1This is a good price, right?
2 What to look for?
3 Good advice for dealing with craigslist people?
JBASS
Not crazy about colour but all other comparable basses go or 2 time more. I realy wanted a Pbass but the price may have just changed my mind.
Going to buy a jazz bass (maybe)
Moderated By: mods
Going to buy a jazz bass (maybe)
I just found a fender jazz bass on CL for $190 and have 3 questions:
1This is a good price, right?
2 What to look for?
3 Good advice for dealing with craigslist people?
JBASS
Not crazy about colour but all other comparable basses go or 2 time more. I realy wanted a Pbass but the price may have just changed my mind.
1This is a good price, right?
2 What to look for?
3 Good advice for dealing with craigslist people?
JBASS
Not crazy about colour but all other comparable basses go or 2 time more. I realy wanted a Pbass but the price may have just changed my mind.
The MIM standards aren't that good. They're alright, and that's a good price, but they're not great by any means. If I were you I'd still pick it up for $190, especially if you don't plan on using it to seriously and see it as second fiddle to guitar.
The pickups are the weakest part. If you find you fall in love with it you could always swap them out, though I think it's the standard that uses a different sizing to normal models. On most jazz basses the neck pickup is a little smaller than the bridge. On the standard they just use two bridge pickups.
The pickups are the weakest part. If you find you fall in love with it you could always swap them out, though I think it's the standard that uses a different sizing to normal models. On most jazz basses the neck pickup is a little smaller than the bridge. On the standard they just use two bridge pickups.
Shabba.
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matt.dines
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notice the serial number on the headt=strock starts with m = mexican.
190 is a decent deal but by no means a steal. I would keep my eye out for one of the classic vibe p or j basses myself before going the MIM route. BUT, at that price, as long as you do not destroy it, you can always sell it later when you find something better.
190 is a decent deal but by no means a steal. I would keep my eye out for one of the classic vibe p or j basses myself before going the MIM route. BUT, at that price, as long as you do not destroy it, you can always sell it later when you find something better.
They say great minds think alike....Sometimes we do too...
The MIM Standard Jazz bass has used a proper sized neck pickup since around 2005 I think (not exactly sure). The pickups are shit, though. I never understood why the MIM standard series basses come with such shitty sounding pickups. Easy to swap out though, regardless of the size. I do think that the construction is decent, though.James wrote:The MIM standards aren't that good. They're alright, and that's a good price, but they're not great by any means. If I were you I'd still pick it up for $190, especially if you don't plan on using it to seriously and see it as second fiddle to guitar.
The pickups are the weakest part. If you find you fall in love with it you could always swap them out, though I think it's the standard that uses a different sizing to normal models. On most jazz basses the neck pickup is a little smaller than the bridge. On the standard they just use two bridge pickups.
You can pick it up and if you want to flip it down the line you should be able to do so without losing any money. Pickups are dirt but meh, what-ya-gonna do
The Squire Classic Vibe basses are all great. iirc they're made out of basswood, nice and light and sound great too. better pickups, better LOOKS, way better construction. a bit more moneys but totally worth it.
The Squire Classic Vibe basses are all great. iirc they're made out of basswood, nice and light and sound great too. better pickups, better LOOKS, way better construction. a bit more moneys but totally worth it.
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SKC Willie
- Bunk Ass Fuck
- Posts: 3465
- Joined: Thu Nov 05, 2009 5:46 pm
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I used to gig with a MIM Jazz. It did dimarzio pickups but it played like a dream. I recently bought a Jag bass and it is now my stand gigging bass butttttt
MIM are hit or miss; some play really well and some don't. Either way at $190 I'd say go for it. As far as dealing with craigslist people, just get their phone number and meet some where during the day time lots of people. I would also suggest taking a tuner so you can be sure the electronics work.
MIM are hit or miss; some play really well and some don't. Either way at $190 I'd say go for it. As far as dealing with craigslist people, just get their phone number and meet some where during the day time lots of people. I would also suggest taking a tuner so you can be sure the electronics work.
I would say go for it. To me that seems like a great price. The absolute cheapest ive seen used would be 250 in recent days. And I'm not sure where you are but some areas CL's have absolutely ridiculous prices listed. Like mine i would be LUCKY to see one of those listed for 300. People here want $300 for a POS no name drums set thats beat to hell... oh but they include symbols! .... ugh craigslist...
just an edit i actually went to check my local listing to see what they were going for here. every single one i looked at was $350
i say go for it
just an edit i actually went to check my local listing to see what they were going for here. every single one i looked at was $350
i say go for it
+1portugalwillie wrote:MIM are hit or miss; some play really well and some don't. Either way at $190 I'd say go for it.
MIM quality control is the pits... but that's also dirt cheap. I've played some really nice MIMs through the years; one of my favorite Jazz basses I've played was MIM. Of course, it had Seymour Duncan Hot Jazz pickups in it to make it sound good, but it played quite nicely too. Alternatively, I've played some absolute shit MIM Jazz basses.
At $200, just putting new pickups in it will make it a fairly cheap and good sounding bass. Play it though, make sure it feels good. If it doesn't feel good, there's no hope for it; forget it and get a Vintage Modified or Classic Vibe Squire.
$190 for a mim jazz is fine, would never pay the full price for what they are but you're never gonna find a mia or even mij one secondhand for that price in good condition. are the mim p basses going for more secondhand than the mim jazz basses though ? seems odd. maybe wait i out until a p bass for that price shows up, for the mim's i guess it's not gonna give you that awesome p bass sound you get out of a mia but for $190 it's alright, you could replace the pickups with american p bass pickups then too if you think it's worth the investment on a mexican one.
astro wrote:The MIM Standard Jazz bass has used a proper sized neck pickup since around 2005 I think (not exactly sure).
I'm pretty sure that says MZ2 making it 2002/3Fender website wrote:MN0+ 5 digits 1990-1991
MN1+ 5 digits 1991-1992
MN2+ 5 digits 1992-1993
MN3+ 5 digits 1993-1994
MN4+ 5 digits 1994-1995
MN5+ 5 digits 1995-1996
MN6+ 5 digits 1996-1997
MN7+ 5 digits 1997-1998
MN8+ 5 digits 1998-1999
MN9+ 5 digits 1999-2000
MZ0+ 5 digits 2000-2001
MZ1+ 5 digits 2001-2002
MZ2+ 5 digits 2002-2003
MZ3+ 5 digits 2003-2004
MZ4+ 5 digits 2004-2005
MZ5+ 5 digits 2005-2006
As you say it's not really a big deal, but it's worth being aware of.
Kim - I don't think there's really any difference in price between the J and P, just that this one price is lower than usual.
Shabba.
of course, everyone just wants a jazz bass to be GOOONE FAST ! 
i wonder maybe if he wants a p bass sound he could get a squier p bass and replace the pickup with one that's in an american p bass, if he finds a squier p for something like $190, no ? pickups would fit right ? there's gonna be a difference in built and wood quality but the sound would get closer to it than a mim jazz bass.
i wonder maybe if he wants a p bass sound he could get a squier p bass and replace the pickup with one that's in an american p bass, if he finds a squier p for something like $190, no ? pickups would fit right ? there's gonna be a difference in built and wood quality but the sound would get closer to it than a mim jazz bass.
I think you need to ask yourself two things, though they're each quite broad subjects that will be tough to be specific on.
- what do you want to use it for? Is it going to be a fairly serious instrument or do you just want it as an extra to guitar and based on that what is your budget? If you're looking at $300 you could buy this and put $110 on some fantastic pickups and have a pretty good bass. It'd be a good way to spend $300 on a bass.
- how much do you prefer the P over the Jazz in terms of the nut width (by spec a Jazz is 1.5" and a P 1.75" but the feel tends to vary quite a bit with the thickness of the neck. A MIM is a fairly standard narrow Jazz feel. You might find the nut width difference means nothing to you. I know some people don't care about it at all. Personally I dislike the width of a P and if I bought a P I'd want it to have the Jazz nut width.) and the sound (the Jazz is quite a lot smoother and 'rounder' You also tend to get a bit more twang though a very different twang to how people use that word for a tele. A P has a bit of growl to it, with more focus on the mids. Though the difference in sound between the two isn't as big as the difference between good and bad pickups so in a sense it's not too big of an issue.
I would say that the MIM stuff is better than the Squier standards, and the Squier affinty series. The Squier Vintage Modified ones seem a little better than the Squier standard and the Squier Classic Vibe ones are better still. Have a browse for an OLP bass. They're discontinued now but the Musicman equivilant of Squier and if you can pick one of those fairly cheap it's well worth considering.
- what do you want to use it for? Is it going to be a fairly serious instrument or do you just want it as an extra to guitar and based on that what is your budget? If you're looking at $300 you could buy this and put $110 on some fantastic pickups and have a pretty good bass. It'd be a good way to spend $300 on a bass.
- how much do you prefer the P over the Jazz in terms of the nut width (by spec a Jazz is 1.5" and a P 1.75" but the feel tends to vary quite a bit with the thickness of the neck. A MIM is a fairly standard narrow Jazz feel. You might find the nut width difference means nothing to you. I know some people don't care about it at all. Personally I dislike the width of a P and if I bought a P I'd want it to have the Jazz nut width.) and the sound (the Jazz is quite a lot smoother and 'rounder' You also tend to get a bit more twang though a very different twang to how people use that word for a tele. A P has a bit of growl to it, with more focus on the mids. Though the difference in sound between the two isn't as big as the difference between good and bad pickups so in a sense it's not too big of an issue.
I would say that the MIM stuff is better than the Squier standards, and the Squier affinty series. The Squier Vintage Modified ones seem a little better than the Squier standard and the Squier Classic Vibe ones are better still. Have a browse for an OLP bass. They're discontinued now but the Musicman equivilant of Squier and if you can pick one of those fairly cheap it's well worth considering.
Shabba.
btw, sorry i'm always so rude about it ditching jazz basses, i love the chunky neck and growl, i tried selling my p bass and always back out, but don't have a band where i play bass, it sucks. you either fall in love with a good p bass or not.
but going for a standard mim p or jazz it's basically just about the feel not the sound. and then on top of that is the amp thing, so really, if you have a sound from a band you really love, don't compromise don't settle for less and go for the real deal, it will send shivers down your spine when it's 'that sound'
but going for a standard mim p or jazz it's basically just about the feel not the sound. and then on top of that is the amp thing, so really, if you have a sound from a band you really love, don't compromise don't settle for less and go for the real deal, it will send shivers down your spine when it's 'that sound'
Yours sounds realy good in the youtube videoes mike , good job on those by the way. IIRC mikes videoes are actualy how i found shortscale, they gave me the impression that shortscale was like the biggest forum of all time due to the amount of his and other peoples youtube videoes said something related to shortscale.Mike wrote:I used to love Jazz basses but since I got my CV P Bass I've been a big fan of that sound instead.
And a twist of fate are 90s jazz MIM pickups any better?