Another one of my teachers comments...

[jazzboi]

So my bass instructor said,my bass haven't got any potential in it's wood,so don't waste my money on pickpups and bridge replacement. I've got a 2003 Fender MIM Jazz bass,with alder body,maple neck and rosewood fingerboard. I now use the stock PU and bridge. I want to get a more oldskool Jazz bass sound,which is powerful and meaty....That's why I looked at Seymour Duncan Antiquity II's. Because I play pretty powerful,my bridge moves around. That's why I looked at Leo Quan Badass II bridge. How would improve these two changes the overall sound of my bass? Can be my instructor correct,that my bass haven't got potential and don't deserve these changes?

[Modo74]

I think you need a new instructor.

First he criticizes warwicks, now he's dissing the bass you've got.

Tell him to have a coke and a smile and shut the **** up.

[WarriorJoe7]

He's probably jsut saying it because it is a mexican fender.

[jazzboi]

Originally Posted by Modo74

I think you need a new instructor.

First he criticizes warwicks, now he's dissing the bass you've got.

Tell him to have a coke and a smile and shut the **** up.

Originally Posted by WarriorJoe7

He's probably jsut saying it because it is a mexican fender.

1) Yep maybe I should look at somebody else. Anyway,I think he gave me the knowledge what I needed,so the technique part will be my role to learn.

2)I thought about it too. He's got an FBass and a 1977 MIA Fender Jazz... maybe he's snob. Oh,have I mentioned,that he said that I've got always used strings? I replied to him,that I'm not an endorser as him,so I can't change the strings weekly,because I haven't got that much pocket money.

Anyway,I really like my MIM jazz i've got something emotional contact with it. Like the first girlfriend,it was my first bass on stage,and the first good bass. I want to keep it as long as I can,I want it to be a "relic" kind of bass in the future (like my favorite pair of jeans. I want to use it,as long as it works),but she deserves a better PU set IMO and a better bridge. So what do you think about it besides of my teacher? Would it be a useful idea? Would the new PU's and the bridge improve my sound?

[kevteop]

I've never liked the stock Fender bridge. If you don't like it either, replace it. It's cheap and easy enough to do.

Pickups are a bigger purchase, and it's harder to know what results you'll get from your investment. That said, if you're confident that a particular set will give you the tone you want then go ahead and do it.

Keep all the parts you take off, so you can replace them if you ever do decide to sell it. It's easier to sell stock instruments than modified ones IME, and they go for more predictable prices.

[jazzboi]

Originally Posted by kevteop

I've never liked the stock Fender bridge. If you don't like it either, replace it. It's cheap and easy enough to do.

Pickups are a bigger purchase, and it's harder to know what results you'll get from your investment. That said, if you're confident that a particular set will give you the tone you want then go ahead and do it.

Keep all the parts you take off, so you can replace them if you ever do decide to sell it. It's easier to sell stock instruments than modified ones IME, and they go for more predictable prices.

Well I'm not completely confident with the Antiquity II's but I've read a bunch of good reviews about them. The other what was preferred by reviewers are Nordstrands,but in my small country (Hungary) I can't get them. Here in Hungary only a few brands are available,like Seymour-Duncan,EMG,DiMarzio,and maybe Haussel(but it's a little bit complicated,to get one pair of them),oh and Fenders. I've read a lot of reviews to find what I want,and thought that the Seymours would be ideal for me... but I don't know which one to choose between these brands. I need something vintage sounding,(I've wrote that a lot of time so you can know my needs. ) but punchy too. Have you got any suggestions? (I'm limited to these brands so please suggest anything from these. )

[Hawaii Islander]

I have the BadAss II bridge on my P-bass and like it a lot.

I put Fender Noiseless Jazz pickups on my MIM Deluxe Jazz bass and they sound good and are quiet.

Upgrading and/or modifying basses is fun to do too.

[GeoffByrne]

Gotoh do a drop-in better replacement bridge that's good and cheaper than the BAII, and if you want a meaty sound, you could look at DiMarzio 'J's with the parallel/serial switch.

[pedroims]

I used to have SD in my p bass and they sound was pretty nice, I switched to Norstrand and now I have a more classic P Motown sound, I like the clear and pounch they are, I am going to put the SD in a new project.

[PilbaraBass]

do you actually PAY this guy to give you bad advice like that?...

He's got a point only in that you should first invest in a new set of strings before you set out on the pickup path...

but that Bovine Waste about the "wrong woods"...give me a break!...

If you don't like the Fender bridge (many don't), then change it...if you want new pickups, then do that, too...

if you like how the bass feels and plays, then there's no such THING as "wrong woods"...

[BillMason]

Don't worry about changing your strings every week, lots of pros go months before changing. Strings and pickups can have a huge effect on your tone. The DiMarzio Model J is a great jazz pickup - each one is stacked, so they are hum canceling. Plus they sound awesome - old school, IMHO. For strings, I like Fender 7250M - lots of meat.

Many on TB agree that the body wood doesn't have much affect on tone, and I doubt there's much of a difference between a MIM body and a MIA body.

Having said all that - don't worry too much about tone, get your technique and skills down. Replace the bridge or fix it if it ain't working - if the saddles are sliding up and down, you can fix them with fingernail polish or Loctite. If they're sliding side to side, go ahead and replace the bridge.

[Jim Carr]

Your teacher's opinions on MIM Jazz basses don't mean that he/she is not a good teacher.

IMHO, you are paying too much attention to that. Many good musicians don't always have the most enlightened or up-to-date ideas about gear. It is not as important as playing and teaching.

Which would you rather have, a gear expert or a bass playing expert? If you have both, fine, but the gear side is a moving target. Music is a challenge that is unyielding to fashion.

Also, in the past, the wood in MIM basses was generally quite inferior to MIA. IMHO, there is still a difference. N.B., I own MIM, MIJ, and MIA Fenders.

Remember, upgraded pickups can be kept and put on another instrument if you sell your MIM baby. Just hang on to the stock pups.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Do you like the way your bass sounds when its not plugged in?

Do you like the feel of your bass and the way it plays?

If so, just stick some new pickups in it

[heavyfunkmachin]

my main bass is a mim jazz bass with fender custom 60´s pickups and a "sheler" (spelling?) bridge (solid and 3d adjustable)

´nuff said

[Micolao]

Originally Posted by Modo74

I think you need a new instructor.

First he criticizes warwicks, now he's dissing the bass you've got.

Tell him to have a coke and a smile and shut the **** up.

+1

[fullrangebass]

If the bridge moves while you dig in IIRC, you should change it. Any bass with solid construction should be able to serve you well. As far as the MIM comments regarding woods, Fender has done nothing to convince me of a difference in the body woods (pickups yes, but then again it's not like night and day IMHO). QC may be a touch higher in MIA Fender basses but it's only over the construction, not the materials. If it were a luthier of custom basses, he may have chosen more resonant woods (resulting to a higher price)

[Eublet]

The only thing that I'd be cautious about on a MIM is the neck and fretwork. But a good set of pickups, better bridge and tuners, and a shielding job can make it a nice bass. Of course, for all that you could just go out and buy yourself a good used MIA.

[rodl2005]

As U say............sounds like a "Gear Snob" to me!!! Aint NUTHIN' wrong w/ MIM Fenders-as Mohawk says- if U like the feel of the bass, AND the way it sounds UNPLUGGED then It's good to go!!!!! FOR YOU!!! Thats the MAIN THING!!!! If U like these things & the plugged in sound lets U down -new pups wil make a difference-be aware that they ALL sound different tho. SD's MAY/MAY NOT be your bag! & IMO change your bridge if you want & if it's shifting when U dig in.......... GOTOH do make good ones, IME as good as Badass. I made a SX P bass I had string thru body(with lotsa measuring & a bench- drill press & a GOTOH copy (string thru body or thru bridge) bridge-that IMHO is as good as a gotoh, which is as good as a badass..etc....
Shop around, if poss-try out as many pups as poss!!, if not, get'em as cheap as poss & sell 'em on if U don't like & try another sort. Thats what I did & surprise - settled on a set of P pups off an old Ibanez from C1990!!!!

[lundborg]

A Badass II bridge can easily be taken off again and re-used. It will last a lifetime. I have
one on my '66 P-bass, it was there when I got the bass in '86 and is still there. Good
value I'd say. I must confess I haven't done A/B testing with the stock bridge though -
it does not make much sense to put that flimsy piece of sheet metal back on.

Badass bridges don't allow sideways string movement (the adjustment screws run in
grooves), so it sound's like a good idea for you.

The only "drawback" with Badass II is that it wo'nt fit under the bridge cover of the
P-bass. In case you have one and want it on (isn't the Jazz cover wider though?).

[Basshole]

If he provides good musical instruction, consider keeping him as a teacher...but take his gear comments with a grain of salt. He sounds like a putz.