NBD - Jag bass

[windmill]

So, have been enjoying playing the MiJ Jag bass recently



and then started wondering

"what would those MIA Jag basses be like ?" so a few sessions of youtubing occurred.

and then , as you do, started wondering how many of them made their way downunder.

and then some browsing of shop websites took place which showed they were probably as rare as hens teeth.

and then synchronicity came into play and a used one came up for sale.

and then this happened





and then

[Homeless Blueless]

Nice one, I have one exactly the same (it doesn't have a twin like at your place though). I love the neck, beautiful finish and skinny near the nut and wide down where it meets the body. Also fits my weird love of guitars with blocks but no binding.

[Embenny]

Both of those are gorgeous. The aesthetics of the Jag plates with the P:J config are just awesome.

I'd be all over one myself if they had something other than P and J pickups. Like if they offered one with the Dimension pickup, or a soapbar, or musicman bridge pickup. I like aggressive bass tones (I play a Stingray and a Rick copy when I'm not playing my bass VI) and I'd jump on a Jag bass in a heartbeat with something more edgy than a J bass bridge pup.

I digress. Which one plays better? Are the active electronics between the two comparable or do you find one superior?

[Singlebladepickup]

I'd love either one of these. The pickups and neck sound awesome, and both look amazing. I can't handle loading batteries into a guitar, do they make one without that feature?

[Futuron]

So I see the lower switches look to be in a slightly different position.

And everything sits further back on the body of the black one - the frets are further away on the red. How does that difference feel?

I like the look of Jag basses, but I would prefer them to be short scaled like the guitar for continuity!

[Shadoweclipse13]

I'd be all over one myself if they had something other than P and J pickups. Like if they offered one with the Dimension pickup, or a soapbar, or musicman bridge pickup. I like aggressive bass tones (I play a Stingray and a Rick copy when I'm not playing my bass VI) and I'd jump on a Jag bass in a heartbeat with something more edgy than a J bass bridge pup.

Two more days and I'll be able to show what I've planning. My humbucker guitar and bass bodies are in the mail. I'm doing a Jag bass with Jag/P-bass hybrid pickguard, and am putting a MM humbucker in it

[burpgun]

Funnily enough, I'm trying to sell gear to build up a fund to buy another Jag bass. I had a Japanese one a few years back that I never really bonded with, as it helped me learn that P pickup is everything to me. I've got two of the Squire shorties and depending on how my sales go, I'm either getting a Mexican model or an American one, if I can find it. It is really such a great design. A tested look, good pickups and depending on the model, a lot of tone shaping options. I'm surprised they didn't catch on more. The American models seemed to be pretty short-lived.

[windmill]

At the moment the MiA plays better, but it has me pondering the age old string gauge/tension relationship.

The MiA active circuit is noisy so haven't really tried it out . Our Dave from Dave's World of Fun Stuff on Youtube has some answers for it.

The passive circuit works without the battery.

There doesn't feel any difference between them when playing. The MiA feels marginally lighter.

[punkkid364]

I bought one of these on Reverb at the end of July and I love it. It’s fantastic.

[Embenny]

At the moment the MiA plays better, but it has me pondering the age old string gauge/tension relationship.

The MiA active circuit is noisy so haven't really tried it out . Our Dave from Dave's World of Fun Stuff on Youtube has some answers for it.

The passive circuit works without the battery.

There doesn't feel any difference between them when playing. The MiA feels marginally lighter.

Interesting. So the active electronics in the Japanese one are better?

I have a renewed interest in these after realizing that all my favourite basses I have played/heard/owned are active.

[punkkid364]

At the moment the MiA plays better, but it has me pondering the age old string gauge/tension relationship.

The MiA active circuit is noisy so haven't really tried it out . Our Dave from Dave's World of Fun Stuff on Youtube has some answers for it.

The passive circuit works without the battery.

There doesn't feel any difference between them when playing. The MiA feels marginally lighter.

Interesting. So the active electronics in the Japanese one are better?

I have a renewed interest in these after realizing that all my favourite basses I have played/heard/owned are active.

I don't know about comparing them to the Japanese Jag (as I have only played one in a music store many years ago), but I find the Am Std active electronics to be perfectly fine. I typically have the active preamp on. Others' mileage may vary.

Could also be that with a humbucking P and a single coil J pickup, it's just noisier than the J set found in the MIJ's as nothing's cancelling out that hum. I've replaced that pickup and run a noise gate, so I don't know how much that affects it.

[burpgun]

Owned a Japanese Jag bass back in the day, and have a used American-made model on its way to be delivered today. Got a feeling it's going to be hard to find a black replacement pick guard for this guy.

[punkkid364]

Owned a Japanese Jag bass back in the day, and have a used American-made model on its way to be delivered today. Got a feeling it's going to be hard to find a black replacement pick guard for this guy.

I sent an email to WD about having one made, and they said they have that template, they just haven't updated the website with it. I'd send an email first to get better instructions for ordering one.

[burpgun]

Thanks for the info. Not sure if I'll do the replacement, as it does look nice as is. Initial impression of the bass is that the build and the neck are amazingly good. Much like the Japanese one I'm pretty sure I'll never run it in active mode ever. I doubt I'll ever use the J pickup either--so noisy! The P pickup seems a bit treblier than my '75 P bass. I'm very happy to have this bass, been wanting one ever since they first came out.