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Can a Jazz still get "Jaco Tone"?

Can the Standard Jazz Bass and other inexpensive basses still get the "Jaco Tone"

  • Yes, but other same priced basses can't

    Votes: 9 20.5%

  • No, you need to pay more to get that tone

    Votes: 10 22.7%

  • Yes, but other even less expensive basses can get that tone

    Votes: 22 50.0%

  • No, but other less expensive or equally priced basses can

    Votes: 3 6.8%
  • Total voters
    44
  • Poll closed .
#21
Any bass with a similar pickup configuration to the Jazz can approximate the Jaco tone provided that you can play. I will say that what I call a Jaco tone may not be quite the exact fit that some Jaco fanatics want, but I'm not one for trying to sound exactly like someone else.
 
#23
Dr. Cheese said:
Any bass with a similar pickup configuration to the Jazz can approximate the Jaco tone provided that you can play. I will say that what I call a Jaco tone may not be quite the exact fit that some Jaco fanatics want, but I'm not one for trying to sound exactly like someone else.
Click to expand...

Nor am I, that's why I have other basses.
 
#24
I take the original poster to be asking if a tone like Jaco's can be achieved. I say yes... especially with the bridge pickup soloed. And you can indeed use that kind of tone while not using his phrasing;)

I played an "interesting" bass today... it was an orangeburst P bass with DiMarizio pickups including a J at the bridge position. Mighty Mite fretless neck. Pole pieces set way too high. Actually pretty cool and tagged at $249. Like I need another fretless.

I soloed the bridge pickup and it did have a very similar to Jaco midrangey tone. Lots of punch and harmonics available. Rolled the P pickup in and the tone was gone, replaced by a less distinct, less controlled sound.

Handed it to another bassist and it sounded completely different. Hands.

Then I played some slap on it and another guy asked me what kind of effect I was using on it... sounded like a flanger to him. Probably just the strings vibrating between the raised pole pieces (like a football goal post).

Later I was asked to check out a Peavey Dynabass by another bassist. Soloed the bridge pickup and guess what? Jaco-esque tone ensued. Slapped on that one and people thought I was using an envelope filter. Nope... just varying my release (very subtle) on my fretting hand while using my forearm to mute at the bridge. Hands.

IME it's far less work having a bridge pickup, that'll put you in the ballpark. Work on your touch and that's really bring it home.
 
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#26
By-Tor said:
Also, use Joco's hands and brain.
Click to expand...

There was recently and article floating around by someone who took a lesson with Jaco and part of the take away was that he sounded the way he did because of how he attacked the strings with his right hand. I'm not surprised at that having heard his bass tone.
 
#30
People confuse tone with playing/style. No one is going to pick up a passive P bass with heavy flats and high action and get Wooton's bass tone -- including Victor Wooton. A passive jazz with round wound strings on the bridge pickup will get Jaco's basic tone more or less, but it will not necessarly enable a person to sound anything like Jaco.


Lol, just saw how old this thread is...
 

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