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Fender Jazz Bass Special - Circa 1984-87
- Thread starter Bullitt5135
- Start date
IME, I have been able to get a less bright tone with SPB-1/SJB-1 set and swapped electronics to 250k pots & 0.047uF (I think the originals pots are 500k) only, but anyway I couldn't get the tone I was looking for. With the EMG GZR PJ (and its electronics) it was a bit brighter/mid-scooped than the SDs.
Finally took the decision of buying a cheap Affinity PJ and swap bodies. Basswood (original) vs Alder (Affinity). Now it sounds the way I like. A shame 'cos it's a fantastic and well built bass, but if the tone is not what one expects it's totally worthless.
Curiosly, a japanese Squier Precision Silver Series I own, basswood body too (the loose screws test does not fail on basswood
), sounds fantastic with the GZRs and almost equally nice with a SPB-1 almost like any other alder bodied bass. Perhaps a "magical woods x-files", who knows!!Here's its new incarnation: Invalid Link Removed
I'm curious, did all jbs basses have the large pole pieces P pup? Also, did they have the metal ground plate like the Sig Duff bass? On his Sig bass the pole pieces are normal size.
I can't say for sure if all of them did, but the two I have both have them. I haven't taken anything apart to know about the ground plate. Where is it in the Duff sig?
In that bass the P does come with the ground plates. I bought a couple complete harnesses from the Duff basses. They use solid shaft 500 pots also. The tbx tone has 2 resistors on it.
Ahhhhh I see. I'm not sure how much they changed from the 80's onesntonthe sig. There must be a way to find out. I mean besides opening an old one up and comparing.
I have the Duff pups (hot stack and fender P) in a few basses and that combo seems to just sound better especially through an 800rb. I actually found a P&j set I had from an old jbs but it doesn't seem to have the large poles.Ahhhhh I see. I'm not sure how much they changed from the 80's onesntonthe sig. There must be a way to find out. I mean besides opening an old one up and comparing.
I really hate how they say it's just a fender P in either the jbs or Duff as there are like 30 different fender Ps. I mean, what is a regular P anyway?
First question-No. The Large Poles first started on the basses with the logo "PJ BASS" in 1983, my 1984 in white is photographed 1 page back. In 1985 they went to the Jazz Bass Special logo with large pole pieces, this continued into 1986 and part way into 1987. Then the pole pieces got smaller. Erich posted in this thread and has a pink jazz special i use to have, which has a different bridge then the originals, its a quick release and smaller pole piece pickups, if I remember that one is a 1989 but in 1987 those pickups were introduced.
Duffs bass originally came with the large poles, his is a 1985 Jazz Special bought new from Hollywood Guitar Center in 1986 after GNR got the first record advance of cash from Geffen, $10,000. Im not sure at what point it happened but he ended up swapping Duncans into his white one. He used various black ones and had a reproduction of the white one and I am not sure which ones had what pickups. His white one however was modded with Duncans and metal knobs. Duff admitted during GNR days he didnt even know the difference between a traditional Jazz Bass or a Precision Bass. I think he just grabbed the Jazz Special and it felt and sounded right. I have a feeling the white color was picked by him because of his idolizing of Sid Vicious.
The metal jack plate on Duffs Sig is NOT correct for a Japan Jazz Special. None of the origina jacks have that plate. The Duff Sig cut corners, and I know that was just easier to do or cheaper then fitting a jack in like the original. The tuning machines on the duff sig are incorrect as well. Its not the most accurate bass. For the money Id buy a clean original.
Good info there buddy. I knew the jack was wrong, should be a barrel and the original tuners are the old school long stem version. But did the jbs P pups have the ground plate?
I had a JBS project bass years ago with the large pole piece pickups. Both the P&J had the ground plates with them. No clue what year the body was from tho.
Almost. Duff's original is an '84 he bought used. Remember how the neck was reworked by the previous owner? He figured that out when he bought a spare to bring on tour. He proceeded to have his necks made by the Fender custom shop, modeled after the original. I have no idea when the pickups where changed either. My best guess is either during recording of the Illusions records or early on tour.
I seem to recall him saying that the neck was screwed up at the factory not that it was used. I've read many times that he was the guy that we're going to Guitar Center all the time and play all the different gear since they lived or rehearse in the alley on The Gardener Street rehearsal space and he was always that dude that played but never bought and then when they got their Advance he went and bought the stuff that he had been planned which was the white jazz bass special and the GK head.
I couldnt be a 1984, there wasnt any Jazz Bass Special basses in 1984, there was the PJ BASS like mine a page back. The Jazz Special Logo and model didnt start until 1985, the very first of which have an A serial number on the neckplate. Duffs is even later with a E5 serial.
Im pretty positive he bought it brandnew, ive read it in numerous interviews, but im not the guy so I cant say for positive. The neck was defiantly different. However I have had 15 jazz specials, all there necks are different feeling. I have 3 right now and you can literally eyeball them from the side and see some of the necks are thicker. Some even have thicker headstocks. Im not sure what Fender Japan was doing, but maybe lots of hand sanding or production changes.
