How are the Made-in-Japan Jazz basses?

[bearded yeti]

I love the feel of a J, but I don't wanna spend a whole lot, as funds are rather short during Yeti X-mas season.

 

How comparable is the Japanese J-bass to the Yankiee J-bass?

 

thanks!

[way2fat]

My Japanese Jazz Bass was the best $400 I've ever spent on gear, still haven't held the MIA Jazz that feels better. Better than my bandmates Lakland Skyline too. Put in some Lindy Fralins and you got yourself a real fine working mans bass.

[tatudbassman]

I've bought some cheaper guitars. I'll look at the bridge/neck/tuners...like on my Yamaha "5". It just needed good p/u's, so I ordered some Bartolini's when I had the funds. I'll probably get a "Skyline Deluxe" mice elf, and save $2000.

I also bought a MIM P-bass, shoot it was great...and I could do the Pete Townsend thing (not really, even if I was wealthy).

Hope I helped...lack of caffeine.

[tarkus]

I had a Japanese Precision Light that was very good for the $425. It had Fender Lace Sensor Pickups - not great. If you want a Japanese J - play as many of them as you can.

[Edendude]

They can be truly great basses...

 

I think the big differences, aside from the general quality of the hardware and materials that go into them, is the consistency of the build quality. Where as one of every ten MIA Jazz Basses may have some quality issues to be concerned about, with the MIJ basses you may have issues with one out of every three or four.

 

Just really look it over closely and play it for as long as you can before buying it. You may just pick a winner.

 

And heck...

 

Put a set of 'Barts' in it, and it could actually 'sound' better than a stock MIA Jazz Bass.

[bc_dup1]

I can't speak from direct experience but I did a lot of research and opinion checking on this earlier in the year. I ended up with an MIA Jazz, but feedback on the MIJ Jazzes was almost uniformly positive. The Crafted In Japan basses (not made for export but you can get a hold of them) were especially highly rated, in fact many people think they are better than the US Jazzes. Isn't the Geddy Lee a CIJ bass?

[Farid]

I dont know the MIJ one's, but i got myself a MIM Jazz 8 years ago. Right after i bought it for what I think it was $329 i bought EMG pickups, and i really LOVE the sound i get from it, but that's just me. Also, the finish is still in like new condition i must say, except for the fretboard which is rosewood and you can see it's use.

 

If you're on a budget i'd say get one right away. I would do again that's for sure.

[jeremy c]

Japanese Fender basses are very high quality, the equivalent of USA basses in my opinion.

 

And "jap" is a racial slur, use the whole word.

[dcr]

I have a 2002 Fender "Geddy Lee" Jazz Bass that was made in Japan. It cost around $550 new. On quality, feel, & tone alone, I preferred it to the equivalent bass made in the USA, at twice the price. (In the same shop was another Geddy Jazz that was just as good.) I knew the first time I touched it that I HAD to have it, and it has become not only my #1 bass, but my pry-it-from-my-cold-dead-hands bass. So, my experience with the MIJ Fenders has been extremely positive.

 

If anything, I'd estimate greater consistency in quality in the MIJ line than the MIA. I've certainly seen e.g. more obvious neck joint gaps in a row of MIA basses than in a row of MIJ basses.

 

Tip: there's a guy on eBay with the handle "guitargai" who seels MIJ Fenders exclusively. He always has some available, & often something quite stunning.

[Cthulhu Fhtagn]

They are better in overall quality than the Indonesian ones.

[Rick Hoffman]

If you can't spring for the MIA, go for the MIJ

[Fred TBP]

I played a reissue 60s model that a buddy bought at a local music store. One of the best Jazz Basses I've ever played, regardless of when and where it was made. I used to own three other Japanese-made Fenders, two Ps and a 5-string, the two Ps were excellent and the 5-string was nice as well. Go see for yourself!

[_Sweet Willie_]

Originally posted by jeremy c:

Japanese Fender basses are very high quality, the equivalent of USA basses in my opinion.

 

And "jap" is a racial slur, use the whole word.

What he said.

 

Peace.

--s-uu

 

PS: What is this "Geddy Lee" bass? Anything like the MIJ "BenLoy" bass?

[tnb]

.

[bearded yeti]

Thank ye all! I'll be trying some out this weekend for sure.

 

I didn't mean to offend anyone with the "Jap" word. Believe me, I'm half Jap myself and have a lot of Jap friends. We frequently refer to ourselves this way.

 

Thanks!

[Dave Brown]

I fear I've made the previous 2 posts redundant, but I've taken the liberty of slightly revising the opening post of this thread.

 

My brother has a MIJ Strat, from the 80's, that I love. It also has some design features unique to it. I'm not sure the basses are any different.

 

But I'm with the other guys. Try everything, but buy the bass that feels like butta.

[ErnoE]

Is there any difference bet the MIJ Jazz and MIM Jazz basses? I just bought a MIM Jazz and after seeing many threads on changing out the pups I am thinking of doing this. I think I would like a bigger bottom sound from this bass, which brand should I consider for this and will they just drop in without any mods? What am I looking at price wise for new? Thanks.

[dcr]

Try a search on Dimarzio Ultra Jazz pickups; you'll find a lot. I dropped a set into a Jazz bass & they do indeed give a bigger-bottom sound, especially wired in series (they're humbuckers; in parallel, the sound isn't quite as big). Just be sure that you get the sizes right; on MIA & MIJ basses the neck pickup is narrower than the bridge pickup, while MIM basses (at least in the past) had two pickups of the same width.

 

There are a lot of other great pickups, too. Search around.

[zachg]

my sting model is mijapan and it's great.

 

I know telecaster-wise that guitar players look all over for the japanese version of the 72' thinline since they switched to making it in mexico.

 

in my studies(don't i sound proffessional ) japanese fenders are very comparable to americans.

[BenLoy]

<-----Mine sounds great.

[Jode]

I have owned and played a MIJ '75 reissue Jazz Bass for ten years. It is an excellent instrument that plays well and holds a set-up better than any bass I've ever owned. you will want to replace the pickups - I put SD Active EQs in mine - but they are great basses.

[Basshappi]

I have a MIJ Jazz that I bought on ebay. I replaced the bridge because the original one was trashed. I also replaced the stock white pickguard with a pearloid one just to snaz it up a bit (I hate plain white pickguards).Everything else is stock.

 

This bass has become my #1 instrument(*).I love this bass more every time I play it.I have played MIA and MIM and in my opinion the MIJ are the best quality Fenders out there. I am glad that the vintage folks aren't interested in them, but don't let their affordability fool you, they are worth much more than you will pay for one!

 

(*)My Precision is still my "Holy of Holies" but it rarely leaves my house and I never gig with it.