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timloudon
Published on 03/03/09 at 06:03
I don't have the natural finish bass, I have it in Olympic White (cream), but that's the only difference. It was 'crafted' in Japan and has the classic fret number, the grand total of 20, with two vintage style single coil Jazz Bass pickups. Along with quite a thin maple neck, with lovely pearl inlays and a nicely varnished surface. The bass has the added bonus of a Leo Quon Badass Bass II bridge - a big chunk of metal that helps sustain. The addition of an active circuit within this bass is great (and hence the weird shaped pick-guard). You have the ability to control the volume of each pickup, and with the active circuit engaged (flipping the active/passive switch) you can boost the deep lows and sparkly highs for a crisp and clear tone. The neck pickup cover can also be removed, as it isn't for everybody.
UTILIZATION
This bass is a pleasure to play. With a thin and well varnished neck, you'll have no trouble playing. It's set up pretty much like any other Fender Jazz Bass, so access to the high notes is easy. It seems to weigh more than your average Jazz Bass, but a good strap should sort that problem out.
SOUNDS
Firstly, this is a very bright sounding bass. I currently have a set of DR Marcus Miller Fat Beams on it, but even with an old dead set it still has a trebly crunch to it. I have the action quite low, so fret buzz does tend to be a problem- but that all depends on what type of music you're playing and how you intend to use it. Since there's no tone control built into the bass, you only have the ability to mix the sounds from each pickup, and boost the bass and treble, but that's all you'll need.
There is one problem however. This bass seems to be rather susceptible to hum and interference. This is because the bass isn't shielded properly. I got someone to help me fix this using this guide ( https://www.talkbass.com/wiki/index.php/Silencing_the_Noise_on_a_Marcus_Miller_Signature_Bass ). It's well worth doing it, as I now have a very silent bass (see the results here ( http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=40480&st=0&p=418288&#entry418288 ))!
OVERALL OPINION
Overall, a great bass. Somewhat limited in it's versatility, so I wouldn't buy this expecting to get a warm vintage sound, that's not what it's for.
UTILIZATION
This bass is a pleasure to play. With a thin and well varnished neck, you'll have no trouble playing. It's set up pretty much like any other Fender Jazz Bass, so access to the high notes is easy. It seems to weigh more than your average Jazz Bass, but a good strap should sort that problem out.
SOUNDS
Firstly, this is a very bright sounding bass. I currently have a set of DR Marcus Miller Fat Beams on it, but even with an old dead set it still has a trebly crunch to it. I have the action quite low, so fret buzz does tend to be a problem- but that all depends on what type of music you're playing and how you intend to use it. Since there's no tone control built into the bass, you only have the ability to mix the sounds from each pickup, and boost the bass and treble, but that's all you'll need.
There is one problem however. This bass seems to be rather susceptible to hum and interference. This is because the bass isn't shielded properly. I got someone to help me fix this using this guide ( https://www.talkbass.com/wiki/index.php/Silencing_the_Noise_on_a_Marcus_Miller_Signature_Bass ). It's well worth doing it, as I now have a very silent bass (see the results here ( http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=40480&st=0&p=418288&#entry418288 ))!
OVERALL OPINION
Overall, a great bass. Somewhat limited in it's versatility, so I wouldn't buy this expecting to get a warm vintage sound, that's not what it's for.