Fender Precision 1975 - Emulating Jamerson

[J_Bass]

Here is my Fender P 75, with Fender pure vintage 63 pickups and Labella 1954 Jamerson 110-52 strings.

What do you guys think?

 

[ToddB1963]

That sounds GREAT

 

[Gunga Din]

You're certainly very close.

From what I understand, JJ had quite a high string height and played with the pup cover on. He used that to rest his fingers, whilst using his index to hammer out the notes. I think this is important to take on board.

 

[jj.833]

To me, it sounds really similar. I only miss that Jamerson attack. Perhaps it is because of his very high action, and supposedly much more energic plucking?

 

[J_Bass]

To me, it sounds really similar. I only miss that Jamerson attack. Perhaps it is because of his very high action, and supposedly much more energic plucking?

Definitely that.

I had to pluck hard and even then I couldn’t get that Jamerson attack. These are very tough strings, very hard to play like him. And I have my action at 2,8mm at the 12th fret. That’s very low for Jameson.


First I recorded as I usually play, and the attack is not there. That hook was really powerful.

Here is the first recording, with tone at 10% and then at zero:

 

[tvbop]

That attack and distortion you hear is from the old studio valve pre-amp... real hard to emulate nowdays. And not to forget either he had a huge string height hence no fret noise.

 

[andare]

Tone all the way up, pluck with the index finger slanted towards the ashtray and quite close to it. He didn't look like he plucked hard at all, more like he was grazing the strings.
You need a tube preamp and you need to run it hot or you won't get that classic "fart", which essentially is the recording interface being overloaded.
The strings should also be old and cruddy

 

[InnerCityBass]

Tone all the way up, pluck with the index finger slanted towards the ashtray and quite close to it. He didn't look like he plucked hard at all, more like he was grazing the strings.
You need a tube preamp and you need to run it hot or you won't get that classic "fart", which essentially is the recording interface being overloaded.
The strings should also be old and cruddy

Yes, and more or harder foam. A bit too much sustain

 

[Brandon Shea]

That sounds fantastic, you really captured the Motown vibe. How does your right hand feel?

 

[depalm]

To get into “JamesonLand” is more a matter of learn and understand his vocabulary than having the “right” gear.

I’ve seen very talented people sounding very close, using anything. No P Bass, no flats, no B15…

It’s just a matter of how you express musically.

 

[_Obra_]

It sounds good and close, but not the same. For 100% same sound You don't need different bass or a pickup, but an correct amp, mic and a bit different playing style.

 

[andare]

Yes, and more or harder foam. A bit too much sustain

For that you need foam above the strings and under the ashtray. Not hard foam. It's weather stripping but when placed on the strings, it dampens the E string more because it's the highest, and the G string less because it's the lowest. As it should.
Foam under the strings does the opposite and you won't get those short notes on the E.
So the ashtrays are essential to the tone.

 

[groovaholic]

The bass is definitely giving you the right foundational tone, but IMO your signal chain is too clean.

Honestly, I love Line 6's "Retro Reel" patch for this kind of sound - it emulates the sound of a tape-deck input stage, with the associated compression, soft overdrive, HF attenuation, and slight bump in the low mids.

Outside of the Line 6 ecosystem:
I'd recommend hitting the front end of a compressor hard enough to get overload transients would be a good start - set the compressor with enough make-up gain to give the sound good sustain.
If that doesn't get you 100% there, a bit of soft clipping should seal the deal.

 

[J-Bass RMR]

The tone is definitely in the ballpark - with a few tweaks mentioned already, you'll be there.
Keep it up, and you'll be required to change your user name!

I couldn’t get that Jamerson attack.

few mortals can...

 

[DeepHz]

Sounds great! Are you playing with 1 finger? The "Hook"?

 

[Nebadon2000]

That is exact finish Bass I bought in 1975 before I started Gigging for the first time

At that time I wasn't trying to emulate anyone's tone[never have] just honing my abilities and discovering my own tones I liked

 

[Wood and Wire]

You need a tube preamp

but an correct amp, mic

Hang on a minute; the bass (and also most guitars) were recorded direct into a custom made solid state DI console - no tubes, no amps, no speaker cabinets, no mics.

No headphones either, for that matter : all the musicians plugged into that direct box (playing as an ensemble) and collectively listened to a single studio monitor speaker, in mono - it was discovered that they played much more naturally, and expressively as an ensemble, listening together to a single speaker, with some air between them, than when they had headphones on.



Another important factor in Jamersons sound, is that the strings were so old, and dead, that they no longer intonated correctly, and that he would bend each note in to tune, as he played.

 

[_Obra_]

Hang on a minute; the bass (and also most guitars) were recorded direct into a custom made solid state DI console - no tubes, no amps, no speaker cabinets, no mics.

No headphones either, for that matter : all the musicians plugged into that direct box (playing as an ensemble) and collectively listened to a single studio monitor speaker, in mono - it was discovered that they played much more naturally, and expressively as an ensemble, listening together to a single speaker, with some air between them, than when they had headphones on.



Another important factor in Jamersons sound, is that the strings were so old, and dead, that they no longer intonated correctly, and that he would bend each note in to tune, as he played.

JJ used an amp. Tube one most of the time.

 

[J_Bass]

Thank you all for the feedback, friends!

I am trying to get away from digital stuff.

Sounds great! Are you playing with 1 finger? The "Hook"?

I wish! Mainly one, but two on the faster notes.

This is just for fun, but I like being able to get close to that tone.


The setting I use for my playing is with tone at 100%, which sounds like this:

 

[Nebadon2000]

Thank you all for the feedback, friends!

I am trying to get away from digital stuff.


I wish! Mainly one, but two on the faster notes.

This is just for fun, but I like being able to get close to that tone.


The setting I use for my playing is with tone at 100%, which sounds like this:

Have you went on youtube and listened to his isolated tracks?

Remember that is tone needed by sound engineer to get his recorded in mix tone we all hear

If you just try to get tone from recordings for anyone just playing solo it will be disappointing in mix[unless you only play solo] same for your own tone

At least use Drum/percussion machine; yes strings, gear can help but less so than technique; with Blues, R&B and Motown/Funk you need to feel it and transfer that feel to your playing;