Fender Introduces Adam Clayton Signature Jazz Bass
U2 bassist Adam Clayton has teamed up with Fender to create a new signature bass. The veteran rocker’s new axe is take on his 1965 Jazz with a few tweaks.
“I played (my Sherwood Green 1965 Jazz Bass) a lot on the ‘All That You Can’t Leave Behind’ tour and I really love it,” Clayton said in a press release. “It had a great sound and the pickups were really, really punchy. I got Fender to clone the bass I had, but rather than make it an exact replica of my beat-up Sherwood Green bass, I said, ‘Let’s make it pretty; let’s make it as beautiful as we can and make it all new.’ So, they put this together for me. … This is a great bass. I’ve been using it on the new album and I’m going to be playing it live.”
The Fender Adam Clayton Jazz Bass features an alder body finished in Sherwood Green. Its maple neck, which has a custom “C” shape made specifically for Clayton, is topped with a 20-fret rosewood fingerboard inlaid with custom pearloid block markers.
Clayton opted for a pair of Fender Custom Shop ’60s single coil pickups with a volume/volume/tone control configuration. Other features include a 4-saddle hi-mass vintage bridge, vintage-style “Lollipop” tuners, and a 4-ply white pearloid pickguard.
Check out what Clayton has to say about his new bass:
The Fender Adam Clayton Jazz Bass is available now with a street price of $1,799.
Fender Adam Clayton Signature Jazz Bass Photos:
Fender Adam Clayton Signature Jazz Bass Specs:
Color: | Sherwood Green Metallic |
Body Material: | Alder |
Body Finish: | Gloss Urethane |
Body Shape: | Jazz Bass |
Neck Material: | Maple |
Neck Finish: | Satin Urethane Finish on Back of Neck with Gloss Urethane Headstock Face |
Neck Shape: | Custom Adam Clayton “C” |
Scale Length: | 34″ (864 mm) |
Fingerboard: | Rosewood |
Number of Frets: | 20 |
String Nut: | Synthetic Bone |
Nut Width: | 1.5″ (38.1 mm) |
Position Inlays: | Pearloid Block |
Pickups: | Custom Shop ’60s Single-Coil Jazz Bass |
Controls: | Volume 1. (Middle Pickup), Volume 2. (Bridge Pickup), Master Tone |
Bridge: | 4-Saddle High-Mass Vintage (String-Through-Body or Topload) |
Hardware Finish: | Nickel/Chrome |
Tuning Machines: | Fender Vintage-Style “Lollipop” |
Pickguard: | 4-Ply White Pearloid |
For more information:
Fender
Beautiful bass. This is the third signature bass made for Clayton that I’m aware of? He had deals with Lakland and Warwick a couple years ago. It just makes me curious what the fine print is in the endorsement contracts.
They could have ran out, too
I guess my thing is, if I were going to sell myself to a certain company, I’d stick to it.
Adam’s been using different gear through the years so he’s not a devotee of one single company and I think it’s quite natural for him to collaborate with the companies that he liked in different periods. Which does not seem like a bad thing, given how promising this new fender jazz bass looks in particular.
Do you know U2 are Irish?
Of course. The band is Irish, but Clayton is the only member not born in Ireland. He was born in England.
Apart from The Edge, who was also born in England (to a Welsh family).
To me, Adam Clayton’s signature bass should have been his relic sunburst 72 P-Bass with a J-Bass neck.
Why on Earth does this deserve to be its own series?
no shit weak ass player in a shitty band I think even acdc bass player is more intricate than him.
you do remember that you’re only talking from the position of your own taste, not some objective truth.. right?
Yet another “signature/artist” bass that Fender can over-charge for. I mean it’s a great looking bass but theres really nothing remarkable about it.
To me it looks like a…Jazz Bass in green. Nothing special except the price…not impressed…
ouch@ that price
I agree with Charles Catlow. Just another “New” Fender with nothing new….
I loved his live tone with the Warwick Fortress. His actually Warwick model was pretty cool too. This is a pretty bass. Thats about my 2 cents.
1800 to play like someone who only uses one string? why don’t you take the other 3 off and charge 450?
Does synthetic bone = plastic?
Not a huge Fender fan, but that bass is sexy!