A bold new Jazz Bass fuses vintage inspiration with futuristic features.
Fender’s Custom Shop has a long history of pushing instruments beyond their limits, but their new collaboration with producer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Adrian Younge might be their wildest yet.
The Limited Edition Masterbuilt Adrian Younge Jazz Bass takes the familiar Jazz Bass silhouette and injects it with a time-warped blend of late-‘60s recording culture, studio-inspired effects, and one of the strangest neck designs we’ve seen on a Fender in years.
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Half fretless neck
At first glance, the Aged Silver Sparkle lacquer and Journeyman Relic treatment scream vintage cool. But it’s the neck that makes jaws drop: fretted up to the ninth position, then completely fretless until the 20th. This “half-and-half” approach opens up an entirely fresh playing style, perfect for those looking to bridge punchy funk grooves with fluid, vocal-like slides.
Built-in fuzz and tremolo
Adding to the weird-science factor, the bass houses two onboard effects modeled on Younge’s rare vintage units: a ‘60s-style fuzz and a square wave tremolo. Both are activated via hidden push-pull switches on the master volume and tone controls, making them feel like a secret studio weapon from another era. Combined with the split single-coil Precision pickup and a Curtis Novak BS-DS, the tonal palette ranges from thunderous lows to psychedelic textures.
A true reflection of Adrian Younge
Younge’s career has always blurred the lines between past and future, whether through film scores, Jazz Is Dead releases, or collaborations with Kendrick Lamar. This bass reflects that ethos perfectly—retro aesthetics with fearless innovation under the hood. At $23,999 AUD, it’s a serious investment, but for players chasing an instrument that genuinely rewrites the Jazz Bass playbook, this is a statement piece like no other.
For more information and to shop, head here.
