Fender Jazz Bass

Straight Basic Standard Black (Mex)Jazz Bazz

I have always Loved Fender Gear!

I play through a Fender BXR 300 watt amp that I got a steal of a deal ot 250 bucks ...although I did replace the fender speaker in it with a JBL that I also got for a steal of a deal.

I just recently started using effects on Bass...A Zoom 506-2 and I am very happy with the set up

I would like to get a classic tube SVT sometime in the future however ...

Honestly I was completely pissed off about something that happened regarding the action /setup on this bass and that was that the e string would just drop!!!

I tend to play with my thumb ...pretty hard at times for a punchy sound and the set screw that holds up the e string was not handling it ...I took the bass to the place I bought it from and they said that thier set up guy wasnt in and they were not sure when he was going to be back in and I had a gig that weeked end so I had to do a home repair on it that has held but I am not completely satisfied with ...I shouldnt have had to repair a brand new bass myself at all .
I however believe that has more to do with the store that I bought it from than "Fender" as a company

Doing this repair cause a little damage to the finish ...which just pissed me off more

See comments in the above

I did not deal with the Fender company regarding the repair mentioned above but a fender rep was out to the store not two months after I bought the bass and I was impressed with that .

MY over all rating for fender gear in general is a high 8 to a nine ...I never turn down a deal on fender gear and the above mentioned problem is the only problem I have ever had out of any fender gear ever and I have been playing for over 20 years ...which time included using fender "Bass man Amps " and fender Jass basses ...I understand many people LOVE the "P" bass but I LOve the tones avaiable on the Jass

My next buy will be a deluxe and sometime after that I will have another American Standard...

First of all, this is not a review of any one bass I have, more the range of Jazzes I have tried while looking for the perfect one. I have found several excellent basses, a lot of decent starter instruments and more than a few that are so much firewood.

Everyone knows the Fender Mexi Jazz. 20, sometimes 21 frets, rosewood/maple neck with big elephant-ear tuners, large, heavy offset alder body with pickguard, passive electronics with two volume and one tone pot, 2 single-coil Jazz pickups (many are wound to be humbucking when used together, but I've heard a few that couldn't possibly be wired that way) and a stamped metal bridge. I'm giving it an 8 because, just from the spec sheet, the bass theoretically has a bit to offer.

Here's the first category where the bass-to-bass differences really show. I played one built from Fender custom-shop rejects that looked beautiful, but it was a hum machine when plugged in. Looking around, I found a less flashy and lower-priced specimen that was an absolute tone monster: clean, well-defined, bright sound with just enough of that jazz sound you can only get from the bridge pickup. Beautiful rich sound. Most of them are better for the stage, though if you get a nice quiet one, it should do well for recording work. The only dislikes are that, if the sound you want from a particular specimen of Mexi Jazz is in that bass at all, it usually takes a bit of finding. One tip: if you want a good balanced mix of neck and bridge, turn both down a bit. Having one all the way up makes it far too present in the sound, and having both up just doesn't work 99.9% of the time. This is due to the wiring, which really can't be solved without an on-board preamp. Just one of those Jazz quirks... 7 because when you find a good one, it really shines, but you have to wade through a lot of so-so basses to find your treasure.

The ones I've played atstores have usually been set up decently enough to get a good feel for the instrument, though I have gone to mega-stores and picked up bass after bass to find that the neck has been back-bowed through some method or other.

Again, there's a little bit of QA at the factory to blame as well. the two biggest things to check are the pots and the neck, because those vary the most in my experience. The action should be low with just a bit of upward curve, or should get that way after some tweaking. The pots should turn smoothly. Ones that don't will need replacing very quickly, or the knobs will need to be adjusted (I've had more than one knob rub against the sleeve and make the pot very rough-feeling). 8, because again, most are built very solidly, but there are usually flaws when you're dealing with a Mexi.

If you find a good one, it will stay that way for quite a whilewith a little care. The large alder body will take minor bumps and dings with no problem, but I've seen more than one consigned to a pawnshop looking like it had been mauled by a bear, so they're not rock-solid. Mexi necks also seem to be a bit thinnner than the MIA necks, so the neck will require some care (just don't bang the headstock into anything too hard). It won't withstand a set-destroying gig by any stretch of the imagination. Lastly, replace the buttons with Dunlop or Schaller straplocks. Not that the Fender's buttons are worse than any other, it's just that if you're gonna use a strap at all, straplocks are inexpensive insurance, especially for a bass as heavy as a Jazz.

I've heard horror stories, but have not dealt with them yet, so I can't really give an opinion here. I'd try to buy from a store that's authorized for Fender warranty repairs, or make friends with a good luthier, rather than deal with their customer service long-distance.

I've been playing bass seriously for about 2 years, and am looking for a good jazz-style bass to supplement the P-bass copy and the electric/acoustic I've picked up. A good Mexi Jazz is THE Jazz bass. a poor Mexi Jazz is just so much firewood. The 8 I give this category is for the upper third of Mexi Jazzes, the third most people looking for a good one will settle for. Play a LOT of em, and when you find one that stands out from the rest, pick it up as fast as you are able and don't ever let it go.

Its a black 2002 mexi-jazz bass black pickguard . It's got one volume knob for each pickup and a tone knob but everyone on God's green earth knows what a Fender Jazz looks like. . . Just your standard meat-and-potatoes bass.

I play in a hardcore punk band which has a bunch of ska scales that are really nothing more than your average jazz progressions sped up to 100 miles an hour. it has a really growley, punchy sound now since Fender overhauled the pickups. (the old ones sucked balls) I really like the punchy sound of the p bass but it kinda fades out and gets "boomy" when you hit the F or open E so thats why i decided to get the new jazz series. i give it a 10 for that bright punchy sound the new pickups have. It sounds great live, and i would record with it in a heartbeat.

I play with a pick so i had to screw around with the action a little but other than that it was great from the factory.

it is definitley a live bass, i like how it looks on stage and how solid it is. i normally play shows every weekend with my band and it gets tossed around a bit but the paint job is rock solid. As soon as i bought it i got new strap buttons for it, i highly recommend the jim dunlop straplocks cause it gets a little crazy onstage. i dont really have to worry about the truss rod there is a slight bend but it doesnt make it sound any different so i dont care.i would use it live without a backup cause i dont like to waste time bettween songs.

never talked to fender, but i hear theyre nice

I've been playing for about 4 years now and ive been in about 4 bands we play shows in and out of town and we hope to have a national tour this summer. i currently own a teal american Precision with a pearloid pickguard (1 yr old) and a stickered up wine red Fender standard Precision (3 yrs old). i used to have a standard midnight blue jazz bass but this was before they had good pickups and it sucked so i sold it. i play through a yorkville bassmaster 400 with 1x15in speaker. dont get me wrong, i love the american precision but i would definitley have bought the new jazz if it was out the same time as my precision. there is nothing i hate about it except for the bridge but thats just a minor problem so all in all it is a very good bass and i like it better than the american jazzes.

It`s 1999. made in Mexico. 20 frets, 4 string, solid black polyester top, neck with rosewood fingerboard. All features like standard jazz USA. Bridge seems to be week. The sedles are moving when I`m playing and they are giving some click sound (I hate that).

Well it suit my styles very well. I play jazz, funk, pop-rock, but it has some middle freq. that i realy hate on bass, not that middle punch like other jazz basses. Sound is rich, good for studio too. But I dislike that strange mid range...PU`s are very noisy especialy when tone is turned to 10.

I`ve bought this bass used and i adjusted to me...it`s quite well, but i dislike low fingerboard radius because I have to raise g string more then d, but that`s fender :)

This is a 80's fretless Fender Jazz bass made in Japan. Has standard features with the exception of the Badd ass bridge.

This bass sounds excellent. The 80's Japanese fenders are so much better than the USA made ones. I have 2 other Jazz basses - a late 70's, a Geddy Lee signature series(made in Japan) and a early 90's and this one just blows them all away. Get out on Ebay and grab one of these.

The action is Low and fast and stays that way.

The bass is made like a rock and I never feel nervous about using this on stage other than the fact that it's a fretless.

never dealt with them

I have been playing for 20 years and have owned over 40 basses and this is definitely one of my favorites. It has a great Mwaah sound especially with the Mid turned up.

This is a Fender Standard Mexi J-Bass. I have made some modifications to it to improve the sound, but I'm going to review it in the condition that I originally receieved it, and then talk about what I did to make things better. It has 4 strings, rosewood fingerboard, cream finish, standard fender bridge and tuners, low-end passive Jazz pickups.

When I originally received it, I could only listen to it for a short time before switching back to my Rickenbacker 4003. The original Fender pickups were 'farty' on the bass strings and it hummed quite a bit. Later I replaced the pickups and electronics with EMG active Jazz pickups. These days I would rate it a 9, but it's original rating is a 6.

The neck was a tad bowed when I received it, and the action was too high (probably to accomodate the bow). The pickups sucked anyway so who even cares how they were adjusted. After doing a proper setup, I was able to get the action nice and low with no buzz.

With a Mexi J-Bass, you generally get what you pay for, but sometimes you luck out where the construction is concerned. I lucked out. It is a very well-built machine. The finish is good, but it's pearl, so it is undergoing constant alteration with stickers and stuff. The one thing I will say is that I replaced the bridge with a BadAss II. The standard Fender bridge was just as bad as the one on the Squier P-Bass I had so many years ago.

Haven't dealt with Fender in a while or for this bass, but when I've had to deal with them in the past, they've been helpful.

I've been playing now for about 4 or 5 years. My primary basses are a Rickenbacker 4001 and 4003, but the Fender J-Bass (as it exists now) is a good alternative sounding instrument, especially for those songs where the hi-treble tone of the Rickenbacker's just doesn't cut it. If it were lost or stolen, I might purchase an American Deluxe, but overall, it hasn't been a terrible experience owning this bass. I will say that I do LOVE the neck on this bass, it's very fast, even compared to the Rick necks.

Standard Jazz bass, 4 strings two pickups, 20 frets, midight wine color, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard. thin neck:PLAYS LIKE BUTTAH!!!
bought a nice SKB hard shellcase for it.( a neccesity, in my opinion.)

it is plenty deep but not as deep as a precision bass. It has more punch if you want that to slap or funkify your tone.

Like all the Fender Mexicans, you have to play a lot of them to find the one that is best in the store. When you find a good one, grab it and don't let it go.

This sucker has been rock solid for the last two years and I have never had to adjust the neck or even replace the strings, although I think that they are due.

not applicable

I am primarily a guitar player but I love to play bass as well. I have beenplaying for 37 years and I would buy another Fender in a heartbeat if this one were lost/damaged/stolen.

American Fender Jazz, Year unknown, I bought it used in 73. A friend who buys,sells,trades says it's an early CBS. 20 frets, 4 string. lrg black inlays. solid top. had vol.for each pkup and master tone. I added separate strat jack to make room for master vol.(the two single coil pkups act as humbucker when vol is balanced, but it took some fiddling to bring them up and down together.) has orig 1 coil pkups.
guards removed. Used to feed back til I wrapped pkups in waxed string as damper. all passive electronics. wood unknown. neck orig. natural blonde. I added badass II bridge and brass nut. orig huge tuners Fender. with the features I added I give an 8 for features.

I Played it in rock and Disco gigs earlier. Later , rock, funk, R&B,blues and jazz. It's versatile, but I would have liked more sibilance. modern processors fix that nicely. sounds great walking or slapping.full dark and warm.great for stage or studio.

original work was perfect except for bridge which would not intone properly

we'll seehow it holds up. I've had it for 29 years. It has stayed in tune for weeks on the road if I didn't drop it. It's seen alot of temperature changes without problems. Truss rod adjustments hold forever. My finish has worn off back (belt buckles,etc) but fender finish on neck is unchanged.

No experience with this, for best reason.

If I were separated from this bass, I'd be really pissed. But I would probably buy a P-bass and put a jazz neck on it. (perfect feel, with exciting attack sound.
I made a living with it for years, and now it's worth a lot more than I paid for it.

The body of my US made Fender Jazz was made in the mid sixties...(it was a black Custom at the time, with the round tuners)...the neck had a little bit of a hook in it around the 14th fret and I played with it like that for a couple of years until a friend, who was doing sound for "Rush" at the time, gave me a "Deluxe", bound Rosewood neck with the large block inlays. He said that "Geddy" wanted a Jazz with a maple fret-board and that he didn't need this one. Who was I to look a gift horse in the mouth? Needless to say, with the addition of the new neck, my bass was taking on a life of it's own. I didn't like the black finish on the body, besides it had a bunch of divits in the finish, not unlike someone beating it with the round end of a ball peen hammer. I stripped the finish and sanded the body until the dents were gone, then finished it with clear polyurethane. I still have all the accessories, including the huge bridge cover with the Fender "F" and the other pickup cover. I play this bass at least for a little while every day to keep my fingers loose and to ward off arthritis. I still have the original case, although I don't put this bass in it. I purchased a re-issue Fender tweed case to hold this one. I played this bass all through the seventies and eighties...although I have to limit my playing now to a few jam sessions a year and of course, my few minutes a day.

Even though this bass does not have active pickups, with the right amp set-up it really kicks. No buzzes or any other noise for that matter. Sounds great when it's slapped and awesome when its played with a pick. It's punchy for funk and nice and round for anything else. I use Ernie Ball Roundwounds on it and after thy are broken in and have been tension streched, the darn thing stay in tune like no other bass I've ever used. It is versatile enough that you could use it on stage or in the studio...and it has been used in both environments extensively.

Looks great, feels great, plays great....what else is there?

I've been playing this bass for over 30 years and it has never....ever...let me down. I will never sell this bass because it keeps going up in value and is a joy to use, in ALL respects...

I haven't dealt with Fender in quite a few years, but when I have inquired about accessories and other technical questions, they have always been friendly and have gone out of their way to be of assistance.

As I said, I've been playing since the early sixties and I have owned a number of different basses, but Fender makes (Made) the most versitile, longest lasting, overall best sounding, reliable basses I have ever seen. I guess that's why so many bass players use them. I don't think the newer Mexican made basses are as well-made as the older US versions, but I have tried a few in various music stores and they truly hold their own for the price you pay...I mean you can find an old one like mine and pay upwards of $2000.00, or you can pay a whole lot less if you're on a budget and still get a good sounding instrument with a bit of the Fender carisma...

First I'm not a bass player and second this isn't my bass but one I worked on at my store. It is a late 90's Fender Jazz bass, Made in Mexico. You Fender guys(my condolences)know the features.

I will give 7 because....well just because.

Again not a bass player but WHY does Fender but their name on this?? Terible sound. The sound compares to under $200 no-name basses I sell in my shop. Tries through a few amps from 10 watt to 100 watt and it sounded the same ...BAD!!!

Don't know about factory set-up but the bridge had to be replaced already and I did a set up on it this time. The action is ok but the fret work and neck are a joke. Hardware quality is poor, fit and finish are better on my $150 no-name basses. The only thing worst quality than this is Squier...HMMMM??

Fender's are durable. This one has taken a beating but is still HIGH Maintainance!! I have repaired this quite a few times already. Then the customer says that the brands I sell(Fernandes, Washburn, Aria)are not the quality they want?? OK they over paid for this cause it has a FENDER sticker on it.

I'll rate this better because it is still playable. The problems it has is from the initial manufacturing process. Let's call it a Timex, cheap junk but keeps on ticking!!

I deal with Fender for other things. Their service is on the bottom of the list. Ibanez, Gibson, are on the bottom for customer service!!

Warranty is void now so who cares. Fender doesn't care even if the warranty was good!!

Ok again not my bass, not a bass player. Just a tech and this starined my professional limits. Customer bought it for the Fender name. He plays the $300-400 Fernandes in my store but won't buy cause it's not a Fender?? Honestly this guitar is a level below a Fernandes X series which is comparable in price to Squiers.

Fender people, e-mail me all you want but be open minded and play this side by side with a so-called off brand and you'll find out what your missing.