LeftyBassist.com

Has anyone had a chance to try the new Fender AS Jazz yet? Has the lefty version even hit stores yet?

I just ordered one from Musicians Friend. It should be here Friday. Will let you know what's like.

Hah, I should've just asked you first Carlos. Yes, please let us know what you think of it.
I've seen some righty ones in stores and the weight on the seems all over the place. I've picked up some featherweights and some serious boat anchors too.

Well, I got lucky. I got a nice one!

To be brief:

-It weighs 9 lb or less,
-Very resonant, 4-piece alder body (but the glue points are very well disguised),
-Awesome fretwork, perfect,
-Nice dark rosewood (do they tint it?),
-Sounds like-1 million bucks to me,
-The pickups are nice and balanced,
-Neck profile is shallow C, very thin, the satin finish feels great,
-Gloss finish in the headstock looks dope,
-The new bridge is nice,
-The pots are reversed for us lefties - a nuisance, but whatever, not a big deal, and
-The hard case is truly a tank.


All in all, this is the Jazz I've been waiting for all my life. Not better than my '82, because that has all the late-'70s mojo and sound in it, but this definitely takes away my anxiety of always being in the look out for a "good" lefty Jazz.

Forget about MIJs and MIMs. I loved MIJ, but the soft basswood body was always a turn-off for me. These new MIAs are definitely a step up any MIJ.

It is not a Lakland, nor a Sadowsky, nor an Alleva-Coppolo, but I would now have a really hard time justifying buying anything over $1200, unless it's a vintage Fender.

More to come...

Hope I'm not thread jacking, but I have a new Precision:



I have to agree with everything in the above post, just about. This bass is a dream. I did a couple slight mods though: I installed 70s RI Fender tuners (stock ones were shit), an orange drop capacitor, and I polished the satin neck finish to gloss with Meguiar's Scratch X. I hate the look and feel of all things satin. But it plays perfectly and is gorgeous.

Well, after 3 gigs this weekend I have to say I'm still in awe. I found myself doing thing I could not do with other basses. I attribute that to the strings also. Those Fender strings are awesome. I think I've been playing with the wrongs string-gauge for a long time. I usually go for light strings, 40-95, but these are 45-115, and the tone it's so much better, and I can play a lot faster and with more precision.

I found no dead spots on this bass. The string balance is very good, and definition and fundamentals are perfect. It has a big tone, very open and resonant.

Nothing else to say, just go get one. I wish I could find out who's responsible inside Fender for bringing the lefty USA Jazz back so I can thank him forever. I'm assuming the new P-Basses are equally satisfying, as commented by Matt.

Photos to come.

bigger/thicker strings > smaller/thinner strings (IMO of course)

Thanks Carlos, I'm looking forward to your pics. I think I'll have to order one of these. I'm pretty much a P-Bass guy but I've wanted Fender to make this bass for so long I'll have to get one on principle. What finish did you get Carlos? I've also been impressed by Fender strings lately. It seems like the quality of their strings really jumped up at some point.

That P looks killer Matt. I hope you get around to posting pics of your basses in the gallery soon, I want to see more pics of what you've got.

Carlos, might you find the time to put together a thorough review of the bass for the reviews section so others can quickly find it? I think a lot of lefties are eager to hear about these new Fenders. I'm trying to figure out what sort of model we should take in terms of a review layout, and Harmony Central's criteria seems like a good start (though the whole, "If it were lost what would you do" question is a bit corny). Or perhaps a review outlined similar to how Bass Player magazine does theres?

I'm in the process of gathering some reviews I did for some of my stuff on Harmony Central and revisiting my comments and the basses for updating as well so that I can start posting my reviews in our review section.

Maybe you should take the aspects of both the H-C and Bass Player mag reviews you like best and make your own format for reviews Peter.

I ordered a sunburst lefty Jazz on Monday and am hoping to have it arrive within a week or two. I am really excited but a little nervous that I might not like it. I was really wanting a MIA Precision for years but when I realized that a lefty Jazz was now available, I aginized for a few weeks over which to order and finally realized I would probably get more use out of a Jazz.

I currently have a MIM lefty jazz that has been defretted and customized with a BadassII and Model J's. I like it but it doesn't have the same feel as a most US made instruments.

I also have an SR4 and an SR5 so a MIA jazz will compliment the others well I hope. I was gonna keep saving for a lefty Bongo 6 but there is no sign of them being available yet.

I will post pics and a full review when my jazz gets here.

Crabby

Thanks, I'll get some pics up soon, bear with me

Will do. I'll get a review started with a general layout and if anyone has suggestions or things I may have missed I can embellish the review.

I got a sunburst. Looks very nice and dark - not a lively sunburst like the one in the '70s, or those in MIMs. Similar to your Lakland Glaub.

I'm bumming that Fender only makes this in black and sunburst. A white one would be so nice. Or maple fretboards.

But, hey, I ain't gonna complaint. I'm still in awe with this bass. It must be the combination with the good fretwork, the strings, the 9.5" radius, the lightweight, but I've never experience such complete satisfaction in a bass. I'm not kidding. Although I know the classic Jazz body shape is the most comfortable for me, the 7.5" radius of my '82 is not as fast as these 9.5". I have 9.5" in my Jazz Deluxe, but the way the Deluxe is designed, with the 22 frets, slightly shorter upper horn, and smaller body, is not as comfortable as this.

I grab this bass and I'm "on" immediately. I'm so excited about this bass that I'm thinking on buying another one and have Pat Wilkins refinish one in Firemist Gold. . . .always wanted one. This would cost me like $400 or so, (no?), plus the price of the bass. It would still be half of what a Custom Shop, or a Mike Lulll, or a Lakland would cost.

I'll try to take some pics and record a little track for you guys.

Please do record something for us, I'm curious to hear it. If the parts/neck will transfer you could always get a nice lightweight body from warmoth in Firemist Gold and transfer all the pieces to the new body. Might be cheaper than a refin because you could sell the original body to offset the cost.

I have a really lightweight American P bass from a couple years ago that I've already swapped the pickup in and installed a wiring harness from Butch. It'd be cool to get one of these new American Standard Jazz basses and put that 1.5" nut neck on my P bass.

Thanks for the reviews, guys. So would you rank this bass higher than the American Deluxe (i.e. active) Jazz?

Lefty007 just sold his American Deluxe Jazz when he got this new American Standard, if that tells you anything.

BTW Carlos, you snap any pics of your new Jazz yet? I didn't spy any when I last looked in your picture gallery.

No pics yet, and no recording, but will try soon. There not much to show more than what you see out there; it's just a pretty Jazz.

Regarding the Deluxe, you are right, the New Standard took the place of the Deluxe. You know I always regarded the Deluxe like one of the best, but I also had a love/hate relationship with the ergonomics: the smaller body didn't feel as comfortable as a standard Jazz, and the electronics were not the best. Nothing like a good, passive Jazz.

The neck profile on the Deluxe was also not as comfortable as in a Standard, it more rounded (like a D) instead of a shallow C. The fretwork in the Deluxe was also a bit rough, specially around the fret ends. The new Jazz has perfect fretwork, and I mean perfect.

Crabby, did you get your Jazz, and if so what do you think of it?

I finally got to try both the Jazz and Precision basses and was very impressed by both. The Jazz had great build quality and finishing, the neck felt really good in my hand and the tone had all the qualities I look for from a Jazz bass. I also really liked the tone of the new P-bass.
Whatever changes Fender made to the pickups on these new basses are a great improvement.

There isn't room in the budget for one right now, but I hope to pick up one of these new Jazz basses down the road.