Fender Jazz Bass Special

Some folks have requested that I write about the original run of Fender Jazz Bass Specials, and I am happy to oblige. One of these was my first decent bass, and they have remained one of my favorite basses of all time. I have owned bunches of them, making me a pseudo-expert.

If you are not familiar with these, Jazz Bass Specials were made famous by Duff McKagan of Guns N Roses, and later of Velvet Revolver. These basses were made by Fender in Japan in the early years that were known for the best MIJ guitars, and were of better quality than the ones produced in the US. They were originally produced from 1985 to 1987 (or so).

The ”special” part of the Jazz Bass Special is that it has a Precision Bass body shape with a Jazz Bass profile neck and a P/J pickup configuration.

The bodies are probably basswood, as they are light. They have a control cavity routed in the back so there is no pickguard (this also makes it easier to add active electronics). I have had them finished in black, red, Sonic Blue, and of course, the yellowed pearl white of Mr. McKagan’s basses.

The necks all have a glossy black headstock, and a rosewood fretboard. They were available fretted or fretless. The backs maple necks were either clear coated, or painted glossy black. The glossy black ones are much more desireable.

The pickup s are passive with volume/volume/TBX (tone) controls with a 3-way pickup selector. Many times Jazz Bass Specials have been modified with active electronics, such as EMG or the Seymour Duncan pickups (the ones with the little toggle switches) that were so popular back then.

They came with black hardware, which had some issues with the finish. The neck plates and bridges oxidized badly and developed an ugly, chalky appearance over time. This led to a lot of bridge replacements, which is a shame: there are really nice brass saddles underneath that black finish.

Often times, the knobs were replaced, too. They came with F-logo plastic knobs that had a nubbly rubber grip around the edge. Good luck finding replacements if they are missing, because Fender does not sell them, and I never see them for sale on eBay. I am thinking about re-issuing them myself.

Anyway, these are great basses. They sound good, play very well, and generally come in under 9 pounds. Plus they are pretty cheap. These are still a great deal, with unmolested examples in good condition selling for about $500.

I would pick up one of these original Jazz Bass Specials Japanese before considering one of the low-quality newer re-issues.

Mahalo!