Fender are famous for creating the 2 most emulated bass guitar designs in history; the Jazz Bass and the Precision Bass. Here we take a look at the 4-string version of the Marcus Miller Jazz Bass.
The Marcus Miller Jazz Bass is a guitar that is full of contradictions. The bass exudes a retro vibe, true to it's 1977 jazz bass roots, with it's reverse action machine heads, 3-bolt neck joint, 2xUSA vintage single coil pickups and chrome neck-pickup cover. On the other hand the bass sports modern features such as a Leo Quan Badass II bridge and active circuitry with separate bass/treble controls with an active/passive switch.
The bass is not made in America like most of Fenders mid to high range models, but is instead made (or crafted as Fender put it) in Japan. This probably 
accounts for the relatively low price of this model - 'street' prices for the MM Bass are around £675/$800/€965. The quality of the build and finish is equal to most of the American Fenders I have played and many people claim that many of the CIJ (Crafted in Japan) Fenders are the equal of the more expensive Fender custom shop guitars.
Probably the major selling point of this bass is the combination of active and passive circuitry. In passive mode the sound of the bass is quite typical of a late 1970s Jazz bass - a slightly nasal and honky tone that cuts through a mix easily can be achieved by using the bridge pickup whilst the tone warms up considerably when switching to the neck pickup. However, as is common with single coil pickups, unless both pickup knobs are at the same value there will be some low level noise. Switching to the active circuit allows you to access a whole new palette of tones that are unachievable with passive circuitry. The bass and tone controls, which are only available in active mode, allow you to further customize your tone. In this mode a reasonably passable Precision bass tone can be crafted, and with the treble control on full you can reproduce the bright slap tones of Marcus Miller himself.
The shape and size of the neck suits players, like myself, who don't have giant hands - at the nut the neck is only 38mm wide. The gloss polyurethane finish also ensures that movement up and down the neck is rapid. The fingerboard is maple which suits some players but not others - I have maple fingerboards on most of my instruments but this is down to personal taste. The bass is reassuringly weighty, so a decent strap is required as well as some building up of the shoulder muscles if you have been playing lighter instruments until now.
There are some negatives to the bass however - firstly the battery for the active circuitry is accessed via a panel on the top of the guitar. However this panel is held in place with 4 screws so changing the battery takes longer than other models with a easy access compartment. This isn't too much of a problem for the home player but may be an issue for the gigging musician. Also, the way the bass has been wired is slightly idiosyncratic although understandable considering the price point. Without some wiring modifications the bass will not run in true passive mode and also the battery will drain very quickly regardless of whether you are playing in active or passive mode.
These issues, and methods of rectifying them, have been discussed on several guitar website's over the last few years. Tommy Thompson, a Marcus Miller Jazz Bass owner, has over the years made several modifications to his guitar and he has kindly put all the information and knowledge he has gleaned on this issue into this article on modifications.
Overall this bass offers good value for money and, being a Fender, will hold its value in the second hand market. The features available on this bass are hard to find on other Fenders, especially at this price point. The variety of tones available from the guitar in active mode, as well as the classic tones in passive mode, ensure that this bass could find a home with many working bassists. Check one out!
