Fender Jaco Pastorius Jazz Bass Guitar Review

Jaco Pastorius Bass- closeup of body
10

There are very few things that all musicians agree on. When it comes to the conversation of the greatest bass players to ever live, there is rarely a disagreement on Jaco Pastorius belonging in the conversation. For many, he is regarding as the best electric bass player to ever live. 

$5000.00
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If you are going to play a Fender jazz electric fretless bass guitar, odds are you were inspired by Jaco Pastorius, whether you know it or not. For Jaco Pastorius, there were no fretless bass guitars available, so he took the frets off of a Fender Jazz Bass and created the first electric fretless bass guitar

What came to be known as the “Bass Of Doom” was the fretless fender bass guitar that Jaco Pastorius created countless musical masterpieces on. While the Bass Of Doom had a long journey from Jaco’s hands to a pawn shop and eventually to the care Robert Trujillo, the bass player of Metallica, the Fender Jaco Pastorius Jazz Electric Bass Guitar can be yours without the rough journey. 

While the wear and tear of the Bass Of Doom creates character and value in it’s own way, the Jaco Pastorius model fretless bass guitar does a great job of bringing to life the original sound and intent of Jaco when he first removed the frets from the fretboard.

Fender Jaco Pastorius Jazz Bass Guitar Review (Fretless)

SOUND:

The Fender Jaco Pastorius Fretless Jazz Bass is spot on with it’s ambition of rebuilding the Jaco Pastorius Bass Of Doom. 

BUILD:

American made Fender Bass Guitars are built to last. From the maple neck down to the dual single vintage coil pickups, the design is sturdy and well made. 

LOOK:

This is a beautiful bass guitar that has the look of the Jaco Pastorius Bass Of Doom.

FEATURES:

  • Select alder body with no pickguard
  • Maple neck with “C” profile and side dots centered on fret marker lines
  • Urethane-coated pau ferro “slab” fretless fingerboard with inlaid fret marker lines
  • Dual American Vintage single-coil Jazz Bass pickups
  • Vintage-style bridge
  • Reverse tuners

FAQ:

Are Fender basses good?

Fender Bass Guitars are some of the best bass guitar on the market. From James Jamerson to Jaco Pastorius and a million bass players in between, Fender has been the choice guitar brand for some of the most influential bass guitar and guitar players in music history.

Why are American Fender basses so expensive?

The American Fender Bass Guitar is quite a bit more expensive then the Mexican made models and the Squire editions. Some will argue that the difference in sound and playability can be negligible, there is a quality that the American made models have that have proven to be long lasting and dependable. This is especially true of the older vintage models that were built when cars where still made out of all steel. 

How much do American Fretless Fender jazz basses cost?

The American Fender fretless jazz bass guitars can range in price depending on the model and year. On average you can get a solid American model fretless jazz bass for between $1500-$2000 USD.

 

—-> Compare to the Fender American Professional II Jazz Bass Fretless


 

10 Expert Score

Jaco Pastorius was a visionary and a master of music, reimagining the role of the bass guitar in music. While bringing a showmanship and star quality to the world of jazz fusion, Pastorius, put the spotlight on the jazz bass while created an unmistakable, signature sound and look with his sunburst fretless jazz bass. 

Sound
10
Build
10
Style
10
PROS
  • If you are looking for the signature fretless jazz bass sound, that Jaco Pastorius made popular, this is it.
  • Smooth fingerboard for easy playing.
CONS
  • Not everyone like the reverse tuners.