A new Jazz thing from Fender

[Highlander]

The MSRP is $2799, street price will probably be about $2K.

                                      (add another 2,779 more...)

[uwe]

http://www.themusiczoo.com/blog/2010/50-years-of-the-fender-jazz-bass/

Fender's own marketing blurb seems to insinuate that the Jazz outsold the P or came close? I'm genuuinely surprised, I thought there were far more Ps out there.

Uwe

[godofthunder]

Up until the late 70's early 80's the P was king. I would not be surprised if the J out sold the P these days.

[Dave W]

The conventional wisdom is that the J has outsold the P for years by a good bit. I don't know if Fender has ever acknowledged this. I think about the greater number of premium J type basses and the greater choice in aftermarket J pickups.

[OldManC]

If you think of the premium brand Jazz copies out there it would make sense that that's the more popular model of the two. I know Lakland does both but the Sadowskys, Foderas, etc. seem to cater more to Jazz Bass fans, don't they?

[Pilgrim]

If you think of the premium brand Jazz copies out there it would make sense that that's the more popular model of the two. I know Lakland does both but the Sadowskys, Foderas, etc. seem to cater more to Jazz Bass fans, don't they?

Sure seems like it to me.  Maybe the balance of the J and its narrower neck (often copied) are reasons?

[eb2]

The P was king into the mid 80s, when the post-jaco vibe got entrenched.  I would say there was period in the mid to late 70s when it was hipper than hip to take a Jazz neck and stick it onto a P body.  But the switch over to Jazz being preferred started in that late 70s period, where people were snapping up early Jazz basses.  A good marker was that in 1983/84 at a vintage show in NYC you could have bought a stack knob refin for $1800, and a custom color 67 for $700.  A pre-cbs P would have been in the grand area, and a 57/58 would be close to the $1500 mark or more.  I have fairly accurate memories of that as I was buying at that show and came real close to buying the stack knob.  Within a couple of years those prices were a sweet dream.

[uwe]

You live and learn. I prefer the Jazz myself, in a world of humbuckers a sweet and pure singlecoil is nice. I also like the shaping better and the whole bass is more of an instrument than the "slab of wood" P bass (which has a different charm, I know).

[OldManC]

I remember lusting after a black matching headstock '62 J at 'Guitars R Us' on Sunset Blvd in 1986 or so. I think it was $1900 or so and I distinctly remember thinking that was a crazy amount for an old bass, nice or not. Even at 21 I was a dumb kid...  I guess now I'm a dumb old (er) guy.

[Rhythm N. Bliss]

I still think Js look like melted Ps. :p

I've got J pickups in my Ps!!

[Muzikman7]

It's a nice looking bass though I rather have dots with binding than blocks, but in any case I wouldn't pay $2000 for it.

[Dave W]

If I were to build a J to suit me, it would be like the 62 Am Vintage RI except I like a flatter fretboard radius. No blocks, binding or matching headstock, thank you very much.

[Hornisse]

I remember lusting after a black matching headstock '62 J at 'Guitars R Us' on Sunset Blvd in 1986 or so. I think it was $1900 or so and I distinctly remember thinking that was a crazy amount for an old bass, nice or not. Even at 21 I was a dumb kid...  I guess now I'm a dumb old (er) guy.

Ray's Heart Of Texas Music had a mint Oly White '66 Jazz with dots and binding back in 1983 and was asking 1k for it.  I also saw Keith Ferguson's '55 Precision bass marked at $1400, a '59 gold guard slab Precision that had been refinished CAR for $600 and a checkerboard bound crushed marker 4001 for $450.  Those were the days.

I bought a '68 Telecaster Bass from Ray's for $400 around a year later. 

[SKATE RAT]

i'm P all the way. i think they sound better. feel better, hang better and look better. J's hang funny and the necks are too thin.and the knobs are too close together(same prob. w/ Strats)pups are fine,though not my favorite. i think i could get down with the Jaguar bass.but it's got so many switches?

[gearHed289]

i'm P all the way. i think they sound better. feel better, hang better and look better. J's hang funny and the necks are too thin.

That's funny, I'm the total opposite! A P bass looks really strange on me for some reason, but a J works. I don't currently own any Fenders.