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All in all, a very good value. This is a bass designed by the iconic Marcus Miller, and it doesn't disappoint. It has the Marcus tone we look for in a pre-amped Jazz Bass, top-notch wood, electronics and hardware and the build quality equals the original Jazz Bass it replaced in all aspects except one - the sound surpasses the 60th anniversary Jazz I had! Coming in at about a third of the price (New instruments), you can't go wrong. I like to play with a very low action, and the Sire needs a little tweaking in that a couple of frets need dressing, but I've had that same issue with basses costing much more...and made in the U.S. Don't be fooled - you can get very well-made instruments that are made elsewhere from the United States. In closing, this bass exceeded my expectations.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Years ago, I owned one of these but switched to primarily 5 string. After missing the Marcus so long, I finally have one back in the stable! It's a MIJ w/ none of the electronic issues I've heard about (outsides the typical Fender Jazz lack of good shielding issue). I love the tone of this Jazz because of the combination of ash body, maple neck & fingerboard, and 70's bridge pickup position. It has that Marcus snap & sparkle along with plenty of bottom. The bass has this same character in passive mode, but you can only tone-down the highs in active mode because the passive tone is wide-open w/ no roll-off tone control. I just sold a MIM classic 70's Jazz w/ alder body & rosewood fingerboard (same pickup position). There was no comparison in tone. IF you want a mellower sounding bass, without the snappy high end, then the 70's classic might be for you. Although the 70's Classic can be more aggressive in the mids than other Jazz models. I bought this bass used. It allows for a very low action & straight neck. Restringing w/ DR HI Beams brought it to life! The jury is still out on the reverse tuners because I've been having to re-tune more often than I like. The weight is on the heavy side but not unlike the Classic 70's. It's manageable & balances nice on a quality strap. This Marcus Miller had quickly become my primary bass. I play in a contemporary praise and worship band. My other basses include a Kramer era Spector NS2, a LEJ Exotic 5 string, and a Pedulla Pentabuzz fretless. The Marcus is a nice addition to my stable. She's much preferred over my last MIA Jazz Standard. The Marcus tone is something I guess you love or hate. I happen to love it!Read full review
I love this bass guitar. I started looking for a new bass about 6 months ago. I have a Peavey Dyna-Bass 4-string from WAY back in the day that I bought used in the mid 1990's. It has lasted well and it still plays but it was time to move on. I checked every guitar store and internet site I could find. I was looking for a solid professional model since I am not ready for a custom bass. Many reviews liked this instrument. The Marcus Miller 4-string is made in Japan. Good solid construction. This bass guitar has great depth and versatility. In addition, the tone is AMAZING. The bass feels solid in the hands and the neck is smooth like any Fender Jazz bass. There is plenty of low bottom end as well as very good resonance. The tone can be sculpted with the help of the extra electronics and the sweet ash body and maple neck. You can play anything on this thing from rock, funk, jazz, soul, blues, reggae... you name it. I would highly recommend this great bass guitar for someone who has been playing for a while and looking to step up their playing but is not ready to shell out $2K-4K for a custom instrument. I found mine here on eBay used for a reasonable $799.99.Read full review
I have been playing bass for more the 30 years and have owned several high end 4 and 5 string basses. Although a Fender loyalist I have found all of the 5 string Fenders to have both poor tone and low quality B string clarity. The MM V is the exception. An outstanding well constructed, American made bass with the feel of a mid 70's classic, excellent playablity and tonal quality with a well balanced and defined low B string. This is by far Fender's greatest achievement on the five string frontier. It holds its own against other fine boutique j 5's like Sadowsky, Nordy and others and for a better value. The only 2 criticisms are that to antique the color of the neck Fender sprayed the completed neck over the white binding, block inlays and frets rendering the binding and inlays almost invisible and that it is a bit heavy (not weighed just the way it feels). Otherwise go for it if you are looking for a new bass w/ vibeRead full review
I first got my made in Japan Marcus Miller around 2007 and I have put it through the ringer! I had some issues with the input jack coming loose often and a little bit of ugly soldering but after fixing those issues and playing this bass for years I can say Its one of my favorites. super thin neck (too thin for some heavier strings) great bridge and unique pickgaurd look. Shes a lil heavy. has about a pound of wiring lol.
Verified purchase: No