When someone mentions Fender, the first thing that pops into the minds of majority of people is Stratocaster. However, Fender is known for one more great guitar, and that is their Jazz bass line.These come in several configurations, depending on what kind of sound you’re after.
Today we are going to show you what we think are the best three Fender Jazz bass guitars. The criteria we used was mostly regarding the sound quality, however we also included one more condition.
We wanted the Fender Jazz Bass red. So, with that said, here is our selection.
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EDITOR’S CHOICE
EDITOR’S CHOICE– Fender American Standard Jazz Bass –
Every list regarding the Fender Jazz bass needs to start with the standard model. This is the gold standard, no matter what your taste is or what kind of music you play.
It’s been around for a while, and it’s still regarded as one of the best bass guitars in the world. After all, this is the model which gave inspiration for countless bass guitars we see today.
Features
The body and layout of this Fender Jazz bass is pretty standard, as its name states. You get two J Bass single pickups controlled by two tone and one volume knobs.
Performance
As we have mentioned before, this is the gold standard. We are talking about a very broad range of voicing and tone coming from the pair of legendary J Bass pickups. The guitar is very playable, which is partially because of how it’s balanced and partially due to its very soft but fast neck.
You can play just about any genre of music on this thing and it will cut through the mix.
– Fender Deluxe Active Jazz Bass V
Here’s a more modern take on this legendary design. The Deluxe series offers a more unique selection of materials and a more modern set of electronics. It’s definitely better in terms of aesthetics, but whether or not you will like the performance depends on what type of bass tone you prefer. Either way, this is one capable bass guitar.
Features
Same deal as the Standardversion we just talked about, at least when it comes to the body style and the tonewood. The pick guard is a bit more complex, and is actually made of four separate layers. The neck is the standard C shaped design with a beautiful rosewood fretboard.
What we have are a set of active dual coil Jazz Bass pickups, controlled by master volume, three band EQ, and pan control. Pretty versatile setup by all means.
Performance
There are those who prefer active pickups, and those who like passive more. It all comes down to personal taste and how much output you need. These pickups are pretty hot, but they retain a lot of expression. The neck is very smooth, although we definitely feel a maple fretboard is always the way to go.
However, that is not an option for this color scheme.
– Fender Aerodyne Jazz Bass
Most people don’t know that Fender guitars are made in Japan. This line of models is considered to be the hidden gem that only a few people are privy to.
Fender Aerodyne Jazz Bass is the model being made in Japan, and was unavailable in US until very recently. These instruments were always slightly different from US made ones, but almost always nearly as good.
Features
Same body style, same neck profile only this time we have a darker Candy Apple red tone and a black pickguard. Speaking of which, black picguard has become a defining feature for Japanese Fender guitars. Electronics come in form of a PJ configuration and a standard set of buckets.
Performance
One of the best things about Japanese Fenders is the fact that these perform better than the Mexican models, almost nearly as good as US made Fenders, but at fraction of the cost. At least that used to be the case. Now the price is coming up, but these are still great guitars.
The precision pickup configuration has its benefits. The tone is crisp overall, and very manageable. There is not significant difference in electronics quality compared to US made Jazz Bass from Fender.
Conclusion
Finding a Fender Jazz Bass red is going to be one of the tougher things you will have to do. All of these guitars are awesome to say the least. We showed you what we think are the best models that come in Candy Apple red, with different pickup configurations.
Which one is going to be best for your specific use will mostly going to depend on your taste. However, any one of these should do just fine.