Are Jazz Basses becoming less popular?

[Wisebass]

Hi Warpeg

The answer is: Yes...

this just all in my head?

it's all in your head!

I like the Geddy Lee so much that I bought two.

And the one to the left is the best for Metal!!!!

greetings

Wise(b)ass

 

[Chrisenbacker69]

Not in my house

View attachment 3680774

Simply gorgeous and dripping with mojo. And BTW, thank you for your service to the Galactic Empire.

 

[AcridSaint]

I think you see more because there are more being made.

How many different jazz models does Fender currently offer? How many precisions? 11 P only models (not including P/J), 25 jazz models (not including P/J or other pickup configs they list under "jazz")

I pay way more attention overseas than I do in the U.S. What I'm seeing in Japan is maybe 5:1 jazz vs P offerings and maybe 3:1 jazz vs soapbar or coffee table bass offerings from a number of manufacturers.

 

[iruyle]

I hope my OP didn’t come across as stating that the day and age of Jazz Basses seem to be coming to an end. That day will probably never come. My intent was really just to get input from the community about the current popularity of Jazz Basses. It seems odd to me that there are so many used ones for sale right now. Maybe it’s all a coincidence?

I suspect the uptick in available used inventory may trace back to an overabundance of supply. As a previous post stated, there are upwards of 30 "Jazz Bass" models made by Fender. The market is probably just saturated.

 

[DeepThoughts]

Yes. The fashion these days is P-Bass. I switched to P's in 1994. I own J's ( J style) but haven't performed on one in 25+ years... Jazzer types would look at me sideways when I pulled out my Maple board 77' P " That's a Rock Bass" ....lol

 

[Spirit of Ox]

OK. My arguments (have declared them in other places several times - see below): besides the awful humming of a single-coil in a regular J-Bass (yes, you CAN have other pickups; yes, you can eliminate that by using both pickups at full vol) the most annoying thing with the electronics (established long before the really useable active electronics became common-place) is the double-vol-poti thing. You can read about my point-of-view here: Does anyone use the neck pickup solo on a J-Bass?
and here: Fender Jazz bass pick ups
and here: blend knobs - yay or nay?
Besides: I do not like the metal control-plate although it gives you some advantage. It really looks crappy - especially when there is no pickguard applied.

Ok, I do see your point about single coil hum. That's the nature of the pickup and it's not something that bothers me or many other players. It all comes down to preference. I play Js and Ps so I use whatever the music calls for.

 

[Mike Sorr]

There seems to be many more used Jazz Basses for sale on places like TB, eBay, Reverb, and Craigslist than what I recall seeing only a few years ago. However, I haven't really noticed an increase in other popular bass models. No, I can't quantify my findings, it's just an observation I've made.

Are people not wanting to keep them like they used to? Is this just all in my head?

Interesting. I'm in the process of selling off a few of my non-Jazz basses to buy...Jazz Basses. After decades of trying every bass I can get my hands on it has become obvious that I'm a Jazz bass guy. My current #1 is an early 2000s American Deluxe FMT in trans red and I'm looking to add a more recent American Deluxe. To me, the Jazz bass is the most versatile bass for my needs.

 

[mikecd1]

Alternated jazz and pbasses for decades and finally wound up rewiring my jazz into with a push-pull series/parallel which ultimately made it sound more like my pbass and then found my ultimate P (FSR Honeyburst with hand-stained nitro body and satin maple neck) and sadly unloaded the J because I just stopped playing it.

 

[Chad Michael]

Yes, jazz basses are becoming less popular.

So is the topic.... "Irony is a dish best served cold"

 

[405BassGuy]

Haven't you heard, a P with flats is all you need. It sits in the mix so well.

You might as well sell all your other basses.

PLEASE, say it ain't so!

 

[red_rhino]

I have been a Jazz bass guy for 40 years. Had quite a few P’s during that time, some really nice basses, but could never get into the sound enough to imagine using one all night. Then, I bought a PJ about 6 months ago and figured it out. I need that J pickup to tighten up the P pickup. P pickup all the way up, J pickup backed off just slightly, perfect. If I need P only, just back the J pickup all the way off. Yup, working great for me.

I hear ya. I love jazz basses (see the avatar). There's just something about them that works for me. I don't consider myself a P bass guy, but the right P bass can be a beautiful thing. At the moment I don't have a jazz bass, but I do have a '65P that I love. I sold off my Suhr J bass a while ago, and now I find myself thinking I should get another Jazz.

Thing is, my wife has an Ibanez PJ that just kills. I really like the tone of the J pickup full on with the P pickup backed off just slightly. I'm thinking my next "jazz" bass will be a PJ with a J neck. To me, it's the neck profile that determines whether a PJ is a J with a P pickup, or a P with a J pickup. Know what I mean?

 

[jim nolte]

OK. My arguments (have declared them in other places several times - see below): besides the awful humming of a single-coil in a regular J-Bass (yes, you CAN have other pickups; yes, you can eliminate that by using both pickups at full vol) the most annoying thing with the electronics (established long before the really useable active electronics became common-place) is the double-vol-poti thing. You can read about my point-of-view here: Does anyone use the neck pickup solo on a J-Bass?
and here: Fender Jazz bass pick ups
and here: blend knobs - yay or nay?
Besides: I do not like the metal control-plate although it gives you some advantage. It really looks crappy - especially when there is no pickguard applied.

The volume controls on a Jazz don’t have to be on full volume to eliminate hum,they have to be around even volume at any setting.

 

[FishDub]

This is so weird this is coming up now because just lately I’ve grown a real big love of p bass with flats.

However I put flats on my jazz bass and now I’m cured. Flatwounds work just as well for a jazz bass as they do for a p bass in my opinion.

The jazz bass needs that warmth, that booty. Forget all this twangy, zingy rubbish.

Bass needs to be bassy... not a flippin’ downtuned guitar! People don’t seem to get it. And then they wonder why they can’t be heard in the mix.

I’m never going back to rounds, (except for GHS balanced nickels, those rock!)

I feel that it’s how a jazz bass should sound. Meaty and warm. To me, the jazz bass is a compliment, or an extension, to the p bass. I wouldn’t buy a jazz bass now unless I swap some custom shop 60s in it and string it with fender 9050 flats. That’s how a jazz bass supposed to sound folks.

And that’s why so many people are selling their jazz basses. Because they simply haven’t discovered this nugget of wisdom yet. They have scooped, bright jazz basses as they come from the factory, and they don’t do anything to fix it!

Agreed. My P has TIs and my jazz has 9050s and let me tell you, I cant think of any other tones I need. I put the TIs on my jazz just to see and NOPE. Right back on the P..The same with the 9050s

 

[Cycleops]

And the one to the left is the best for Metal!!!!

View attachment 3681314

Wise(b)ass

How do you know he's playing metal? Ah yes the strap and hairstyle plus the Marshall set to 11

 

[kerrycares]

Let me check .............


Nope!

 

[ArtechnikA]

Trust me - in my house, jazz basses could not be less popular...

 

[NickFromNY]

For me it's simply the neck width on Jazz basses is too small for my hands. I feel cramped playing one. I find the P bass nut width or Musicman width on stingrays to be much more comfortable.

 

[Coolhandjjl]

I believe Fender still sells more Jazz’s than Precision’s.

 

[FishDub]

Since I play one I'd like think not

In fact I plan on pioneering bringing them back further into the mainstream! Ha.

I wish I could do that with my Steinberger XL2 but I don't foresee that EVER happening

 

[BergerHead]

Yes!