Fender Jazz Bass Gets Sorted Out

[@SchlegFace765]

Dave, I think my favorite thing about your videos is your honesty. So many other guitar video people will look at a bad design choice and despite common sense will chalk it up to guitar manufacturers knowing better than us. Thank you for pointing out stupid things when they are in fact stupid!

[@Mike-Olds-1]

The guy who thinks the string saddles should follow the neck radius is probably the same guy who designed that pick guard.

[@roytofilovski9530]

No. The pickguard guy is even dumber! That requires a truly unique level of stupidity.

[@Jah_Rastafari_ORIG]

Actually, thinking about it, the exception to that rule are multi-string saddles, like a Tele or Duo-Sonic...and then, only the outer saddles...

[@timhouston1638]

What are the chances that's the same guy that decided Fender should call vibrato tremolo and tremolo vibrato and to this day Fender refuses to change it?

[@lepetitnabot]

Hot take : you should not have to remove any parts to adjust a truss rod.

[@larryburwell8550]

Glad to see a real quality. Poorly set up though but Dave's the man. The end is always satisfaction for ownerx5

[@valentino3191]

Fender should contract a half dozen repair technicians like you as consultants and compile a list of design changes for easier serviceability. All simple design alterations, but would make much better products.

[@stoutlager6325]

At this point I'm convinced there is some guy in Fender R&D who is well aware of the issue and refuses to change it because he thinks it looks nicer. I don't believe they are blissfully ignorant of this issue and the thousands of people annoyed by it.

[@valentino3191]

You’re probably right. But I tend to be a skeptic and refuse to underestimate the silliness of some people in companies.

[@Balin93]

5:40 Intonation

[@fernandogarajalde4066]

Fender USA instruments come with a very limited warranty that self-destructs when the original owner tries to adjust his/her own neck or when the thin plastic Saran Wrap is peeled off the pick guard. That’s why it’s better to buy used instruments and let Dave fix it for you. 😎

[@frankking781]

You sir, are a gentlemen.

[@tomschrein417]

Yep the pickguard on my Jazz Bass looks just like that. I thought it was just me.

[@Ben_Mdws]

Hope someone from Fender watches these videos.

[@danriley5848]

Another life saved and a job well done. ✌🏻

[@heikkivuori]

Good job Dave!

[@ian-c.01]

If I had to adjust that truss rod I'd be carving that pick guard away to make it possible ! You wouldn't even need power tools just some sandpaper wrapped around a dowel would do it or if you couldn't find a bit of dowel there are many other things that would work, a battery or a cigarette lighter, you could use almost anything as long as you were careful and finished off with a fairly fine grit.

[@BasicDrumming]

Great video.

[@timhouston1638]

I've been watching for years and that is the best sounding bass (on video) I've ever heard Dave play.

[@sefton1972]

Flatwounds is why. Jazz bass with both pickups on full & flats equals lovely old school tone.

[@timhouston1638]

@@sefton1972 I'm a guitar player and don't own an actual bass, but I have a Squier Bass VI and put Labella flats on it and it's awesome fun, also use flats on my '62 Jaguar guitar. Big fan of flatwounds.

[@sefton1972]

@@timhouston1638 they make basses feel & sound like a million dollars.

[@dant9310]

Thanks Dave

[@aminahmed2220]

What a fantastic video I actually enjoyed it have a good weekend

[@rhynod6796]

Adjusting the truss rod on American made Fenders is easy... the only problem is you will gouge the pick guard if you don't take it off.

[@michaelhorozko2347]

you are correct, I scuffed my tort. I'll kick myself Later.

[@eltorpedo67]

Yes, we watched the video.

[@tboneaja]

That's not the first time I've been called a knucklehead😂

[@TheBassJourney]

"someone needs a slap" 😂

[@oldfriend327]

Just my opinion and that of more than two dozen Guitar Center and Sam Ash employees spread out over the last ten years is Fender's and Gibson's approach to making musical instruments is quantity, not quality. I'll never forget the time one Guitar Center employee told me "A strong 75% of Fender instruments including USA Custom Shop stuff needs work right out of the box."

[@ooinvsaoo]

What is that hole near the bottom horn under the pickguard for?

[@DavesWorldofFunStuff]

machine position for manufacturing

[@ooinvsaoo]

@Dave's World of Fun Stuff 🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️fender..

[@lumberjact]

Could be an aftermarket, non Fender pickguard. It would explain the lack of access to the truss rod. If it's an original pickguard then Fender need to get their act together.

[@DavesWorldofFunStuff]

no

[@eltorpedo67]

It's not aftermarket. Have the exact same bass, same tort pickguard, same problem.

[@natron1908]

All the tension is riding on one screw. The secondary screw does nothing. Never thought of it that way. Thought the secondary screw was important also. Terrible to have all that tension.

[@mark10test3]

So what's the empty hole in the body just south east of the fwd pickup for? Pickup selector switch that this model came without?

[@DavesWorldofFunStuff]

machine position for making the body

[@neo9351]

Fender does this on bodies that are sold separately through fender, ie someone building their own bass. I guess it’s to differentiate a factory guitar verses a parts kit build.

[@outofcloudsmusic]

I own a '06 Diamond Series USA Jazz, nearly identical to this one with the exceptions being mine having a white pickguard as well as the Fender S1 switch in the volume knob to alternate between jazz and precision tone. When I swapped the factory white pickguard for a tort, I noticed that hole in my bass's body as well. I must respectfully disagree that it's not to differentiate parts builds from factory guitars as I bought my Jazz brand new off the floor 17 years ago.

[@ericjohnson6105]

What is Dave's official take on truss rod adjustment at base of neck as opposed to tuner side adjustment?

[@Jah_Rastafari_ORIG]

"THIS"... may be Swiss...

[@roytofilovski9530]

Maybe Fender gives you a specific Allen wrench that fits that tiny hole, and if you lose it then you have to buy a new one from them. Maybe?

[@roytofilovski9530]

If that is not the case, then I don't know what to say. We can send people to the Moon, 50 plus years ago, but we can't cut a pickguard properly......

[@DavesWorldofFunStuff]

I HAVE THE WRENCH THEY GIVE YOU fuk nuts it says FENDER

[@esseel7896]

@@DavesWorldofFunStuff lol daves on fire

[@rhettdodge3882]

Musicman’s flywheel truss rod adjustment is one of the best advances in guitar creation. Prove me wrong Dave

[@DavesWorldofFunStuff]

what's to prove

[@Jah_Rastafari_ORIG]

Wait... I swear I saw fresh postings on your Facebook page yesterday; is it just you that's locked out, Dave?

[@pensnut08]

Has ANYBODY come up with an aftermarket pickguard with a cutout that actually matches the body cutout? I haven't had to look for one as my truss rod access is the one that makes sense.

[@roytofilovski9530]

Why can't Fender just do it properly? Is it that hard?

[@Sheehy223]

If it's that big of a deal to you, it wouldn't be difficult to just make the slot bigger with a router. The only Fender out of the many I've owned that has this stupid design is my USA P bass, and I just adjust it with the ball end of an allen wrench like Dave was showing here. I don't care that it chews up the slot, my instruments get gigged and beat on.

[@roytofilovski9530]

​​@@Sheehy223 You pay 3 grand for a bass and they can't cut the pickguard properly? Really? I could buy a 500 dollar bass where I can actually access the truss rod nut without any problem.

[@roytofilovski9530]

​@@Sheehy223 Dave had to remove the pickguard. Even the ball end didn't fit.

[@DavesWorldofFunStuff]

GFO

[@och70]

The pickguard design and bass body design departments at Fender don't seem to be communicating with each other at all. Why don't the routs/cutouts MATCH?!?!

[@pmscalisi]

The whole idiotic truss rod access point is just plain stupid design on US made Fenders. I’ve always wondered why it was designed like that.

[@DavesWorldofFunStuff]

it was not..it was a fuk up and it's too late

[@russellmorgan5611]

If you're feeling brave, a company called Dremmel came up with a solution. Nevertheless, it's a crappy design.

[@pmscalisi]

@@russellmorgan5611 yeah, I own a Dremel, I know what they do. Still, it’s a stupid design, nonetheless. It’s a $2000 guitar, why should I have to modify it like that? But yeah I like your post