That's a spot on review Bob. I had one of these in the mercury finish for a couple of weeks but ended up returning it to the store. Mainly because I noticed that the neck was misaligned due to a significant gap between the heel of the neck and the neck pocket on the E string side. Yours also looks odd as the dots on the fretboard seem a bit out. I too wasn't totally convinced on the pickups. On the positive side, the neck felt amazing and the bass only weighed 3.95kg or 8.70 pounds. I do like and appreciate your honest review too. It's crazy that you should spend so much on a bass and then have to swop out the pickups :-(
The hum in some basses never bothered me much. You wouldnt hear it in a live setting with a band. Only something youll notice at home while practicing. All these modern fenders sound pretty similar so if you dont like how this sounds, i doubt youll like any of them. This bass is passive so you get more flexibility with the player plus and the ultra. Some people just prefer passive basses like this.
Hey Tim, I played the American Deluxe for many years which had the noiseless pups. I find the hum to be annoying especially in the studio. I get to play many jazz basses and find them all to be different even if only slightly.
I appreciate your candor and honesty in the reviews. I'm thinking about getting an American made Fender or G&L. I have several MIM Fender and G<ribute basses (Jazzes, Precisions, and a P/J). All are fine and some are even much better than fine. All but one cost under $400 as I bought them used or at steeply discounted prices. My question for you: Do you think American made Fenders and G&L basses warrant the $1,000 - $2,000 price tag, as compared to MIM and Tribute versions? My common sense says "no", but perhaps I'm missing something.
Hey Mike, thanks for your comments. I'll give you my opinion but please remember this is just my personal opinion. Yours may differ. I've never owned a tribute so I can't comment on that. I have owned several Mexican fenders and have found the American made basses to be superior. The necks on the American basses seem to be more stable and the quality of workmanship is just better and of course you pay for that. The American made G&l Basses are super high quality (see my review of the L1000). Perfect neck pockets, tuners etc. And great sound !
Ps Many places such as Guitar Center or Fret Nation will let you purchase an instrument and try it for a number of days and if you don't like it, return it no questions asked.
Nice review and I agree with you. I was investigating and the bridge pickup is alnico 2 and the neck pickup is alnico 5. Maybe changing the order can solve the problem or changing only the bridge pickup for an alnico 5. I don't know if I'll take the risk, because it could be that the electronics aren't either. very good.
I bought this exact bass with the rosewood finish and I can't get the tone to sound as good as my Fender American Performer PJ bass. My PJ is no-fuss, minimal adjustments and it sounds great. It sounds even better with the DR Black Beauty strings I put in them. I think I should have gotten another PJ bass. Also the narrow neck is a challenge to get accustomed to. It's too late now to return it to Guitar Center for a full refund and if I resell it as used I can recoup hopefully more than half for it. Listening to it over headphones sounds decent but through the bass amp it doesn't sound well. There's also feet buzz on the E string which is quite annoying.
Hey Mr Tickets, sorry to hear that! I wasn't crazy about the pickups on that bass but rest was pretty good. A PJ is going to sound a lot different than a JJ.
Did the bass hum with both pickups at 100%? That's normally how I play a Jazz bass. I've played a couple of those basses in the store and they both sounded great and there was no hum.
Hey Chad, no, no hum with both pickups full on. Single coil pickups will hum if both are not on full. I like to favor one pickup or the other so I prefer to go with noiseless pickups.
My issue with these Fender basses is the Audio Taper pots. They never no good sweep. I still haven’t figured out why they don’t put linear pots in basses to give you more options on volume levels.
Great review 👍 I'm really thinking of buying one of these in the coming days. Absolutely beautiful looking and sounding bass. I'm wondering though, how do you think this bass would hold up with the tuning been B, F#, B, E instead of standard tuning?
@@BobBlackBass I went ahead and bought one and it's absolutely super 😊 Absolutely no problem with the tuning, in fact it was probably the easiest setup ever 👍
Yes, I bought one several years ago and liked the sound but the neck was so weak that if you sneezed, the strings would bottom out. Had to send it back
I ordered the white P bass version of this bass and was sent the jazz in the exact color you have there in error so before sending it back tried it out. If it weren't for that annoying hum I'd of probably kept it. Hope my new P fares better.
@@BobBlackBass ohh nice. Same I guess I got used to the 4 string. I do play my 5 string in special gigs when there is a bigger sound system. BTW : now I have both basses. update I did purchase the ibanez 5 string. It's pretty good it has a good punch with the bartolini pickups and it's comfortable too.
Hey, AZ Crazy Bull, I will review an Ultra the next time I get my hands on one. The last time I played one there were a lot of pluses. The only negative was that the one I played was very heavy.
The other half of a bass is an amp. What kind of amp are you playing on in this video? Can't judge this bass 100% without the type of amp you are playing through. PS: I own the Fender American Professional I and love it!! Thanks for posting!
Hey Bill, I'm in the studio where I teach and it's an acoustic 50 watt amp. I agree with you but if I owned this bass I would swap out the pickups. Other than that, I love it too!
@@BobBlackBass Thanks Bob! First, you have an amazing channel...so thanks so much for that. Secondly, the AP I I have has different pickups for sure. In fact, the AP 1 Jazz that I have has more growl balanced by a nice low-end. This AP II has a different tone...I am liking it much less than the AP I sound wise. On another note, when you put on the drum track in this video the bass CLEARLY cut right through the mix and was easily heard. So, no problems there. Nice bass overall and great video!
Those strings sound ragged. I just got the Pro ii P-Bass which came with awful strings so I assume that these are the same. Just putting some DR Sunbeams on my bass made a world of difference.
I recently bought one of these (mystic surf green), but after 2.5 months, I’m still struggling with this bass to get the sound I wish to have. My issue is not the noise, I’m looking for a growling bright sound similar to 70’s jazz basses. I haven’t swapped the PUs yet, I most likely will. I’m not sure having a set of new pick up would solve my issue though.
![[ไฮไลต์] แบดมินตันหญิง ไท่ ซือ หยิง vs เมย์ รัชนก อินทนนท์ รอบแบ่งกลุ่ม | โอลิมปิก 2024](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LUCG0H5qkpQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Update: I recently purchased this bass !!! Man gotta say its an amazing instrument. The quality and the paint is awesome. !!! My favorite bass.
Thanks Mikee!
Did u have a hum?
@@brooksonly7337 nope no hum at all.
@@Livemusic1800 so could it be just various basses having that hum?
@@Livemusic1800 did u get maple or rosewood?
That's a spot on review Bob. I had one of these in the mercury finish for a couple of weeks but ended up returning it to the store. Mainly because I noticed that the neck was misaligned due to a significant gap between the heel of the neck and the neck pocket on the E string side. Yours also looks odd as the dots on the fretboard seem a bit out. I too wasn't totally convinced on the pickups. On the positive side, the neck felt amazing and the bass only weighed 3.95kg or 8.70 pounds. I do like and appreciate your honest review too. It's crazy that you should spend so much on a bass and then have to swop out the pickups :-(
Thanks, Belman!
Great review thanks, beautiful bass
Thanks, Jon!
I dunno I must say I have this bass but in “Mystic Surf Green” and it’s amazing and so are the pickups.
Hey Joshy, thats great! Everyone has their opinion. All are valid. It is a nice bass no doubt. Enjoy!
Great review Mr. Black!
Thanks Dale!
I have this exact bass, I agree that the V-mod pickups are the weak link. I’ve upgraded to CS60’s and it’s now an awesome bass.
Hey Mercy , You're right , that's the key!
To achieve a Pastorius sound, would be the Klein 1962 epic series jazz bass pickups the right ones?
Beautiful bass!
Oh yeah!
Fender has some nice stuff for 2021
Yes!
The hum in some basses never bothered me much. You wouldnt hear it in a live setting with a band. Only something youll notice at home while practicing. All these modern fenders sound pretty similar so if you dont like how this sounds, i doubt youll like any of them. This bass is passive so you get more flexibility with the player plus and the ultra. Some people just prefer passive basses like this.
Hey Tim, I played the American Deluxe for many years which had the noiseless pups. I find the hum to be annoying especially in the studio. I get to play many jazz basses and find them all to be different even if only slightly.
Another Great Review!
It IS A Beautiful Bass.
-xx's
Thanks Barbiedoll!
bob black you play soo good holy moly!!! first video ive ever watched of your but i know your one slick cat
Thanks!
I know it’s a year old but it’s still a great review. Was searching for vids on this color, oddly enough
Thanks!
Hey Bob,
I was wondering have you tried a Fender MIM 60s road worn jazz bass.
Yes, those are great basses! I don't know why Fender stops producing some of their best instruments!
I appreciate your candor and honesty in the reviews. I'm thinking about getting an American made Fender or G&L. I have several MIM Fender and G<ribute basses (Jazzes, Precisions, and a P/J). All are fine and some are even much better than fine. All but one cost under $400 as I bought them used or at steeply discounted prices. My question for you: Do you think American made Fenders and G&L basses warrant the $1,000 - $2,000 price tag, as compared to MIM and Tribute versions? My common sense says "no", but perhaps I'm missing something.
Hey Mike, thanks for your comments. I'll give you my opinion but please remember this is just my personal opinion. Yours may differ. I've never owned a tribute so I can't comment on that. I have owned several Mexican fenders and have found the American made basses to be superior. The necks on the American basses seem to be more stable and the quality of workmanship is just better and of course you pay for that. The American made G&l Basses are super high quality (see my review of the L1000). Perfect neck pockets, tuners etc. And great sound !
Ps Many places such as Guitar Center or Fret Nation will let you purchase an instrument and try it for a number of days and if you don't like it, return it no questions asked.
@@BobBlackBass Thanks for your comments!
Nice review and I agree with you. I was investigating and the bridge pickup is alnico 2 and the neck pickup is alnico 5. Maybe changing the order can solve the problem or changing only the bridge pickup for an alnico 5. I don't know if I'll take the risk, because it could be that the electronics aren't either. very good.
Thanks, Oxigentil. Not sure. Going to try the BBP34 when available.
@@BobBlackBass wow sounds great and I didn't know Vincen García. Thank you!!
I bought this exact bass with the rosewood finish and I can't get the tone to sound as good as my Fender American Performer PJ bass. My PJ is no-fuss, minimal adjustments and it sounds great. It sounds even better with the DR Black Beauty strings I put in them. I think I should have gotten another PJ bass. Also the narrow neck is a challenge to get accustomed to.
It's too late now to return it to Guitar Center for a full refund and if I resell it as used I can recoup hopefully more than half for it. Listening to it over headphones sounds decent but through the bass amp it doesn't sound well. There's also feet buzz on the E string which is quite annoying.
Hey Mr Tickets, sorry to hear that! I wasn't crazy about the pickups on that bass but rest was pretty good. A PJ is going to sound a lot different than a JJ.
Did the bass hum with both pickups at 100%? That's normally how I play a Jazz bass. I've played a couple of those basses in the store and they both sounded great and there was no hum.
Hey Chad, no, no hum with both pickups full on. Single coil pickups will hum if both are not on full. I like to favor one pickup or the other so I prefer to go with noiseless pickups.
My issue with these Fender basses is the Audio Taper pots. They never no good sweep. I still haven’t figured out why they don’t put linear pots in basses to give you more options on volume levels.
Agreed
Great review 👍
I'm really thinking of buying one of these in the coming days. Absolutely beautiful looking and sounding bass. I'm wondering though, how do you think this bass would hold up with the tuning been B, F#, B, E instead of standard tuning?
Hey, Philly, I think it would be fine though I've never done that. Better to ask a luthier
@@BobBlackBass
I went ahead and bought one and it's absolutely super 😊
Absolutely no problem with the tuning, in fact it was probably the easiest setup ever 👍
Have you played the Cort Rithimic? It's the Jeff Berlin signature model.
Yes, I bought one several years ago and liked the sound but the neck was so weak that if you sneezed, the strings would bottom out. Had to send it back
@@BobBlackBass Wow! That's a bummer. Looks beautiful. Sounds beautiful. I wonder if it was just that one example?
I bet this with a set of AO pickups in it would sound good
I was thinking DiMarzio noiseless 60s
I ordered the white P bass version of this bass and was sent the jazz in the exact color you have there in error so before sending it back tried it out. If it weren't for that annoying hum I'd of probably kept it. Hope my new P fares better.
Hey Zen, yeah I hate that hum. If I bought the jazz, I'd have to swap out the pickups for noiseless. Won't be any hum on the P.
I want this bass so bad. But undecided this one over 5 string jazz or a ibanez srsc805 ??? Help !!!
Hey Mikee, I played a 5 string for 18 years and went back to 4 string. Just my preference. I haven't felt a connection with Ibanez.
@@BobBlackBass ohh nice. Same I guess I got used to the 4 string. I do play my 5 string in special gigs when there is a bigger sound system. BTW : now I have both basses. update I did purchase the ibanez 5 string. It's pretty good it has a good punch with the bartolini pickups and it's comfortable too.
Hey Bob! I spent the extra $ for the Ultra. No buzz whatsoever: When will you review the Ultra?
Hey, AZ Crazy Bull, I will review an Ultra the next time I get my hands on one. The last time I played one there were a lot of pluses. The only negative was that the one I played was very heavy.
@@BobBlackBass looking forward to it!
The other half of a bass is an amp. What kind of amp are you playing on in this video? Can't judge this bass 100% without the type of amp you are playing through. PS: I own the Fender American Professional I and love it!! Thanks for posting!
Hey Bill, I'm in the studio where I teach and it's an acoustic 50 watt amp. I agree with you but if I owned this bass I would swap out the pickups. Other than that, I love it too!
@@BobBlackBass Thanks Bob! First, you have an amazing channel...so thanks so much for that. Secondly, the AP I I have has different pickups for sure. In fact, the AP 1 Jazz that I have has more growl balanced by a nice low-end. This AP II has a different tone...I am liking it much less than the AP I sound wise. On another note, when you put on the drum track in this video the bass CLEARLY cut right through the mix and was easily heard. So, no problems there. Nice bass overall and great video!
@@BobBlackBass I love Acoustic bass amps, i had one of the 220 watt Acoustic Bass amps with an SVT 8x10 cab back in the 70s best tone
Those strings sound ragged. I just got the Pro ii P-Bass which came with awful strings so I assume that these are the same. Just putting some DR Sunbeams on my bass made a world of difference.
Hey Cap683, you're right, sometimes a change of strings can make a huge difference!
Bit zingy because of the round wounds…..would be good if you left the electronics standard and just change to flats and see what that does?
The sound would be cool but I still dont like the 60 cycle hum!
Weight Please.
This one was 8.6. Not terrible but these basses vary widely. Tried one the other day that was 9.2.
Sounds like you’re amp has a lot off treble on , I personally run amps totally flat when testing
Hey Johnny, that's good advice.
I have an American Pro w/the first generation V-Mod pickups, and it is the most god awful sounding bass I’ve ever heard.
Hey Sean, did you change the pickups?
@@BobBlackBass I did indeed. Had a spare laying around from an American Special that I’d swapped out for an Seymour Duncan…Problem solved.
I recently bought one of these (mystic surf green), but after 2.5 months, I’m still struggling with this bass to get the sound I wish to have. My issue is not the noise, I’m looking for a growling bright sound similar to 70’s jazz basses. I haven’t swapped the PUs yet, I most likely will. I’m not sure having a set of new pick up would solve my issue though.