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 the dependability, versatility, and accessibility that a standard product should provide. In time and in essence, the Standard Jazz Bass became the go-to instrument for people who really want to play bass. 

This can be chalked up to three crucial factors: Dependability. Versatility. Accessibility.

Tough as hell, suited for any playing style, and sitting on the rack at $600, Fender had these boxes checked from the get-go.  Unfortunately, come 2018, they unchecked the box with the biggest impact – accessibility.

Quality control issues, to put it lightly, seem to be the only standard thing about the Player line as a whole. Sharp frets, blemishes, and even stripped strap button holes, are just a few of the issues that players reported experiencing. A lot of this stems from the company having moved production overseas to Indonesia, in the same factory that their lower-tier instruments are produced in. 

The Player II Jazz Bass is not exempt from this. The gloss finish on the fretboard is a dead giveaway. This axe is all for show.

Eight hundred dollars is asking a lot for new pickups and  some lacquer on the fretboard, which mind you has been a feature on several more affordable models  for close to a decade.  Even in the last year of this model’s production run, inflation be damned, it’s hard to justify a $200 leap in price for what is supposed to be the company’s standard line. 

Moreover, accessibility is dampened by the playability of the bass right off the wall, as several Reddit users have complained. The quality control is really out of whack.  Sharp frets in dire need of polishing made it a challenge to play, which can only be amplified for beginners or those with no concept of adjusting the instrument’s string height, a hurdle that shouldn't have to be faced.

The bass has a heft to it. Somewhere in the middle of 8 or 9 pounds, it certainly feels like it packs a punch, unfortunately in all the wrong ways. Rather than providing a boost in sustain, all these extra pounds add is a boost in shoulder pain.

The pickups use Alnico-V magnets, as opposed to traditional ceramic ones. As is true of any electric instrument, the pickups and electronics pull the most weight and pack the most punch in terms of affecting the timbre of the instrument un-amplified. In the Player II’s case this change is a refreshing one. 

Something about the way the Alnicos respond to the strings puts a certain emphasis on the harmonic-overtone and sustain. Compared to ceramic pickups, like those found in the standard J bass, these are much more colorful, with room at the top for plenty of bite, and even more down at the bottom for that fat room-encompassing rumble. 

With the pickups blended, the result is the classic warmth of the single coils in unison. A real treat. 

The neck profile sits at a ’60s style “C,” which harkens back to Leo Fender’s original specifications but leaves a desire for something more. 

Block inlays, fretboard binding, anything to set it apart from other Jazz basses. The lack of variety in all aspects – color options, quality of life features – is honestly embarrassing. Booooring. 

This was an awkward phase for Fender that has fortunately come to an end.

Playing the Standard Jazz Bass feels like touching down on the runway after a long journey, headed home. Classic look, classic feel, classic tone, classic price. This is what a Fender bass should be.

The bass wasn’t particularly special in any way. There are no new features, the available colors are boring as ever, and somehow that’s exactly what makes this bass such a good one.

These basses feel focused on. The quality control has improved infinitely.

Somehow, it gets the job done better than any bass bearing the Fender namesake released in the last 7 years.

The Standard was lighter than the Player II, and had much greater sustain, likely due to the Micarta nut, which is also a lot more durable compared to the Player II’s synthetic bone nut. If anything, the differences between these two basses tell you a lot about what Fender has been missing over the years. 

Bassists want a durable, dependable axe. Nothing fancy, nothing too flashy, and definitely not too expensive.

As a whole, it’s clear they made changes in the right places.

Thanks to this stripped back and simplified approach, perhaps we will see more exciting releases in the latter half of the ’20s … Only time will tell, so someone better keep it.

At a Glance:

Fender Player II Jazz Bass

Year Produced: 2024

Made in: Mexico

Factory: Ensenada Fender factory on Calle Huerta 279, El Naranjo, Ensenada

Price: $799

What I appreciated: 

-Glossy Urethane fretboard finish

-Satin Urethane neck finish

-Modern “C” neck profile

-Slab fingerboard

2025 Standard Jazz Bass

Made in: Indonesia

Price $599

Factory: Cort Factory

What I appreciated:

-back-to-basics no bullshit approach

-classic tone, spongy mid-range

-Solid maple neck

-durable Micarta nut

Overall Pick: 2025 Standard Jazz Bass

As the more accessible pick overall, the Standard Jazz bass offers a return to form for a beloved industry standard.