LeftyBassist.com

Well yes I have given in and bought what I think was a good deal on a used deluxe Fender. I know I have voiced my opinion before of not being a big Fender bass fan as far as they sound and feel to me. I love Fender tones when I hear other players with them live and recorded. They look awesome even lefty but I just never could lock in for myself. I know the issue is me not the basses. But writing bass lines at home for my band was never as easy as when I had a Fender P bass for a month or so.

I think there are many of you fellow members who always amaze me by your knowledge of Fenders and well I bought it from a pawn shop out of California of all places. I am throwing the dice and it should be here Friday 12/17 and I’m pretty excited but I will admit I don’t know too much about any Fenders but any help here on possible manufacture date and any information I should know would be much appreciated. I think I read Frenchy thought the tone of the active electronics and pickups were not your cup of tea and you modded it with Lindy’s and passive electronics. I don’t think I want to mess with it. Do you guys have any ideas, info or suggestions?? Thanks for any and all help.

The S.N. is DZ7175459

A Pic or two

This one looks like a recent one. The first ones had a tortoise pickguard. The serial on mine # DN9-20494. I am pretty sure that yours will have the improved 18v preamp and possibly the samaritum pickups instead of the Noiseless pickups of the 1rst generation. The necks on the latest Deluxe Jazz models had 5 bolts. I tried one in a store once and I really liked it. I think you'll be happy with it and it will be a good complement for your Warwick.

Very nice. I've toyed with the idea of one of those...

Thumbslam

If you are the "slap-happy" type ("Thumbslam") you may some day consider upgrading the bridge for a Badass III like I did. It does bring more attack and a certain Marcus Miller-ish crunch. If you only play fingers or with a pick it is not necessary. You can check the sound clips I recorded with the one I am selling. I am selling in in order to get a recent P-Bass. Most of the gigs I am called to do seem to require more of a P-bass. I think you sold the P-bass you got from Jim (Gravesbass) but it is exactly what I am looking for. It was just a bad timing for me to buy it.

http://www.bandmix.com/philippegrapinet/

I just got it and it's crazy!! It brand new !!! OK so I have never really played a USA Fender Jazz for more than 5 minutes at one time. So this pawn shop in California ships me the bass without a case but it’s the best packing on an instrument I ever saw without a case. It took me 10 minutes to unpack and take the entire support and bubble wrap off. The bass is brand new. Plastic still on the pickgaurd and battery cover. Still has wax inside battery compartment. Set up pretty damn good too just got to tweak it a little bit. The neck is one of the straightest I have ever played. I am simply blown away. Samarium Cobalt Noiseless pickups and 18 volt preamp is super quiet and punchy and fat. Well this bass just totally turned my whole opinion of Fenders upside down. Just wish it was a 5 string but I think I’m going to love it anyway just as it is. WOW!!!

Great to hear that you like it!

I think that's a 2007 bass. "D" for deluxe, and "Z7" for 2007. "Z" is the 2000s; "N" is 1990s, for example.

I had maybe 4 or 5 of those Deluxe. The early ones had awful fret work, really awful. But they were available in rare colors for lefties, such as transparent red and natural. All generations of this bass sound great, both the 9V or the 18V. I found the preamp/pickups a little prone to picking up interference, and even with the EQ set flat, there was a bit of hiss coming through. Never totally dug the active sound -- I prefer passive in general, but great-sounding basses nevertheless.

What made me get rid of them ultimately was the shape. I don't like basses with small bodies much, especially on 4-stringers, and I didn't like the 22 frets either, because the design made the 1st position feel farther away than a regular 20-fret Fender. The full-size Fender Jazz body shape is the most comfortable to me.

These could be had for under $1000 all day long. At the end of their life, Fender wanted $1500 for them. I also had a 2007 one, and it was really sweet, super light, and the fret work was great. Fender definitely made an improvement in quality control and fret work around 2006 or so.

Congrats on the score and enjoy. Fender rules!

Here are some of my former ones:

there is a 2000 am deluxe in natural like the one above right now on ebay LEFTY OF COURSE!