Epiphone Embassy vs G&L Tribute jb-2

[magpiesmoke49]

I know it all comes down to personal preference, but if anyone can speak from experience, I'm wondering which way everyone would weigh on this. I'm looking at two basses to decide on my next addition. It's come down to either the Epiphone Embassy, or the G&L Tribute jb-2
Any opinions out there? I've read great things about both, honestly more so, the epiphone.

 

[SJan3]

I know it all comes down to personal preference, but if anyone can speak from experience, I'm wondering which way everyone would weigh on this. I'm looking at two basses to decide on my next addition. It's come down to either the Epiphone Embassy, or the G&L Tribute jb-2
Any opinions out there? I've read great things about both, honestly more so, the epiphone.

I never played the Epiphone but I owned a JB-2 tribute for many years and am sorry I traded it in. It was an excellent bass and way better than the price tag, IMHO.

 

[jd56hawk]

Different pickups.
The Epiphone is going to sound something like a Thunderbird, the G&L will remind you of a Fender Jazz bass.
What kind of tone are you hoping for?

 

[magpiesmoke49]

I'm just looking for a great passive full scale bass. I've got a Gretsch Junior Jett for my short scale, Sterling by Music Man Sub Ray 4, for my full scale active bigger body bass, and a Yamaha TRBX 304 for my "pencil sized" smaller body full scale active bass. The Sub Ray 4 is the heaviest of the 3, but still light enough to not wear on me. I've got a couple other basses that don't do anything special for me, and don't serve any specific purpose. I'm gonna try sell those. So, as I said now I'm looking for a really good passive full scale that compete with the active tone, and not to heavy. I had an Epi Thunderbird, and sounded spectacular, but was a tank. All the reviews I've read all raved about the pu's in the Embassy, and mentioned they sound just like the T Bird. They also mentioned that although it's a full scale, it feels more like a short scale. That's exactly how my Yamaha feels.

 

[Jim C]

The newer JB Tributes are getting heavy. Mine is 8.5 lbs. and the ones on Sweetwater are 9.5 - 10+ lbs.
If weight is no issue, the Tributes are very good basses

 

[woodyng2]

I know it all comes down to personal preference, but if anyone can speak from experience, I'm wondering which way everyone would weigh on this. I'm looking at two basses to decide on my next addition. It's come down to either the Epiphone Embassy, or the G&L Tribute jb-2
Any opinions out there? I've read great things about both, honestly more so, the epiphone.

I Have owned one of each, and they’re very very different sounding basses.
But the JB2 is the one i kept. (No quite an even thing, as my jb2 is a US version.)
But I imagine the tribute version sounds similar….
I do love the tbird humbucker sound of the Embassy, but find I have more use for the traditional Jazz bass sound of the JB2.

 

[magpiesmoke49]

Every thing I've read states that the Sub Ray 4 is right at 8lbs. I don't think I want to go heavier than that. Another thing that reviewers have raved about is the light weight of the Epi Embassy. This hadn't been emphasized as much in the reviews I've read on the Tribute.

 

[magpiesmoke49]

I Have owned one of each, and they’re very very different sounding basses.
But the JB2 is the one i kept. (No quite an even thing, as my jb2 is a US version.)
But I imagine the tribute version sounds similar….
I do love the tbird humbucker sound of the Embassy, but find I have more use for the traditional Jazz bass sound of the JB2.

I think the more I read through the comments, the more my decision is being made. I find myself leaning more and more towards the Embassy. If it sounds like a T Bird, I think that will definitely hang in there, maybe even be equal to an active tone circuit. I've really been steadily gravitating away from PJ pickups and tone.

 

[woodyng2]

I think the more I read through the comments, the more my decision is being made. I find myself leaning more and more towards the Embassy. If it sounds like a T Bird, I think that will definitely hang in there, maybe even be equal to an active tone circuit. I've really been steadily gravitating away from PJ pickups and tone.

The embassy has really powerful, full-sounding humbuckers. Adding a bit of sansamp tubesound gives you a great gritty booty! And it is a very comfortable bass to play.

 

[ajkula66]

Apples and cantaloupes, IMO. Both are interesting basses but have extremely little in common.

If you go for the Embassy, make sure it's a recent one since a bunch of those from a couple of years ago had mis-positioned bridges and couldn't be intonated.

Happy shopping.

 

[jd56hawk]

Any reason you're only considering those two?
(No big deal, of course, but I'm always curious when someone asks for limted recommendations as opposed to someone asking "So many basses out there, which one should I buy?" which is often a newbie question.)

 

[Lowbgalaxy777]

The Embassy has a beautiful pickup configuration, and the set neck feels great on the higher note registry. But, both basses have a unique sound. My Embassy had awesome quality right out of the box, except for needing relief. Beautiful dark tone, just like the Thunderbird.I had no issues with intonation at all, even after switching the stock strings to SS Dunlops.

 

[Lowbrow]

The G&L is the better bass.

 

[Lowbgalaxy777]

Non CLF G&L is a good bass. Different design, wood, different pickups; different strokes for different folks. 2 things in common...Both are basses and both are not made in the USA. To say one is better than the other depends on your opinion of what a bass should sound like, and nothing to do with how the other bass plays for someone else.

 

[Bass4Brkfast]

Man, this thread is giving me GAS for the Epi.
OP, if you don't buy one, I will. LOL

 

[Gizmot]

Here's another vote for the G&L - - I don't think you can go wrong with any of their instruments. However, I also have to agree that it's a completely different sound than the Epiphone.

Go with the G&L!

 

[jbhaugh]

These aren't really comparable basses IMO, so it's very much a preference issue. The Embassy has Epiphone vintage Thunderbird pickups in it, which are really great. JB-2 is a Jazz bass with a P-shape body. The pickups on the Epiphone are loud, round and huge sounding. They aren't as muddy as people say. Jazz pickups are lower output and have a more scooped sound, and the bridge has a more biting tone. Can't go wrong either way, but I suppose the QC is probably more consistent on the G&L.

 

[basss]

I just bought a jb2 trib from sweetwater. I own a couple USA g&ls and am really impressed with the tribute. Mines 8.6 lbs and there was another 8.8 lbs at SW. I really wanted one under 9 lb and waited a couple months for this one to come in. You might have to search a bit but lighter ones do pop up

 

[IvanBassist]

The JB-2 I got to test for G&L was pretty light and has a nice tone

 

[butterfingers1]

The Embassy is light and feels compact. Sounds dark but punchy, percussive and dry. A regular split coil precision bass is my preference if I had to choose, but my Embassy is really nice to have and use.

Epiphone basses stand out. They are beautiful and sound different, and are inexpensive.