The Claudettes – Dance Scandal at the Gymnasium! | Album Review

The Claudettes – Dance Scandal at the Gymnasium!

Yellow Dog Records

www.theclaudettes.com

www.yellowdogrecords.com

12 tracks / 35:51

The Claudettes are a completely different group than the two-piece house band that used to help advertise drink specials from the stage for its namesake, Miss Claudette. Since I first heard them on Infernal Piano Plot…Hatched!, they have transformed from a piano and drums duo to a quartet, and this expanded roster has given the group a lot of headroom to explore new themes and sounds.

Johnny Iguana (not his real name) is a founding member of the group, wrote all of the songs, plays a truly mean piano, and adds backing vocals into the mix. He was joined in the studio by Matthew Torre on drums, and Zach Verdoorn on guitar, bass and backing vocals. These are all fine musicians, but they hit the jackpot when Berit Ulseth joined the The Claudettes as their singer two years ago. Her vocals are a wonderful blend of jazz and blues and I cannot really come up with another singer to compare her to; her sound is truly her own.

The band’s new CD, Dance Scandal at the Gymnasium!, was cut mostly live at Soil of the South in Valdosta, Georgia by Mark Neil, who made the instrumentalists play the songs over and over again until they got them just right. So, there is not a lot of studio trickery and overdubs going on here, just refined talent. The group laid down twelve relatively short tracks, each of which tells an intriguing story without getting bogged down by egotistical soloing or other nonsense.

The Claudettes are hard to pin down to any one genre, which is a hard one to swallow for those who are hardcore fans of any one type of music. There is a definitely a blues influence, but there is also a heavy jazz theme, and to lesser degrees you will hear rock, boogie-woogie, punk, and god know what else. All of these elements add up to a wonderful slice of Americana, and the results are very listenable.

Their set kicks off with “Don't Stay With Me,” which presents one side of the story of unequally yoked lovers who are in a relationship that is nearing its end. This frustration is presented in the music by Verdoorn’s smoothly distorted guitar while Torres’ heavy drums create a sense of tension that does not let up until Ulseth utters the final line, “You're just as sweet as can be, but please, don't stay with me.” This mood does not lighten for the next track, “November,” which is about someone who is barely keeping it all together as they age. Johnny does a nice job of holding down the bottom end here, and I hear something new with his playing every time I listen to this song.

The sound gets a little more playful with “Give it All Up for Good,” in which Berith sings about how people addicted to social media are becoming apathetic and are disconnecting from each other. This is an easy tune to get stuck in your head, thanks to the thumpy bass part, Iguana’s hammering piano, and the catchy breaks with group harmonies. In a similar vein, “Naked on the Internet” discusses how nothing ever really goes away once it is online. This song is a bit of a departure from the others as Berith shares the lead vocals with one of the fellows (I don’t know who…), and the listener is treated to brief solos from Johnny, Zach, and Matthew, which is saying a lot as this song is not much more than two minutes long.

There is not enough room to write about all twelve of the songs on the album, but they are all thoughtfully written with lyrics that cover both the troubles with relationships and the increasingly terrible social situation in our world. I must point out though, that there is a lovely instrumental on the playlist too, and that would be the title track. “Dance Scandal at the Gymnasium” shows what the rest of the band is doing while the listener is distracted on the other tracks by the clever lyrics and sultry vocals. And what they are doing is laying down a sick jam, as these guys can really play: Iguana has a killer dexterity and a righteous touch on the keys, Verdoorn is ultimately versatile and has wicked bass and guitar tones, and Torre is a frickin’ drumming machine. Damn.

Dance Scandal at the Gymnasium! is a fine album, but the Claudettes put on an excellent live show too and the band’s energy and musicianship are first rate. They bought a new van and are touring endlessly around the United States, and they even have some European dates coming up. Head over to their website to hear some samples and to see where they are going to be playing next – I have seen their new line-up at the Viper Room and they are amazing - trust me, you want to see them in person!

Blues Blast Magazine Album Review: The DogTown Blues Band – DogTown Blues

Good day!

This CD review was originally published in the March 26, 2015 edition of Blues Blast Magazine. Be sure to check out the rest of the magazine at www.bluesblastmagazine.com

The DogTown Blues Band – DogTown Blues | Album Review

Self Release

www.thedogtownbluesband.bandcamp.com

12 tracks / 52:22

DogTown is the West Los Angeles neighborhood that separates the communities of Venice Beach and Santa Monica. In the 1970s it was the rougher part of town and it was the nexus of the skateboarding revolution that brought the sport into the mainstream. This neighborhood captures the essence of the LA surf and skate culture, and the guys from the southland-based DogTown Blues Band have adopted it as their moniker. The band recently self-released their debut album, DogTown Blues, which brings a cool mixture of blues and jazz for your listening pleasure.

Though they met up in Southern California, the band members bring diverse musical influences from all parts of the US to the studio. Producer, songwriter and guitarist Richard Lubovitch hails from Chicago, and in his career he has been a sideman for Rufus Thomas and Gatemouth Brown and run his own recording studio. He wrote eight of the twelve tracks for this disk, with help from singer Q. Williams and harpmaster Bill Barrett. They were joined in the studio by Wayne Peet on keys, Tad Weed on piano, Trevor Ware and Tom Lilly on bass, and Lance Lee on the skins. There is not enough room here to run down all of their CVs but they have a wealth of experience, having played with big-time acts that include Kenny G, Diana Ross, Edgar Winters, Kenny Burrell, and Lindsey Buckingham.

DogTown Blues kicks off with “She Was Not a Girl at All,” and right away the PG-13 rating is guaranteed for this album – do not put this in the mix for you kid’s next birthday party. Though these guys are top-flight musicians, they are still having a ton of fun. Q. Williams’ voice is throaty and full of wry humor as he leads the band through this hearty blues romp. Their sound is huge with piano, Hammond organ and a super-tight backline. You will find a similar humorous theme to the slightly misogynistic “Ugly Girl Blues” which brings things right into R-rated territory.

But these guys are no joke, as they can tear off some serious blues too. “Slow Jam Blues” is a guitar-driving instrumental with a killer harmonica lead. This is followed-up by the “Sexy Man Blues” which features Weed cutting loose on his boogie woogie piano for a couple of top-shelf breaks. “Drunkard Blues” slows things down a bit, and lets Q. Williams’ fabulous voice take the front of the stage with a rich foundation of organ setting the mood.

These tunes are interspersed with four covers, including a smooth instrumental version of Howlin’ Wolf’s “Wang Dang Doodle,” a 1960 tune that was written by Willie Dixon. Then there are three other songs that you would never expect to find from a group with “Blues Band” in its name. The first of these is an instrumental of the Young Rascals’ 1967 chart topper, “Groovin’.” The vocals are switched out for Barrett’s harmonica and Lubovitch’s guitar in this laid back jazz-influenced R&B tune, and it all comes together very nicely. It is interesting that the DogTown Blues band only did instrumental versions of these tunes, as it makes it seem like they have great respect for the originals, but want to make them their own by providing a different type of voice. It is a good strategy, as it makes the album much more interesting.

There is also a sweet re-do of the Dave Brubeck Quartet’s “Take 5” with Lubovitch taking on Paul Desmond’s sax part. Richard does a great job of capturing the sax feel with his axe in what is probably the most recognizable jazz hit of all time. The final cover finishes up the album and it is way outside the box: Frank Zappa’s epic song from 1969, “Son of Mr. Green Genes.” This one was an instrumental to start with, and Richard cut this fusion/prog-rock classic down to five minutes to make it more accessible. They also took a more laid back approach to bring it more into the conventional jazz realm, and it works out just fine.

DogTown Blues is well recorded, and the songs are sequenced seamlessly so that nothing is out of place and the album can stand a singular whole, not just a collection of diverse songs. This project is a terrific debut from the DogTown Blues Band, and they are going to have to aim high to top this one. If you like jazz and blues, it is worth your time to give it a listen!

Little Charlie and Organ Grinder Swing – Skronky Tonk | Album Review

Little Charlie and Organ Grinder Swing – Skronky Tonk

EllerSoul Records

www.ellersoulrecords.com

13 tracks / 59:35

Little Charlie Baty made his name as a bluesman, playing his guitar with Alligator Records’ Little Charlie and the Nightcats, and later on with the Golden State Lone Star Blues Revue. But this Californian has been waiting to release an album that would allow him to express his love of swing jazz, and twice before he had albums ready to go and things just did not work out. Well, the third time the stars aligned for him, and Little Charlie and Organ Grinder Swing has released Skronky Tonk on EllerSoul Records; it is thirteen tracks of originals, standards, and a few things that are just a little bit different.

Organ Grinder Swing is an organ jazz trio, with Baty on the guitar, J. Hansen on drums, and Lorenzo Farrell on the Hammond organ. The legendary Kid Anderson recorded this album in January of last year at San Jose’s Greaseland Studios, though it was not released until this spring. Anderson came through once again (like he always does), and Skronky Tonk is a very well recorded disc with a clean sound and fabulous mixing.

The set kicks off with the original title track, and this upbeat jazzy blues tune is simple yet satisfying. Farrell does a fine job of filling in the bass parts with the organ, and Little Charlie is in fine form on guitar – he has a naturally flowing jazz style that is very listenable. Baty also wrote “Cobalt Blues” and “Gerontology,” and the latter gives Hansen the opportunity to shine on the drums.

Organ Grinder Swing also takes on a nice collection of classics and standards, including “How High the Moon” and Little Charlie does a very respectable job with this Les Paul classic. His tone on “Pennies from Heaven” is slightly dirty, giving the song a new feel. And “Misty” is tight with a cool Hammond lead that gives it a kitschy vintage feel, in a good way.

From the “stuff that is just a little bit different” department, there is “Receita de Samba” which features a cool Latin beat on the snare and a catchy melody from Baty’s guitar. This theme carries over to “Nuages” which was written by Django Reinhardt, and it's the first of a pair of tributes to the legendary guitarist. The other is “Django,” which was written by jazzman John Lewis and it is surprising that the organ carries the melody for the introduction, but things are put right fairly quickly as the guitar takes the lead, with some cymbal heavy jazz drumming from J. Hansen.

Skronky Tonk is a labor of love and it is awesome that Little Charlie and Organ Grinder Swing were finally able to make it available to the masses. Big thanks should go out to Watkins Ellerson of EllerSoul, who helped make this project come to fruition. Jazz is not always the most accessible form of music, but this trio’s take on it is really cool and you should give it a listen to see if it is your cup of tea. Chances are good that it will be!

1985 Fender Japan P-J Bass Guitar Review

Aloha!

On a recent trip to Japan I found today’s bass in a Hard-Off secondhand store in Nagoya, and the price was right so I had to bring it home with me. It is a 1985 Made in Japan P-J bass guitar.

This was the equivalent of the Jazz Bass Special guitars that were made famous by Duff McKagan of Guns N Roses, and later of Velvet Revolver. These basses were made by Fender at the Fujigen factory in Japan, and were of better quality than the instruments Fender produced in the US. They were originally built from 1985 to 1987 (or so). 
Like those basses, this instrument has a Precision Bass body shape with a Jazz Bass profile neck and a P/J pickup configuration.

The body is probably basswood, as it is light, and it has black hardware, (including brass bridge saddles that have been anodized black). There is a control cavity routed in the back so there is no pickguard, which also makes it easier to add active electronics. Besides black I have also seen these P-J basses in Fiesta Red, and of course this one has the distinctive black neck, which looks really cool.

This one is fairly unmolested, and it has the original electronics, including the TBX tone control. It looks like the output jack was changed somewhere along the way. It had a hard life in Japan, as most of the finish is worn off along the bottom edge, but the frets and fretboard are still in good condition.

This bass has good tone, and I have always loved the flexibility of having the PJ combination, but playability was a bit rough when I got it. It was as buzzy as anything, and it took a lot of experimentation to get the relief under control, and I ended up having to go to a slightly larger string set-up than I had hoped to so it would be playable. It turned out ok, and I ended up moving it on to a friend for what I paid for it, making it a smoking deal for a good instrument.

Mahalo!

1991 ESP M-IV Bass Guitar Review

Howdy!

Today we are looking at ESP’s answer to Fender’s tremendously successful Japan-built Jazz Bass Special that Duff McKagan popularized in the late 1980s/early 1990s – the M-IV. This P-bass derivative has many of the features of that iconic bass, including the pearl white finish, a black headstock, black hardware, and passive P-J pickups. As far as I can tell, they were built in Japan by ESP and were never intended for export; very few made it to the states. I have never seen one in this color combination or without the pointy ESP heavy metal headstock.

As with any Japanese guitar copy, always there are a few things that are not quite like the original. Most obviously, the back of the neck is finished in clear instead of black, and the body is more aggressively carved. Less obviously, there is no TBX tone control, and the nut is a tad wider than the Fender, coming in at around 1-11/16 inches. It is still quite fast and manageable, though.

The materials are good, with an alder body, maple neck, and a rosewood fretboard with 21 frets hammered into it. The hardware is very nice, with a high-mass bridge and large base open-gear tuners, and all of it is finished in black that has not oxidized yet, unlike every Japanese Fender I have ever seen. The controls are simple: volume, tone, and a 3-way switch.

It is a really well made bass, with great fretwork and excellent fit and finish on the neck pocket. The truss rod has not maxed out and it is easy to dial in a low action with no buzzing or other untoward side effects. It has been well cared for with no damage, repairs or modifications. The pearl white paint has faded into a very light yellow, but not nearly so much as the Fender Jazz Bass Specials from the same era.

All of this adds up to a great playing and sounding bass that is very versatile. Some guys are down on the P-J pickup set-up, but it is still one of my all-time favorites. The electronics are quiet and high output and this bass can sound very smooth or aggressive. The body cutaways provide a little better access to the higher frets, but who uses those things, anyway? Oh yeah, and as an added bonus, this thing weighs just a touch over 8 pounds – not bad!

Nothing stays around here very long, but it is sweet for now and I love the look of it. Drop me a line if you are interested, maybe we can make a deal!

Mahalo!

Blue Lunch – Above the Fold |Album Review

Blue Lunch – Above the Fold |Album Review

Rip Cat Records

www.bluelunch.com

www.ripcatrecords.com

15 tracks / 60:42

I am always happy to see a new album from Rip Cat Records, the purveyors of fine blues, swing, and rockabilly who are based in my hometown of Long Beach, California. They only represent solid artists and put out great music, and it is no surprise that their latest release from Blue Lunch, Above the Fold, is no exception!

Now, these guys are not from the Southland but come straight out of Cleveland, a truly rocking city. This band has been kicking around in various forms since I was in college (30 years ago) and Above the Fold is their eighth release. The gang includes Peter London on vocals and harmonica (the only original member), Bob Frank on vocals and guitars, Mike Sands on piano, Ray Deforest on bass, and Scott Flowers on drums. Completing the octet is also a killer horn section of Chris Burge on sax, Mike Rubin on trumpet, and Bob Michael on trombone.

This album is chock full of originals written by Burge, Frank, and London, along with a couple of other tunes that may be familiar to you, making for an hour-long set. Though they are often referred to as a jump blues band, these fifteen songs draw from many genres so the show never gets into a rut. And it really is a show, as most of the material was laid down live in the studio (with the usual vocal overdubs), which results in a vibrant sound throughout.

Above the Fold kicks off with “Ain’t Trying to Kill Nobody,” and it is apparent that this will be a fun album! The clever lyrics, slick guitars, and smoking sax ensure that the listener is drawn in right away. From there they continue their tour through different styles, with a bit of jazz in “One Fine Day,” a righteous boogie with “The Long Game,” and some Rip Cat swing on “Everybody’s on the Phone.” They also touch on blues, Afro-Cuban rhythms, pop, gospel, rhythm and blues, big band, and jump blues. There is a little something for everybody here, and they even threw in a few instrumentals!

The standout track of this effort is “Where Do You Think It’s Going,” which checks all of the boxes. It has a glorious gospel/soul/rock feel with strong lyrics, perfectly arranged horns, a smoking harp solo, a roaring bass line, and killer guest vocals from Evelyn Wright and Hammond organ from Tim Longfellow. This song comes in under three minutes, and I wish it were a bit longer!

There are also a couple of lost hits of the 1950s included on the album: Andre Williams’ “Tossin’ & Turnin’ & Burnin’ All Up Inside” and Dave Bartholomew’s “Love No More,” both of which play to the strengths of the horn section. And finally, the set draws to a close with a traditional a capella gospel tune, "Good News," which was the perfect way to finish this project.

One last thing: the liner notes are really neat. The band had their friend (and distant relative), Harlan Ellison, write a few words and it is great to see two artists that I enjoy get together when I least expected it. By the way, his quote of a quote is spot on in so many ways: “To define is to kill. Too suggest is to create.”

Above the Fold is a really cool album full of songs that are all a little different, and the guys from Blue Lunch really delivered the goods. Don’t try to put them in a box, just buy the CD and enjoy their music, or better yet check out one of the 120 shows they perform every year. Trust me!

1987 Fender Japan Jazz Bass Special PJ-36 Review

Hi there!

I have written before about the original run of Fender Jazz Bass Special instruments. One of these was my first decent bass, and they have remained one of my favorite basses of all time. If you are not familiar with these, the Jazz Bass Special was made famous by Duff McKagan of Guns N Roses, and later of Velvet Revolver. These basses were made by Fender at the Fujigen factory in Japan, and were of better quality than the instruments Fender produced in the US. They were originally built from 1985 to 1987 (or so). 
The ”special” part of the Jazz Bass Special is that it has a Precision Bass body shape with a Jazz Bass profile neck and a P/J pickup configuration. 


The bodies are probably basswood, as they are light, and they all got black hardware, (including brass bridge saddles that have been anodized black). They have a control cavity routed in the back so there is no pickguard (this also makes it easier to add active electronics). I have had them finished in black, red, Sonic Blue, and of course, the yellowed pearl white of Mr. McKagan’s basses.

Well, today’s black Made in Japan 1987 Jazz Bass Special has all of this stuff, but it is a domestic-only PJ-36 model that has different specifications than the models we are used to seeing. Starting from the top:

1. Gotoh compact tuners instead of full-size Fender style clover leafs

2. All of the neck, including the headstock is finished in clear instead of black

3. Standard volume-volume-tone set-up for the PJ pickups, with no TBX tone circuit

4. Output jack located on the front of the instrument instead of being recessed into the side

Not having a black neck will be a deal-breaker for most folks, as that is the signature look of the Jazz Bass Special. It is not too big of a deal for me, as these are still pretty awesome, and the lower price point to get into one of these is attractive.

This one is a great bass; the frets and fretboard are still in great shape almost 30 years later. It is light, really light, weighing in at around 7 pounds, 4 ounces. It appears to be largely unmolested, though I do not know if the knobs are original, as I have never seen one of these before. There are big ugly splotches on the body paint where something reacted with it or someone tried to cover up damage.

It is a nice player, and I got a low action out of it with no problems. It has good tone, and I have always loved the flexibility of having the PJ combination.

So, what am I going to do with it? I am not a fan of modifying guitars, but this one is going to get breathed on heavily, as the paint damage is enough to kill any sort of collectability. It is coming apart for a new custom paint job by a local hotrod builder, and it is getting some sort of active electronics package (I am still deciding which one). I will stop short of putting a brass nut on it. Maybe.

Mahalo!

1997 Fender JB62-75US Jazz Bass Review

Aloha!

Every bassist needs to keep at least one Jazz Bass around, and today we are looking at my current Fender Jazz. Those that know me are surely tired of hearing me talk about how good Japanese Fenders are, so I will just say that this one meets my high expectations. This is a recently imported crafted in 1997 Japan Fender 62-75US Jazz Bass that came straight to me from Tokyo.

This model code is easy enough to decode: the 62 indicates that this is a 1962 re-issue, the 75 is the original sales price (75,000 Yen) and the US means that this bass shipped from the factory with Fender United States-sourced pickups. This bass looks the part, with a smart 3-tone sunburst finish (poly) over the ash body and a faux tortoise shell guard.

The neck is slim with a pretty rosewood fretboard. The 20 original frets are vintage sized, and there are nice full-sized tuners, not the wrong-looking small base tuners that are found on the 62-58. The logos all look right (except for the contour body one, which is not in the right place) and they even put the extra strap button on the back of the headstock.

They also put the right bridge on this bass, a serrated vintage style unit with the period correct ground strap running from it to the pickup cavity. There are the usual Jazz Bass volume/volume/tone knobs connected to the single coil pickups. No big surprises here.

The overall condition of this instrument is very good, with just normal play wear. The original frets are in good shape and are still level, – the craftsmanship is first rate. The US pickups are a bit beefier, with more output than their Japanese counterparts. What more could you want?

I set it up with roundwounds, and it has a nice medium action, a fast neck, it looks good, and it sounds exactly like a Jazz Bass should. It is not terribly heavy, either, coming in at 9 ½ pounds. You cannot beat the prices of these instruments either, especially if you pick one up overseas. There is nothing on the used market in the US that can even compare at this price point. If you are looking for a solid Jazz Bass, you need to check one of these out if you can find one!

Mahalo!

2011 Nash JB-63 Jazz Bass Guitar Review

Hello!

Today we are looking at a fabulous Jazz Bass copy: a Bill Nash built JB-63. I was all out of Jazz Basses recently, and this one practically fell into my lap. What could I do?

Bill Nash has been assembling vintage-style guitars since 2001, and has gained a lot of respect and a faithful following because he builds guitars that play very well and sound incredible. These guitars have all received the relic treatment, and they will not build you a shiny new guitar. I’ve asked…

By the way, Bill Nash initials and dates the headstock on each guitar they build, and writes the serial number on the tip of the headstock. And the serial number convention is something I have not seen before. The first two letters of the serial number denote which dealer the guitar was shipped to. In this case it starts with “SND”, because it was originally shipped to Soundpure Music in North Carolina.

Spec-wise, this JB-63 is a fairly faithful reproduction of a 1963 Fender Jazz Bass. It has an alder body with a black nitrocellulose lacquer finish and a dead-on accurate tortoise shell pickguard. The slim maple neck has a C shape and a 10-inch radius rosewood fretboard with a 1 ½-inch width Tusq nut. They installed tall Dunlop 6105 frets on this one, which is a departure from the early 1960s standard.

The hardware is also true to the theme, with Kluson-style reverse tuners and a serrated-saddle bridge. Nash went with Jason Lollar pickups, which I think are the best choice for a J-bass these days. There is no pre-amplifier, just the expected volume/volume/tone pots.

And all of these fabulous things were put together very well by the folks over at Nash Guitars. The craftsmanship is very good, with a comfortable neck and great fretwork. I have not found any dead spots, and the Lollar pickups sound very rich. It does not hurt that it is relatively light, coming in at a touch over 9 pounds.

This is one of the best Jazz Basses I have ever owned, and it should be for a street price of around $1900.

As with all Nash guitars, I am a little hung up on the way this one looks. Even though this one is described as having light aging, I think the relic process goes a little too far -- I guess I do not have to worry about scratching it. Also, there are no bridge cover or pickup cover holes drilled in the bass, which is an oversight for a 1960s Fender replica. If that is all I have to complain about, they must have done a good job!

If you have not had the opportunity to play a Bill Nash guitar or bass, I recommend you give one a shot. It may be the closest you will get to play a pre-CBS Fender.

Mahalo!

Jazz Inn Lovely, Nagoya, Japan

Greetings!

I am not the world’s biggest jazz music fan, but I appreciate a good performance, and the Jazz Inn Lovely in Nagoya Japan always had top-notch performers on its stage.

The Jazz Inn Lovely is a small club located near Sakae that has been in town for over 30 years. They have a number of regular local artists, and they support them through the club’s own music label. Often times these performers and bands go on to become quite hege in Japan. But, they also draw in nationally popular artists, such as the equally lovely Keiko Lee.

It is a small club, so it is intimate, but it has a reasonably large stage (for a Japanese club). So there is an intimate vibe, but it does not feel cramped or crowded. Every time I have been there the sound has been perfect, not too loud and everything was as clear as a bell.

They have a full bar, and they serve good food with reasonable prices, and not much of anything over 1000 Yen. It is a foreigner-friendly place, and their service staff speaks good English.

It is open from 6PM to 2 AM, and the live music starts at 8:00 each evening. There is usually a cover charge, from 2000 Yen up to around 6000 Yen, depending on who is playing. If you show up late (close to midnight) there is no cover charge.

The Jazz Inn Lovely is located at 1-10-15 Higashi-sakura, Higashi-ku, Nagoya Aichi Prefecture 461-0005, and the phone number is +81 (0)52 951 6085. It is easy to get to, just a two-minute walk from Exit #5B of the Hisaya-odori Station on the Sakuradori Line.

Mahalo!

Fender Jazz Bass Special

Some folks have requested that I write about the original run of Fender Jazz Bass Specials, and I am happy to oblige. One of these was my first decent bass, and they have remained one of my favorite basses of all time. I have owned bunches of them, making me a pseudo-expert.

If you are not familiar with these, Jazz Bass Specials were made famous by Duff McKagan of Guns N Roses, and later of Velvet Revolver. These basses were made by Fender in Japan in the early years that were known for the best MIJ guitars, and were of better quality than the ones produced in the US. They were originally produced from 1985 to 1987 (or so).

The ”special” part of the Jazz Bass Special is that it has a Precision Bass body shape with a Jazz Bass profile neck and a P/J pickup configuration.

The bodies are probably basswood, as they are light. They have a control cavity routed in the back so there is no pickguard (this also makes it easier to add active electronics). I have had them finished in black, red, Sonic Blue, and of course, the yellowed pearl white of Mr. McKagan’s basses.

The necks all have a glossy black headstock, and a rosewood fretboard. They were available fretted or fretless. The backs maple necks were either clear coated, or painted glossy black. The glossy black ones are much more desireable.

The pickup s are passive with volume/volume/TBX (tone) controls with a 3-way pickup selector. Many times Jazz Bass Specials have been modified with active electronics, such as EMG or the Seymour Duncan pickups (the ones with the little toggle switches) that were so popular back then.

They came with black hardware, which had some issues with the finish. The neck plates and bridges oxidized badly and developed an ugly, chalky appearance over time. This led to a lot of bridge replacements, which is a shame: there are really nice brass saddles underneath that black finish.

Often times, the knobs were replaced, too. They came with F-logo plastic knobs that had a nubbly rubber grip around the edge. Good luck finding replacements if they are missing, because Fender does not sell them, and I never see them for sale on eBay. I am thinking about re-issuing them myself.

Anyway, these are great basses. They sound good, play very well, and generally come in under 9 pounds. Plus they are pretty cheap. These are still a great deal, with unmolested examples in good condition selling for about $500.

I would pick up one of these original Jazz Bass Specials Japanese before considering one of the low-quality newer re-issues.

Mahalo!