Fender Introduces Select Active Jazz Bass

Fender’s 2013 additions to their Select Series includes the Fender Select Active Jazz Bass. Described as the company’s “top-of-the-production-line”, the new bass features an alder body with a flame maple top and hand-stained Tobacco Sunburst finish with a gloss-lacquer topcoat.

Fender Select Active Jazz Bass

The Select Active Jazz bass sports a neck made of quartersawn maple, with a modern “C” shape and reinforced with Posiflex graphite support rods. Its compound-radius rosewood fingerboard includes 20 medium jumbo frets and white pearloid block position inlays.

The pickups are a pair of Fender Select Jazz Bass single-coil pickups. The active electronics includes treble, mid, and bass controls as well as a mini-toggle switch to choose active or passive modes. Hardware includes a three-ply parchment pickguard, a high-mass vintage-style bridge and vintage-style tuners with tapered shafts.

The Fender Select Active Jazz Bass will be available with an MSRP of $3,199. For more, check out Fender’s website.

Fender Select Active Jazz Bass Overview:

Fender Select Active Jazz Bass Specs:

  • Neck Shape: Modern “C”
  • Number of Frets: 20
  • Fret Size: Medium Jumbo
  • Position Inlays: White Pearloid Block Position Inlays
  • Fingerboard Radius: 9.5? – 14? Compound Radius (24.1 cm-35.56 cm)
  • Fingerboard: Rosewood
  • Neck Material: Graphite Reinforced Maple
  • Nut Width: 1.5? (38.1 mm)
  • Scale Length: 34? (86.36 cm)
  • Neck Plate: 4-Bolt
  • Truss Rods: Modern Heel Adjust
  • Pickup Configuration: S/S
  • Bridge Pickup: Fender Select Jazz Bass Single Coil
  • Neck Pickup: Fender Select Jazz Bass Pickup
  • Pickup Switching: Pan Pot
  • Special Electronics: Active/Passive Mini-Toggle Switch
  • Controls: Master Volume, Pan Control, Three-Band Active EQ with Treble Boost/Cut, Bass Boost/Cut and Mid Boost/Cut
  • Hardware Finish: Chrome
  • Bridge: High Mass Vintage (String-Through-Body or Topload)
  • String Nut: Synthetic Bone
  • Tuning Machines: Fender/Hipshot Vintage Keys with Tapered Shafts
  • Strings: Fender USA, NPS, (Gauges .045-.100)
  • Unique Features: Neck Heel Contour, Fender Select Headstock Medallion, Stealth “A” String Retainer
  • Control Knobs: Jazz Bass Knobs

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Leave a Reply to Pierson B. Sargent Cancel reply

  1. That`s a lot of money for a Fender! I had a Jazz American deluxe, and the build quality was very bad. I e-mailed the Fender customer service dept., and they never even replied! Anyway for 3,000 dollars I won`t buy one.There are many Jazz style basses to choose from now and they are better built and sounding!

    • On that Note a @[1020983444:2048:Pavel de la Fuente] Jazz from Pavel Musical instruments with that same top will be a lot Cheaper,better built,and better sounding!! 3,100 is too much for a 4 string Fender unless it belonged to Jaco or Marcus!!

  2. Nice looking, but you could get a lot more out of a bass if you spent that much with a local builder.

  3. When I think of paying $3,200 for a new J-bass, I think Sadowsky.

    Yes, I know they will be discounted… I still think Sadowsky.

  4. I don’t understand why a video about an instrument would have more talking than playing. That makes no damn sense to me!

  5. I don’t understand why a video about an instrument would have more talking than playing. That doesn’t make any damn sense to me!

  6. Beautiful-yes. I thought the Highway One Jazz was ugly, until I bought one. Then I got another Jazz and a Precision too! They were about $800 each.

  7. I am thinking a Sadowsky or a Mike Lull bass would be a much better investment. The resale value will be higher and better quality over the Fender. I would maybe buy this Fender used for $1500.

  8. White PG does look pretty classic. but see-through acrylic would be infinitely more beautiful.

  9. Every time Fender unveils a “new” bass it’s just the same dog, different collar. Just the same old overpriced instrument.

    • I think it is quite different, it is just a question of whether or not to pay the pricetag. The neck is graphite reinforced and they use quarter-sawn maple which is very different from the run of the mill Fender American Jazz Bass. Basses that cost over $2000 SHOULD have these features.

  10. When compared to other vendors the price just doesn’t hold up. I’d rather spend a few hundred more for a Lull or a Modulus GV4J and have a truly solid instrument. The flame is what cracks me up… if you’re going to do it at least put a decent piece of flame on it! You could literally spend $1000 less on another Fender and have just as good of a bass. Makes no sense!

  11. No matter how many times he says; “it can’t be beat.” They’re not going to convince me it’s worth 3 grand.

  12. I’m sure this is an awesome bass out of the box. But like most current production Fenders, compared to a $1000 Jazz Bass, you won’t really be able to honestly tell me there is a $2000 improvement in sound.

  13. Fender continues to lose touch with ordinary, working musicians. I hesitate to click the links anymore, as it’s usually just another overpriced, collector’s plaything.

  14. Cut that price in half and Fender would be competitive.