Feature:
Standard J-Bass features. It would be nice if Fender would add the S-1 switch to this line as well, but I can't imagine that ever happening.
Quality:
Having owned a Mexican J-bass from about 6 years ago, the new models seem to be substantially improved in construction. It's a pretty solid instrument, and dare I say it feels a little lighter than the old one.
Value:
Like I said before. You get a lot more than you pay for where quality is concerned. The unit that I have was a NAMM demo, so I think Fender went a little farther in getting it nicely set up. Overall, It's quite sweet.
Desirability:
It's a Fender... I don't think anyone has ever said that Fender has sex appeal. If you want a sexy bass, get a Warwick. If you want a retro bass, get a Rickenbacker. If you want nuts and bolts, Fender is perfect.
Sound:
The sound is surprisingly good for a low-end Fender product. In the past, I've played a Warwick Proline Fretless, an American Standard J-Bass (Fretted), as well as a Rickenbacker 4003. This doesn't approach the Warwick in any way, but for the price, you get more than you pay for. This is a recording-only bass, and I play it through an SWR LA-10 amp. The combination of the two make for a very nice sound if you can get past the hum when your tone is turned all the way up.
Ease of Use:
Transitioning from my Warwick fretless to this one was a bit of a nuisance. The Warwick's neck dots are *at* the fretting position, whereas the Fender's neck dots are in the middle of it. So while you're trying to learn intonation positions, it's kinda hard to find the fret markers.
Support:
Never had to deal with Fender
Overall:
Overall, it's a great buy for the price, especially if you're starting out with Fretless. I started out in fretless on a $2700 bass, which in retrospect was probably overkill. The Fender standard would have served me just as well.
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