Fender Standard Jazz Bass vs. Player II Jazz Bass: Return to Form, or Return to Sender?
This year, Fender revived the widely beloved, sorely missed “Standard” series of electric instruments. From 2018 until now, the line had been redubbed “The Player Series” in an effort to revitalize the brand’s image. Despite having long been the titan at the top of the guitar industry, the company seemingly lost sight of the principles that established its longstanding legacy as a cornerstone of American culture. Upon taking both the new Player II and the Standard Jazz Bass off the rack, one is reminded of the basic principles that have established Fender as the poster child of an entire industry; right down to the craftsmanship put into each instrument on the line. Regardless of where a Fender bass originates – Custom Shop, Fujigen Factory, Ensenada or Indonesia – each carries a badge, and in turn, a promise to measure up to a certain quality. Since 1996 that badge has read “Standard.” Spanning from that point up until 2018, these basses remained tried and true to th...