I would just go for a new current American Jazz. $1149 is very worth it -- they are virtually perfect, perfect fret work, light, resonant, and sound as a Jazz should. Maybe black and sunburst are not the most exciting colors, but if you are looking for a player first, the color choices should be secondary.
I got to order an RI '75 from Ishibashi before the export ban, and before the price increase -- I paid $1000 to my door.
I didn't like the bass one bit. They look nice, but they weigh more than 10 lbs, the neck joint was loose, and the overall feeling of the bass was odd, and the sound wasn't anything sepcial. Don't get me wrong, I generall like MIJs, but I've always like MIAs better.
I have played two 2008 MIA Jazz basses, and currently have a 2008 P-Bass, and they all are/were spectacular, really. My only complaint is that Fender makes the bodies of three pieces, and they don't always match the grain in the best way, but that has been going on forever.
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