Swapped my MIA Jazz for a MIM Road Worn

godofthunder · April 20, 2011, 03:45:34 PM

I was at the House of Guitars last week and picked up a Fender RW Jazz Bass. I couldn't get over how much more I like it compared to my '08 American Standard Jazz, well mongrel now as I put a RW neck on it. The RW is light and resonant, it sustains like a mutha on the upper register. I am sure this is due to the thin finish on the RW. The American standard has a very tight bright sound while the RW is woody and open. Long story short I have parted out the MIA mongrel and now will be playing a RW for our Zep. shows. Pics soon !

Psycho Bass Guy · April 20, 2011, 09:53:20 PM

Aren't the Roadworn's MIM? They're killer basses, better than 95% of all the new Fenders out there that I've tried, but I'm pretty sure they're Mexican.

ilan · April 20, 2011, 11:32:30 PM

RWs are the best Fender J's right now IMO. I got the same impression as you - "resonant, it sustains like a mutha on the upper register. ... woody and open."

godofthunder · April 21, 2011, 05:21:37 AM

Yep MIM. The distinction between MIM and MIA is pretty blurred these days. It is a killer bass. I don't really care where it's made.

godofthunder · April 21, 2011, 06:51:51 AM

Quote from: Psycho Bass Guy on April 20, 2011, 09:53:20 PM
Aren't the Roadworn's MIM? They're killer basses, better than 95% of all the new Fenders out there that I've tried, but I'm pretty sure they're Mexican.

The MIA RW was a typo yep Mexi for sure.

godofthunder · April 21, 2011, 06:53:15 AM

Pictures!

Psycho Bass Guy · April 21, 2011, 07:15:46 AM

I wish they would offer them without all that "relic" crap.

godofthunder · April 21, 2011, 07:28:37 AM

When they first came out I kinda turned my nose up at 'em, but after playing one I don't mind the relicing so much. It won't be long till it has some wear from me

Dave W · April 21, 2011, 09:58:23 AM

Quote from: Psycho Bass Guy on April 21, 2011, 07:15:46 AM
I wish they would offer them without all that "relic" crap.

Yep. No matter how good it sounds, I wouldn't consider buying one with fake wear. At least CS relics have varied wear patterns. although that's bad enough. The road worns have mass produced fake wear.

It doesn't bother me anyone else buys them, though. Their money, their choice.

uwe · April 21, 2011, 03:48:59 PM

"I am sure this is due to the thin finish on the RW."

Dave is getting toothless. Very worrying that is.

Scientific evidence laid in its grave, sigh!

Dave W · April 21, 2011, 04:56:53 PM

Quote from: uwe on April 21, 2011, 03:48:59 PM
"I am sure this is due to the thin finish on the RW."

Dave is getting toothless. Very worrying that is.

Scientific evidence laid in its grave, sigh!

I just bit my tongue and kept quiet. But now that you're intent on stirring up trouble:

Compared to the American Standard, the Road Worn has different pickups, frets, neck radius, tuners, and bridge, and it doesn't have the graphite rods in the neck. It's much closer to the American Vintage than the American Standard.

IMHO any of the above are likely to have more influence than finish thickness. For that matter, has anyone even confirmed that the finish is actually thinner on the Road Worn? Distressed doesn't mean thinner.

I'm always open to being convinced. Just show me a double-blind test of basses that are identical except for the finish, where a statistically significant number of listeners can tell them apart.

godofthunder · April 21, 2011, 05:21:08 PM

No statistic but the closest I can come is the Ric C64. The modded/natural one shot with a light sanding sealer sounds like no other Ric. Much warmer sounding and it does sustain better than it's Fireglo counterpart.

uwe · April 21, 2011, 05:45:14 PM

"But now that you're intent on stirring up trouble ..."

I feel typecast here, Dave!

"I'm always open to being convinced. Just show me a double-blind test of basses that are identical except for the finish, where a statistically significant number of listeners can tell them apart."

No doubts on my side, Dave, but Fidel Castro and his brother Raul have declared for years that they want to introduce reforms and democracy in Cuba too!

But thankfully we're back to established, dare I say monolithic statements of great endurance. Finnish does not influence sound.

Dave W · April 21, 2011, 06:47:49 PM

Quote from: godofthunder on April 21, 2011, 05:21:08 PM
No statistic but the closest I can come is the Ric C64. The modded/natural one shot with a light sanding sealer sounds like no other Ric. Much warmer sounding and it does sustain better than it's Fireglo counterpart.

If it's modded, then there's no reason to think it's the finish. Even if the finish is the only mod, it's still just a correlation until a test proves that it's the cause of the different sound.

Since every piece of wood is different, you would need more than one example. You could use six identical basses, strip three of them and run a series of double blind ABX tests. If you can tell them apart and others can too, that would show that finish type or thickness makes a difference.

I don't expect this to happen in the world of electric guitars and basses. Too many companies have vested interests in selling their finishes or processes as superior, they won't risk it.

Psycho Bass Guy · April 21, 2011, 09:20:10 PM

Quote from: Dave W on April 21, 2011, 04:56:53 PM
For that matter, has anyone even confirmed that the finish is actually thinner on the Road Worn? Distressed doesn't mean thinner.

It is MUCH thinner, to the point that I think they expect that even moderate use will only further "enhance" the relic job. They really are great instruments and, IMO, what the Highway One series should have been.