Fender MB-4 Modern Bass Chrome Red Made in Japan MIJ 32" Medium-Scale

This Made in Japan Fender MB-4 is a really cool and somewhat overlooked piece of Fender's 1990s history. Produced for only a short period in the mid-'90s, the MB series was Fender's attempt at a more modern, compact bass, and it stands apart immediately from the traditional Precision and Jazz Bass designs. Fender gave it a downsized contemporary body, a distinctive 2+2 tilt-back headstock, no pickguard, a 22-fret rosewood fingerboard and a versatile P/J pickup configuration. This example is finished in Fender's official Chrome Red and is a solid, extremely well-built Japanese-made instrument. We checked the bass out thoroughly and it plays great up and down the neck. The neck is straight and the truss rod turns properly in both directions. The smaller body feels comfortable and balanced, while the 22 jumbo frets and 9.5" radius give the neck a quick, modern feel compared with many traditional Fender basses. Tonally, the split-coil P-style neck pickup gives you the thick punch and low-end authority you'd expect from a Precision, while the J-style bridge pickup adds definition, articulation and bite. The pan control makes it easy to move between those sounds or blend the two together, making this a surprisingly versatile bass. If you already have the usual Precision or Jazz Bass and want something genuinely different from Fender, this is exactly the kind of instrument to look for...it still sounds unmistakably like a great Fender bass, but looks and feels unlike almost anything else in their lineup. Please note that the control knobs have been changed from the originals. There is some light surface scratching and normal cosmetic wear from use, but overall this is a great-playing, great-sounding example. These Japanese MB-4s don't turn up nearly as often as Fender's traditional models, and whoever ends up with this one is getting a unique, extremely playable bass that you'll want to keep picking up.