Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass (3-Color Sunburst) Reviews

4.9/5.0 based on 8 customer reviews

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Customer Reviews

John Baker
from Palmer, Alaska
April 27, 2013

Stellar Tone

This is hands down the best playing/sounding bass I've ever owned, and I've owned a few over the years. The N3 pickups are super quiet even when throwing it into the active pickup selection. The maple neck and rosewood fretboard are superb for flying around the fretboard. The amount of tone control on board is incredible. This puppy was ready to play right out of the case when it arrived - Sweetwater did an excellent job.

Steve Matheson
from Villa Rica, GA
April 27, 2013Music Background:
Bass player for 20+ years

Great quality instrument made in the USA

I recently ordered another bass in this price range and exchanged it for this bass and the quality of the Fender is ten times that of the over-priced Plek'd import POS. The neck is beautiful adorned with block inlays and binding, but the quality of the craftsmanship of the fretwork is what a player will notice. The bass is constructed of quality woods and top end hardware. Nothing about this bass lacks quality. I'm almost ashamed I stepped out and bought the other bass insomuch as I'm an avid jazz bass player and this is the best of my American made jazz basses. The USA standard jazz is a great bass, but this one is just hat much better.

I'm still learning the electronics and I'm a passive guy, but thanks to the mini-toggle switch, I can be a passive guy and dabble into active electronics at my own pace. The controls are responsive and allow you to dial in all sorts of tones. The string-through body design coupled with the high mass bridge really give the bass a solid sustaining bass tone without engaging the active pickups; which are noiseless.

Great great bass and really heads and shoulders above similarly priced imports.

Charles White
from Jamaica, NY
March 20, 2013Music Background:
Student

Great Bass and Fantastic Service

This is my first quality bass, but I played several brands and models before settling on this beauty. The sound is smooth like butter, and it's hard to put it down. My engineer Gilbert did a fantastic job ensuring that everything was in perfect working order, and the bass arrived in just 3 days. The pictures do not do the bass justice, it's a work of art. I highly recommend the bass and Sweetwater.

Kyle Robarge
from Austin, TX
May 1, 2012Music Background:
Active Gigging and Recording Musician

Best playing bass I've owned!

Everything about this bass is perfect. Fit and finish are exactly as they should be, the neck is just right and it came perfectly set up. The active preamp is nice for dialing in the right tone for more aggressive stuff and when set to passive, it sounds just like any good Jazz should. Well worth the money. I recorded with it the same day it arrived and everyone at the studio was impressed with how great it sounded right out of the box. Can't praise this one enough!

Tom S.
from Birmingham, AL
January 24, 2012Music Background:
+30 year Musician

Great Bass. Tomorrows new classic

This is what I expected from Fenders American Deluxe series. Out of the box setup was great, and the string action was very close to the action that I like on my basses. I have two Alembic Basses that I believe are the best playing and best sounding basses made, but I wanted that Jazz "burp", and feel that I could not get from my Alembic. This new 2010 design Fender Jazz drips with tone, and is the perfect fit in my collection. The passive tone is that classic Jazz tone I've been looking for, and the active mode has a very effective preamp EQ that I've been using a little more than I expected. The 5 bolt neck with cut away makes access to the upper frets a breeze.
With Sweetwater, the online order was simple. After viewing the bass from their stock, I was able to order the exact bass that I wanted. After the order was placed, a Sweetwater rep contacted me, thanked me for the order, and communicated with me until the bass arrived to be sure I was satisfied with the order.
I purchased the Sunburst, with rosewood bound neck and block inlays. Beautiful bass that will be the new desired classic in a few years!
If you are looking at this bass, don't put it off for two years like I did... Get it now.
This will be my "Go To Bass" for a long time.. no disrespect to my Alembic Rogue 5 (you know you are an extention of my soul).

Great job Fender, and of course Sweetwater!

Tom
from Seattle, WA
September 22, 2011Music Background:
Ex Pro turned weekend warrior

Best Bass I've Owned

Hands down this is absolutely the best bass I’ve ever owned.

I’ve been playing since 1968 and have been through a few basses over the years. Recently I had the need to update my main axe (the first time since 1984!) so I embarked on a hunt to find what very possibly might be my last bass. Since I don’t swap rigs often, my quest was for quality, fit and sound. I took the time to play lots of instruments – both expensive and inexpensive. After stumbling upon a used American Deluxe Jazz, I knew at that moment I’d found my bass. I feel sorry for the person who had to let go of such a stunning instrument….but I didn't buy this used bass.
Since the sticker price on the used one was close enough to the price of the new one, I was convinced to call my friends here at Sweetwater. At the time I called, the American Deluxe Jazz was back ordered but expected to arrive soon. It was well worth the short wait…and I took delivery a full week earlier than I’d been promised – thanks Sweetwater!

I’ve been playing this gem for almost 6 months now and I doubt if I could fully describe the superb quality of rig that it is. You really have to wrap yourself around this sweet bass to fully appreciate how versatile and responsive it is. I’m actually saddened to put this Fender back in its well constructed case after a gig or practice. At home I leave it out so I can sneak in a lick or 2 every time I walk by…..

The electronics are amazing! I played with them for days just to see how truly versatile this system is. The key is the active 3 band EQ and the new N3 pickups – yes they ARE noiseless. The layout of the controls is intuitive to negotiate quickly for fine tuning your sound in the middle of a song – nice!
I find is that I like the active side of the house for most of the playing that I do – which is classic rock with occasional wanderings into jazz and funk. BTW, this Jazz Bass can produce deep funky slap tones as well as anything I’ve heard. Maybe that’s due to the string-thru-body design Fender chose for this bass – much like a Musicman Stingray.
You want growl, you got it.
You want smooth, you got it.
You want punch, you got it.
You want slap, you got it.
You want ________ (fill in the blank), you got it!

Build quality is incredible! I was actually stunned by how fine this instrument is crafted. Fender, like most great American companies has had its ups and downs over the years. My expectations for a well crafted instrument were high but Fender has actually exceeded these expectations by a wide margin on the American Deluxe Jazz Bass.
Beautiful inlays, neck binding, fit and finish. The sunburst is exactly how I like – deep and leaning towards the darker end of the scale. Not much red or yellow. Sort of understated like a good bass line.
Again, you really have to experience how lovely the bass feels when you hold it.... when you slide a note down the length of the smooth thin neck…when you hold a low F for 2 bars….when you lightly step down a fast blues scale….whatever you do, this Jazz Bass is there for you.

The bass is truly a work of art - the total package of fine craftsmanship, playability, and sonic sweetness. At the price, it’s a bargain.

Well done Fender. Well done Sweetwater.

Ray Klass
from Chicago
June 23, 2011Music Background:
Pro Musician and very active for over 40 years

Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass

I just got it today in Olympic White and I have to say Fender has finally won me back and with this active sweetheart and that they are finally able to drive in the same lane as Lakland, Ernie Ball and Spector.
The fit and finish is perfect, the 18 volt electronics are dead quiet and it's tonal pallet has both the modern sweetness of a boutique instrument while still maintaing that very familiar buttery Fender low end rumble that sets the benchmark for other bass makers.
I have been waiting a long time for Fender to come up with a jazz bass as versatile and solid as this one and Iam a very happy Bassist when I have this baby in my hands.

JUAN ANDRES CASTAÑO
from Estados Unidos
March 13, 2012Music Background:
20 YEARS

Great Bass!!!

All in this bass is great, just a little "hum", but it´s "art" in your hands!!!!