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Ash/Maple Boutique J Family

#62
Various044.jpg


and with a black guard

Various036.jpg
 
#69
Now that you mention it, I might put the perloid guard back on, it gives it a different character - mo' 70's I think.

I didn't mention that it has single coils in it. Also a funny thing happened with that bass. I purposely ordered the ash and maple combination because I wanted the brightest zingiest sound in a jazz bass format - thus the single coils also - but I ordered it directly from Roger because I wanted the VTC to be able to tame that when necessary. However when I got it, it just was not bright enough, not bright at all in fact. An alder rosewood highway 1 jazz sounded brighter to my ears. I immediately tried different strings (2 different sets by different brands to no avail). I even almost sent it back. Sure the punch was there and when I tried it with the band I understood what everyone was on about it sitting so well in the mix. I fell in love, not love at first sight therefore but after a couple of gigs in and I was captivated. But it still didn't have the brightness I expected - way off in fact - and I thought I'd never use the VTC to tame brightness. I did find however that I could boost the treble control fairly substantially and then roll off some of the VTC to get a more old school jazz tone (as opposed to the jazz on steriods sound). This attests to the beauty of the VTC.

Now that I've owned it for a few months I've noticed a bit of a metamorphosis. I've noticed that over time the tone of the bass has started to include a brightness which I didn't previously have. I've now started to use the VTC to tame brightness. The only way I can explain it is that the wood needed a couple of months to settle in for the inherent properties of ash and maple to make themselves manifest. Its either that or I'm imagining things.
 
#70
You guys are KILLING ME!!!! I had been relatively gas free til now, I put together a good bass out of a squier affinity (basicaly fralin singles and an audere pre) which is pretty good, but as time goes on, I think a real deal ash/maple jazz 5 is in my sights. I really only use that bass so I don't sweat messing anything up, as I am kind of a klutz.

Basically, I need to be in the room with Kens 3 monsters, a Nordy, and a Fender CS Jazz 5 so I can figure which one it is I need to go for. My fave in terms of feel out of all the jazz 5s was a CS jazz 5, EXCEPT I almost require a passive tone control. I'd want something pretty aggressive while be able to roll it back if I needed to. Does that make sense?

AAGGGHHH, took another run through on the pics.....might have to ditch the Rob Allen...
 

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