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Basses with single coils that aren't Jazz basses

S

Selios

Jun 20, 2012
312
375
Niagara, ON, Canada
#1
Hey everybody,

I'm looking to complete my "holy trinity" of basses. Currently I own a Fender American Standard Precision bass, obviously for the P tone, and an Ibanez ATK300 for the humbucker/active electronics kind of tones. I love them both and they do their jobs fantastically.

I also own a cheap jazz bass copy which has a great tone and does the job of a jazz apart from my other basses fairly well, but over time I have come to realize that I completely and totally hate the feel and ergonomics of Jazz basses...

So, to help me round out my collection, can you guys help me find some basses that do the Fender Jazz thing without actually being physically similar to a Fender Jazz?

Basically, it would just have to have single coil pickups and a different body style. And passive electronics! In my opinion that is key to the true Jazz tone. So far the only ones I can think of are the Warwick Pro Series Passive Corvette (which seems awesome) and the G&L JB-2 (ehhh....)

Thanks!
 
#2
Look for a Peavey Foundation with Super Ferrite pickups. It gets a great Jazz sound without the Jazz look. For a five string, get a first generation TL-5 with Super Ferrites too. It is active, but the active circuit can be bypassed and the treble control turns into a passive tone control when the bass is in passive mode.
 
#4
Hamer Cruise basses, Yamaha BBNE, RBXA-2, and others in the BB series from the 90s, Warwick SS1 and SSII series, Ibanez SGRs with the Nordy Big Singles.

When people usually talk about getting Fender things done without looking like a Fender they talk about Lakland basses.
 
#8
Carvin SB4000 . Can be ordered with passive electronics I think but even the standard active electronics can be used in the passive mode with two volumes and a tone control . I'd say a Carvin B50 , I just got one and it has a great passive tone like the SB4000 but it has a body somewhat like a Jazz so it wouldn't work for what you want .
 
#10
I had a 1997 Corvette, in the early 2000's, gotta say i miss that Bass and i have had a few Neck Through Thumbasses since, as well as several high end J style bassses. I put EMG's in it and it sounded fantastic, relatively light weight looks cool. My only gripe with Warwick and basses with more than 21 frets is you have to reach for the lower register and i spend most of my time there, so... If you prefer to play in the 2nd position, Wick's are very comfortable.

With Warwick, as with most corporate instruments, the earlier the better.
 
#11
Godin Shifter has 3 single coils -

Godin_Shifter_Bass_Transparent_Cream_10332146_a.jpg
 
#12
My newest bass, the J. Backlund Design JBD-800B bass. Here is a link to my NBD thread with more pics.

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/nbd-j-backlund-design-jbd-800b-899417/

This is a USA Custom shop bass. Three Seymour Duncan Basslines single coils. Two Hot For Single Coil P Bass SCPB-2 pickups and one Quarter Pound for Single Coil P Bass SCPB-3, calibrated to Backlund specs.

The best way to get on is the J. Backlund Design Retronix series, that are available pre-sale for $500 here:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/nbd-j-backlund-design-jbd-800b-899417/

You can't go wrong. These basses will be the same design but with some differences as mine is custom. I played the prototype Retronix at NAMM and the guitar was killer!


tom
 

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#15
Selios said:
Hey everybody,

I'm looking to complete my "holy trinity" of basses. Currently I own a Fender American Standard Precision bass, obviously for the P tone, and an Ibanez ATK300 for the humbucker/active electronics kind of tones. I love them both and they do their jobs fantastically.

I also own a cheap jazz bass copy which has a great tone and does the job of a jazz apart from my other basses fairly well, but over time I have come to realize that I completely and totally hate the feel and ergonomics of Jazz basses...

So, to help me round out my collection, can you guys help me find some basses that do the Fender Jazz thing without actually being physically similar to a Fender Jazz?

Basically, it would just have to have single coil pickups and a different body style. And passive electronics! In my opinion that is key to the true Jazz tone. So far the only ones I can think of are the Warwick Pro Series Passive Corvette (which seems awesome) and the G&L JB-2 (ehhh....)

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I agree with RandyT... F Basses are really something to hear and play. I just bought myself a BNF 6 but my other axe is a Yamaha TRB 6IIP which I totally enjoy also.... :hyper:
 

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