Fender JMJ Road Worn Mustang Bass - Faded Daphne Blue Reviews

I have heard or seen about short scales for years. Well I am kind of a big guy..6 2" 218 so it may not be for me. Wrong!..This bass is so fun and cool to play. I dont play much on the highest part of the note range but even so tbe high notes are there. I played this recently at the studio and everyone loved it. I have LaBellsla flats on it and wow! I am playing it live soon and look forward to it. This is one of the coolest basses alive!

I was looking for a short scale bass for my wife, and had almost pulled the trigger on a Mustang Vintera. Played a JMJ and was glad I waited. We both love it! It's like a brighter P Bass, but the flat wounds keep it from being overly bright. It sounds great clean and also with fuzz (I'm partial to the Muffuletta, set to JHS). The low end is phenomenal. I don't love the "road worn" thing, to be honest, but it's tastefully done. And it's definitely a faithful repro of a '66. It has some thoughtful vintage touches like the Daphne Blue, transition logo, antique pearl pick guard, etc. In summary, it's a terrific short scale bass—highly recommended!

I have 30 base guitars in my studio, this is one of my top 3. A true P-Base with a short scale that sounds awesome. It grunts and grinds it's way to the top of the list. The short scale lets you easily bend the strings to create a true signature sound, and the wider neck makes it easy to play hard. I usually don't buy signature series guitars, but this is a better base than my fender pj mustang. Live Generously, and Dream Loud.

Bruno's Stupid Human

I've been interested in this bass for a while and came across an opportunity to try one while traveling. Loved it. I ordered one from my rep Alan Reyes before I got home. He even coordinated delivery, so the bass showed up shortly after I did, great service, thank you! Say what you will about road worns/relics, as soon as I picked this up it felt like I've been playing it for years. The sound, nitro finish, neck, custom pickups, lollipops, and rosewood. WOW. It just feels comfortable, solid and sturdy. I haven't weighed it yet, but SW had mine listed @ 8.0 lbs.

After a week settling in at home, I did a setup. Not much was needed, a slight turn on the truss rod, a little intonation and some oil on the fretboard. String height was actually spot on (for me) after tweaking the truss rod. The standard 9050 flats play fine. Along with the Hipshot tuners, they stay in tune well. I do have a set of La Bella 760F-MUS on order. My only question, why no individual mutes at the bridge like an original?

Overall, great players bass at a great price. Props to JMJ who definitely got Fender to put out a quality classic 60's Mustang copy. If you're on the fence, order one.

I am new to the bass (less than six months), but have been a guitar player for as long as I remember. I decided to dedicate myself to the bass and learn it inside and out.
I tried a few long scale basses (Sterling Ray 34 …excellent). I found that I really like the short scale basses beast, specifically the Mustang. I bought the JMJ Mustang from a store in person, and I love it. The road worn body is cool, but it is obviously not actual wear and tear, nor is it a custom shop. If those are your expectations, you will be disappointed. However, I think the bass feels broken in, looks cool, and I love it.
The feel and playability are excellent. The 30" scale length gives the strings a subtle bit of bounce that makes playing the JMJ fun and not too strenuous on the hands.
The pickup is great. It is absolutely silent when not playing. I am a big fan of no hum! The tones that can be achieved through this bass are pretty limitless. Either control it through the controls or your amp settings and you will be able to do just about anything. Also, I found out that I LOVE having a thumb rest!
This is an excellent instrument and can be a new addition to your collection or your one and only bass.

I went to a music store and played it for about two minutes. The rep came in and said they were closing. I told him I liked the bass and wanted to play it a bit because I felt like I was going to buy it. He said it was closing time. So we left. My friend and I couldn't get the sound and feel from that bass out of our mind. After a few weeks, I just decided to buy it. But it was out of stock. It took a few more weeks until I saw there was one in stock on this site. So I instantly bought it, in blue, and received it a few days later. What a beauty. It's light. The flats are soft and have a great tone. And I never put it away. It stays plugged in next to the bed so I can just grab and play when I want to. I rotate this bass with my Rickenbacker 4003W for gigs.

Sorry for the long story. Just buy it! You won't regret it!!!

1. Light.
2. Sounds GREAT!
3. Strings have great feel and tone.
4. Looks great, not overly done.
5. Better than the other mustangs available.

For starters, I decided to pick up bass after playing guitar for a few years. My first bass was a squier p bass. The p bass is great but sometimes the stretch could be a bit cumbersome coming from guitar. I've always fancied short scale basses and played a few when starting out looking for beginner basses.

I took a leap of faith and pulled the trigger, sight unseen, on the daphne blue JMJ. I have to say I'm very happy with the decision! The road worn look is a little variable from model to model ( photos available on the Sweetwater Website appear to show at least two different styles of relicing available). I made sure to check the photos to find the one that caught my eye best.

The bass weighs in at 7lbs 13oz and is quite comfortable to sit and play with. The QA/QC from Sweetwater was stellar and the bass was ready to go out of the box with not much more than tuning up. Some folks have complained of neck dive on this model, however I use and leather strap and did not have any issues. I enjoy the neck profile which feels thicker than the American performer mustang and squier classic vibe mustang bass but still comfortable and easy to get around on. The split pickup is certainly beefy and punchy and does remind me of the p bass sound I started with but still different enough to be it's own thing.

Overall I'm very impressed with this bass bit only for its looks, but also it's unique tone and easy to access fretboard. If you're on the fence about getting this, I would recommend pulling the trigger. From a specs standpoint, this may be one of the best mustang bass models currently available by Fender which stays true to the '66 model from which it was based off of. Now I'm tempted by the black one.

I absolutely love this thing! I primarily play guitar, but wanted a bass to record with or use in case I ever fill in for a friend. The short scale feels very comfortable, the pickup sounds great, and the overall playability was very nice right out of the box. I'm not a huge fan of the relic thing, but it's pretty tastefully done on this and I'll never worry about dinging it. Highly recommended - a truly great instrument.

This is the first bass I've purchased online. I've always been dubious about buying an instrument that I've never held in my hands and even more dubious about shipping. I was concerned that it would be beaten up by the time it reached me but Sweetwater do an amazing job at packaging, it arrived in one piece, very securely packaged and double boxed. Didn't need much setting up out of the box, just needed to adjust the intonation slightly. Kudos and big thanks to Chris Lewis, my Sweetwater engineer for providing the best level of customer service I've ever experienced!

This bass has a very specific tonal quality. It's short scale, has no bridge pickup or active electronics, and comes stock with flatwound strings. It's got two knobs: volume and tone. This is not a jazz-dude superbass that you can use to dial in every sound you'll ever need. It just sounds how it sounds.

And it sounds INCREDIBLE. What you get is this gorgeous thumpy, growly 60s-style tone that produces very crisp notes without metallic overtones. Throw a bridge mute on it to achieve James Jamerson vibes (I use a strip cut off from a car detailing sponge).

I love all the design choices too: the old-timey knobs, the chunky headstock, the thumbrest, the tank-like bridge. The Daphne Blue finish pairs perfectly with the pearled pickguard and is even matched by the threading at the ends of the strings. My only gripe is that I find the distressed "road worn" look to be a little hokey. I love the flat old-fashioned paintjob, but I'd rather ruin it with my own sweat and buckle rash than have some guy in a factory do it for me.

I've considered Sweetwater a few times but always hated the idea of not playing something before buying it. Bad decision. This was my best guitar buying experience ever. I got a call from Matt after placing the order to confirm and set expectations for setup and shipping. Then got an email with a bunch of sick photos of the guitar. It came fast as hell and setup perfectly. Then I got another call from Matt after arrival to see how I liked it and just talk shop. Customer experience at Sweetwater is on another level.

I love the 30" scale. Plays well but has an E string "warble" as described by previous reviews. I will change strings and reset up the action to correct for my feel but I still wouldn't reduce a star in the ratings. When I pick it up, I want to play it for longer than my previous basses. It's light and a joy to experiment playing new songs, so don't let the size fool you.

This little guy holds its own in tone, comfort, and playability with my Stingray and my American Jazz.
Really fun to play and super solid for a MIM model.
Of course, my rep Matt Masek hooked me up, and you always know the guitar will be ready to go right when you get it.

I've owned a few basses over the years, this bass is the best of the bunch. I absolutely love it! The sound is out of this world, and it looks stunning. I think the road worn effect or relicing is very well done. A vintage Fender bass is well out of my price range, but this bass looks, sounds & feels like the read deal. It's got Hipshot tuning machines and Seymour Duncan pickups. One of the sweetest Fender basses available. Get yours before they're gone!

Based on the number of 5 star reviews, the JMJ Mustang must be something of a hit for Fender. If you"re after a short scale bass that nails old school Fender tone, this is probably your best bet short of buying a vintage one. And with a vintage one you might not get a neck as nice as what you will find on the JMJ. That might be my favorite feature on this bass but it"s hard to say as everything about this bass nice. Awesome neck. Smooth pots. Comfy body. Articulate and warm vintage voiced pick up. I might spring for a refinish job as I"m not in love with the factory relic job. It doesn"t suck though.

Thanks to Kris and Sweetwater for shipping this bass to me at mind boggling speed. Regarding the set up.... if you want your new guitar to play perfect out of the box, pay for a set up. I will do this in the future as the 55 point inspection set up isn"t great. On the two guitars I bought from Sweetwater this year, the 55 point inspection set up has only been ok.

Ps. If Fender were to issue a Thin Skin American Original of this bass with these specs I might buy it all over again.

I wasn't sure about this bass at first. I read the reviews on this JMJ Mustang Bass and they were really good. Plus I went with the 48 month financing too. So, if the bass didn't work out, I could trade it back for the USA made Mustang Bass. But once I got this bass and set it up. I have to say, that I can't put the darn thing down. It's so much fun to play and the tone is really great on this bass, also. I've got to give a shot out to my sells rep Jozy Franco, for all his help with getting me this bass, also. Wether you're a pro or a novice bass player. This is one awesome little bass, that packs a really powerful punch. I highly recommend this bass to any bass player. This JMJ Mustang Bass really brings the bottom end, to the game and in spades too. This is a really great bass.

You really can't go wrong with this bass. I love the short scale and the playability. I really plays like a dreams and the sound is like a P bass with level of clarity. It's a great addition to your bass collection, or a perfect first bass. Stellar on every level. As always, received Top notch service from Jason Koons and his team.

Ordered this bass about two weeks ago and I haven"t been able to put it down. Plays like a dream and really cuts through the mix. The order and delivery process was painless and this was my first purchase on Sweetwater. Thanks so much Chris for helping me out!

This is a killer bass. It feels and plays great, and it sounds even better. I"d say it"s about as close as you can get to a real, vintage Mustang without shelling out collector-level cash. The pickup sounds gritty and has that old school mojo. The neck has a nitro finish, and it plays fast and smooth. I just love everything about it. I even love the Fender flats that come on it. I usually change out the strings on a new bass, but I left these on- they feel and sound great.

I'm a guitarist who purchased this bass for recording purposes. I was looking through an instrument buyers guide for 2019, and saw a Mustang bass, which has a 30 inch scale length. Being a guitarist, and remembering just how long the 34 inch scale length was, on the last two basses that I owned in the past, I was very intrigued. I did some research, and decided on this one, which I am really happy with. The shorter scale length, makes it easier to mimic the rhythm patterns that I play on guitar, which was very important to me. I like the simplicity of a single pickup, volume & tone. It sounds great, is well-constructed, and is fun and easy to play. I'm always impressed with the set-up of guitars that I have purchased from Sweetwater, how quickly they ship out orders, and the helpful communication from your sales rep! Thanks!

Fender JMJ is a real GEM!!! These road worn basses are fantastic..The JMJ can produce many different tones..Very enjoyable bass..I like it alot!!! Highly Recommend!!!!!!!

I started playing different types of instruments about 25 years ago. I have only purchased vintage instruments. I have only purchased made in USA guitars. Currently I own 21 guitars and basses. My other two basses are a "61 Harmony H22 and a "74 Fender Musicmaster. I use a "68 Ampeg B15.

I had been looking for a mustang bass for about three months. I never found anything that was right for me. This JMJ bass kept popping up in all of my searches. After purchasing two of these basses to try out from guitar center, i decided to return them (for a full refund—-GC couldn"t match SW"s price) and order one from Sweetwater. I am in love!

The Bass from Sweetwater came with a complete setup. And was more than i could possibly imagine. In order to stay true to the vintage look, i had my guitar luthier remove the annoying serial numbers from the back of the headstock and place them under the pickguard.

I've been playing bass for 20 years and I had to switch to a short scale 2 years ago because of CPL and CTS in both of my arms and hands. I made the mistake of playing a 66 Mustang about a year ago LOL, I was hooked, it really was the best sounding and playing bass I have put my hands in a long time but I couldn't drop $3k on a bass. I tried out the modern player Mustang and it an excellent bass but it doesn't sound like the 66 I played, then I saw the JMJ. I couldn't find a bad review about this bass anywhere and the price was right so I decided to pull the trigger and I'm so glad I did, it's almost identical to a 66 in every way. Fender and JMJ did an incredible job on this bass it sounds just like a 66, tight, focused and thumpy, it's a tone monster and it plays so effortlessly the guitar tech at Sweetwater did an amazing job setting it up. The finish is beautiful and not over the top and the build quality is second to none. I played it at a gig last night for the 1st time and it sounded amazing. I played through an Ampeg SVT 4x10 cab with a 71 SVT head. The bass player from the national act we opened for told me that he really liked how the JMJ sounded and then started asking me about the JMJ. If your thinking about buying one just buy it, you'll be glad you did. My sales rep Dontae Harris was very helpful with my shipping request Sweetwater rocks!

Over the years I have purchased many items from Sweetwater but never a musical instrument.In the past I would only make a purchase after choosing the right (for me) bass from my local Ma and pa store.They would give me the opportunity to go through their stock and select my favorite.This particular bass was not in stock at the time I decided to buy and I did not want the hassle of getting an instrument not to my liking and having to return it.I contacted my sales person (Alden Darbee) and he offered me the choice of four of the JMJ Mustang basses ranging in weight from 8.5 to 7.10.My experience was similar to what I expected from my Ma and pa store.I was able to view the bass online from many angles.Satisfied with that I chose the 7.10 bass.Alden was very accommodating,I was happy with the pricing and the bass made it from Indiana to Massachusetts in three days free shipping included.Upon inspection the bass needed little adjustment (a very minor tweak to the string height) to personalize it,the intonation was spot on and it was ready to go.This is refreshing since most of the competition rarely spends time on setups.Sweetwater is that rare combination of integrity and service that one gets in Ma and pa stores.

Let me just preface this buy saying I am a Fender guy. I have a couple of P"s and a American Jazz, Gibson, Carvin Custom and now my first short scale. Wow! This bass got it right! Great balance, tone, punch and focus. It really does cut through the mix. Tone control is very usable. It run it through a SansAmp VT Bass pedal and/or the Noble Preamp and it has the bite and tonal characters I like. Minor adjustments to the neck and bridge and it was ready to go. I am kinda sad I had to put the P bass away but this more comfortable and easy to to play. I am also a Sweetwater guy and they are the only store I buy guitars. Shout out to Matt Alexander, my dude!

I received the Fender JMJ Mustang bass guitar three weeks ago and right out of the box it play very well. Great warm lows and comfortable enough to play for hours. My first gig with this bass was two weeks after delivery and I had many positive comments about how great the bass sounded. After some slight adjustments to the neck and bridge the bass played even better and has exceeded all of my expecitations. This is now my primary bass and would consider purchasing another to have on hand. If you're looking for the bass with the sound that started it all and is a joy to play, this is it! Thanks go out to Sales Rep Brad for his continued support and knowledge of the products sold by Sweetwater.

I'm giving this 5 Stars although I have not tried putting round wound strings on it yet. The neck is a bit "sticky" but that's from the nitro finish. The shape and overall comfortable feel negates that.

Sound: Amazing. This thing is a beast of sound. The Seymour Duncan pickups are growly, smooth, low, and high when needed. I have yet to gig with the bass to hear through my Fender Bassman 100T, but will soon.

Tuners: Great tuners! Vintage look by Hipshot... can't go wrong. This bass stays in tune wonderfully.

The bass balances well with a strap as well. Nice and light weight, with thunderous tone!

Overall (so far) I would definitely recommend this bass.

I've cycled through a few P basses thinking I was gonna get a particular sound, but this whole time I've been after a short scale Mustang and didn't know it. The low end and natural compression this produces makes this bass the aggressive instrument that will fit in most of my ventures. This is an eye catcher too. Great instrument.

This is a premier instrument! While I own the Fender Mustang P/J bass, there is a significant difference between the two (and I find they each have great qualities). One of the first things I noticed when I opened the box and picked up the bass, was that it is ever-so-slightly heavier and has a more solid construction. The body appears to be a little thicker than the P/J bass. The neck is more substantial as well, feeling a bit fatter in the lower register, with a comfortable curve for your hand.

When I plugged this bass into my Mesa Boogie Prodigy tube bass head and 4x10 and 1x15 cabinets, I was stunned at how much louder it is to the P/J Mustang and how tight the tone was. There is an incredibly solid low end and the top end is not harsh or too bright. I thought that the P/J was already a winner for size vs. tone, but the tone control on this bass has even more usable settings. I believe part of the reason for this is the Seymour Duncan Mustang pickup, but it did seem that the tone control had a lot more room to turn before it reached the end of the rotation, compared to the P/J.

The concept of "aged" gear doesn't appeal to me much, as I'd rather know that the little scars and such that adorn my instruments, came directly from me or my history with it. That being said, what appealed to me most before purchasing this bass, was that it was modeled on a '66 Fender Mustang bass, which are quite pricey in the vintage guitar market (sorry JMJ, while I find you extremely talented and enjoy your work, I didn't buy this bass because it has your name on it). The value here is in the fact that you can get one of these for 1/2 or 1/3 less than a vintage one, it features hardware that is at once retro-styled, but modernized, so it will not need a bunch of work to get into playing condition, and it still comes with a 2 year warranty.

For those of you that find more appeal in the "aged" quality, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how convincing some of the features are. The lacquered finish on the neck has some great built-in checking, along with scuffs, dings and chips that any vintage instrument would most likely have, and the entire run of the neck feels like a well worn baseball glove. The gorgeous Daphne Blue body also has its share of dings, scrapes and crackles, but I don't think they are distracting or over-the-top.

The hardware, as I mentioned earlier, is retro-styled, but modernized; from the Seymour Duncan pickup to the Mustang bridge (without the original mute saddles) to the very attractive, lollipop-shaped, Hipshot tuning pegs, which are very accurate and stable.

If you're on the fence about purchasing a new bass and wondering if a short-scale bass is right for you, this could make you a believer. In this case size definitely does not mean you lose any of the qualities of a full size instrument. I would recommend this bass to professionals as well as advanced beginners (the P/J bass might be a better starting point for true beginners or those with smaller hands).

Thank you to my sales rep. Ted Hunter, for getting this out to me so quickly and to the folks that do the 55 point check (definitely takes a large chunk of the concern out of purchasing instruments online). Always a pleasure doing business with the Sweetwater team.

I am fond of short scale basses not only because they are easy to play but they have a surprisingly versatile tonal character that cuts through. If you play dub, reggae, salsa, latin, hip hop, r&b, blues, rock this will make you boom. The worn elements of this Mustang make it a winner and that single coil is so sweet. Discover the wonders of the tonal characters of this short scale bass.

Thanks to my man Robert Williams for the excellent service he provides....Give him a call for this baby!!

Being mainly a a short-scale bass player (alot of Hofners), I've been looking for a go-to solid body short-scale with a higher build quality than the Hofner Galaxies that I've been playing. I've always liked the feel of the Road Worn series, and the JMJ Mustang checks all the boxes for me. Short-scale. Solid body. Feels great right out of the box. Tastefully worn. Beautiful color and pearloid pickguard. Reliable tuners and bridge. Sounds great. Easy to play. Paired with my tweed Fender TV amps, this thing rocks.

Very nice bass easy to play for people like me with small hands
A little pricey but if you can afford it why not.
One thing I do know now is that my ****** bass playing is not the bass fault but mine so it forces me to practice more so that I deserve this bass.

Ordered this particular model because of the Pickups/ and Nitro finish. I don't care much for the road worn look so I wish I could e ordered one without the faux road rash. But other than that it's a very nice bass. Plays and sounds fantastic. I had a bone nut installed as I do with all my basses and guitars. Strung it with some flats and it plays effortlessly. It really is a nice bass. I mostly play higher end American Fender Basses. But I took a chance on this MIM fender and Glad I did. It's fantastic!

Excellent short-scale bass. Read the reviews out there, most are spot on:

Pros:
*Mojo!!!
*Short-scale (duh)
*Quality parts
*Tone like a P-bass, but has that "laser" thing JMJ talks about!
*Comes with flats!
*Fat neck (if you like fat necks)
*Lightweight (7lb 10oz)

Cons:
*The E-string was wonky (Fender should switch to shorter E-string, or, do what I did and cut off enough of the string so it doesn't wrap around itself--AND, unstring the E-string to make sure it's not badly twisted as mine was; string-through bodies allow the string to get TWISTED!); fix the string and it gets 5 stars.
*Light weight (7lbs 10oz) but a bit of neck dive (15 degrees hanging on a strap; I prefer 45 degrees)
*Crappy gig bag (the Fender short-scale gig bag is better)

Sounds like a baby P-bass. Didn't want to go with the PJ (Mex or US) mustangs as I can't figure out how they would get the P pickup in the same spot as Mustang/P-bass AND squeeze a J pickup in there. This thing rips! Very solid and sweet tone. The Fender flatwounds are ok, but the E-string is crap like most reviews online say. The fat part of the string wraps around the tuning peg and whoever strung up my bass, had two extra wraps around the string itself (like a Kala with those rubber strings, if you know...).

Could use lighter tuners to alleviate the neck dive; however, if you like muting with your palm when you play with your thumb, this position actually works better (so your thumbing wrist doesn't have to angle upward as severely).

LOVED JMJ bassline on Beck's "Where It's At" when it first came out and remember the dude ROCKING on stage at one of the big TV award shows that year. I think this bass helps me to channel some JMJ groove so it was totally worth it.

Sweet, sweet bass and even better service from Sweetwater.

This was my first short scale bass, I have since bought a boutique short scale and plan on a few others because of how much I enjoy this bass for its sound, size and weight. I bought this bass primarily because I work with a lot of synths in my music and enjoy adding electric bass to the mix, these short scales work very well in that context because of where they tend to sit in the frequency range, they cut through a dense mix fairly well.

There were a few minor quibbles, which is to be expected, I wasn't a fan of the strings it came with and swapped them out for TI flats which really enhances the midrange punch on this bass, that's no big deal really everyone has their preferences. I'm also not a huge fan of relicing but I do Iove the daphne blue and the nitro finish. The nitro is also on the neck which makes it a bit sticky right out of the box. After a couple of months it was still sticky so I just took a rated 3 scotch pad and sanded the neck down until the sticky was gone. It feels great now. I do recommend shielding this bass, it wasn't the noisiest bass but it's not quiet either. There is a bit of neck dive which is almost to be expected given the shape of the mustang body but due to its weight it's not a big deal the right strap will easily remedy that. If I'm being picky I also wish it had come with the competition stripe and a hard case. I took a half star off due to these factors but none of those things affect playability. It's a solid player with a great sound.

Very nice instrument, but for the price, it should include a hard shell case.

Let me start by saying this bass is built well, looks killer, and plays decent. It's modeled after a '66 Mustang Bass and I think it is about as close as you are going to get without getting an actual vintage '66. Of course, with a "real" one, you never know what you'll get. Things were pretty variable back then as far as quality. This JMJ Mustang is solid and you know you can depend on it (plus it has a warrantee). Overall, a very solid bass.

Okay, so why only four stars? Well, you may well give it five. But I've got to go with what I want personally out of a bass. I've had literally hundreds of basses over the years and quite a number of Mustangs. The last few years I've been playing Mustangs almost exclusively (mainly the PJ Mustangs). Two main things take a star away. The first is that I find the neck a bit too chunky. It's not horrible, but I find the PJs and the new American Performer necks more to my liking. That's a minor thing though. The biggie for me is that the JMJ tends to be somewhat muddy/boomy at times. It wants to go in that direction and I have to rein it back significantly at the amp (dial the lows WAY back). It has its own tone and it is definitely a bottom dweller. Yes, it comes with flatwound strings, but I switched to rounds and honestly, It didn't make much of a difference (so I put the flats back on). You've got to WANT the tone it puts out because you ain't gonna change it without changing the pickup or adding a J-bass pickup in the bridge position. I prefer the tone of the new American Performer Mustang Bass (plus it is LOADS more versatile). But this JMJ does what it does and it does it well. Like I said, you may love the sound. I do like it... but I'm not in love. For looks I'd give it a 5. For build quality another 5. The aging gets a 4.5. Playability 4. Sound 3.5.

I purchased this bass for the purpose of refinishing it into a dream Mustang bass. The truss rod didn't function. Didn't discover it until the bass was being reassembled. I assumed it had been checked in the Sweetwater 55 point inspection and thus didn't need to be checked prior to starting the work. My bad. Long story short.... the inspection process doesn't appear to cover this part of the instrument at this time. If you want to be certain about the truss rod, be sure to inspect it yourself upon receiving your guitar or spring for a setup. Sweetwater went above and beyond to make sure that I was taken care of and the situation resolved in my favor. Thank you Kris and Frankie! This situation is far from the norm. A faulty truss rod can happen with any guitar and manufacturer. The JMJ Bass itself is a solid bass that excels at giving the player old school vintage tone. Under ordinary circumstances I'd rate this bass 5 stars. Sweetwater certainly earned a five star rating. I gave this review three stars to get your attention.

Ever since the JMJ bass was released I had been looking at it and reading all of the reviews. Based on all of the praises, and because of the looks and features, I finally got around to buying one. What I liked about the bass was the overall look and feel. The neck felt excellent, nice and chunky but not sluggish to play. I also liked the bridge and tuners. The pickup also sounds nice, and was a big factor in deciding on this bass over some of the other more modern Mustang basses. This was my first relic bass that I have ever purchased, and while I'm not sold on the idea of a new relic the JMJ was nicely done and it created a worn-in feel that was comfortable.

After receiving the bass and playing it a while I wasn't blown away like the other reviewers. The feel and playability was great, but the tone left something to be desired for me. The E string wasn't tonally consistent with the other strings, and sounded somewhat weak. I adjusted bridge and pickup height and couldn't get the E string to balance tonally with the rest of the bass. There was also some A string rattle behind the nut that I couldn't dial out either. Then there was a really high fret that was going to need some work. I also had to set the intonation, it was way off and needed quite a bit of adjustment. That wasn't a big deal but after buying multiple basses from Sweetwater I had higher expectations based on having received really good setups in the past.

Despite some initial downfalls I decided to take the bass to a gig and get a feel for the bass in the mix. I used it for a full set and then switched to one of my P basses. It was clear to me at that point that the JMJ wasn't for me. I realize it's not a fair comparison to A/B the Mustang bass to a P bass, but it let me know what my personal preference was.

Had there not been some issues with the bass then it might have changed my overall reaction. I still think the JMJ bass would be a great fit for someone looking for a recording bass, or if you are looking to add something tonally different to your existing collection, or if the short scale feel is appealing to you. In the end I just happen to be more of a P bass guy when it comes to a live mix, and the JMJ Mustang didn't provide the tone I was hoping to achieve.

Pros:
Smooth tuners and pots
Sounds good unplugged
Looks cool from a distance

Cons:
No low end
In a live setting, lots of dead notes
Really fake relic-ing and terrible fret dressing

I wouldn't describe this as "relic". I would say "someone took a rasp and nail punch to it all over". It is really obvious that all the "wear" is from the same thing hitting the bass at the same angle in a few regions. Not thoughtful at all.

The worst thing about my bass is the fret dressing. I watched a video of JMJ saying the smooth fret ends were one of his most critical demands for this bass. Whoever did mine failed. In order to fake the worn-in appearance, they heavily scalloped both edges of the fretboard between every fret, leaving the fret ends pronounced and sharp. It's the worst fret end dressing job I've ever had and easily in the top handful of all out god awful fret jobs on POS pawnshop trash. If I didn't already have a grand in it I'd have a fret job done.