Both of em? Nice PU upgrade and that CAR looks stellar. Well done!
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Fender Jazz Bass Special - Circa 1984-87
- Thread starter Bullitt5135
- Start date
love the Torino Red, i have the exact same, but with a black fretless companion
Hi Guys - First post here ! I had a PB551 for many years and gigged it a lot - then for some unknown reason I decided to sell it and a beautiful Aria SB Elite 2 to buy a Spector ! Not sure that was the best decision ever ... Anyway I always regretted parting with the Fender and spent a long time trying to get it back/find another. A really beaten up JBS turned up and I ended up with it. It's had a very hard life and has obviously been owned by someone with many studded belts/wristbands/ cod-pieces - you name it ! However it plays beautifully, and has an incredibly low action. I love it to pieces and want to sort out a few bits that really annoy me. One is the mismatched machine head - anybody have one they are selling ? It's missing the F-knobs but I'm not paying the crazy prices I see - I found some Ibanez ones (same as used on some other Japanese JBS's). Cheers !
Fender has re-issued these, with blacked out hardware, everything is a copy of the 80s JBS. You should be able to order the part from a dealer, and with patience, you will get one.
Thanks - Yeah, I saw the new versions - I know people were hoping that would mean F -knobs would be available but doesn't seem like it's happening. Maybe it'll be the same with the other hardware. I shall keep my eyes open !
Wow! They’re so “loved”, they look like they were painted black! Very cool
honestly, the pickups are the most important part, for this bass’s unique tone
That's a great way of putting it !! This bass has definitely seen some action - but as you say, original pickups - sounds awesome and plays amazingly ! And it was the cheapest JBS I've seen !
Yeah, what some people are asking for, for that bass outrageous. I just bought a beautiful one that was basically a closet queen for 1000 bucks.
Just seen one on UK auction site for £1200 !! Refinished body, replacement knobs, replacement bridge, replacement pickups !!! Crazy !
I have had one of these basses since back in high school, almost 30 years now! (Yikes.)
Haven't played much in years. Now I'm trying to get back into playing bass and refreshing my memory and learning new things about my instrument. Back then, before the Internet was quite as ubiquitous, I couldn't find anything about my bass.
Dumb question time.
First, mine has active EMG pickups. Were those stock or were they added later? (It doesn't say "Power" on the headstock like some I have seen pictures of in this thread.)
The other thing that trips me up is that I was watching a YouTube video that suggested the tone control should have a kind of "catch" or switch of some sort—mine doesn't. Would that have to do with it having different pickups (if they are not stock)?
Haven't played much in years. Now I'm trying to get back into playing bass and refreshing my memory and learning new things about my instrument. Back then, before the Internet was quite as ubiquitous, I couldn't find anything about my bass.
Dumb question time.
First, mine has active EMG pickups. Were those stock or were they added later? (It doesn't say "Power" on the headstock like some I have seen pictures of in this thread.)
The other thing that trips me up is that I was watching a YouTube video that suggested the tone control should have a kind of "catch" or switch of some sort—mine doesn't. Would that have to do with it having different pickups (if they are not stock)?
1) Not stock
2) TBX tone pot was likely replaced when the pickups where changed, people see that dime sized pot and think its a bad quality one so I wouldn't be surprised if they crammed a full sized pot in there.
The TBX tone pot has a detent at the middle position. 0-5 acts as a normal tone pot, 6-10 boosts treble and bass.
Thanks!
Could someone who knew what they were doing (not me, clearly) replace the TBX pot with the non-stock pickups? Would that be worth doing? I think I might have to get someone to look at the electronics anyway. I'm having a weird issue where the rhythm position pickup isn't picking up the D or the G string. (I have a couple of other things to try before I take it in, but if I do end up taking it to a tech and can get the TBX pot restored I might do it.)
One of my Jazz Specials what I sold recently had the original TBX with active EMGs and it was pretty decent. Definitely worth to swap the tone pot to the TBX.
But since you already have active EMGs I'd try the EMG EXB which is similar to the TBX or the BTC control what's an active bass treble control. The downside is the price since the TBX is 3/4 times cheaper than these.
EXB: Invalid Link Removed
BTC: Invalid Link Removed
That is solely up to you. I personally love the TBX tone pot. With the original pickups, they sound very unique and different enough from other PJ basses.
Try adjusting the height of the right side of your pickup. Should be higher.
That’s really too bad that your bass has EMG’s. Nothing wrong with EMG’s, but having owned a handful of JBS’s, those goofy, large pole piece stock pickups are a huge part of the JBS sound.
I did give that a go and no help. I think it must be something in the electronics.
