Model Year: 2006
Price: $1700.00 (new)
Where Obtained: GC

Fenderâ??s stylish five-string Marcus Miller Jazz Bass V guitar is soulful and astounding, too. It has an ash body, distinctive black pickguard/control plate, and one-piece C-shaped maple neck with a 7.25â?-radius maple fingerboard featuring white binding, white pearl block inlays, Posiflexâ?¢ graphite neck support rods, and a satin finish (gloss finish on the headstock, plus Millerâ??s signature). Tonal magic comes from a pair of custom vintage-style Jazz Bass single-coil pickups and an 18-volt active preamp; the two-band active EQ has an active/passive mini-toggle switch. Other features include a chrome neck pickup cover, knurled chrome dome knobs on the volume controls and black Jazz Bass knobs on the tone controls, contoured heel and assymetrical five-bolt neck plate. Made in U.S.A. Top of the Line Quality!

Plays like nothing I have ever played before! Smooth and fast is the neck. The 7 1/4 fretboard radius feels different but awesome, comfortable, and vintage. I never was able to achieve an action as low is I achieved on this bass and no Fret Buzz whatsoever! B string is tight due to thru-body string option and the solid string trees on the headstock. The string trees are a side entry type, so you don't have to put the strings in them like threading a needle.

Vintage Jazz and Marcus tone in one package. This bass does specialize more on the Jazz side but you can get a good rock tone as well. Passive mode gives you a bright traditional jazz tone, while the active mode gives you that Marcus biting sheen, or if you roll the treble to the flat position and boost the bass, you get a boomy, thunderous bottom machine. Overall the sound is warm not metallic and cold like some five strings. 18 volt electronics are quiet when both pickups are on equal in either mode. In passive mode you can roll off one of the pups a little and there's not that much hum. This bass is the ultimate Jazz machine and nothing else comes close. Slap a set of DR FatBeams or Hi-Beams on, and you have the Marcus sound, period!

All Top of The Line Materials! Very durable feeling, comes with schaller straplocks. Dual graphite rod support in the neck will ensure stability to climate changes. This is a Pro Quality Bass. The battery plate is in the back not the front like the four string. They put the batteries one on top of the other instead of side-by-side which would have been better. They also used hard cardboard battery connectors instead of hard plastic which would have been better. Be gingerly when changing batteries and you'll be okay. With all of the good things about this bass I can't trash it for a minor detail.