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BASSIC REVIEW
Fender Mod Shop By Tom Bowlus
A Mod-ern Approach
E
arly on in their career, many bass players make the realization that theyr are “a Jazz Bass guy/ gal,” or perhaps a “Precision Bass guy/gal.” Heck, some might even flip-flop between the two a bit. But sooner or later, most players come to that moment when they really understand that “Leo got it right.” The legendary tones of both the Jazz Bass and Precision Bass have stood the test of time for good reason, and most players find themselves gravitating towards one or the other. Not long after this personal realization begins the quest for the “perfect Jazz Bass” or the “perfect Precision Bass.” One of the earlier decisions is often the choice between alder body with a rosewood fingerboard, or ash body with a maple board (the two “classic” combinations). In addition, players may find themselves preferring certain neck profiles over others. Subtle variations in pickup choices can quickly lead to obsessive behavior, and of course, everyone has their favorite colors/finishes. Until recently, finding your ideal Fender bass involved visiting every music store within a reasonable driving distance, or scouring the web for just the right combinations of features. With the introduction of the Mod Shop last year, the search has changed dramatically.
Power to the People Fender’s expansive list of A-list endorsed artists have long been able to request instruments outfitted to their particular desires, and of course, the Custom Shop is available
for those with the desire (and funds) to work directly with a master luthier and dream up a custom, playable work of art. The Mod Shop brings the power to custom-order a USA-made Fender to the masses – and does so at a reasonable price. Amazingly, Fender can even ship these custom-spec’d instruments within 30 days of placing your order. That is quite impressive! To get started, head on over to http://shop.fender.com/ en-US/mod-shop/ and pick your weapon of choice (Precision Bass or Jazz Bass – Stratocaster or Telecaster, if you prefer skinny strings…). Fender currently provides you with fourteen different body colors to choose from, and your choice of body color will dictate which body wood (ash or alder) is used. For the neck shape, players can choose the American Standard modern “C” profile, or they can opt for the new “C-to-D” neck shape, which features a modern “C” shape and the nut, which morphs to a modern “D” shape at the heel. Both neck options feature a 9.5” radius to the fingerboard. Speaking of the fingerboard, the next choice is that of maple or rosewood (which comes with a minor upcharge of $50 over maple). The choice of pickguard material is a strong esthetic choice, and I love the ability to see an accurate visualization of how the different pickguards would look with the varying body color and fingerboard options. The six pickguard choices – 1-ply Gold Anodized, 4-ply Tortoise Shell, 3-ply Mint Green, 3-ply Parchment, 3-ply Black, or 4-ply Aged White Pearl – cover a nice range of classic looks. The most technical choice to be made is that of the pickups. Each bass offers three different pickups to choose
