Recent content by chris stopa

I bought a new Fender MIM Jazz bass several years ago. The ceramic pickups on it sounded bold but not precise sounding. I looked hard at other pickups initially getting vintage 62 fender ( the same as comes stock on Geddy Lee) but they had no solid bass sound. Sounded too modern and wimpy...

When I started playing bass in the late sixties there were not many professional level bass amps. The only ones that stood out were Sunn and Acoustic. I never saw or heard of an Ampeg SVT then, only the little b 15 . I bought a 68 Sunn 200s and played it professionally for several years...

I presently have a 2011 MIA Jazz with custom shop 60s pickups upgrade, and a 2013 MIM Jazz upgraded with Lindy Fralin pickups . The best sounding and the one I like to play the most is the MIM. The neck of the 2011 MIA has graphite rods in it and this makes the neck thicker. The MIM does not...

Bought my first bass in 1967. It was a red Guild starfire bass hollowbody. Super fast neck. See that they are making them again. Bought it in Mannys in NYC. Came back in 69 and traded it plus some cash for a Fender Jazz bass, The Jazz sounded better with my Sunn 200S amp.

I have owned three Fender Jazz basses and one Fender and one Squire Precision bass. The neck on the Jazz basses is narrower (strings not as far apart ) at the nut (1.5) vrs the precision (1.65), or wider with real vintage precisions. I find that although I can be very comfortable with a...

In the 1970s I played 4 -6 nights a week in the Connecticut and New York area. I was union making $10 an hour which translates to $55 an hour now. It was a good living and some of my bandmates were married with condos with just the income from the group. Did not know how easy things were then...

Unfortunately the ampeg BA500 is no longer being made. If you like ampeg you might want to look into their tube amps. The big 300 watt SVT is 85 lbs and runs around 2grand. A smaller ,lighter 100 watt tube amp is now being reintroduced for about $1200 and might be something to look at. Or you...

I have several Jazz basses and have had P's in the past.Trying to find better pickups and tried 62s on the jazz and they were weak in comparison to Fender custom shop 60s. Also tried a new Fender American STD precision at Guitar center with Custom shop 60s in it ( Standard now in a Amer std )...

I have played bass since the 60s when we always just plugged directly into a tube amp. Now with some solid state or hybrid amps, bass players are looking to make them sound more tubey or gritty using pedals between the bass and the amp. One reason for pedal use is that solid state amps, as your...

I learned how to play and read piano at age 7 and continued playing for 4 years. Picked up up drums in marching band and learned to read drum music. Same for valve bugle. Then learned to play and read guitar music and recorder music. Have played bass since 1967, many years full time...

When I started playing bass in the 60s I found that I just naturally loved Jack Cassady's unique approach and without realizing it, infused a small part of his style so I can relate to the creator of this thread. Beyond Jack's playing however is the question of how far should a bass player...

I bought a Hartke LH1000 several years ago. Used to have both Fender and Sunn bass amps and wanted something similar but cheaper. Told that preamp was like a Fender. Use Fender Jazz basses - 2011 Amer Std Jazz with upgraded Fender 60s custom shop pickups and 2013 MIM Jazz with Lindy...

I played guitar back in the 60s. Pretty good at rhythm but only fair at lead. Picked up bass at the end of 1960s and had a lot of professional success with it. Realized almost immediately once I started playing bass that my way of thinking and approaching a song just naturally fit with bass...

I used a Sunn 200s tube amp with two JBL speakers in Sunn cab for years in all sorts of clubs . The Sunn only had around 65 watts but was tube and with great speakers and enclosure, could easily blow off my present Hartke 1000 watt solid state amp and avatar 410 neo enclosure. The Sunn tube amp...

I have a 69 Jazz. I also tried new Fender Vintage pickups such as are in the Road Worn on a 2011 American STd Jazz and my 2013 MIM Std Jazz and was not pleased with the sound. The new Fender Vintage pickups did not have power or tone and sounded very weak. I know that there may be variance in...