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MGR/Max Schellsen « Fender Standard Jazz Bass (Mexican) »
Published on 12/07/02 at 15:00I was given this bass as a Christmas gift in 1990. As a teenager with a no-name little Japanese import bass, I sought something with a bit more style, class, and sound. FOr that - it did the job admirably!
$300 (1990 dollars)
Good sound - when I can get it! (See below) It's about as basic as basses get - which is a good thing. WIth normal amplification, you won't get Kenny-G style jazz-fusion/weather channel bass honk, (which a good thing!) but you get a very standard tone that can be used for most rock or country music. Slap-happy it isn;t.
Bridge pickup yields punch and edge that is good for cutting through heavier rock. . . the neck pickup (which I prefer) of course yields a bit of a mellower tone. They do hum a bit.
I LOVE the neck shape! with moderate sized hands, it plays easily - not hard to play accurately and quickly. It's fairly easy to chord, once you get up around the third or fourth fret.
Classic looks! With a black finish and white pickguard, you can play with any type of band and not look out of place.
The pickups/wiring! I've had this thing for around 12 years. About 6 years ago, some of the wiring got loose - so it's fairly random as to whether the pickups will function. SInce I haven't been in a band lately not much of a problem. For $300, it's almost disposable!
THe sound: yes - it's standard and fairly versatile. But I can;t get the booming, creamy 60's sound of, say, McCartney on "Rain" or Led Zep on "Ramble On." MOst of the blame for this, though, probably lies with the amp.
Fret buzz!
THe A string buzzed horribly when I first picked it out of the shop. THe techs replaced the nut and messed with the truss rod, which seemed to fix the problem, but it seems to recur depending on what strings I'm using.
Bridge Buzz!
Something in the bridge seems to vibrate against the rest of the bridge - highly irritating. Stuffing slips of paper in the gaps fixes the problem, but it's ugly as sin!
- THe pickup wiring is shot - forgiveable after 12 years
- THere's a small crack at the joint of the neck with the body. THis hasn;t produced any ill effects that I am aware of.
- Tuners are fine!
- Bridge is easy to set up and intonate but it buzzes.
Overall finish is fine - it's earned the minor scratches over the years. THen again, I'm not a fan of pristine instruments - character is good!
Not bad for an entry-level instrument!
THe basis of a very good student bass is there: It will intonate well, have a good action, and sound good! Furthermore, the neck is a joy to play. Since most players will want to upgrade if they are serious anyway, this is an excellent value!
THe major issues (for me) are the buzzing annoyances and the wiring.
This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com
$300 (1990 dollars)
Good sound - when I can get it! (See below) It's about as basic as basses get - which is a good thing. WIth normal amplification, you won't get Kenny-G style jazz-fusion/weather channel bass honk, (which a good thing!) but you get a very standard tone that can be used for most rock or country music. Slap-happy it isn;t.
Bridge pickup yields punch and edge that is good for cutting through heavier rock. . . the neck pickup (which I prefer) of course yields a bit of a mellower tone. They do hum a bit.
I LOVE the neck shape! with moderate sized hands, it plays easily - not hard to play accurately and quickly. It's fairly easy to chord, once you get up around the third or fourth fret.
Classic looks! With a black finish and white pickguard, you can play with any type of band and not look out of place.
The pickups/wiring! I've had this thing for around 12 years. About 6 years ago, some of the wiring got loose - so it's fairly random as to whether the pickups will function. SInce I haven't been in a band lately not much of a problem. For $300, it's almost disposable!
THe sound: yes - it's standard and fairly versatile. But I can;t get the booming, creamy 60's sound of, say, McCartney on "Rain" or Led Zep on "Ramble On." MOst of the blame for this, though, probably lies with the amp.
Fret buzz!
THe A string buzzed horribly when I first picked it out of the shop. THe techs replaced the nut and messed with the truss rod, which seemed to fix the problem, but it seems to recur depending on what strings I'm using.
Bridge Buzz!
Something in the bridge seems to vibrate against the rest of the bridge - highly irritating. Stuffing slips of paper in the gaps fixes the problem, but it's ugly as sin!
- THe pickup wiring is shot - forgiveable after 12 years
- THere's a small crack at the joint of the neck with the body. THis hasn;t produced any ill effects that I am aware of.
- Tuners are fine!
- Bridge is easy to set up and intonate but it buzzes.
Overall finish is fine - it's earned the minor scratches over the years. THen again, I'm not a fan of pristine instruments - character is good!
Not bad for an entry-level instrument!
THe basis of a very good student bass is there: It will intonate well, have a good action, and sound good! Furthermore, the neck is a joy to play. Since most players will want to upgrade if they are serious anyway, this is an excellent value!
THe major issues (for me) are the buzzing annoyances and the wiring.
This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com