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Fender Blacktop Jazz experience?

IGotGas

IGotGas

Cajun Rocker
Sep 26, 2011
572
134
Baton Rouge, LA
#1
I'm very interested in the Fender Blacktop Jazz bass with the two P pickup's. Anyone have any experience with these basses? Yea or nay on quality and strong p-bass type tones?

I'm contemplating buying a new one or...buying a body on evilbay and having my tech build me a custom rig with Nordy's and an LED adorned Moses Graphite neck just for giggles and grins. What say you?
 
#2
Id like to hear some opinions on this as well, that bass has always been intriguing to me. I imagine it sounds pretty big with 2 sets of P pups. I was thinking of buying one of these, and a couple other P's or a jazz around Christmas if the money is right. It would be nice to hear some good input on users exp with them.
 
#3
There's a whole club devoted to Blacktop owners here…
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/fender-blacktop-club-968813/

…and here's my first-hand account of getting one.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/startin-new-bass-day-poundin-blacktop-982255/

But to summarize, it's an incredibly bold and aggressive sounding bass. Solo the neck pickup, you get a damn-near close, if not spot-on, Precision sound. Start cranking up the bridge pickup and things get all kinds of snarly/growly/cannon-like.
 
#11
bigmansamthebas said:
as we know the blactop jazz bas has 2 P bass pickups, and was woundering what is the output of the pickups? thanks :)
Click to expand...


Yes please do tell. I'm going to grab a blacktop, either P or J, come Christmas. I'm a fan of active electronics and I'm wondering if the pups in either one will give me some serious punch. If the stock pups don't give me the ummffp I'm looking for I'm thinking of putting active something in them. Maybe Delano if I can afford it or EMG's. What are your guys' thoughts?
 
#12
Well, fit and finish is astonishing: glossy neck and resonant alder body. Mine was the White Chrome Pearl one and I equipped it with a Hipshot BT7 Bass extender (Hipshot HB7 tuners there) and Rotosound swing66.

Pickups are a pair of MIM standard splitcoils, so not so deep but very very hot, while the beefier part is played by both alder body and rose wood fingerboard

The bridge is the best Fender himass topmounted one, except BadAssII
and the finish are way less thick than we could figure, so that the sound is always there and defined also unplugged, while absolutely authoritative whenever plugged in

The overall tone capacitor works completely down and out, or already fully open a fraction of clockwise turn (dunno why but it's like that) while neck pickup is not a pure Precision clone (only Reggie Hamilton standard jazz has its American series splitcoil in the sweetspot) bridge split is a full throated assault and the pair together are loud n'proud!

I traded mine for an Anthrax's Esp/Ltd Frank Bello, that's long gone.

Cheers,
Wallace
 
#13
I have this bass tuned BEAD. I dont get a P sound out of it, but it is a well defined clear, sharp sound of its own. I was thinking of changing out the pickups to get it to sound deeper and rounded, but I already have other basses that do that.

Played this bass at my last gig to a packed house, through a REDDI. The sound brought tears to my eyes...a proud moment.

This is a good metal bass.
 
#14
I had one briefly. By all means, do not buy a bass like that without trying it first. This is not a prototypical bass like a Precision, a Jazz, a Thunderbird, etc. It is a different animal.

One would think that by soloing the neck pickup, you get a typical P-Bass sound, well; not exactly. Or, that by having two split-coils in the position where you typically have single-coils on a Jazz bass, you get some Jazz bass on steroids, no; not that either.

The placement of the pickups and other factors, wood, etc... make that bass have a unique sound.

It might be love at first pluck when you try it but, by all means, do try it first. I suggest you don't buy one online without kicking the tires first.
 
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#15
Would the blacktop P be any similar at all to an ibbey ATK? Would it cut like that? See, my main bass is an ATK and it cuts through my band like warm butter. But my P with active EMG's in it had issues doing the same thing. I really want a P bass to play in my band and I'm thinking the blacktop P may be the one......
 
#16
gregmon79 said:
Would the blacktop P be any similar at all to an ibbey ATK? Would it cut like that? See, my main bass is an ATK and it cuts through my band like warm butter. But my P with active EMG's in it had issues doing the same thing. I really want a P bass to play in my band and I'm thinking the blacktop P may be the one......
Click to expand...

BlackTop Precision, with its alder body (instead of ATK's ash) and, unfortunately, unalligned dualcoils (look at any pic there) suffer from a loud yet muddy, undefined tone

I tried a Modern Player Jazz (the first one, with no coiltap) and even if with same configuration (alder and dualcoils) it delivered a slightly tighter tone. Upgraded on newest one that bears a coiltap suitable for the kind of versatility you are used to, comin' from ATK's serial/parallel options

Cheers,
Wallace
 
#18
Honestly I sometimes find StingRay tone to be more hi-fi while ATK's is rougher yet better suit the mix.
Both are active, so pay attention to the kind of "color" you're lookin' for.

Modern Player Jazz (the new one, with added coiltap control) stays passive, and its tone it's more on the G&L L2000 passive
serial/parallel option

But yes it's IME-IMHO the only way you can find somethin, in the Fender camp at least, similar to the ATK you know and love

Cheers,
Wallace
 
#19
I have a Fender P Elite with 2 P pickups and don't like the P pickup in the bridge position, at all! The neck pickup is ok but the bridge pickup is for me, awkward to play over and sounds terrible. I think a P/J setup is a better option.
 
#20
I'm so caught up between the modern player and blacktop.

And good luck trying to find either/both to try out in person. - it's hard enough finding time to practice these days- never mind driving an hour in any direction to have the store NOT have an oddball Fender like these. (Seriously haven't seen either of these models in person in store- ever)

So I guess from what I've read- Modern Player is WAY more versatile. The Blacktop probably more aggressive. I've heard the Modern Player is a "fuller" sounding J using the humbucker(s).

Just want to hear more from folks who have experience with both I guess.
 

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