Notes on the JB-2

[Ken Baker]

Okay - I think I have something worth considering here.

I don't play too many JB-2's, mainly because I don't often get the chance and I'm more after humbuckers and active basses. So I was kind of looking to do some critical playing to get a better feel of what everyone is bitching about. I have played earlier USA JB-2's and came away unimpressed for any number of reasons, including the pickups.

To that end, I played a new USA JB-2 today and I was really impressed with the way it sounded. Nice clean highs, solid mids, and a really fat & juicy bottom. No spring ping, no clank, no excessive treble; just good, solid bass. Not Fender Jazz sound - G&L single coil sound. So I'm asking myself, what's not to like here?

I put away the USA and picked up a new Tribute JB-2. Not so fat & juicy. Notably more trebly with a bit of a tendency to clank, but not uncontrollably. Also not a Fender J sound, but definitely SC sound.

Now, I could have made the USA get a little clanky, but I would have had to work at it. And I could have made the Tribute get pretty damned clanky, but I would have had to work at it too (just not so hard).

I know the difference it took to get the JB-2 to sound really excellent instead of clanky and way trebly and just plain difficult. Chef will be holding is head in agony because this is Ken's Broken Record (tm).

I turned it down. I even had the tone control, which is only treble cut, dimed - wide open - full treble ON. And that JB-2 was a juicy axe. Not even particularly zingy sounding.

Now, Fralins & Nords are good stuff. No question. But I would strongly encourage JB-2 owners to leave the G&L pickups in there and spend some time with the volume controls backed off. If that still doesn't do it for you, then get out your VISA and order up aftermarket pickups.

Ken...

[dogbass]

Encouraging. I've been considering a JB2, but really don't want to buy something that i KNOW I'm going to have drop decent $ into to get a reasonable sound out of. (Which is the impression I've gotten after reading many unfavorable reviews of the stock PUs). Volume adjustments.... i can work with ! Thanks Ken

[Assumer]

I love the stock pickups

[sbassface]

Cool I'm glad you said outloud what I've been thinking in my head. I almost always play my JB-2 with the Volume(s) and tone rolled off a bit. Thanks

[plankspanker13]

My Tribby version suits me just fine. Then again, I bought it as a grab & go axe; a "beater." I usually roll the treble off about 1/3, and take down the bridge pickup about 1/4 and have a nice sound to work with. Folks whom I play with often tell me to turn down the bass when I bring the JB-2 into the mix. All of my other basses are active; go figure. I could probably be happy ditching my Fender J24 and my JB-2 Tribby for a USA JB-2, but the J24 has its usefulness. What may end up happening is the installation of a graphite neck on the JB-2, with Hipshot tuners and a bass Xtender, and voila; a real go-anywhere bass that would be great for cruise ship gigs.

[Chef]

Tried that Ken
Even with flats, and tone rolled off, it weren't my cup-o-tea.

The Nords are very nice, and perhaps even .5 steps too much: they could mebbee use a lil bit more top end, sometimes. The NJ4's are a warm, sweet fat, clear vintage tone.
The Fralins-and Aeros even more so-have more of that top end grind that's nice; and i both cases, rolling tone back (or yeah, even closing the volume a dink!) can really tame that.

My Nord filled JB2: I often run tone wide open, and move from "fat to clean" by right hand placement.
With my Fralin filled Lakland JO: I typically shut tone down to 60% as a starting point, and only run it more open occaionally.

[tdoody]

i played with my jb2 for about 8mos. i found that with the neck pickup at about 75% and the bridge pickup at about 60% i was able to get a good sound, but not what i wanted. i am in love with the 60's funk sound from philly, memphis, detroit and chicago. i also am in love with the playability, and build quality of the jb2.

the nordstrands have really given me what i was looking for.i think they have made a great bass even better.they are not for everyone. the stock sound might be perfect for you. no mater what, the jb2 is a super bass .

td

[Chef]

One note on what I did: the Nord NJ4's are not high output.
The Fralins are hot, and grindy; very high output.

The only time this has been an issue was trying to use the Nord/JB2, into the Mesa Walkkabout (300 watts at 4 ohms) into a Dr Bass 1580 8 ohm cab. Just didn't have the juice to push the amp to push the cab, if you follow. The Fralins did tho.

[TDR1138]

Just wonderin' on this... is the JB2's sound influenced by things other than the pickups? I mean, obviously there will be some tonal differences in body and neck woods, bridge and that sort of thing, but is the main difference in sound between a JB2 and a Jazz the pickups? Did G&L just design some pickups that just didn't have quite the bottom end that some of you were looking for? If I were to drop some Fender Jazz pickups into a JB2, would it cop the Jazz sound pretty well? Or, by the same note, would the G&L pickups sound like a JB2 if I were to put them in a Fender J?

[metron]

I have a similar question. I had a JB-2 for a bit and now I totally regret selling it. It didn't quite have the jazz tone I wanted. I never messed with the pups, just sold it. Now I am gassing for a jazz again. All I know I really want a bass that can give me vintage 60s jazz tone. Can that tone be had with a JB-2 and the right pups? I hear Fralin makes good pups with the vintage Fender tone.

[Ken Baker]

Originally Posted by TDR1138

Just wonderin' on this... is the JB2's sound influenced by things other than the pickups? I mean, obviously there will be some tonal differences in body and neck woods, bridge and that sort of thing, but is the main difference in sound between a JB2 and a Jazz the pickups? Did G&L just design some pickups that just didn't have quite the bottom end that some of you were looking for? If I were to drop some Fender Jazz pickups into a JB2, would it cop the Jazz sound pretty well? Or, by the same note, would the G&L pickups sound like a JB2 if I were to put them in a Fender J?

Originally Posted by metron

I have a similar question. I had a JB-2 for a bit and now I totally regret selling it. It didn't quite have the jazz tone I wanted. I never messed with the pups, just sold it. Now I am gassing for a jazz again. All I know I really want a bass that can give me vintage 60s jazz tone. Can that tone be had with a JB-2 and the right pups? I hear Fralin makes good pups with the vintage Fender tone.

While the pickups are very much like the original Fender Jazz single coils, they are still a bit different. So, pickup to pickup, there is a difference.

The bridges are VASTLY different. That massive hunk of metal set into a body rout is a helluva lot stronger anchor for the strings than the bent steel bridge plate of the Fender.

The saddles are different in that the G&L's are locked together by the Saddle Lock screw.

Neck attachment is different, 4 screws vs 6.

Bodies and necks are shaped differently.

The only thing that is the same is the V-V-T circuit of three 250K pots and a .047mfd tone cap.

Now, none of this takes anything away from the Fender. What it has contributes to the "Fender sound". And all the things that G&Ls have contribute to their sound. They're going to sound different - they just have to.

All this cuts back to this: If you want a Fender Jazz sound, get a Fender Jazz. If you want a Precision sound, get a P. Everything that goes into them is what makes their sound.

It also cuts back to this: A G&L, of any type, will not cop the sound of any other bass. They might get close, but an exact match ain't gonna happen. Which is okay because their native sound is pretty awesome.

Ken...

[ljazz]

Originally Posted by Ken Baker

While the pickups are very much like the original Fender Jazz single coils, they are still a bit different. So, pickup to pickup, there is a difference.

The bridges are VASTLY different. That massive hunk of metal set into a body rout is a helluva lot stronger anchor for the strings than the bent steel bridge plate of the Fender.

The saddles are different in that the G&L's are locked together by the Saddle Lock screw.

Neck attachment is different, 4 screws vs 6.

Bodies and necks are shaped differently.

The only thing that is the same is the V-V-T circuit of three 250K pots and a .047mfd tone cap.

Now, none of this takes anything away from the Fender. What it has contributes to the "Fender sound". And all the things that G&Ls have contribute to their sound. They're going to sound different - they just have to.

All this cuts back to this: If you want a Fender Jazz sound, get a Fender Jazz. If you want a Precision sound, get a P. Everything that goes into them is what makes their sound.

It also cuts back to this: A G&L, of any type, will not cop the sound of any other bass. They might get close, but an exact match ain't gonna happen. Which is okay because their native sound is pretty awesome.

Ken...

To a certain degree, I agree with this.... however, I honestly believe that when someone buys a JB2 (hmmmmm does JB mean Jazz Bass???), they believe they're getting something that is a Jazz bass, plus a bit more. And why shouldn't they? G&L was Leo's, right? The problem is I don't really think the JB2 does modern jazz or vintage jazz all that well..... even with vol and tone rolled off (I've been doing that trick with my SB1 since the late '80's.... vintage P all the way).

I agree that you're not going to get P or J or MM with the G&L HB's. Approximations, perhaps, but not the real deal. But when you get something with single coil J's, or a split coil P's, and they have Leo' name on the neck, why shouldn't you expect to find that classic tone in there somewhere?

Finally, I have a Fender Jazz Bass.... '92 American Standard. It sounds absolutely, positively like a vintage jazz bass. Last year, a buddy and me did extensive a/b'ing of my bass with his '66 (I believe?). With the exception a bit more "wood" in the tone on my bass, they were virtually identical sounding. Funny enough, the bass didn't sound that good when I first got it. It took SD Antiquity Pups, bone nut and a new bridge to get there. My Fender just didn't do "Fender" all that well.

I'd love to hear a JB2 with the Antiquity pups.... and maybe even Audere'd. (dang, now I've got myself gassin')

Ljazz

[Templar]

I'd love to hear a JB2 with the Antiquity pups.... and maybe even Audere'd.

Why not just get a SX and mod it that way? What distinguishes the JB-2 from other jazz clones are the pickups. Some players like 'em, many don't.

SD Antiquity's.....I had a JB-2 with them, compared to the stock pups the SD's sounded sorta lifeless. Not bad, just non-descript by comparison.

Personally, I don't get the paradigm of automatically equating G&L's with Fenders of the past. The G&L mission was to move forward.

Is this what players say when they plug in a Stingray?.....

"Hey Leo, ***? This doe'snt sound like my P bass, dude". lol

Maybe it's the result of decades of well-spent marketing dollars by everyone BUT G&L. Who says kool-aid does'nt work, eh?

[Chef]

Well, that's all valid enough.

[ljazz]

Let me rephrase....

To me, not having MFD's is really the issue.

The point, for me, is that the J's in the JB2 don't measure up. If you want a J style bass (if the JB2 isn't a "jazz bass", then why call it the JB2, and why put single coil J's in it?), then you're right, the JB2 isn't it. There are a whole lot better J styles out there.

A friend of mine several years ago had one of the SB2's with the single coil MFD's. That bass could out J most J's, especially with the vol and tone rolled back a bit. Cranked back up, it was something more (I should of bought it from him when I had the chance). That's the magic of the MFD's. The single coils in the JB2, just aren't that.... and your point is well taken.... maybe it isn't supposed to be.

But again, if you call it a JB2, and put the J's in it, don't you think most folks expect a J?

Ljazz

[Madcity Fats]

Originally Posted by ljazz

But again, if you call it a JB2, and put the J's in it, don't you think most folks expect a J?

Just wait till you see the JB-1.

[Ken Baker]

Originally Posted by ljazz

But again, if you call it a JB2, and put the J's in it, don't you think most folks expect a J?

A lot of people do, to be sure. But just having single coil pickups does not a Jazz Bass make. The SC pickups will generally produce a clearer fundamental compared to a humbucker, which is to be expected. But the fact that they exist in any form from any manufacturer doesn't make the bass they're installed in a Jazz Bass. And the tone we get from these basses, again, isn't just the electronics talking.

I guess it's a matter of expectation. In the case of G&L, "JB" would seem to indication Jazz Bass. It doesn't deliver that Fender-ish tone and some are disappointed at that. But if we really stop and think about about it; if we let go of what Leo did back in the 50's; then we'll let this bass stand on its own. It needs to be remembered that MusicMan and G&L are evolutionary steps forward from Fender.

Originally Posted by Madcity Fats

Just wait till you see the JB-1.

I don't think we'll see this one happen. I've been told that it's still hanging on the wall in Efrain's office, but that's about it. If they'd actually put the MFD single coils in there, all you'd have is (basically) a first gen SB-2.

Ken...

[spideyjg]

Dunno, I hate J basses due to ergonomic conflicts but like my JB-2. Gets me a modern Geddy sound easily with the neck max and the bridge rolled back 10-20%.

Ebony board with no dead spots and and a just right profile. The color don't thrill me though.



I'm weird that way.

Jim

[Templar]

There seems to be some confusion as to what constitutes a "jazz" bass.

If you mean Fender Jazz Bass, then why not indicate that so others will know exactly what your notion of a jazz bass is. It is not a given.

Virtually every builder makes a version, and all are so similar to a Fender design that they are in fact all jazz basses. Even Fender makes different versions.

Will the real jazz bass please stand up?

[Templar]

The color don't thrill me though.

Yeah Jim, but everyone knows the red ones sound best.