Jaco on 5 or 6 String?

[fourztringz]

if Jaco is alive today do you think he would stick to his old 4 string gear?

Or would he shift to a 5 string or maybe 6 string bass? wat do you think guys?

[Introvox]

Wow what a question...but I think he'd stay on a 4.

His entire career was mainly played on 2 basses, yet at one point he could have easily had a signature made by fender, or bought something else...

He loved the BOD, and with the modifications to the neck, it was one-of-a-kind.

If, he was alive, and the BOD was still missing in action, he probably would have found another Jazz bass (used - pawn shop), and repeated the same modifications like he did on the BOD...it was a crucial part of his sound.

[bassteban]

STONE HIM! Stone him & cast him from our midst.

(Someone had to say it)

Seriously, he did have a 5 string ABG, didn't he?
BTW, what's this BOD thingie?
Edit: Duh, Bass Of Doom

[fretless Bob]

actually right before he died he secured an endorsement with JD to have six basses made for him

apparently he tried out a Mark King sig at a clinic and managed to work out a deal through the guy who owned the store,

JD made 3 fretless and 3 fretted to what was bassically 62 jazz specifacations the only differences where all black hardware and black gloss body, 21 fret unlined ebony board (on the fretless), maple neck and EMG pickups with a passive circuit,

when they found he had died they sold them off in the UK,

i have the artical upstairs that i read this in, i will scan it in soon for you guys to see that im not making this up

so i think if he was alive he would be playing something made just for him, maybe by Fender maybe someone else.



Dave

[fretless Bob]

just to clear it up for anyone wh omight of gotten confused when i wrote JD i was refering to John Diggins, not Jerzy Drozd


Dave

[Introvox]

Originally Posted by bassteban

STONE HIM! Stone him & cast him from our midst.

(Someone had to say it)

Seriously, he did have a 5 string ABG, didn't he?
BTW, what's this BOD thingie?
Edit: Duh, Bass Of Doom

Not sure, but are you flaming me?

Yes, he owned an Acoustic Bass Guitar, but I can't remember a recording with it.

He also owned an upright, and several other Jazz Basses.

If he was alive, I think he would still play a 4 string.

[spudmaster34]

I know this is asking about how many strings... but it should still be under bassists, not strings...

[bassteban]

Originally Posted by Introvox

Not sure, but are you flaming me?

Yes, he owned an Acoustic Bass Guitar, but I can't remember a recording with it.

He also owned an upright, and several other Jazz Basses.

If he was alive, I think he would still play a 4 string.

No; poking fun at idolization of a particular bassist. It seems to me any time Jaco's name comes up, a small swarm of posts appears countering whatever is asked, suggested, considered, etc.
Disclaimer: I have great respect for Jaco, his music & accomplishments. For the record, I think he probably would play 4. I also don't mean to demean your thread; it's a good question. I just expected someone to jump up & say what I said, but with full sincerity. I was kidding.

[fretless Bob]

Originally Posted by spudmaster34

I know this is asking about how many strings... but it should still be under bassists, not strings...

+1 next mod that comes by should probably move it or something.


and by the way introvox if you get the portait of Jaco cd by bobbing it has a recording of him playing through a a tune or two on it, and it sounded amazing, but the neck got broke off and that was that.


Dave

[SnakeAnthony]

I agree with most of whats been said. There was no reason for him to go any further with the # of strings. He never went below the low E, if he need to he could have tuned down, but he never did, so that makes the B string kind of pointless, and he never really had to go above the 20th or 21st fretspace on the fender, if he did he'd either bend it up or find a haromic node that fit the note he needed (either natural or artificial).

The whole point of him playing the 4s was to find every possible option of sound, every limitiation, every boundary possible on the 4, and even Jaco, in the years he played, and explored, still never found a need to move up. So thats saying something about what can still be discovered and used in the space of a 4 banger.

[Baryonyx]

He'd probably be playing a 4 string Fodera...or a Conklin 9 string!

[Introvox]

Originally Posted by bassteban

No; poking fun at idolization of a particular bassist. It seems to me any time Jaco's name comes up, a small swarm of posts appears countering whatever is asked, suggested, considered, etc.
Disclaimer: I have great respect for Jaco, his music & accomplishments. For the record, I think he probably would play 4. I also don't mean to demean your thread; it's a good question. I just expected someone to jump up & say what I said, but with full sincerity. I was kidding.

Cool...no harm done...

Thank you for clearing it up...sorry.

[fretless Bob]

Originally Posted by SnakeAnthony

I agree with most of whats been said. There was no reason for him to go any further with the # of strings. He never went below the low E, if he need to he could have tuned down, but he never did, so that makes the B string kind of pointless, and he never really had to go above the 20th or 21st fretspace on the fender, if he did he'd either bend it up or find a haromic node that fit the note he needed (either natural or artificial).

The whole point of him playing the 4s was to find every possible option of sound, every limitiation, every boundary possible on the 4, and even Jaco, in the years he played, and explored, still never found a need to move up. So thats saying something about what can still be discovered and used in the space of a 4 banger.

we could argue about this for ages but im pretty sure he would of tried a 5 at some point even if he might of gone back to a 4.


Dave

[Introvox]

Originally Posted by fretless Bob

+1 next mod that comes by should probably move it or something.


and by the way introvox if you get the portait of Jaco cd by bobbing it has a recording of him playing through a a tune or two on it, and it sounded amazing, but the neck got broke off and that was that.


Dave

Cool, I've been wanting to get that CD....and I can't wait to hear the recording you speak of...thanks

What is with Jaco and broken necks (hehe), I've still yet to break my first....am I just not trying hard enough...hehehe

[fretless Bob]

yeah tell me about it, i think i read that he broke it in early 74 so it never got on his debut album. it sounds real like an upright in that tune but nowhere near as clumsy sounding if you know what i mean.


Dave

[bassteban]

Originally Posted by Introvox

Cool...no harm done...

Thank you for clearing it up...sorry.

No trips here. I often talk too much, & usually mistakenly think I'm clever.
<---this guy looks more embarrassed than sarcastic to me.

[Baryonyx]

on a Jaco related note, the album "Jaco" by Brian Bromberg offers some very unqique interpretations of Jaco's work-a must for any Jaco or Bromberg fan!

[SnakeAnthony]

Originally Posted by fretless Bob

we could argue about this for ages but im pretty sure he would of tried a 5 at some point even if he might of gone back to a 4.


Dave

I'm sure he would have tried, and even used them at some point. We've already talked about his custom ABG 5er. But my point was, there was (and still is) room to explore on 4s, and Jaco loved being one to push those boudaries. I, personally (personally, this is just me and my thoughts on the matter, no one flame me for an opinion) feel like Jaco would have kept pushing with the 4 string as long as possible, until he felt completley sure that he could do no more (which I doubt anyone, even Jaco if he were still alive, could do). Plus take into consideration how much a part of his sound those Jazz basses were. I also doubt he would completley change and revamp his tone to add on another string (just another opinion).

But I am a guy whos only bass right now is a 5 string, so dont look at it as though I am some kind of '4 Banger For Life!!' kinda dudes. I'm just saying in the stylings and playings of Jaco, a 4 was the best form of exploration for him. There were 5s available in the late 70s, earily 80s before he died. Even moving into the exploration of 6ers, 12 & 15 strings, etc. Modern and high tech basses like Alembic were popping up. But he never changed his basses then, I just personally doubt he would change now.

[fretless Bob]

yeah that makes a lot of sense when you put it like that, still would of loved to have seen him on a 5 fretless Fodera emporer like his sons one though


Dave

[SnakeAnthony]

Originally Posted by fretless Bob

yeah that makes a lot of sense when you put it like that, still would of loved to have seen him on a 5 fretless Fodera emporer like his sons one though


Dave

I don't know much about his sons, but unless their doing the 'Perfectly Replicate The Tone Of My Father To Pay Tribute To Him' thing, I wouldn't be that suprised to seem them play 5ers and 6ers. It would help them seperate themselves twards their own accomplishments, instead of blending with that of their Father's, I think.