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What is the best Fender PJ?
- Thread starter dave84
- Start date
The best - is a big word. There is no best Fender PJ in the world, but there is one for YOU, so visit some shops and try out as much as possible. You will find the best answer.
I’m pretty sure that the best Fender PJ is a Yamaha. 
I own four PJs, two of which are Fenders.....
Left is my American Performer. If someone is looking for a workhorse American-made bass that does the tried-n-true Fender thing all around, this will do that. But if somebody wants to be capable of going outside of that box, it isnt very exciting and covers no new territory - basically, its just another Fender marketing of something done before over and over (ad nauseum) repackaged as something new. Yosemite pickups are more modern sounding but can be vintaged a bit with the Greasebucket tone control (which, to me, sounds like a normal tone control that cant get lower than 5)
Right is my MIJ 1989 Fender Power Jazz Bass Special ...TBX tone control is totally interesting as well as its sweepable midrange active circuit. Reverse P mounting for the P pickup. I personally love this bass and is my current fave.
Left is my American Performer. If someone is looking for a workhorse American-made bass that does the tried-n-true Fender thing all around, this will do that. But if somebody wants to be capable of going outside of that box, it isnt very exciting and covers no new territory - basically, its just another Fender marketing of something done before over and over (ad nauseum) repackaged as something new. Yosemite pickups are more modern sounding but can be vintaged a bit with the Greasebucket tone control (which, to me, sounds like a normal tone control that cant get lower than 5)
Right is my MIJ 1989 Fender Power Jazz Bass Special ...TBX tone control is totally interesting as well as its sweepable midrange active circuit. Reverse P mounting for the P pickup. I personally love this bass and is my current fave.
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The first one. Jazz Bass Special. I have not seen a hotter passive pickup from Fender. I also have one.
Honestly, if you're looking for a great PJ get a Yamaha BB. You'll get a lot of bass for less money compared to a Fender.
I wouldn't trade my Yamaha BB1024X for any American Custom Shop Fender.
I wouldn't trade my Yamaha BB1024X for any American Custom Shop Fender.
Right on with that. I think the point there is that Yamaha has been focussed on the PJ platform for a very long time and they've refined its performance to a very high level. For Fender, the PJ is at best an afterthought.
Another Aerodyne vote. Great playability, looks, sound, lightweight, and affordable, even with the new prices.
Give me a 5 string areodyne with a double j bridge with the 3 way switch for split, series, and parallel and add John east pre and it'd be ultimate
True 'dat. And if you don't believe it, you will when you put the Yamaha on a scale! Badump.
Smooth_bass88
vaxx!
- Oct 31, 2006
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