Fender Jazz Marcus Miller Signature Edition (with mods - John East/Dimarzio/Hipshot)
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- Опубліковано 17 лип 2014
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This week I've provided a look at the Fender Jazz Marcus Miller Edition I use in many of the online lessons.
I've had many emails and comments on videos asking about the Fender, possibly because of the interesting knob configuration. The bass is now fitted with a John East Marcus Retro preamp and Dimarzio Ultra Jazz pickups. So I've given a quick review of the bass itself and then provided some examples of the sound of the bass as it is now.
Overall, I love the Fender Jazz Marcus Miller Signature model. It's a little on the heavy side (more like 5 string weight) but it's a very solid and sturdy instrument with a diverse range of tones. Coupled with the John East Marcus Retro and the dark, hum cancelling sound of the Dimarzio Ultra Jazz pickups, it is great for pretty much any gig.
As well as the John East Marcus Retro and the Dimarzio's I've also fitted a Hipshot Detuner on the low E string. This is also covered in the video.
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Best review i even seen on youtube!
Very informative video and well explained as I am thinking of buying a Marcus Miler.
I think you have given a good honest assessment of this bass which has helped me immensely.
I agree the only downside is the weight. Thanks again much appreciated
Very illuminating suggestions and recommendations. I'll be a regular visitor. Thanks.
Love the version of 'Bewitched, bothered and bewildered.' :)
Thanks a lot for this vid....been very helpful, greetings from Belgium
Nice Video...I also have a MM Jazz Bass (MIJ) and I am upgrading my pre-amp and pickups as well. Well done
I have the this set up except for Aguilar pick ups .... love it!!!!
Most Excellent Bass you have, I saw a Fender Jazz Bass like yours but different and heavy but none the less has the sound I want. My Ibanez is okay but doesn't have that Jazz bass sound, and I have blisters on my fingers . Got a feeling I will be buying that Fender Jazz Bass soon .
I learned a lot fast from your lessons so thanks Mark.
I have the JE pre amp. I had to replace the tuners on the bass because the were all pressed out of round. I also replaced the bridge with a Babitz which is very nice to work with and I put the Bad Ass on another bass.. I put a set of Duncan's into it as well. The East installation was pretty easy, only soldering is the battery wires as they go through a channel in the bass. I love the way the bass came out. However, you are right ... its a tank. I was also lucky that the wood is beautifully grained ash. It's almost like tiger stripes. If you find one, pick it up. They are as good as any American bass out there, so much more versatile with the East preamp.
I want to buy a Fender Jazz Bass American Deluxe V. Do you think it is similar to your Fender Jazz Bass Marcus Miller Signature Edition?
I have a MM jazz bass as well and im glad to see a review that touches all the relevant points about this bass. I was also unsatisfied with stock pickups and tried EMG JVX set and although i king of liked the sound a bit more, i felt it didnt quite make it. But i was noticing a bigger problem with both sets of pickups, regarding the different levels on each string, mainly in both the weirdest thing i noticed was that the E string didnt have the same gain/body/fatness as the 2 middle strings, which was weird once i tried 2 sets of pickups. Did you happened to come across something like that by any chance? Cheers, thanks for the review.
Nice, been looking at a J-retro for my MM. This video has sealed the deal I think. Gonna get some Nordstrands in it as well :D
Hey Mark,
Great video. Thanks for the explanation. I really love this model. It has a sound that’s hard to beat. I’m bass hunting now and am very close to deciding on either a Fender Marcus Miller (Japan) with a Sadowsky preamp OR a Fender Elite Jazz Bass V.
I haven’t played this particular Fender Marcus but I did play another one years ago and loved it. The one I might buy is not in my city so I have to rely on pictures and the back and forth I’ve had with the current owner. The Fender Elite is here in town, thought, so I’ll have a chance to check it out this week.
My question is, out of those 2 models, which would be the most versatile and that I could get the most mileage out of? I like the tones I’ve heard from both, but I’d love to hear your opinion.
Thanks!
I used to have a Japanese made Marcus Miller Jazz bass. It looked and sounded great. Always regretted selling it.
Also would like to add that the new East pres have a push/pull active switch on the the passive tone pot and an added bright switch on the treble knob.
I feel like the pickup selector solves a problem that doesn't even need to exist. I don't get why the blend knob doesn't work in passive mode, like e.g. any Glockenklang or similar preamp where the blend works in active and passive mode.
Thx for this really nice and informative video
I got myself one of these basses and I’m now into a bit of setting
It looks (and sounds) like you have a quite low action with that wonderful rusty attack sound
Can you pls add something about your setup on that MM jazz bass? Thx !
I bought that bass with a John East pre on your
recommendation last year .Holy shit have they gone up in price since then. What a bass.
Worth $1500??
Love your tone around 10:55 on that bridge pickup.
Hey from Dublin. Brilliant Video. I just got the Olympic White version and had a John East Preamp fitted today, brilliant tones. As you mention it's a heavy bass, what type of Strap are you using here. Cheers, Niall
Man that new preamp is awesome. I almost traded my standard jazz for a Japanese Marcus Miller a while back... I wish I would now haha
About 3.30 you refer to the inconvenience of battery changing.
I have fretted and a fretless 'Bass Collection' instruments which had that problem. I solved it by taking out some wood behind the cover and adding another battery with a tiny 3 way switch though the front. Result; when one battery starts to give up the ghost, I just switch over to the other one. Then afterwards replace the flat one with a new one. Lots of basses, like yours, have loads of room behind those BIG scratch plates/covers so the modification should pose no problem.
ATB Jim.
+jymz4941 Great Idea!!
I have the same exact mods on mine except I swapped pickups for the American 75RI.
So bright and modern sounding. Seems to have less of that classic Jazz growl.
I was so excited that I signed up to learn more about the work you are doing. I hope you help me if it is in your hands to get a bass guitar. Thank you
hi , great video and great bass !! tell me , any problems with the bad ass 2 bridge ? it has a firly high height , and i thinking of a shim ...
Hi Mark, , love the finger style tone around 9:55, what settings do you have on the john east? just installed one and wondering what way you run the mids and bass, cheers!
How about a video like this about your Ibenez I love the sound of that bass
Great. Which wiring did you use for the DP149BK ? Any recommendations/recipe for the soldering (with a John East Retro01) ? Many thx in advance.
Hellow Mark! First of all I´d like to tell congratulate you for the wonderful videos you have, they´re excelent!
Regarding to the modifications, I would like to know which model of the Hypshot Dtuner you have? and if it was a perfect fit or required to redrill the holes of the tuning pegs when you replaced them!
Hazael Fagerlund The Detuner is a BT3 and it fit perfectly with no problems. Hipshot were AMAZING in terms of customer service. I needed it to be delivered within a week to the UK from the US and they got it sent out and it was delivered within a few days. Awesome.
Thanks for making this clip and the info. So, do you think that John East works better than the original? I've got both options to add on my MM body as a project.
Hello, I just saw for the first time a video you made a few years ago with the Fender Marcus Miller Signature Edition Jazz Bass and I would like you to let me know where I can buy a bass guitar like the one you have.
Hi, Mark
May I please ask if your Ibanez has EMG Hz's?
Thank you.
I just bought a 2022 Fender Ultra Jazz Bass, is it any good compared to yours?
wonderful bass I have the 5 string version and have had to make basically the same changes you have pre and pups but my main issue is the neck it always needs adjusting all the time that's my only issue with it as it stands today
Mark, do you remember what strings you were using in this video?
Great video! Are you using DP123 or 149 Ultrajazz?
Thanks. I'm using the Ultrajazz. They are a little more scooped in the mids than the standard DP123
I love this model! I’m dying to get one but they’re hard to come by! Would you say that the Mexican made are comparable in terms of build and sound?
Probably not comparable, maybe the made in usa or japan model?
Great and thorough advice you gave. Cheers, mate. But one question: What is the name of the song you played with chords at around 10:56?
+Norbert Vossiek Cheers. It's the jazz standard Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered.
Many thanks for the quick response!
Very nice bass nice mods and thanks for getting rid of the pickup cover to me those things are hideous and get in the way
Is there a specific D-Tuner model you are using? Did you have to re-drill the holes?
Hipshot Detuner and no I didn't have to re-drill. Just fits straight in.
I want one !!! Gorgeous. Even tho it only has the typical Fender 20 frets. Why does Fender still make you pay over $2000 to get 21 frets ?
How heavy is yours?
The noise?
Are you using 250k Pots?
quite abit of electrical noise there but digging the tone!
Nice bass but to be honest this fret buzz is annoying, at least for me :) Good video!
9:40 is so familiar... what's the name of the song?
Forget Me Nots by Patrice Rushden. Also sampled for Men In Black by Will Smith
thanks
TalkingBass - Online Bass Lessons Awesome bass line, Patrice Rushen teaches at my Uni and she is a lovely person and a great keyboardist.
Marcus Miller basses by Sire now offer all that at half the money you spent on that beast.
Sire are good but the Fender will hold its value where Sire won't.
@@mrbungle7586 Very true ,in fact the Fender has gone up now
@@leemarsh7280 yes it has and seems to keep increasing. I bought one several years ago at a reasonable price.
It's a great bass and after watching this video again recently I purchased the same pre amp. Waiting for the delivery and looking forward to playing with it. Cheers
Talk, talking, more talking, still talking, plays the bass oh wait no nope more talking, aaaaand 8:55 no disrespect, but it's like let's hear the bass let's hear the preamp and then we can decide whether we're going to invest our time in hearing about it. Because time, isn't just about the pocket, it's about quality of life and the duration there in.
P.S. now that I have heard it, I wouldn't have spent my time listening to you talk about it. Again no disrespect, just one man's opinion. Noll preamps
Well, I guess you're new round these parts! Worth mentioning this is not a review. This is all about why I modded the bass and answering the questions I was asked. If you came here to listen to the bass like you would a demo then this is obviously not the video for you.
13 mins has harmed your quality of life. Try improving it by taking a few seconds to read the title of the video.
You've also wasted precious minutes typing out your whinny comment only to find out it was never the type of video you were looking for. Why? Because your not to bright, quick to complain and an arrogant bore.
No Disrespect here of course, just my thoughts. 🍺
The new one is made in USA not in Mexico.
Only the 5 string version, the 4 is made in Mexico.
mike2tone I did not know that . Thanks ;)
No worries!
To much talking and not enough playing,common man!!
That's Mark's style and he needs to talk as his showing and describing the bass, mods, tones, weight etc are all relevant.
wish the sentences were condensed, too much gratuitous talk.......