Fender mis-names bass IMO

[Geri O]

 

[Turnaround]

An old Fender of mine had a reverse P pickup in the neck position and a regular J pickup in the bridge position. Fender called it a Jazz Special. It had a Precision-shaped body. I didn't know what to call it - reversed pickup and P-body, perhaps a PJP? And it was active. A powered, reverse P with J on a P? PRPJP? What? So I sold it.

 

[gln1955]

I thought a Jazz bass was any bass you played jazz on.

Why is this even an issue?

 

[micguy]

I think of a Jazz bass as a bass with 2 of those skinny pickups. I have one of these. It has a body with a symmetrical non offset) butt, a wide neck, and the pickups are in line humbuckers. Fender would call it a Precision. But I call it a "J" because it has the pickup shape and locations of a Jazz. That's my naming convention. Fender can use whatever naming convention they want, though - they've made a contribution or two to the state of the bass guitar.

 

[ak56]

Of course. You can call the bass Steve if you want to but it wouldn't be in line with the common usage. I can say I'm going to get in my kerflumpkin and drive home. Most people think of it as a car but I can call it a kerflumpkin if it makes me happy.

That's patently absurd.

I drive a 2001 Ford kerflumpkin.

 

[Feral Feline]

I'm going to build my ultimate Jazz Bass – a Jazz body with P/J pickups with a Precision Tele neck – no pickguard.

Then I'm going to build my my ultimate P-Bass – a P-body with P/J pickups with a Jazz neck – custom pickguard of my own design.


Then I'm going to build my ultimate G&L and a Music Man Stingray as well...

 

[HamOnTheCob]

Then why the decades long single coil configurations? If you put the J pups on another shape body it still is then a jazz bass. I think the body shape has nothing to do with the pursuit of the "jazz tone", but just to add a "difference to the whole package. So body shape to me is not the answer.

Why are a V6 and a V8 Ford Explorer both called Ford Explorers? Because the name goes with the body, not the engine.

 

[Fat Freddy]

Oh goody....I get to use it again! .....

 

[39-Bassist]

PJ, PJ, PJ....come on everyone SAY IT! SAY IT!
It's just a P and a J...

 

[J. Crawford]

....but use J pups. = Jazz bass.

Fodera makes a lot of Jazz basses then.

 

[MEKer]

Ho HUm.I have a legitimate stance in my assessment of the situation, everyone else is wrong. Of course, your O may differ. Enjoy what you have. Yeah, I guess Fodera does make a lot of jazz basses. Cheers.

 

[Dluxe]

When I started playing in 1977 you had your choice of Fender Basses.

Jazz
Precision
Telecaster
Mustang
Musicmaster

Things were much simpler back then.

 

[sevdog]

P or J?

 

[Bassa Nova]

P or J?

M Bass

 

[wintremute]

P or J?

M for METAL!!!!!

 

[Pumpkin]

If you name a bass by its pickup, shouldn't you be calling them "single split coil" and "seperate single coil" basses?

 

[Bassa Nova]

M for METAL!!!!!

M for "Mothman" but thou shalt not speak thy name!

 

[Growlmonkee]

So my Jazz Bass has 2 split coil skinny pickups, and I do not play much jazz, there, the cat's out of the bag.

 

[Rib 13]

It's based on body shape. Pickup configuration is irrelevant.

Body shape is irrelevant. Everybody knows the defining feature of a Jazz Bass is the neck width and profile.

agreed, hence the MIJ Jazz Bass Deluxe

 

[MobileHolmes]

It's based on body shape. Pickup configuration is irrelevant.

Or at least they should be. They haven't even been consisten with that over the years (e.g. the Power Jazz Special, that is basically a modernized P body with a J neck and P/J pickups)