My Fender Jazz Am Deluxe Has to Go - Talk Me Out of It

Misterwogan · #1 02-03-2013, 01:28 PM

I'm fine with the tone, maybe except that the pre-amp is next to useless because it generates so much noise - unlike the pre-amp in my Stingray which does not.

I absolutely love the neck - the width makes it so easy to play.

My big problem is that I've got it into my head that it looks and feels horrible.

The body is too big, so that when sitting down I can too easily touch the horn with my chin (I'm 5ft 9 by the way). This means that the neck is way too high also compared to my SR and P.

Worst of all, when I'm standing - it looks too big on me and I can't get comfortable with it.

What to do?

1 - Just put up with it
2 - Put the neck on my P
3 - Put a Jazz pickup in the P
3 - Sell and regret later

Help!

Misterwogan · #2 02-03-2013, 01:30 PM

Forgot the picture - here it is...

Jared Lash · #3 02-03-2013, 01:33 PM

If it isn't comfortable then sell it.

Plenty of basses with jazz pickups out there.

Brad Johnson · #4 02-03-2013, 01:38 PM

If you think it looks and feels horrible, why keep it? Granted, you might figure out somewhere down the road why you felt this way and realize you were wrong, sometimes that's how we learn.

At 5' 9" other than poor posture or positioning I'm not sure what the issue with your chin touching the bass is... it should be pretty easily avoidable. Horrible is a fairly strong reaction to the looks of a pretty plain black and white Jazz bass. Is the P bass in the pic horrible looking too? The preamp noise is not normal, is it caused by the bass or something else? Is it only when you solo the single coil pickups?

Funny thing about instruments looking too big on people... if you don't act that way, they usually don't.

fish slapper · #5 02-03-2013, 01:40 PM

Hmmm. I have the 5 string version and don't get any noise from the pre. You might want to have it checked out. Dunno, I'm a dyed in the wool J bass player and mine is the back-up to my trusty Am Std J for when I need either 5 strings or active pre. If it doesn't have a place in your herd, try something else.

Misterwogan · #6 02-03-2013, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fish slapper

Hmmm. I have the 5 string version and don't get any noise from the pre. You might want to have it checked out. Dunno, I'm a dyed in the wool J bass player and mine is the back-up to my trusty Am Std J for when I need either 5 strings or active pre. If it doesn't have a place in your herd, try something else.

I've just been playing with it for 5 minutes - that's about my limit. It's like badly fitting shoes - then I pick up the P (or the Ray) and it's like slippers.

MysticMichael · #7 02-03-2013, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brad Johnson

Funny thing about instruments looking too big on people... if you don't act that way, they usually don't.

A most wise and insightful observation, my brother. There really is something to be said for attitude, isn't there?

MM

malthumb · #8 02-03-2013, 01:48 PM

Is your strap position contributing to the "too big" feel? Of course, you should position the strap the way that works best for you, but if you strap it up high enough that the horn is near your chin, most basses you consider replacing it with will also place the horn near your chin.

FWIW, I'm 5'-7" and play basses that are much larger than a Fender J without looking too goofy. They do have shorter horns, though. Sorta why I'm wondering if it is your strap position.

Brad Johnson · #9 02-03-2013, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MysticMichael

A most wise and insightful observation, my brother. There really is something to be said for attitude, isn't there?

MM

I still remember the first time I saw Robert "Kool" Bell playing an Alembic. He had the "This is MY bass" look and like every other bass I saw him play, he was cool.

Misterwogan · #10 02-03-2013, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by malthumb

Is your strap position contributing to the "too big" feel? Of course, you should position the strap the way that works best for you, but if you strap it up high enough that the horn is near your chin, most basses you consider replacing it with will also place the horn near your chin.

FWIW, I'm 5'-7" and play basses that are much larger than a Fender J without looking too goofy. They do have shorter horns, though. Sorta why I'm wondering if it is your strap position.

It's the same strap that I use for the P, I just switch them over. The issue is a simple one. The J is bigger than the P, plus is it asymmetrical, unlike the P, therefore it sits higher on my leg.

Brad Johnson · #11 02-03-2013, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Misterwogan

It's the same strap that I use for the P, I just switch them over. The issue is a simple one. The J is bigger than the P, plus is it asymmetrical, unlike the P, therefore it sits higher on my leg.

Why would the same strap work on basses you feel are shaped differently?

Misterwogan · #12 02-03-2013, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brad Johnson

Why would the same strap work on basses you feel are shaped differently?

Well, it is the strap that came with the J. Why should it not work?

Stone Soup · #13 02-03-2013, 02:00 PM

Aren't the "noisless" (N3) pickups single coils?

I notice, in the photo, you have the blend control set to the bridge pickup only. Are you sure you're not getting hum from the single coils? Try the bass with the blend set in the middle position, with both pickups on. If that gets rid of the noise, you're just dealing with normal 60 (50 in Europe?) cycle hum from single coil pickups. Most players I know who play single coil Jazz Basses, use a blend of both pickups instead of one or the other. This helps with the noise.

malthumb · #14 02-03-2013, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Misterwogan

Well, it is the strap that came with the J. Why should it not work?

It's not that it won't work. It just may have to be adjusted differently for different shaped basses. That's why I have separate straps for all of my basses. The big basses (Alembics) are strapped differently than the small basses (Music Man, Roscoe, Marchlewski).

Epitaph04 · #15 02-03-2013, 02:04 PM

I don't think anyone will be convincing you to keep it. Just sell it and move on.

FWIW I have a Jazz bass as well and unless I'm doing my best Igor impression while playing my chin NEVER comes close to touching the upper horn on neither one of my bass guitars (Jazz and Bongo 6). I also wear them very high.

I am also 5'9.

Misterwogan · #16 02-03-2013, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Epitaph04

I don't think anyone will be convincing you to keep it. Just sell it and move on.

FWIW I have a Jazz bass as well and unless I'm doing my best Igor impression while playing my chin NEVER comes close to touching the upper horn on neither one of my bass guitars (Jazz and Bongo 6). I also wear them very high.

I am also 5'9.

You're absolutely right. Nobody has actually address the question (apart from the first responder who offered the only rational answer). What I've got, is some attempts at objectivity to a largely subjective issue.

The chin thing obviously only applies when sitting. The bass sits much higher on my leg than any of my other basses and maybe that's why I feel it's uncomfortable.

To touch the horn of the P or the Ray with my chin, I would need to be in a bottom-selling position.

Brad Johnson · #17 02-03-2013, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Misterwogan

Well, it is the strap that came with the J. Why should it not work?

Seriously?

Is it adjustable? If so, again, why would you think the same ADJUSTMENT that works for the P will work for a bass with a different shape?

Brad Johnson · #18 02-03-2013, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Misterwogan

You're absolutely right. Nobody has actually address the question (apart from the first responder who offered the only rational answer). What I've got, is some attempts at objectivity to a largely subjective issue.

The chin thing obviously only applies when sitting. The bass sits much higher on my leg than any of my other basses and maybe that's why I feel it's uncomfortable.

To touch the horn of the P or the Ray with my chin, I would need to be in a bottom-selling position.

I think what you're saying is that nobody is saying what you want to hear. No offense, if that's your attitude sell the bass, because "the bass" is clearly "the problem".

Some folks are open to solutions and actual problem solving, some aren't.

One last try: adjust the strap so the bass is at the same height when you're seated as when standing. It lends consistency to your approach. And if you're like most bassists, you're not stuck at holding the bass' body in exactly one position on your leg. Move it and see if that helps. It'll definitely change how high up it sits.

Good luck.

Misterwogan · #19 02-03-2013, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brad Johnson

Seriously?

Is it adjustable? If so, again, why would you think the same ADJUSTMENT that works for the P will work for a bass with a different shape?

Ok, I'll explain why it is not a factor. The strap length is set for standing only. Therefore it is too loose to affect the positioning of the bass when seated.

And, as you will no doubt remember from reading my post, the chin issue only occurred when seated.

Misterwogan · #20 02-03-2013, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brad Johnson

I think what you're saying is that nobody is saying what you want to hear. No offense, if that's your attitude sell the bass, because "the bass" is clearly "the problem".

Some folks are open to solutions and actual problem solving, some aren't.

Good luck.

My dear friend, you are no doubt capable of many wonderful things. "Problem Solving", is however certainly not one of them. Problem Solving, requires a lexicon that you simply do not possess.