Deep Thoughts on Jazz Basses

[MG Wolf]

This thread has encouraged me to start turning the 3 knobs on this, which is strung with DR Legend Flats and has replacement Custom Shop pickups.

I'm one of those "dime everything" guys as a rule, time to explore.

 

[Brent's Groove]

For a jazz with rounds, my favorite setting is the bridge pickup at 10 with the neck at 9, tone around 5. It's warm and midrangey but it still retains plenty of zing. That's pretty much the only tone that I really like with rounds, making it a one trick pony for my tastes.

For flats, I like the neck at 10 and the bridge at 9, tone around 6. It's a clean and articulate tone that is still super thicc. And I also like everything dimed on a jazz with flats. Strangely enough, I don't really care for a bridge-favored tone with flats.

But the best jazz with rounds tone that I've ever heard comes from my Ibanez with Big Singles.

 

[mikeswals]

In my old metal/heavy rock bands I used to use full open on both volumes and the tone rolled back to about 70% open to get gnarly grind.

For the past few years doing more genres I'm covering, I leave the neck volume full open and I barely roll the rear pickup volume just back to the notch the mid-bump appears (that's like 85-88% open), and I have the tone rolled down about 50% at most. its a 65 Jazz that's naturally throaty, so these settings gives me very fat bottom with very articulate top end snap.

 

[Ivan R]

If you ever drop your Jazz Bass in a river of molten lava, let it go, because man, it’s gone.

 

[Chicken Wing]

My mind is blown. Turned down both pickups just a bit. Sounds like the Jazz but fuller and less scooped. Exactly the sound I’ve wanted!

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

I prefer my Jazz Bass to be of the so called “Super “ status. Meaning, a 5 string with both passive and active options. Having a 4 string jazz in addition is icing on the cake.



Alder /Ebony seems to be that magic combination for my hands and ears.
Pearl bound and blocked is the preferred attire.
Both 60’s and 70’s pu spacing is liked yet if I had to go with just one I’m going 60’s. Marcus Miller Dunlop super brights are just right.

Both pu on full, slight boost on bass and treble and adjust tone knob as needed. The rest is in the thumb , fingers , Palm, and hand positions. No pick ever needed .
At times I might favor the bridge pu ever so slightly. Never will I solo or favor the neck pu. I like to have a Pbass with TI flats for that ” Classic Vibe”.

I would like to add that nothing looks better than a jazz bass dressed in white!!

Larry Graham and Paul Turner have the best looking jazz basses on the planet .

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

My mind is blown. Turned down both pickups just a bit. Sounds like the Jazz but fuller and less scooped. Exactly the sound I’ve wanted!

Yes, I agree, the tone of a J bass in this configuration is very interesting !

 

[Geri O]

This may not be quite the same, but Jazz basses have been my staple basses for years.

I fiddled and twiddled with the two volume knobs (passive) or the blend knob (active preamps) and I’d find a few cool tones, but I always went back to the sounds from the dimed (Or center) controls, including the tone.

With my current Mike Lull Jazz-style basses, thought the blend options would be more pronounced and apparent. It quickMy became apparent that more than ever, my preference is still both pups at 100% and the tone at flat (active). And that’s where it will remain.

If I want a different tone, I’ll use my Stingray.

 

[leavetheconnoli]

Pbass one trick ? No way.
it sounds like a bass.
It is also incredibly responsive to touch, technique and hand position, getting clanky bright, warm and full. All about the player.

 

[joel406]

Pbass one trick ? No way.
it sounds like a bass.
It is also incredibly responsive to touch, technique and hand position, getting clanky bright, warm and full. All about the player.

I love the look of the P-Bass. After all it came first.

But everyone I play never sounds as good as my Jazz.

Owned MIJ, MIK, MIM(strangely these were the better) and MIA.

Older, brand fricken new.

Didn't Matter. The Jazz out does them all.

 

[B-Mac]

IME, @The Bass ClefWhether you tend towards purity of the passive J or regard it as a breadboard for improvement, the tones are all in there. It’s a great axe.

So true

experimentation in pursuit of the tone you’re seeking is the recipe for success!