A different spin on an established model
The Jazz Bass is still one of the best-selling and most used instruments in music today. During its history it’s been subject to various specification and design changes, some subtle and others not so subtle. This has usually been down to general trends and customer demands at the time, and also production methods and costs that have varied dramatically over that period. Certain variants have been especially popular, a fact that drives the vintage market and has also provided Fender with opportunities to ‘reissue’ a variation from a particularly classic year. You can get ones with extra pickups, five strings, active electronics and all sorts. With such a history to draw upon, there are many directions Fender could have taken with the American Elite Jazz Bass. In our opinion they have struck a great balance. The 4th generation noiseless pickups are powered by an 18-volt preamp and wired to a 3-band EQ, a 2-way toggle switch for selecting active or passive mode, master volume and pickup blend. Touted as an ‘active bass for the modern player’, the neck is stiffened with graphite rods, the bridge is Fender’s current HiMass Vintage offering and the truss rod adjustment wheel has been moved to the butt end of the neck. There’s also a genuine bone nut.
