Summary: a couple of weeks ago I wound up acquiring a NOS 2016 MIM Fender Geddy Lee signature Jazz Bass. Was worried about damaging it in use, so I picked up a standard Fender Player Jazz Bass (also MIM).
Having played both of my Jazz basses for a couple of weeks now, I’ve come to some conclusions:
I didn’t think I would ever say this, having been a long-time proponent of thin necks, but the Geddy Lee neck almost verges on too thin for me.
I’ve never played a pao ferro fretboard, which the Player has. I’m a big fan! That said, I think I prefer the “gloss” maple fingerboard of the Geddy Lee.
The Geddy Lee sounds better to my ear… it just punches and growls and makes me happy. That’s not to say the Player sounds bad… I think that the Player has the perfect “Jazz Bass” sound, and the Geddy Lee is just a bit above and beyond that.
The Geddy Lee is also noisier than the Player. It just picks up way more of the electromagnetic interference “stuff” I have at my house.
The setup on the Player is perfect, but I can’t get the Geddy Lee setup the same. Close, but not the same.
All that said… I think I actually prefer playing the Geddy Lee. Worry about damage be damned. So! On to the questions!
I think I want to take it down to be PLEKed and professionally setup. I’ve heard people say you should never PLEK new instruments, or maybe vintage instruments, or something along one of those lines. Any advice on the topic of PLEKing a 2016 NOS MIM Fender Geddy Lee Jazz Bass?
Are the Fender Ultra Noiseless Vintage Jazz pickups worth it? I’m thinking I want to invest in some noiseless pickups for the Geddy Lee, but I also want to keep the “vintage pickup” tone that I’m getting from it. Any thoughts on those pickups?
To my ear, the noiseless pickups lose some of what makes jazz pickups special.
I recommend the Custom Shop 60’s jazz pickups. To me, they are in line with the finest jazz pickups made.
As for the Plek, the stuff about not doing it to a new or vintage instrument, is hogwash. Nothing about a Plek is going to hust a vintage instrument. That idea on new instruments is that, theoretically, they shouldn’t need it.
Yes, get a pro setup to get your bass dialed in with specs that are beyond your abilities to achieve, but ONLY if you can hire a bona fide badass tech or luthier - like someone with tons of proven expertise.
Once you can meet with said tech/luthier, ask him/her to check out your frets and advise on any next steps. Fact is, you don’t know what shape your fretwork is in, so why incur definitely costly and potentially unnecessary expense?
Either way you go, find the absolute best tech/luthier you can. Solutions therein lie.
Oh, for sure. I’d go to 13th Street Guitars in Huntington Beach. They’re about 40 minutes away from me, but they’re really good. I’ve used them before… not for PLEK, as I’ve never had that done, but I know several people who have (including our own @Al1885).
PLEK is fine for any instrument. I have said before I wouldn’t do it to certain instruments, but that’s because those were very rare instruments - runs of 100 or less - where I would 100% go with a top tier human luthier for all the fret work.
I completely disagree that high quality noiseless pickups subtract from the true tonality of a Jazz Bass. While this may have been true of first generation Fender noiseless pickups of 20 years ago or more it’s not true of the more current generations or pickups like the Bill Lawrence/Wilde J45s I play.
I say this with confidence because I have played first generation Fender noiseless pickups and I have been playing Wilde J45s for a over a decade. They are a far better set of pickups and far more versatile given that they do not induce hum when the separate volume pots are not equal in output.
I can’t address PLEK’ing a neck because I have no experience with one that has been PLEK’d nor have I owned a bass I felt needed it.
i was just wondering this question, as fender has gone all in with noiseless on their new whatever it’s called high end ultra line. i’m not sure how the hardcore faithful are going to react to this news. i mean fender is the company that sometimes makes you disassemble half your instrument to adjust a truss rod for “authenticity’s sake”.
Hi Tim! You ever tried to set up a bass yourself? It’s crazy easy and it also helps you to learn some things about your instrument. Check out the set up videos on Youtube with “John Carruthers and Elixir Strings.”
John makes it sure easy and that leaves you more money for gear!
In contrary to popular beliefs, active pickups have less and weaker magnets and offer much less interference than hotter stronger magnets on the passive pickups. So if you are a purest I would think that would be the thing they want.
For me I’d seek out Abby Yabarra or Fralin pickups
What we are dissing about Fender have been going on for the last 75 years. The current Fender sucks. Until 20-50 years pass then it’s the crown Jewel
If you want the true classic Fender you have to look at the early MiJs offering. Those are the true Fender classics.
Yeah, @ronnielyons, I’ve setup many basses. I think since starting BassBuzz in 2021 I’ve gone through an almost @Al1885 number of basses, each requiring a setup and most requiring shielding and grounding. I think at last count it was, like… 18 or 19 or something like that.
I think my Geddy Lee has some fret issues down by the 20th/21st fret, and I don’t have the eyes to spot and address issues like that. Also, it feels like the nut isn’t filed down as low as it should be, and… I don’t have the eyes to spot or address issues like that either.
So, I’ll take my basic setup down to a pro who can spot issues like that and fix them. Whether that means it needs just a fret dressing or a full PLEKing I leave up to them.
you know digital is “soulless “
