fender mij jaguar vs g&l l 2000 tribute

That's a little like comparing apples and hand grenades. The Jag may be active, but you're still looking at typical J single coil pickups (with bonus noise). Series mode will definitely help you out, but I think the G&L will get you over the line much easier.

The G&L MFD pickups have hot output even in passive mode, and Series / Active + Treble Boost is absolutely killer for modern rock tones. Kind of like a poor man's Wal; at least I found I could get some very good Tool tones out of my old L2K.

 

I've had both. I like the G&L much better. It has much less noise and the MFD's are killers.

 

I'd take an original Jag over a G&L Trib. I'd take a USA G&L over a Jag. I own a USA G&L L2000 and a Jag now.

 

I own both. Jaguar: 1.5" nut width. L2000: 1.75 nut width. Aside from that, yes, they are different, but both play well and sound good. The neck profile is the key difference for me.

 

I have both. The jag is noisey but, I know there is an awesome sounding bass in there. The l2k is a tribute, the neck feels large at first but gets combfortable quickly. I like the finish on the l2k neck a lot better. The neck on the jag seem alot more stable and holds a set up better just always feels good. Both sound very different, I just started playing again after a 20 yr break so I'm still just tinkering in my house. I find it diffucult to see how the l2k tone will fit into a band situation, something seems odd about the tone. I havn't shielded the jag yet but I think it is going to be the better sounding instrument if it quiets down a bit. My jag is olympic white and about as close to perfect as anything i have owned, I feel bad putting fingerprints on it so it stays cased and the l2k is the go to beater.

Sorry to babble, it is late

 

my jag.
Active circuit would be killer if it was quieter, much better than the l2k which I never play active.

 

... That sported a gorgeous matching headstock.

Than, stayin' active/passive: think about a Fender Reggie Hamilton (MIM), which is a Jazz with an american series split coil in neck position and Hipshot BT2 bass extender already onboard.
Even an old Ken Smith Design Proto Jazz (MIK) can work: a heavy weight active/passive Jazz Bass with B/T circuit (I upgraded electronics and put a Hipshot BT7 bass extender on: now them both Fender Reggie Hamilton and Ken Smith Design play a full step downtuned thrash metal tunes for me)

Cheers,
Wallace

 

as usual i can only bass the suggestion on my own experience, the jag i played ruled and through my mesa tube head it was amazing(high output, playability, many sounds, great craftsmanship), the tribute i experienced didn't even bother plugging in, it was so buzzy it could have been one of the basses that accidentally got through quality control, my bass teacher has a vintage l2000 and that thing is amazing, so maybe go that route and pick one up that is cosmetically less than perfect

 

I have a tribute l2500 and a US l2000 with k switching (series, parallel, single coil). I got the US recently and I think the single coil option really opened the bass. To my ears, both pickups in single coil sound very very close to a jazz bass (so maybe close to a jag) and you still have the series and parallel options which are really cool for rock. So I suggest you getting the tribute and add the single coil option. There is a lot of info on TB about how to make this mod on a L2000. Hope this help!

 

Everyone on TB tells you what they want, not what you want (ever notice that?).

From the OP I can tell you straight up you wouldn't want the MIJ Jaguar, as it's so easy to damage those fiddly slide switches you wouldn't believe it.

If you're playing rough music, go simple and go rugged.

 

I don't know as I've never serviced nor owned that model, but I do know that the controls on the Jaguar are extremely vulnerable even without being especially reckless with the instrument. Lot of beefs about them here and they're not making it up. A lot of people have re-mounted the switches to sit way down in the plates, but that's not really enough, as a straight-on bump will kill them. There's just too much crap sticking out on them for a gigging bass for my money. Too much stuff to get bumped and snagged. I have one of these, BTW, so I'm speaking from some experience.

If you're playing a rough tour, the bass to end all is the immortal SLO EBMM S.U.B.

It's the closest to a literally indestructible bass ever made, and no, I'm not kidding. They go for about the kind of money you're talking here, if you can find one.

 

I just think that the new Fender Jaguar with the crazy pickup spacing looks odd. I would look for the old one with the 70s Jazz spacing.

Well, actually I would look for the G&L but that's because I love the L series