2024 Fender Japan Short Scale Jazz Bass Guitar in Black with Tonerider Pickups

  

As new Fender Japan short scale Junior Collection jazz bass guitar, so far only available for import from Japan/Australia. Pristine condition (cellophane is still on the pickguard) with gig bag (more of a dust jacket, the padding is only 5mm thick), weighs only 3.5kg / 7.7lbs.

No idea why Fender don't sell these more widely, it's a cracking little bass which plays fantastically, really suits the short scale format. The body has been scaled down to fit the shorter neck so it balances correctly, so the pickguard and control plate are non-standard sizes, but all the other fixtures & fittings (bridge, pickups & tuners) are as stock and can be swapped out with regular Jazz-compatible components. Balances really nicely on a strap, sitting comfortably at a 10-15% incline up from horizontal depending on height. The weight hangs straight down as well, despite being an offset it doesn't drift off to the right like some asymmetrical basses can.

The neck is a modern "C" shape (so slightly flatter than a standard "C", somewhere between a "C" and a "D"), going from 1.50" wide at the nut to 2.20" at the 12th fret with a satin finish on the back which feels great and plays super fast. Gloss finish on the body, and the rosewood fretboard has been stained almost black, looks closer to ebony or mahogany than a standard rosewood fretboard.

When this initially arrived from Japan it didn't sound all that great, with a hollow sound lacking in bass response. After some back and forth sorry Ash!

It sounds absolutely fantastic now - deep, gurgling and full throated, exactly how you'd expect a jazz bass to sound, but in a light, comfortable and easy to play instrument.