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03-27-2011, 08:19 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Colorado | | | Fattening up a Jazz Bass
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I don't usually like to change anything on a Jazz But my fretless is needing a little more low/mid punch.
What are the options out there these days ?
Right now it's completely passive w/ stock p/u's.
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Jazz Bass Fretless, Squire Jazz Bass Deluxe Active
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03-27-2011, 08:32 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Hopatcong, NJ | | | How about a Sadowsky Outboard Bass Preamp/DI Pedal.
You wont have to modify the bass. |
03-27-2011, 08:35 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Colorado | | | Do you use one and how much is that one usually ?
I don't have a problem with modding out though.
How are things in old Lake Hopatcong ? Have spent some time in the area years ago.
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Jazz Bass Fretless, Squire Jazz Bass Deluxe Active
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03-27-2011, 08:37 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Burlington, Vt. | | | DiMarzio model J pickups work well for that task. They add depth & presence, lotsa low & low-mid, and have high output.
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Bass since '65
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03-27-2011, 08:42 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Keizer, OR | |
__________________ Mark • Fender Jazz Bass Club #747 • LOG #392 • Oregon Bassist Club #34
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03-27-2011, 08:45 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bessemer, AL | | | Try wiring the pickups in series. That seems to add a pleasant low-mid punch to a Jazz |
03-27-2011, 08:46 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan | | Add a Precision pickup. 
Let's not pretend like it wasn't going to get said.
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03-27-2011, 08:47 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Hopatcong, NJ | | | I have a Sadowsky NYC with the pre amp installed ( they all do). The bass and treble boost are very good. I usually play with them at 1 to 3 in a scale of 10. Sometimes I'll bring the bass boost 4 or 5 for slow songs. To be fair I dont know about other pre amps, but I think you'd really like this one. It cost @230.00 plus shipping.
Hopatcong's fine, we're trying to get ready for the boating season. I'd rather be in Colorado. |
03-27-2011, 08:49 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Boston, MA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by ubersku | I'm right about to do that to my Lakland DJ5, it's on order. Passive sounds great, but it does lack bottom..... |
03-27-2011, 08:52 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Kansas City, MO | | Swap out your neck volume for a push/pull pot and wire it for series/parallel. Running in series will fatten up the tone quite a bit. Wiring Diagram
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Last edited by gjbassist : 03-27-2011 at 08:55 PM.
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03-27-2011, 08:52 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Tampa, Florida | | Quote:
Originally Posted by TomB DiMarzio model J pickups work well for that task. They add depth & presence, lotsa low & low-mid, and have high output. | I went with Quarter Pounders in mine, because they sounded a bit better to me. But, QP's hum when soloed, the Model J's don't.
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03-27-2011, 09:00 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Colorado | | | Is there any loss at the hi-end when wiring in series ?
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Jazz Bass Fretless, Squire Jazz Bass Deluxe Active
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03-27-2011, 09:00 PM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by slogo How about a Sadowsky Outboard Bass Preamp/DI Pedal.
You wont have to modify the bass. | +1 on the Sadowsky outboard preamp. And, YES, I use one. I have the older one that you clip to your belt. A little goes a long way. I love what it does to a passive Fender/J type bass.
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03-27-2011, 09:08 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Kansas City, MO | | Quote:
Originally Posted by sturoc Is there any loss at the hi-end when wiring in series ? | You might loose a little bit of the traditional Jazz bass high end clarity but not much. The nice thing about using the switch is that it is quick and easy to go back and forth between the two modes.
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Originally Posted by chuck norriss Anyone doesn't like Geddy Lee? Automatic punch in the face. | SX Club Member in Good Standing/Geddy Lee Club #17/Lefties Who Play Right #4/GK Club #840/Zoom Owners Club #96
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03-27-2011, 09:10 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Las Vegas, NV | | | I put in an audere 6 z mode pre in mine and changed out the pickups to bartolini classic low humbucking single coil size and man It really gave me a lot of low end and its focused and clean
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03-27-2011, 09:11 PM
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Originally Posted by slogo I have a Sadowsky NYC with the pre amp installed ( they all do). The bass and treble boost are very good. I usually play with them at 1 to 3 in a scale of 10. Sometimes I'll bring the bass boost 4 or 5 for slow songs. To be fair I dont know about other pre amps, but I think you'd really like this one. It cost @230.00 plus shipping.
Hopatcong's fine, we're trying to get ready for the boating season. I'd rather be in Colorado. | If your talkin lake hopatcong in jersey. Im right by there on milton side. Small world
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03-27-2011, 09:13 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Seattle, WA | | | For tones of tonal flexability, try an Alembic SF-2 Superfilter. I love using this unit with my jazz basses.
Bones
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03-27-2011, 09:18 PM
|  | Don't give a damn about my bad reputation | | Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Oklahoma City | | | Foreword: I have a fretless J with a series/parallel mod and a Sadowsky outboard preamp.
+1 on series/parallel. There is a definite high end loss in series. Not a big deal as IME fretless doesn't benefit from the frequencies that are rolled off. There is also a noticeable boost in signal. Tonally it will give you thicker mids. Some people compare it to a P bass, but I wouldn't. A P has more low mids witha dip in the upper mids and less low end when compared to a jazz in series o parallel. I'd recommend a series/parallel mod simply because it can be done for damned near free. The price of a push/pull pot is around $5. After that it is a matter of following a schematic, adding a couple wires and firing up ye olde soldering iron. After a brief honeymoon period I find myself using the series setting only about 10 to 15% of the time.
-1 Sadowsky outboard preamp for the issues the OP mentioned. The sadowsky's low end boost is under the low mid range that would fatten up a FRETLESS Jazz. I find myself needing to adjust my volume so that the low end from my sadowsky isn't overwhelming the mix. This over all results in more lows and LESS low mids. The only way I've managed to effectively use the Sadowsky with my fretless is to solo the bridge then use the Sadowsky to add back in some low end booty. It works but sounds more synthetic than just rolling in some neck pickup to my ear. The high end is in a region that doesn't particularly useful on a fretless. I actually really like my Sadowsky outboard preamp. I just don't ever reach for it when playing fretless. Overall the sadowsky really.... tames (read kills) the mwah factor on fretless. Believe it or not, I can actually get more low mids by careful futzing of the knobs from my SABDDI (even with it's reputed mid scoop) with my fretless than I can with my sadowsky. The slight grit helps out a lot at thickening up the signal. I'd look at other outboard preamps given the OP's tone goals. Something with mid (preferably sweepable) controls being ideal. A sansamp paradriver or perhaps a Aguilar tonehammer?
If you do opt for new pickups, I really like the nordstrand nj4se's. They have a nice low mid bump with slightly muted high end. Seems like they were tailor made for fretless applications IMO.
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03-27-2011, 09:19 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Colorado | | | Will be looking into all the suggestions. Like that push pull pot idea,
Would it work in conjunction with the other options?
Thanks gang !
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Jazz Bass Fretless, Squire Jazz Bass Deluxe Active
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03-27-2011, 09:29 PM
|  | Fan of the N.O. Saints | | | | Quote:
Originally Posted by bassist4dalord Add a Precision pickup.
Let's not pretend like it wasn't going to get said. | 
there are several pickups that will allow you to thicken up your sound. Duncan 1/4 lbs are great as well as their stacked pickups. The dimarzio model J's are an incredible value as well!
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