Hey all,
I played my new JB at a band rehearsal last night and wanted to provide some thoughts / impressions of it. I play in a local bar band that does some classic rock, some blues, some originals - the typically mix of beer-induced fun at the local watering hole. I played through the practice amp - an old tube amp into a 2x15 cabinet (I'm unsure of wattage & additional details about the amp).
Initial impressions - I have only played a single coil, 4-stringed jazz bass a couple times before, and that one was fretless (a Warwick Corvette Standard Fretless). I am quite used to playing a 5-stringed bass (my L2500 or Pedulla Thunderbass/Thunderbolt), so I am quite used to basslines that utilize the 5th string (e.g., playing in 6th position in the key of F). I found myself trying to hit a few notes and missing - nothing to do with the bass, just some gripes about switching back to a 4 string & the issues of "really" knowing a bass.
This bass is exceptionally bright. When the rest of the band was not playing, I could hear EVERY movement on the strings. I do have brand new bright strings on there (DR Hi-beams, less than 15 hours total). Turning the tone knob down helped considerably. The bass still cut through just fine - the tone is aggressive and full. Not as aggressive as my L2500 (is there any other bass that is??), but much much more than my Pedulla with Bartolinis.
I'm not particularly good at slapping, but a couple of the originals we play requires the occasional thump or pop. Those notes cut through crystal clear, through the drums, organ, and guitars. Pick-style was very clear.
I had a little trouble with the V/V/T setup, as I am used to basses with an overall volume knob and a pickup blend (or switch). I would not mind if the JB had a volume / blend / tone layout, similar to the Warwick basses.
There is a decent amount of sustain with this bass. I found myself having to be extra careful when playing, to not let notes ring more than they should.
Cons:
The satin finish on the neck is sticky, especially in a wam practice space. I can't wait to sand and oil the back of the neck. If I have time prior to our gig on Saturday, I'll use some steel wool and gun oil to lube it up (My L2500 is awesome after this treatment!).
The bass is a little on the heavy side. Maybe my traps were sore from lifting weights earlier, or maybe I just need to HTFU. It is nowhere near as heavy as the solid bubinga Warwick I owned, just hevay enough to require the occasional adustment between songs.
All in all, it is an excellent bass, and based on one multi-hour rehearsal, I am willing to put in the time to learn this bass and break it in. It isn't fair to compare it to my L2500 (owned & played for 6 years now), my 78 PBass (owned and played for 17 years), or my Pedulla Thunderbass (owned and played for 4 years), each with countless hours practicing or gigging live. If you want a classic Fender sound, with a G&L aggression and finish, I recommend this bass.
I played my new JB at a band rehearsal last night and wanted to provide some thoughts / impressions of it. I play in a local bar band that does some classic rock, some blues, some originals - the typically mix of beer-induced fun at the local watering hole. I played through the practice amp - an old tube amp into a 2x15 cabinet (I'm unsure of wattage & additional details about the amp).
Initial impressions - I have only played a single coil, 4-stringed jazz bass a couple times before, and that one was fretless (a Warwick Corvette Standard Fretless). I am quite used to playing a 5-stringed bass (my L2500 or Pedulla Thunderbass/Thunderbolt), so I am quite used to basslines that utilize the 5th string (e.g., playing in 6th position in the key of F). I found myself trying to hit a few notes and missing - nothing to do with the bass, just some gripes about switching back to a 4 string & the issues of "really" knowing a bass.
This bass is exceptionally bright. When the rest of the band was not playing, I could hear EVERY movement on the strings. I do have brand new bright strings on there (DR Hi-beams, less than 15 hours total). Turning the tone knob down helped considerably. The bass still cut through just fine - the tone is aggressive and full. Not as aggressive as my L2500 (is there any other bass that is??), but much much more than my Pedulla with Bartolinis.
I'm not particularly good at slapping, but a couple of the originals we play requires the occasional thump or pop. Those notes cut through crystal clear, through the drums, organ, and guitars. Pick-style was very clear.
I had a little trouble with the V/V/T setup, as I am used to basses with an overall volume knob and a pickup blend (or switch). I would not mind if the JB had a volume / blend / tone layout, similar to the Warwick basses.
There is a decent amount of sustain with this bass. I found myself having to be extra careful when playing, to not let notes ring more than they should.
Cons:
The satin finish on the neck is sticky, especially in a wam practice space. I can't wait to sand and oil the back of the neck. If I have time prior to our gig on Saturday, I'll use some steel wool and gun oil to lube it up (My L2500 is awesome after this treatment!).
The bass is a little on the heavy side. Maybe my traps were sore from lifting weights earlier, or maybe I just need to HTFU. It is nowhere near as heavy as the solid bubinga Warwick I owned, just hevay enough to require the occasional adustment between songs.
All in all, it is an excellent bass, and based on one multi-hour rehearsal, I am willing to put in the time to learn this bass and break it in. It isn't fair to compare it to my L2500 (owned & played for 6 years now), my 78 PBass (owned and played for 17 years), or my Pedulla Thunderbass (owned and played for 4 years), each with countless hours practicing or gigging live. If you want a classic Fender sound, with a G&L aggression and finish, I recommend this bass.
