LeftyBassist.com

Fender Japan 5 String Jazz Bass Left Hand Model JBV/LH
3 Colors/ 3 Tone Sunburst, Black, White
http://cgi.ebay.com/Fender-Japan-5-Stri ... 3cb60419f3

Yes, nice but too bad that they don't offer the strings thru-body model.

These have really tight string spacing, something like 16 mm. And for around $1700, you could really build yourself a nice 5-string using Warmoth or USA Custom Guitar parts and top-notch hardware, or even have somebody like Nino Valenti or Dan Atkinson build you one.

Now, if these were something like $700, maybe. . . but darn, unless you are Gerald Veasley, who likes 16-mm string spacing on a 5-string?

Or have our own Rodent from Regenerate Bass Guitars build one for that price!

Yep, the MIJ importers are gouging mercilessly in my opinion.

Reanimating this thread. Have been watching this same auction on evilbay for over a year. The price has now climbed to $1707. I lust after this bass in Olympic white but will never buy it at that price. Would be lucky to get $600 used, so maybe worst bass investment ever.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0960506938

FWIW, I can buy this bass in Japan, where I live, for ¥73,000, US$ 907 at today's rates. They're trying to tear you guys a new sphincter with a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire so I'd wait until they try to move them on Yahoo auctions Japan & put in a few bids. Of course the exchange rate doesn't help the US but.....talk about a direct groin kick. BTW, I played one & they are 42mm(1 5/8 " ) at the nut but about 17.5mm(0.69") string center to center at the bridge pup so not so tight as a Veasley. I like a 45mm(1 3/4") nut/17mm(0.66.9") spacing but these were very playable & not noticeably tight to me coming from my Thumb/Corvette/Ibanez 505 5's but YMMV. I owned a Steinberger tight 5 which was so tight I had to convert it back to a 4 so I KNOW tight spacing, even with my short-ass fingers! Basically, think Musicman/Warwick-ish spacing/feel, NOT Fender/Fodera/F Bass nut & bridge, or as I call it, "aircraft carrier" spacing. BTW, US$120 for shipping is about right from my own personal experience, no gouging there & about $90~120 from US to Japan so it's just the bass' price that's a root canal job.

Last year I bought one of these used from member Stryker - it has a really great B string - but you're right - the string spacing is very tight ....

the build quality of the MIJ Bass is really nice.

At considerably less IIRC