Dilemma - Jazz Bass or Warwick $$

[Flatwound]

I’ve had a couple of $$’s and Jazz basses as well. The $$’s tend to be fairly lightweight because of the swamp ash body. I’m one of the people who objects to the Warwick ergonomics, or I would still have a $$ 5 and probably a Thumb as well. They gave me shoulder cramps on the left side. .

I would think of the Jazz as more capable of mellow tones, given the clanky nature of Warwicks.

 

[TNCreature]

I own both.
2 different sounds.
Define which one you need, then you will know.
My $$ has a wider palette of sounds, but doesn't sound like my Jazz bass.
I love my jazz bass, and it sounds like a Beautiful jazz bass.

 

[Bass Viking]

Here's my Squier with my Warmoth roasted maple neck:



Here's the Squier with my wenge neck:

 

[TrevorG]

My Jazz is mellow but not as much as my P. Had a Warwick and loved it but don't miss it. Not mellow to my ears but very useful.

 

[scott sinner]

Well....I ordered the Warwick.

 

[Blankandson]

I play a 2008 Warwick $$ 5-string every day and I'm 73. Mine is probably 10 lbs because I've changed all the brass hardware for the gold. As to sound; when I want or need hard rock or pop, DR long scale s/s rounds and bass on active will do it. Takes about a week to get the bass setup with those but they will rock for 5-6 months. Then they begin to die. For country I tried several makes of flats but nothing said "Country." Right now I'm playing Rotoround Nylon Flats (a Country bass player who is in a money band recomended them). On my Warwick they are sort of OK/not OK. I really haven't found mellow. But these things in passive sound like an upright. So if I want an upright mellow sound I'm fine. But if BL wants mellow I play fingers up around the 15-18th frets, 100% neck pup, and use either a Chorus or Compressor to tweek the sound. There you go! By the way: my bass looks awesome!

 

[scott sinner]

Here's my Squier with my Warmoth roasted maple neck:



Here's the Squier with my wenge neck:

Nice stuff! Good showcase of how seemingly small changes to attack can have a noticeable effect on the sound. And it all comes through on that bass.

I ordered the Warwick, used, awesome price, particularly attractive body wood grain...worried it would get away from me.

But I'm going to start checking out more Jazz bass inspired items. As much as I have gone down big rabbit holes in other places (pedals and plugins for example) I actually haven't really serious explored different timbres of basses. Quite notably ridiculous in my particular case because I've long rehabilitated guitars and basses I found derelict in pawn shops etc. But mostly to restore them (out of love) and resell them. So I've literally had a half dozen jazz basses I've fixed up and didn't feel like I needed them...was basically happy with the 3 basses I'd long had.

 

[scott sinner]

I play a 2008 Warwick $$ 5-string every day and I'm 73. Mine is probably 10 lbs because I've changed all the brass hardware for the gold. As to sound; when I want or need hard rock or pop, DR long scale s/s rounds and bass on active will do it. Takes about a week to get the bass setup with those but they will rock for 5-6 months. Then they begin to die. For country I tried several makes of flats but nothing said "Country." Right now I'm playing Rotoround Nylon Flats (a Country bass player who is in a money band recomended them). On my Warwick they are sort of OK/not OK. I really haven't found mellow. But these things in passive sound like an upright. So if I want an upright mellow sound I'm fine. But if BL wants mellow I play fingers up around the 15-18th frets, 100% neck pup, and use either a Chorus or Compressor to tweek the sound. There you go! By the way: my bass looks awesome!

Cool cool. And hello Tennessee (former Knoxvillian).

 

[Bass Viking]

I ordered the Warwick, used, awesome price, particularly attractive body wood grain...worried it would get away from me.

Congrats on the Warwick! Probably for the best, you can get a Jazz anytime.

 

[waynobass]

Why is this not a poll so I can vote for Warwick?

 

[scott sinner]

Congrats on the Warwick! Probably for the best, you can a Jazz anytime.

Ya. Im also thinking more and more about just doing a full on Warmoth build. Im just going to have to think of someone to sell. Im a bit at a limit of comfortable space. Live in a big metro area, houses are small here.

 

[roboticles]

If you do not like the Fender Jazz neck, then perhaps a Fender PJ is an option. It is a Precision bass & so has the wider Precision neck. But it combines the classic 'Precision' pickup with a 'Jazz' bridge pickup & comes rather close to the versatility in terms of sound you get from a Jazz Bass, but then with a neck that may be more to your liking.

 

[BAG]

If you’re going the Jazz Bass route consider buying a Squier and putting a Warmoth neck on it. It will save you money over a Fender. Be aware though that you will have to rout a truss rod access channel on the body.

Depending on how particular you are, it is pretty easy..... and i'm one of the least "handy" people you'd meet.
I'd been meaning to rout my fretless jazz for a few years now and finally got around to doing it the other week when I spotted some metal rotary rasps for $10. I just used them in my cordless drill.
The body rout was quite easy however I was struggling to do the pickguard neatly until I thought to clamp the drill to the bench and that left me two hands to gently cut away at the pickguard to the correct shape. I finished it off by painting the raw body wood in the rout with a black permanent marker. It turned out better than I expected (the notch in the fingerboard was already there)

 

[Audiomicrowave]

Step 1: Acquire a Jazz bass
Step 2: Locate someone with a P-bass that prefers a smaller neck
Step 3: Trade those necks

Result: Two happy bassists!

bw

 

[Meaculpa]

Warwick!!!!

 

[gdp024]

My vote is for Warwick. I only have 2 basses, my first was a fender P bass lyte (jazz neck) and it’s a great bass, but… it just doesn’t have that dense tone of my corvette 5 - it just sounds so much better to my ears, I like the neck better as well.

 

[CoffeeLove]

I am in a bit of a dilemma and am seeking opinions.

I recently had a great longing to play bass again. I'm mainly a singer and a multi-instrumentalist, but my first main instrument, my first love, was bass.

I have an idea for a pretty drum and bass heavy set of songs. So I feel like I need a wide array of bass sounds. I'm good on fretlesses. But for fretted, all my basses are a bit on the aggressive side. With tone controls down, sure they can be tamed, but I'm looking for something with more of an inherent gentleness while still having upper harmonics.

For fretted, currently have:
1980s Ibanez Musician
Very aggressive sounding. Always clearly visible knives, even played quietly, the concealed weapon outlines are there.

Reverend Thundergun
More of a beefy brawler aggressive, capable of plot twists of tenderness at times but isn't what he is type cast for.

Sterling Ray34
The mostly fun party-guy, but you always know he is on the edge of throwing down.


So I need something more mellow.

Option 1: Jazz Bass. I've been looking at Fender Jazz basses. I like the sound, but I don't like the neck. One option I am thinking about is putting a Warmoth neck on one. I've played some Warmoths and I like the chunkyness. I can also get them in unfinished (I think=?) and just oil them like I prefer.

Option 2: I have my eye on a nice looking German Warwick double humbucker. I know for sure I'd like these. I have the 5 string (that is another story) and a fretless Warwick with the same neck wood.

So really the question is, which has better range of mellow? I've only been able too play in stores with amps very different from mine, but I think the sounds of either breed are fine actually.

Is the Warwick just staying too close to my comfort zone? I've never had a Jazz Bass in 30 years of (granted on and off) playing bass.

Never hurts to try a Jazz. I have had several, and 3 different German Warwicks. Currently have a Stingray Classic 5 and Squire Jazz 5 with blocks, both are great.

Sounds like you want to buy a bass, but I will go ahead and be the guy to suggest different strings on some of your current instruments. It can really change the sound. I had a Ray35 and loved it, so your Ray34 would be fun to try a variety of strings, you might be surprised how much it can be tamed if that is your goal. Could try some flats, tapes, pressurewounds, or something else. I put GHS Pressurewounds on my Stingray and it totally eliminated all the clanky stuff that was happening and gave it a bigger/rounder bottom. Just purchased some flats to put on it and see what happens. Might be terrible, but a fairly cheap way to completely change the sound of a bass.

Just another idea. Good luck

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I am in a bit of a dilemma and am seeking opinions.

I recently had a great longing to play bass again. I'm mainly a singer and a multi-instrumentalist, but my first main instrument, my first love, was bass.

I have an idea for a pretty drum and bass heavy set of songs. So I feel like I need a wide array of bass sounds. I'm good on fretlesses. But for fretted, all my basses are a bit on the aggressive side. With tone controls down, sure they can be tamed, but I'm looking for something with more of an inherent gentleness while still having upper harmonics.

For fretted, currently have:
1980s Ibanez Musician
Very aggressive sounding. Always clearly visible knives, even played quietly, the concealed weapon outlines are there.

Reverend Thundergun
More of a beefy brawler aggressive, capable of plot twists of tenderness at times but isn't what he is type cast for.

Sterling Ray34
The mostly fun party-guy, but you always know he is on the edge of throwing down.


So I need something more mellow.

Option 1: Jazz Bass. I've been looking at Fender Jazz basses. I like the sound, but I don't like the neck. One option I am thinking about is putting a Warmoth neck on one. I've played some Warmoths and I like the chunkyness. I can also get them in unfinished (I think=?) and just oil them like I prefer.

Option 2: I have my eye on a nice looking German Warwick double humbucker. I know for sure I'd like these. I have the 5 string (that is another story) and a fretless Warwick with the same neck wood.

So really the question is, which has better range of mellow? I've only been able too play in stores with amps very different from mine, but I think the sounds of either breed are fine actually.

Is the Warwick just staying too close to my comfort zone? I've never had a Jazz Bass in 30 years of (granted on and off) playing bass.

Jazz bass. All day, every day

I don't like Jazz necks either. I have a P neck on mine. And fralin pickups. This thing slaps on any Warwick, any day.

 

[Rip Van Dan]

I am in a bit of a dilemma and am seeking opinions.

I recently had a great longing to play bass again. I'm mainly a singer and a multi-instrumentalist, but my first main instrument, my first love, was bass.

I have an idea for a pretty drum and bass heavy set of songs. So I feel like I need a wide array of bass sounds. I'm good on fretlesses. But for fretted, all my basses are a bit on the aggressive side. With tone controls down, sure they can be tamed, but I'm looking for something with more of an inherent gentleness while still having upper harmonics.

For fretted, currently have:
1980s Ibanez Musician
Very aggressive sounding. Always clearly visible knives, even played quietly, the concealed weapon outlines are there.

Reverend Thundergun
More of a beefy brawler aggressive, capable of plot twists of tenderness at times but isn't what he is type cast for.

Sterling Ray34
The mostly fun party-guy, but you always know he is on the edge of throwing down.


So I need something more mellow.

Option 1: Jazz Bass. I've been looking at Fender Jazz basses. I like the sound, but I don't like the neck. One option I am thinking about is putting a Warmoth neck on one. I've played some Warmoths and I like the chunkyness. I can also get them in unfinished (I think=?) and just oil them like I prefer.

Option 2: I have my eye on a nice looking German Warwick double humbucker. I know for sure I'd like these. I have the 5 string (that is another story) and a fretless Warwick with the same neck wood.

So really the question is, which has better range of mellow? I've only been able too play in stores with amps very different from mine, but I think the sounds of either breed are fine actually.

Is the Warwick just staying too close to my comfort zone? I've never had a Jazz Bass in 30 years of (granted on and off) playing bass.

I am definitely a Jazz Bass guy. Bought a 1965 Jazz in 1966 and among other things toured with it for 3-years in the early 70's playing 5-nights a week, and 50-weeks a year. I loved the fast slim and narrow neck on that bass. Then it was stolen from me in 1976 and it took me until 1985 to find another Jazz with that same 60's slim C-shape neck with a 7.25" radius. So I pretty much like the exact opposite type of neck that you do. So I'm going to suggest you get a Precision Bass neck that is one of the thick chunky ones that I hate. You can order it directly from Fender.

Then get one of the "Squier by Fender" basses and swap that stock neck out for the P-bass neck. I think the neck you'd want is known as the Precision bass "A" neck. There are 3 or 4 different P-bass necks. Most of those Squier pickups sound good, but you can always upgrade them if you want because the bass doesn't cost that much.

 

[scott sinner]

Never hurts to try a Jazz. I have had several, and 3 different German Warwicks. Currently have a Stingray Classic 5 and Squire Jazz 5 with blocks, both are great.

Sounds like you want to buy a bass, but I will go ahead and be the guy to suggest different strings on some of your current instruments. It can really change the sound. I had a Ray35 and loved it, so your Ray34 would be fun to try a variety of strings, you might be surprised how much it can be tamed if that is your goal. Could try some flats, tapes, pressurewounds, or something else. I put GHS Pressurewounds on my Stingray and it totally eliminated all the clanky stuff that was happening and gave it a bigger/rounder bottom. Just purchased some flats to put on it and see what happens. Might be terrible, but a fairly cheap way to completely change the sound of a bass.

Just another idea. Good luck

thanks for the specific tip about the Ray34 clank. That distinct clank is in part the attraction of that bass for me, all my others sound like a totally different drum. But it is a little bit overwhelming. Taming it but not eliminating would he ideal.