With a quick glance and a dash of judginess, Fender’s Blu DeTiger x Player Plus Jazz Bass looks like what you’d expect when a Gen Z TikTok influencer storms the design room. But boomer, check yourself! Because behind all that rizz is Fender’s first signature-model bass bearing the name of a female player, and it’s full of cool twists.

Yup, the unique Sky Burst Sparkle finish is flashy (esoteric?) and confident given the matching headstock, and the mirrored pickguard and chrome hardware speak to DeTiger’s status as a stage-obsessed rising pop-funk star (and EDM DJ). This bass, though, has go to match the show.

After donning sunglasses and grabbing hold, the DeTiger’s next twist becomes apparent in how it doesn’t feel so drawn to planet Earth. That’s because its ash body is chambered – a first for a Fender signature bass, making it noticeably lightweight. Also, near the bridge is a Player Plus Active Meteora Fireball humbucker (custom-tweaked per DeTiger) engaged with a mini-toggle tucked next to a stacked knob; the 18-volt Player Plus preamp offers +/- 18 db of bass and treble boost/cut, along with +/- 12 db using the bottom Midrange knob. Other controls are master Volume and a pan knob to blend the mid-mounted Player Plus Noiseless Jazz Bass pickup.

Strapped on, the DeTiger hangs like you’d expect, and there’s familiarity in the 34″ scale, vintage-tall frets, and 1.5″ nut. The neck shape is based on a ’61 Jazz, thanks to Blu (see our interview in “First Fret”) having sifted through the collection of Jerry Barnes to find a shape that was just right. Here, it gets a modern satin finish and 9.5″-radius rosewood fretboard.

We sorted the DeTiger’s sounds using two small, powered three-way PA tops and a 2×12 bass cab, the former flexing its midrange punch and snap, the latter letting it show off the full, round bottom of the Player Plus system. There’s a lot to like about not only how the bound neck plays, but how, even in passive mode, the array of tones one finds using just the pan pot make it fun to experiment.

Jumping to active mode brings the vivacity. Turning up the stacked knobs inspired a run at “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin),” where it deftly mimicked the trademark quack of Larry Graham’s popped notes. One might nitpick at how the mini-toggle is tucked so tightly between knobs, but in a live setting it’s unlikely you’d switch to passive mode.

No matter your style or sound, the DeTiger x Player Plus can provide anything from soft and mellow to punchy and aggressive, without breaking a sweat.

This article originally appeared in VG’s December 2024 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.