for example then you're probably not going to use many of the alternatives on the bass itself...

The passive sound is as you would imagine close to standard Jazz Bass. The Active is much more solid & modern. I have no other active basses to compare it to being a Jazz Bass Player but I imagine the preamp is not up to the competition.

Factory set up was superb. Super low action. Intonation spot on, no buzzing or dead spots anywhere.

Neck Pocket is the tightest it could be without the intrument being made out of one peice of wood! Pups sit in their precision cut cavities superbly.

The neck is divine. Unbounded slim as you like & gorgeous finger board. Possibly the best thing about the bass & comparable to my 73 A Jazz bass neck though without the mojo. Frets are nice & block inlays are beautiful.

The cheap plastic nut is a big let down though & I will be replacing this soon.

Machine heads are crap & I'm replaicng these with US 70s heads though would have prefered the long stem'd vintage but wrong hole config.

Vintage White Body finish is beautiful. Nice creamy white. Thick gloss coat might mean that it doesn't age anymore but be interested to see how it looks in 30 years time!

Volume pot knobs are terrible so replaced them with US fender skirted knobs.

Solid as a Rock. I have gigged mine & rehearsed it to death since buying it & have had no issues whatsoever with it.

Ishibashi were a dream to deal with when buying the bass online. My friend brought it back with him from Japan so it ended up costing me a measily ??350 which has to be the best deal I have ever got on a bass & makes me feel a little sick when I think what my Vintage collection cost me!

These are pretty tarty looking basses compared to a Precision for example but the Vintage White & Black model counteract some of that. the Red one is for real bling types but I think it looks cheap & tacky. I wouldn't want to have this as my only bass. If you are looking for just one bass then buy a Precision, Jazz or a Ricky depending on what sound your into... you can't go wrong with any of them. The Jag is a nice toy to have if you can afford it...which at current prices is not out of the question for a lot of people.

made in japan and its not crap!!awsome kneck fretboard.. glossy finish on back of kneck.. shiny .. if looks could kill this bass would kill you!

i play through an orange ad200 with an ashdown 4x10cab.. this bass blows away rickys ive owned it the past. i like lots of high end with tonnes of low ass bass.. this gives it to me.. i could get any sound id ever want from this setup...

action was high.. but after 3 seconds of adjusting plays beautifully..no flaws red colour does show fingerprints like mad.. who cares tho it looks cooler than anything.

the kneck feels perfect.. im prolly gonna get a badass bridge for it and a hipshot for the estring.. other than that i cant complain..

its fender they cant be bad? can they??

ive been playing bass since 16 im 28 now..uptill now ive had rickys, percision and jazz bases, hagstrom, ernie ball, as well as a few more and this for me is the ideal bass.. i will probably get burried with it..

'06 Fender Jaguar Bass, black finish with non-matching headstock, made in Japan, new for 2006, based on the Jazz bass, passive/active and parallel/series wired. There are a lot of electronics options, but once I learned everything, I found the sound I loved very fast - the passive, series pickup option. An improvement might be a blend function for the 2 pickups, but to be honest, I don't miss it, especially if it means more than one volume knob. I also appreciate having the passive-parallel and active options if I ever need them. Also, it may sound like a small feature, but I appreciate having one master volume knob for the bass, in an easy-to-reach position... I use that a lot to fade out my bass during song endings and transition parts.

I play 95% fingerstyle and 5% pickstyle, rock/pop/dance and a little of everything else. My stage amp is an Ampeg V4-BH tube head with 4x10 and 1x15 cabinets. On stage, this bass has balls and definition and sounds great. I love the sound, and my bandmates, who are very particular, love it too. I use the series-passive option, and it has even, strong response, with all the bass, mids, and treble I want. My other primary basses are Rickenbacker 4003 and Music Man Stingrays - this bass is a nice third option, and much more versatile than either of those (although they are both great in their own right). I guess the biggest thing about this bass is that, while I have always loved the Jazz bass neck (it is heaven for my fret hand), this is the first bass with that neck that has no hum in front of tv's, computer monitors, neon signs, etc., it sounds great, and it has a ton of sound options - with active/passive and series/parallel, it's like a combo P-bass/J-bass/Stingray (plus it looks great and seems rock solid). I can't believe how versatile, good-sounding, and giggable it is for the price.

The bass had perfect action as shipped. Once I tuned it up, I checked the intonation, and it was right on. I didn't notice any construction flaws. The only things about the finish that I don't like are the glossy neck finish (it's okay, but a more satin-y (is that a word?) finish would be slightly better, and the side position dots - because of the finish and their color, they are a bit hard to see under dim stage light. Other than that, this bass is built tight and solid. Man, that Jazz neck is absolute heaven for my fret hand. Great build quality, too.

I have played 2 club gigs, 3 band rehearsals, and several personal practices with it. It looks/feels/seems bulletproof. One interesting test I gave it was to remove the battery and see if it still works (my Stingrays won't - they are active only). It did work without the battery, in passive mode, but not active. So... I won't have to worry about a battery dying stopping me in mid-song during a gig. It seems like a rock solid bass; the build quality is good.

I haven't dealt with Fender's Customer Support.

I've been playing for 12 years. I love this bass. The Jazz neck is like butter in my hands, it feels totally natural. I've been disappointed in the sound of my MIM Jazz bass - it is thin and hums in the presence of any electronics. This Jaguar bass never hums and has balls and bass to spare. I also love my Rickenbacker 4003s, and I have a love/hate relationship with my Stingrays, but this one could trump them all for gigs - it feels better and sounds great. This bass is designed specifically for players who love the Jazz neck profile and want lots of electronic options, including active/passive and parallel/series. Plus, it has a cool retro look that's not bad. For the price, it is incredible. You couldn't hardly get a MIM Jazz and replace the pickups to kill the humming for what it cost, and this one is rock solid as is.

Same as stated in previous reviews.

Lots and lots of bass. The active pickups make my dishes rattle, the passive pick ups are very full too. Very good for fast punk picking style, very good for les claypool slap style, very good for mellow and lazy bass lines.

The only thing wrong with it was upon arrival the action was very high. Everything else was perfect. Everyone who sees and plays it is amazed. The matching red headstock and body are beatiful. It sit nicely on my lap and very comfortable and easy to play when using a strap.

I'm sure it will stand the test of time. If i were to ever play a gig on bass, I wouldn't think of a back up.

never dealt with them

I'm primarily a guitar player. I've been playing around with my friend's jazz bass for a bit and decided i needed to get a bass. I'm usually very picky about the guitars I buy, but I ordered this bass right out of the '06 fender cataloge without seeing one in person. When it arrived a few weeks later, I was more than impressed. The owner of the jazz bass i've used agrees with me that this bass evokes a different kind of bass playing. I don't want/need any other bass. This one is perfect and very very sexy. If this bass were to be stolen or go missing, I would be on the phone ordering another in a heart beat.

I am an employee of a Fender-franchised music store; I got one of the first 25 red Jaguar Basses that were made. It is one of the few Japanese made instruments that are in Fender's arsenal. It is basically a suped-up Jazz Bass: 2 jazz p/u's, standard bridge, 1.50" at the nut, clover tuners, alder body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard. The controls are unique: on/off neck p/u switch, on/off bridge p/u switch, active/passive switch, bass roller knob, treble roller knob, master volume, master tone. The matching red headstock is killer!

This is one of the few active/passive basses that I like better in passive mode. It has a great, punchy, yet warm natural tone. The active electronics seem too subtle and lacking in the low and high mids. This is definately a keeper for anyone who loves slapping, also.

The Jaguar Bass came in to my store absolutely flawless. The strings were set to exact (I measured it) Fender specs w/ no hint of any fret buzz. The thick, tinted lacquer on the neck made the playing VERY nice!

The durability appears to be the same as any other mid-priced Fender. The only factor that I worry about is the electronics. The strange setup will be hard to find parts for in the future.

N/A

Since I was 12 years old (15 years ago), I have dreamed of asking Fender to make me a custom shop "Jaguar" Bass. They made my dream come true, and they did it in style!

Like previously mentioned, its really a active J-bass with a Jaguar Body and circut. Mine is balck, rosewood board, aged pearl block inlays, laquered neck, headstock. "70s" style tuners and decal.
I wouls say a 9 due to the many options via the jag circut.

I have been playing the bass for 3 weeks now, so its not really a "cristmas morning" type of review. The bass has a good range, again, think an active jazz bass. I play old-school metal, stoner rock and indie rock, suits me fine. Play through an ampeg SVT classic w/ 4x10 and 1x15 cabs. A bit noisy sitting, but nothing that a regular jazz would not make. Not perfect but damned close

Fender japan makes products that are at least equal to or better than Fender USA. I'm sorry, but "made in USA" is nice, buts its also an obsolete notion in this day and age. I have owned enough basses,drums and cars from Japan to say that. My jag bass is very very nice, as is my marcus miller and geddy lee basses.

Its a Fender, unless you lose it and heve it off the edge of the grand canyon, it will be functioning long after you will. Saying that, the tuners do seem a bit weak, but they are the same as the ones on my geddy lee bass, and those havent given me any trouble in 3 years, so maybee in 2098 when I'm long dead my grandson will need to replace them

Get work done locally if possible. Everyone can fix a Fender. its better than arguing with fender about it and having to ship it to and fro. I do belive it has a lifetme warranty, and wherever you purchased it from should take care is you.

Great bass, should suit most players sound wise, plus a has that funky look of the Jaguar guitar. NOT a boutique bass, meant to be played hard for a long time and never let you down.

If I may rant, I have never understood boutique basses anyway, yes they are often works of art and examples of the luthier's skill. But I cant see shelling out 8 grand for one just to look at it, and then you play it or gig with it, olnly to have it get damaged or stolen. A bass is a musical instrument, its supposed to be PLAYED! its not a status symbol, its a tool for your soul and mind to create, so grab ANY bass and plug in....where is my advil?....

New for 2006. Hot Rod Red. I own 12 Basses and this was just too cool and funky too pass up. The Jaguar look caught my eye right off and I had to picck it up. It took A bit of messing with it to figure out all the features. Basically, a Jazz bass that can go active or passive. The active/passive switch is in the top left corner. There are a pair of roll dials for volume and tone that seem only to work when in active mode. The three switches in the top right corner turn the two picckups on or off respectively and the third is the series/parallel switch. There are then overall volume and tone knobs that are traditional. All this seems goofy at first but works well and just fits with the quirky jag theme. I like it. Not really necessary but cool.

The sound is fabulous. I own many fender basses and find them to be quite variable. I would never buy one without trying it out myself. The sound of this Jag just blew me away. IT has a wide tonal palette. It covers the traditional jazz bass tones very well. It can also get quite funky with the active switch. I find the parallel setting gives a good thick tone. I do not find this bass overly bright which I think is a plus. Maybe it is the variability, but compared to the last reviewer, my pickups are not noisy at all. I absolutely love the sound.

I am a stickler about setup. I buy from a small high service shop (no mega store) where they actually set up each guitar. We could not believe that this bass was perfect right out of the box. The neck and action were amazing. A minor bridge intonation adjustment was all that was needed. I am impressed with the Japanese workmanship. This is my first non-American Fender and I am impressed with this one. To find some fault, there is a tiny bit of red color bleed over from the top of the head stock onto the side. It would take a discerning eye to notice this however. It did not stop me from buying the guitar.

Have not owned it long enough yet. but if it is like my 5 other Fenders, I expect no problems.
They are just good basic machines

Never used them

I have been playing almost 30 years and own basses from Ken Smith and Fodera to Fender and Ibanez. This is a great sounding, great playing, bass with all the quirkiness you could want in the Jaguar look. i just had to have it when I saw it. I have been impressed by the sound and the quality. It seems to sound thicker that the Japanese basses I have tried before.

This is a new model (JAB-90) from Fender Japan. The production was started around October 2005. Basically it shares the electronics with an active jazz bass, the only real differences are that it has a body of a jaguar guitar and the same circuit the guitar version features. Finish on mine is black with a white pickguard.

It has a fine sound, altough the pickups are noisy as in every low-priced japanese Fender. It can go from mellow, round bass to crunchier high end. You really won't get a heavy bass sound like Gibson basses, but then again, that's a Fender feature. The jaguar circuit also features a low-freq cut-off-switch. By groundwiring the bass becomes less noisy and it'll suit well in studio.

The bass is good quality, the finish is flawless.

I can imagine myself playing also without a backup, but whenever it's possible, I'll take a backup with me. Everything seems fine so far with this bass.

Haven't delt with them

I've been playing over 11 years bass in different bands. My other bass is a Gibson T-Bird. This gives a little more variety to my bass sound. I like the weird Jag circuit and of course the looks. I thought also about older Jazz basses, but the design on this will beat them whenever.