16 out of 16 people found this review helpful.
Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass: Take My Breath Away
Date of Review: Mar 3, 2003
The Bottom Line: The Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass is a piece of artwork. There aren't many basses like it out there. Try it out for yourself, and see how you like it!
The Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass is what got me to start playing bass. It all started one day when I was spending the afternoon with my family. We were driving around and saw a garage sale. So we stopped by, and I was bored... I've been to garage sales before, and often saw no-name junk guitars that often went from $15 to $20. Well this time, something caught my eye. It appeared to be a big sunburst bass. So I came up to it, and looked at its headstock. It was a Fender, and it was made in America! I asked the owner how much, and he said $200. He said that he had no room for it, so he obviously didn't know anything about guitars! Well, it wasn't a Squier, and it was an American Fender, so it was definitely worth more. Even if it was broken, guitars are fixable. Also, it had no signs of damage on the body. I bought it on the spot. I played bass for year after this. My girlfriend bought me an Ibanez EdB600 within the year, so when I quit bass, I sold my Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass for $800! Here's what I found about it while I had it:
-Price-
*There are different options that you can get with the Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass. It starts around $900 for a new one, and goes for around $1,200 or more for the better models! I've seen many bassists in my lifetime. I'm actually friends with some. A majority of them play either Ibanez or Fender basses (Most playing Ibanez). The Fender players all play jazz basses, they say that they prefer them over the Fender Precision Bass. From my experiences, I loved the thing. The Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass has a very versatile tone. Whether you're playing hard rock or jazz music, it really gives you what you want. It sounds much cleaner and smoother than many other basses. It is around $1,000 which is quite expensive, but with that, you get high quality American Fender parts. The American Fenders are superb quality. It also looks cooler than a lot of other basses (Ibanez is still my favorite). I've tried out Gibson basses, and the Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass still does sound better. But remember, it's for you to decide what you like. Hear it out for yourself, and see what you think. But personally, I believe that the Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass is well worth its price!
-Under The Hood-
*The Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass has dual-coil noiseless jazz pick-ups. They really sound great. The tone that the Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass gives is very smooth. It handles very well for jazz pieces that require very smooth and delicate sounding bass, and it also handled well when I put it up towards heavier music. I've tried other basses, and they just can't handle the tone that the Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass has to offer! You can really hear the difference. So, if you're a very serious bassist that plays a variety of music, then the Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass is most-definitely for you!
-The Neck-
*The Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass has a pretty nice neck. It's a maple neck with the option of either a rosewood or maple fingerboard. I personally prefer a rosewood fingerboard over maple. My Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass had rosewood over maple. The Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass also has 22 frets. The neck felt pretty good when I played it. I do actually like the neck on my Ibanez EdB600 better, which I play today. However, the neck on the Jazz Bass is still excellent. I'm very picky and strange when it comes to necks. Just try it out for yourself, and then you'll see if you like the neck on the Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass.
-The Feel-
*The Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass feels great. It really felt awesome to be seen playing a really nice vintage looking bass. On top of that, it sounded great too! The Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass isn't too heavy, yet it isn't too light. It felt just perfect in my arms! The Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass has a very sleek and sexy vintage look to it. My favorite is the sunburst, I like sunburst on any guitar. There are two options for the body, the standard body is alder wood. For an extra $150, you can get an ash body. It's very high quality though. You can really feel it. The Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass is very solid.
-The Bad-
*Well, it's a little expensive for many players. So, you should consider looking at cheaper alternatives, like the Ibanez basses, or just about anything else. But other than that, the Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass is a very lovable bass. It's purely excellent, you'll love it, believe me!
-The Verdict-
*The Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass proves itself to be an awesome bass. It doesn't just look cool, it also plays very well! If you're looking for a very versatile tone that will suffice heavy metal to jazz, then this is the bass for you! No wonder so many basses choose Fender basses over others. But remember, you're the only person that can decide if you like the bass. I'd say the only other major competitor against Fender in this area is Ibanez. Overall, the Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass really hits the mark, it's everything you could wish it to be... And even more! But try em' out, and see what you think!
