Fender Special Edition Deluxe PJ Bass

Comments about Fender Special Edition Deluxe PJ Bass:

I'm happy w the purchase, but in case anyone from Fender or MF reads this I want to give some feedback on the quality control issues that persist with MIM fenders. Alot of questionable QC problems slip by, especially on your "Special run" instruments.

These models often ship w noticeable imperfections, and even actual damage that seemingly occurs in the assembly process.

Received my PJ deluxe, and when I opened the sealed box there were scratches across the back of the body, deep enough to be thru the finish. The front looked a little rough too like it was put face down on a surface. I thought maybe I had a re-stock, but the boxes were sealed so I know this is how it was shipped from the factory. I am otherwise happy so since it was mostly on the back I've decided not to return it.

Otherwise it's a nice instrument, the features are a dream version of a custom bass. Jazz neck, P-body, both sets of pickups, and I like the passive version ( I also own the active deluxe special). This is what you would get if Geddy Lee mated with a P-bass. Pretty Cool.

Here are the real specs I was able to find online. The description above is not quite accurate, it's not a fender hi mass bridge, it's a leo quann. The jazz pickup is a noiseless one, both upgrades are better than advertised. Get it and you will enjoy, as long as you dont get one with tons of quality issues.

Model Name: FSR Deluxe P Bass® Special
Model Number: 014-0054-(Color #)
Series: DELUXE SERIES
Body: Alder, (Precision Bass® Body)
Neck: Maple, (Jazz Bass® Neck with Precision Bass® Special Decal)
Fingerboard: Maple, (9.5" Radius/241 mm)
No. of Frets: 20 Medium Jumbo Frets
Scale Length: 34" (864 mm)
Width @ Nut: 1.50" (38 mm)
Hardware: Chrome
Machine Heads: Standard
Bridge: Leo Quan Badass® II with Grooved Saddles
Pickguard: 4-Ply Tortoise Shell on (506), 3-Ply Parchment on (549),
Pickups: 1 Vintage Special Precision Bass® Pickup (Mid), 1 Vintage Special Noiseless Jazz Bass® (Bridge)
Pickup Switching: N/A
Controls: Volume 1. (Neck Pickup),
Volume 2. (Bridge Pickup),
Master Tone
Colors: (506) Black,
(549) Sea Foam Metallic,
(Polyurethane Finish)
Strings: Fender USA, NPS, Gauges: (.045, .065, .085, .105)
Unique Features: Black Block Position Inlays,
Black Fingerboard Binding,
Knurled Chrome Flattop Control Knobs,
Top Mounted Input Jack,
Source: MEXICO
Accessories: None
INTRODUCED: 5/2013
DISCONTINUED:
DISCONTINUED COLORS:
COMMENTS: FSR for GC 2013,...to date @ 200 Black, @ 300 SFM
WRENCH SIZES: Truss Rod Adjustment Wrench, (3/16" Hex), P/N 0038467049

Comments about Fender Special Edition Deluxe PJ Bass:

Just got this one in the black finish. Took a gamble since there's no documented specs at the time of this review. Bad %$# II Bridge(yeah MF censors reviews), Passive Electronics, Noiseless J Pickup, jazz Bass neck. Terrific fit and finish out of the box. Unfortunately, it did not come with a gig bag..a bit of a let down considering the price. Regardless, I've been waiting for Fender to make a nice P-Bass with a PJ setup...this is it!

Comments about Fender Special Edition Deluxe PJ Bass:

I was captivated by this bass several years ago when Fender first introduced it. But I wouldn't buy it because it was active, and I prefer passive basses. A few years later - problem solved! They re-introduced it in a passive version.

I had been looking for a used one (generally a better value), but decided to snag one during the 4th of July sale. Thoughts:

I was a bit concerned because it ships without a case or gig bag. But no problem there. It was secure, and double-boxed. Upon opening, I was immediately struck by how attractive it looks. While I've always liked the Fender Seafoam Green, I always preferred the lighter Surf Green. But this Seafoam Pearl appears to be somewhere in the middle, with a metallic look to it. Very nice.

Pickups/Tone: I half expected to have to upgrade the pickups. I even looked around for either the Geezer Butlers or the Duncan SPB/J 1 set. But after playing it, I decided that the stock pickups sound just fine; and no upgrade is needed. Sounds great. I'm a flats guy, so I immediately threw on a set of GHS Precision Flats, and they sound killer.

Two minor complaints: I'm not impressed with the tuning machines that come stock, and will probably upgrade them at some point. They're not horrible, but there are a few hesitation points when fine-tuning on some of them. What I mean is that while tuning up to pitch, they're not always as responsive as they could be. Slight turns sometimes result in no change in pitch. Then all of a sudden it'll "jump up" too far, and have to be backed off and re-tuned to pitch. But again, not badly. Not as bad as it sounds when reading this. Just not as responsive as the tuners on the American Fenders. The only other minor gripe is the back of the neck. I prefer more of a satin finish on the back of the neck. YMMV, as some actually prefer this thicker, more poly-type finish.

Bottom line? I'm glad I bought it. Love the look and the tones available. Probably not going anywhere!

Comments about Fender Special Edition Deluxe PJ Bass:

I am genuinely surprised at how high quality this instrument is for a Mexican made. The sound from the pickups really is noiseless and they blend together beautifully. This is my first PJ, and I though the J pickup would just add some growl and clarity, but it actually opens things up in a major way. The P Pickup is solid P sound through and through, nothing diminished. But rolling on the J Pickup and putting the tone up half way gives a gnarly growl to it, especially when played with a pick, almost like T-40, or even a rick tone. But cranking the J and the tone all the way up takes you into slap territory I didn't expect from a P. Thing is a thumpy beast and feels great.

The fret ends are not boutique smooth filed, but by no means are they a hindrance or distraction as I have experienced on other Mexi-basses. The black binding and block inlays on the neck are so nice, and look even better with a black pickguard. The only stylistic thing I am wanting from this is a matching headstock, that would send this thing over the moon with style.

The bridge is nearly identical to a Badazs II, and the weight of the bass is very balanced. Tuners are nothing special. One thing I noticed was that after pulling off the pickguard, the shielding paint is not painted around the entire cavity, just along the bottoms so something to be aware of if you're a tinkerer.

The only downsides are that it doesn't come with a case for that price, and that the factory setup was bad. I bought a new Squire that came out near perfect out of the box, intonation, neck, and string height were all spot on. This bass needed adjustments all over, but after taking the time to make all the adjustments she played beautifully.

Comments about Fender Special Edition Deluxe PJ Bass:

I had the pleasure to play this bass a few times in local GC stores. My first reaction came from the weight and feel of the instrument; it's not too heavy and is very smooth. I enjoyed the maple neck found on this bass over other Fender basses with darkwood fingerboards. I decided to plug it into a TC Electronic 500W amp and cabinet to see how the bass could handle smaller amps and I was further surprised. If you dial the bass and amp right, and it doesn't take much, you can really get anything you want. Having the PJ combo provides a lot of sonic flexibility that avoids having to change the amp a lot. I was sorry to put this guy down on its stand.

Comments about Deluxe PJ Bass:

I got the Sea Foam Pearl color and it is just magnificent. I did some minor setup myself -- action and intonation -- and now this bass plays so smooth and sounds so nice, classic Fender. I've received many compliments already playing it out. This ones a gem!

Comments about Fender Special Edition Deluxe PJ Bass:

Been looking at this bass for over a year and finally pulled the trigger. Arrived in 2 days via ground delivery. Very nice craftsmanship, no flaws in finish, neck smooth, action and intonation spot on right out of box. Green color is very classy and unique and when paired with the maple neck with black binding around edges, and block inlays, it's an outstanding looking bass that fits in any type of setting.

I am primarily a Precision bass player but sometimes wanted to have the clean mid growl of the Jazz bass pickups and that's exactly what this bass gives you. The 2 pickups together sound great wide open and turning down the Jazz puts you right into classic Precision sound. The Jazz pickup by itself is a bit weak compared to the Pbass pickup but works well for pop and slap.

As noted by others in reviews, the tuners are pretty sloppy and sticky and some of the edges of the frets could have been rounded off a bit more, some feel pretty sharp. Both of these issues can be solved easily and even taking this into account I think that this bass has good value.

I play this through a Markbass 2x10 combo.

Comments about Fender Special Edition Deluxe PJ Bass:

Absolutely beautiful bass .had to do a set up on it came detuned tuned to 440 and had buzz at zero fret on a string did neck adjustment took care of issue did a string change to my personal favorite DR STRINGS flatwound had to file in groves in the nut there were none retuned to 440 and did a action and intenation setup and it plays like one of my high end rickenbacker basses. Total time to get her all set up was less than a hour.this is the best of both worlds the neck is slim and fast the body is smaller than a standard j and has the 2 pickups and a blend knob you can get the tone you want. Sounds great out of my gallen kruger and my trace elliot.

Comments about Fender Special Edition Deluxe PJ Bass:

I bought this bass because some of the great features, but was unsure how the Mexican build quality would be. I hate to sound like a snob, but I believe the USA made instruments are far better than the imported stuff for professional use. This bass is built beautifully, feels solid, and sounds, plays and looks awesome. What a piece. The Sea Foam Pearl finish is nicely done and very cool different.This bass can give you almost any tone you are looking for depending on where you position your right hand, and it has sustain for days. No real hum under stage lights to speak of and it stays in tune with great intonation with nice low action. I may get called upon often.What a bargin

Comments about Fender Special Edition Deluxe PJ Bass:

I went in to a music store with my wife to buy a string saddle for my guitarists ES335. She saw this seafoam green thing and fell in love with the color.She insisted I get it down and try it. I am a traditionalist and didn't THINK I liked PJ's or green or black blocks on a maple neck. BOY WAS I WRONG! The bass just felt amazing right off the shelf. I fell in love immediately as I am a Precision guy who likes mine with the Jazz neck. Another thing that surprised me was the tone flexibility. I like the precision sound and find a single coil Jazz too trebley. With the P pickup maxed you can adjust the J until you get just enough of it to bring out the sound of the d and g strings that is missing in a P bass without being too tinny. No single coil buzz either! Another thing I didn't think of was how well you can see the block inlays and find your way around the fretboard in weird lighting. The only minor issue as others have mentioned is the factory tuners. I have never been a fan of Fender tuners and will probably get a set of Hipshots eventually. (Fender, why don't you partner with this great tuner company?) Yes, I would recommend this Mexican wonder to ANYONE.

Comments about Fender Special Edition Deluxe PJ Bass:

I've had this bass for some eight months now. I'm spoiled. I sold my P Bass and hardly ever ply either my Jazz or Thunderbird. Every time I play one or the other it just makes me appreciate thid PJ Delux all the more. There has never been any issues with fret wire ends or lack of definition from the Jazz pickup.
I'm playing mostly Alt. and Classic rock along with some punk and prog.
My rig is all Hatke Amp, 4x10 and 1x18 Depending on the set I sometimes ad a Ashedown NM2 and a Boss DS-2, 90-95% of the time though it's all done with no pedal and playing the pup's and tone is all that I need, and the sound is incredible. I highly reccomend this guitar!!

Comments about Fender Special Edition Deluxe PJ Bass:

Purchased this bass for my 14 year old granddaughter. She takes bass lessons every week and needed a quality bass upgrade. There were no blemishes or scratches as advertised, just remove the plastic protection on the pick guard and pickups! Sounds great through a Bassman Amp and the GK Fusion
Amp. This Bass will last for years and provide great performance for most skill levels.

Comments about Fender Special Edition Deluxe PJ Bass:

This bass came ready out of the box! I couldn't believe how great the feel and adjustment of the neck was. Typically, I'd have to take my new bass to have them adjusted after receiving them. Not this one. The neck was great and the hight of the strings was just about where I like them. Even the stock Fender strings weren't bad. Although I did change those a few days after. Hey, I love DR strings and that's a I'll ever play in my babies. But I digress. The pups on this bass are just phenomenal. I really can't say enough about them. The J-bass Noisless pup is pretty awesome. Not to mention the 70's maple Jazz neck. It helps give your overall tone a different feel.

Comments about Fender Special Edition Deluxe PJ Bass:

My white PJ arrived without a mark on it. Workmanship is top notch. Looked hard for flaws, but found none. The bass showed up in tune! Played it for a week before doing very minor adjustment to the action. Intonation was spot on. I almost expected to find something wrong with my new Mexican friend, but was indeed relieved, and excited to now own a Fender that I can be proud of! Now, all that said, I can only give it a four star review. Smoother tuner operation, and at least a padded gig bag included, would've garnered a perfect five stars.

Comments about Fender Special Edition Deluxe PJ Bass:

This bass is a winner. I have always played P-Basses but wanted to get more color in my tone. This bass does the trick and produces tones from the smooth woody P-bass sound to a bright jazzy tone to one that has a peter gunn theme feel to it. The quality seem great, no buzz, no sounds when I turn the pots, nice. Also this seafoam green color is better than it appears in the photo. There is a bit of metal flake sparkle that the photo doesn't do justice to. I would definitely recommend this bass, and would buy it again, only faster.

Comments about Fender Special Edition Deluxe PJ Bass:

My wife bought this baby for my 50th year as a pro musician. After getting it set up, I played it for first time at a gig , and I was absolutely pleased with the tonal flexibility the P/J PU array allows. If only this came in a 5 string model...(Hint) This is the only 4 string I now play and I will install a Hip Shot Drop tuner which will give me a little more on the bottom end. ...If it only came in a 5 string model... :-)

Comments about Fender Special Edition Deluxe PJ Bass:

I have been a Bass player for over 35 Years. When it comes to a 4 string Bass it is so hard to decide between a JAZZ or a Precision..........Now you Don't have to choose. You get the tone of both and the comfort of both all in 1. I am not overly crazy about the noiseless Jazz P-up but other than that this bass is AMAZING.

Comments about Fender Special Edition Deluxe PJ Bass:

Perfect for me because I missed the bark of a Precision but love the Jazz neck. I also like the high mass bridge. I took it out of the box, strung it with flats and it works great for the surf/50-60's rock and roll band whose gigs I am allowed to ruin at this point.

Comments about Fender Special Edition Deluxe PJ Bass:

Way better than expected for a Mexican made product. With the proper set up (like a small truss rod adjustment) it plays spot on. Love the sound and sustain, the bridge is a big key to that. Very cool color, better in person.

Comments about Fender Special Edition Deluxe PJ Bass:

Fantastic bass, no blems that I can find. Didn't even need a set up. It sounds great, is very fun to play and is GORGEOUS! This is my first mim Fender and I've always been hesitant to not buy American but this bass is beautiful and now I'm wondering why I waited so long.