This is the Fender American Standard Jazz Bass, 2008 model.
Leo Fender introduced the Jazz Bass in 1960, following the success of the Precision Bass. The Precision was the first mass-production, solid-body electric, and it had made quite a name for itself. Engineers and producers spent the latter 1950’s coming to terms with this odd but effective new instrument, and by the end of the decade, it had made appearances in almost every popular genre.
The Precision was (and is) a wonderful instrument, with a deep, punchy tone. However, some found the neck to be too fat, and its deep tone could get lost in a large ensemble. The Jazz bass rectified this to some extent, replacing the single split pickup with two widely-spaced pickups running in parallel. This gave the Jazz bass a more aggressive sound, with better definition and presence in the higher frequencies. A thinner neck was used, and the Jazz Bass became the preferred instrument of players like Jaco Pastorius and Larry Graham.
There were numerous changes over the next 48 years, most of which were quite subtle. Regardless of period, reissues of “vintage” configurations were produced by Fender, though often at significant premiums. Even regular production instruments were expensive, so Fender would set up factories in Mexico and Japan to make less expensive iterations of their products (*).
It’s something of a credit to their design that both the Mexican Fenders and Japanese Squiers are excellent instruments for the money, but the ones coming out of the Corona, California plant are still top of the line.
I’ve always had a love for this model. When I was getting into the scene in the 1980’s, the quality of Fender’s basses left a bit to be desired. Older models were fetching exhorbitant prices on the secondary market, and though I long coveted one, the expense limited them to rich collectors or very successful musicians. I was, unfortunately, neither.
So, now that I’ve been out of the music business for awhile, I’ve got discretionary income, and I found myself easily able to afford the real thing. I was fortunate to catch this one in a local shop before they’d applied Fender’s 2009 price increases.
The 2008 American Standard ditches the S-1 switching apparatus in favor of the original pickup configuration. Gimmicks like the 22-fret necks and odd body shapes of the 80’s are gone, as is the gloss finish that made the rear of the neck tacky. What’s left is the configuration they should have been making all along.
Fender got all the little details right with this one. The improvements are subtle but telling. The edges of the neck are rolled, and the sides of the frets are beveled flat, leaving no sharp edges. The strings still run through the back of the body, but the heavy bridge looks more original. Tuning pegs are the familiar cloverleaf shape, and the body retains the original contours. Most important, the bass feels well balanced, without the heaviness towards the neck that defined many previous models. The nut is perfectly carved, and I can’t find a single flaw in the fretwork. The neck is finished in a smooth satin, against which the hand moves quickly.
Yep, she belches quality from every orifice.
A quick word regarding Mexican and Asian models. In the 1980’s, Fender licensed production to a Japanese company, who made very faithful reproductions of older designs. These are highly sought after, and quality is said to rival those made stateside. They also command a high price.
In time, the Japanese line evolved into the Squier brand name. Squier now manufactures their instruments in China and Korea, and their cost stateside is roughly a third of American Fenders. The low price, along with a few shortcomings in refinement, has given the Squier brand a bit of a reputation for being poor instruments.
In fact, I’ve found them to be very good. Most will need some degree of setup, and they’re missing a few of the little touches you get on a >$1500 instrument, but I’ve found many of the specimens I’ve played to be quite responsive. Some sound as good as American Fenders. Although they’re marketed as entry-level instruments for beginners, I’ve seen them in the hands of several professionals.
It’s also worth mentioning that Squier produces several models that Fender does not, such as a countoured-body 1951 Precision remake and the short-scale Bronco.
Mexican Fenders are assembled and finished in Ensenada, Baja California using Fender parts. These retail in the $600-700 range, and are excellent instruments in their own right. The most noticeable difference between Mexican and American instruments is the placement of the truss rod socket. In American models, it is at the bottom of the neck, where it meets the body. In Mexican models, it is above the nut.