fender '51 precision telecaster bass vs. reissue?

[UnderDogbassist]

what do you think they compare to, cuz i saw one of these and they're badass and they look so cool plus they're fun to play.i'm contemplating selling the rickenbacker i JUST bought ( i know i know) and getting either one of those, and using the rest of the money for other things (college, rig, car etc.)

oh and would you think these basses would be fine playing jazz on?

[king_biscuit]

Do you mean the 51 Precision bass reissue? If so, they are very cool. Only you can decide if it's cooler than your Ric, though -- totally different animal. If you can play Jazz, you can certainly play it on a 51 reissue

[UnderDogbassist]

Originally Posted by king_biscuit

Do you mean the 51 Precision bass reissue? If so, they are very cool. Only you can decide if it's cooler than your Ric, though -- totally different animal. If you can play Jazz, you can certainly play it on a 51 reissue

well i think it is a very cool bass, but the rick kinda beats it. i dunno i get like a severe g.a.s. attack, and it goes away when i start playing my rick haha. but yeah, defs next on eht list of basses to get, unless somebody has a <1000$ bass that is used alot in jazz that isn't a fender jazz bass too overplayed.

[Jim Carr]

Originally Posted by UnderDogbassist

what do you think they compare to, cuz i saw one of these and they're badass and they look so cool plus they're fun to play.i'm contemplating selling the rickenbacker i JUST bought ( i know i know) and getting either one of those, and using the rest of the money for other things (college, rig, car etc.)

oh and would you think these basses would be fine playing jazz on?

I wonder which basses you really mean by "fender '52 precision telecaster bass vs. reissue?"

You don't need any specific bass to play Jazz. Your Ric or a '51 RI or other Fender reissue would work. However, IMHO, the single coil hum of the '51 P-bass might be a drag to deal with, as well as the very limited tonal pallet, chunky neck, and harder to reach upper frets.

If I were picking a bass for Jazz on a sonic basis, not on cosmetic criteria, I might select an active instrument that has an action that I find comfortable. A used Lakland 55-01 or 44-01 would be a good choice, or a passive Jazz, a used 60's classic or Road Worn with an outboard preamp--Sansamp, Tonehammer, VTbass, or better yet, a Sadowsky outboard.

[johnk_10]

i really dig the early 50's type p basses and early tele basses. having both types, personally, i prefer the '55/'56 the most, due to them having a contoured body, although the slab ones do look really cool.

[chuck3]

I've got one of these bad boys -



OK but not great build quality, MIJ. I swapped the factory pickup for a Seymour Duncan, and put on chrome flats. For the price, a decent overall bass guitar.

I play jazz and it's actually the last bass I'd play jazz on. It's great for country, blues and rockabilly. The tone is not sufficiently articulated for jazz IMO. For that, I use an upright or a Sterling fretless 4 with black nylon tapewounds - or my Fender Jazz. But not this one.

[lowphatbass]

Originally Posted by chuck3

I've got one of these bad boys -



OK but not great build quality......
.....I play jazz and it's actually the last bass I'd play jazz on...... ....But not this one.

Yea. I'd agree, I think, maybe.

[king_biscuit]

Originally Posted by chuck3

I've got one of these bad boys -



OK but not great build quality, MIJ. I swapped the factory pickup for a Seymour Duncan, and put on chrome flats. For the price, a decent overall bass guitar.

I play jazz and it's actually the last bass I'd play jazz on. It's great for country, blues and rockabilly. The tone is not sufficiently articulated for jazz IMO. For that, I use an upright or a Sterling fretless 4 with black nylon tapewounds - or my Fender Jazz. But not this one.

My Sting model is really well made, and other 51s I've seen were well made, so you may have just gotten a lemon. I think the Fender Japan stuff is generally very well regarding in terms of build quality.

[bassyRyan]

Or you could be a rebel and use a '51 for jazz. If Jaco used an eb-0, it would probably be an electric jazz standard. (I don't quite get the comments about the jazz bass being played out in jazz music...from what I see, most jazz players are using boutique driftwood with state of the art electronics)



Go with what sounds good and resist what's popular. If other people start to complain about your tone, then you can consider something else.

[johnk_10]

i agree. my scpb's can get almost an EUB type of tone, which i think would work very well for jazz, but i also believe that you can play jazz on any bass.
i also agree that every CIJ fender that iv'e played/owned had an excellent build quality, fit and finish.

[UnderDogbassist]

whattaya think would my rick be good enuf to hold in place of a jazz bass? i as thinking of putting flats/tapewounds on it, and maybe even replacing the bridge pickup with a j-pickup.

[UnderDogbassist]

Originally Posted by chuck3

I've got one of these bad boys -



OK but not great build quality, MIJ. I swapped the factory pickup for a Seymour Duncan, and put on chrome flats. For the price, a decent overall bass guitar.

I play jazz and it's actually the last bass I'd play jazz on. It's great for country, blues and rockabilly. The tone is not sufficiently articulated for jazz IMO. For that, I use an upright or a Sterling fretless 4 with black nylon tapewounds - or my Fender Jazz. But not this one.

+1000 man that thing is BEAUTIFUL imma ask for one for christmas.

[johnk_10]

Originally Posted by UnderDogbassist

whattaya think would my rick be good enuf to hold in place of a jazz bass? i as thinking of putting flats/tapewounds on it, and maybe even replacing the bridge pickup with a j-pickup.

i think a ric can work for any type of music, (but doesn't really sound like a fender jazz bass if that's what you're referring to?). i've replaced the bridge pickup with a jazz bass one for a few of my customers 30 years ago. to me, there was no advantage or improvement in its tone, it still sounded 90% like a ric, and i actually preferred the ric bridge pickup.

[UnderDogbassist]

yeah well i love my rick, and ive done a couple of jazz performances with it, but i find a rick fits into a standard jazz combo as much as a tuba

[johnk_10]

i'd run it with just the neck pickup .
here's what mine sounds like using only the neck pickup and it definitely doesn't sound like a tuba:

http://johnkvintageguitars.homestead...files/RE20.mp3

[Mastermold]

I own a Ric 4001 and 4003 and a Fender 51 reissue (and CS 55 reissue). They're really different instruments. If you like your Ric don't sell it. They're harder to come by than the Fenders, and the Fenders are cheaper too -- easier to replace or pick up later down the road.

[Jim Carr]

Originally Posted by UnderDogbassist

yeah well i love my rick, and ive done a couple of jazz performances with it, but i find a rick fits into a standard jazz combo as much as a tuba

Tuba, of course IS a standard member of many Jazz ensembles. Just google Preservation Hall.

[Jim Carr]

Originally Posted by UnderDogbassist

whattaya think would my rick be good enuf to hold in place of a jazz bass? i as thinking of putting flats/tapewounds on it, and maybe even replacing the bridge pickup with a j-pickup.

I think it would be a shame to mod your ric.

[jwalin]

there are different types of Jazz, you talking upright moaning Jazz, or 5 or six string fusion Jazz?

If the old upright Jazz sound is what you are after, the old single coil bass with a FRETLESS neck and flats works great for that. Very Woody sound.

But, also for that sound, and better for it, is a short scale Gibson fretless with that big square pickup right off the neck.

For the other, fusion type sound, well, anything with active electronics....

[Jim Carr]

Originally Posted by bassyRyan

...I don't quite get the comments about the jazz bass being played out in jazz music...from what I see, most jazz players are using boutique driftwood with state of the art electronics)...

Not to be defensive, but rather by way of explanation, I recommended an inexpensive used Jazz Bass (with an outboard pre-amp) not because of Jaco or anti-driftwood sentiment, LOL, but because it is a cheap way to get a wide array of articulate tones (especially with a pre-amp) and is likely to have a more comfortable action than a '51 RI. I own a nice 1991 example of a MIJ '51 RI (see below).

Yes of course, as I noted above (along with several others), you can play Jazz on any bass, and the Tuba is a bass.

Here is what I have used for Jazz duos, trios, quartets, quintets, septets, and assorted big bands: '68 Jazz bass, '71 fretless P-bass, '71 fretted P-bass, 1955 P-bass, 1960 Kay plywood upright, 1850 Tirolean hand-carved upright, Seward McCain Jr.'s 5-string upright, Lakland Skyline 44-01, Lakland Skyline 55-01D, Sadowsky NYC P/J, Valenti Fretless 5-string, Eminence EUB, Fender '60s Classic Jazz, MTD Kingston passive MM 5-string...I'm certain I am forgetting a couple.

I made my recommendations based on my limited experience.

As promised, here is my '51 RI P-bass, which I don't generally use for Jazz, but could if I wanted to, LOL: