Good jazz bass?

[hughbh]

I'm looking at getting a passive jazz with more of a vintage sound. What would be some options I could look at?

I have a great 2015 Am deluxe jazz, though it is quite modern sounding. In passive mode, it still has the blend rather than 2 pickup volume which I think impacts my tone options.

I aim to put flats on it and muting foam. Also not adverse to changing put the pickups if needed.

Thanks

 

[Spidey2112]

Try a Highway One Jazz, if you can. With flats and muting foam on it, I bet you'll be surprised.

Good luck, in your search!

 

[mellobud]

Lakland Skyline Darryl Jones jazz is the one jazz I regret not buying after trying it out at the store. The best playing jazz I ever tried to date.
They do a heck of a job setting the Skylines up stateside after getting them imported. I can only imagine what the US version feels and plays like.

 

[TrustRod]

A lot of Japanese basses from the '80s & '90s lean heavily towards the vintage copy. ESP, Tokai, Yamaha, Moon, Fernandes, and many more made basses indistinguishable from a vintage Fender based on sound.

 

[selowitch]

I am very fond of Fender American Standard Jazz Basses of year 2008 and later. Try to pick one that isn’t too heavy, maybe less than 9lbs.

 

[Chris Laarman]

I'm looking at getting a passive jazz with more of a vintage sound. What would be some options I could look at?

I have a great 2015 Am deluxe jazz, though it is quite modern sounding. In passive mode, it still has the blend rather than 2 pickup volume which I think impacts my tone options.

I aim to put flats on it and muting foam. Also not adverse to changing put the pickups if needed.

Thanks

If I could, I'd look at the Godin RG-4 models. That is because these seem to be the only solid-body basses featuring a piëzo bridge pick-up. Blending the piëzo sound with the magnetic sound would be my favorite for my pre-bop styles of jazz. (I can already achieve that by mounting a magnetic pick-up for guitar in the sound-hole of my acoustic Fender CB-60SCE with piëzo. Blending is a trick I copied from double-bass players.)

I currently have a Harley Benton MJ-5EB on order plus a set of flat-wound strings. I already have an MJ-4EB, but I promised myself to keep round-wound strings on that one. - According to reviews, these are cost-cutting clones of discontinued California models by Sandberg. They have the tone controls you seem to want to avoid: Treble and Bass in Active mode only, and Blend.

 

[ProbablyTooLoud]

G&L JB

 

[jd56hawk]

Dare to be different!

 

[WG Plum]

Pretty much any passive Fender Jazz with flats will do the trick. Find one that sounds and feels good to you (may require playing a more than a few), and you're all set. You don't have to spend a fortune to find that sound. A Squier, in fact, will get you there just fine too.

 

[Clark Westfield]

Fender makes a good Jazz bass.

 

[Jeremy Crockett]

Fender Vintera 70s are currently 20% off. I regret selling mine to this day.

 

[shoot-r]

Watch the T.B. Classifieds for Fender's best kept secret, a "Roadworn Jazz."

Plays, feels, sounds, looks, weighs like a old Jazz without the BIG vintage bass price tag.

 

[Warpeg]

I'm looking at getting a passive jazz with more of a vintage sound. What would be some options I could look at?...

Literally any Jazz-shaped bass with vintage-voiced pickups. Go out and play some and see what sounds good to you.

 

[Mike Vee]

You didn’t say your price point, but I would recommend either an American Original, American Vintage, or American Special or wait for the new Vintera II with rosewood boards

 

[Turnaround]

I'm looking at getting a passive jazz with more of a vintage sound.

Modern Vintage.

Modern Vintage MVJ4-66 ’60s Vintage 4-String Electric Bass Guitar – Piano Black Finish

 

[Grinderman]

The essence of a good Jazz Bass is a well-made A-width, thin C or U-profile neck + a quality set of passive single pickups.

e.g. Fender American Original or AVRI or made-to-order Musikraft neck + Lindy Fralin pickups

 

[Kael]

Just play as many Fender American Standards as you can and get one that feels decent. There are plenty of good other manufacturers but if you are after a classic Jazz bass, just get a jazz bass. Avoid the active electronics basses unless you want a more modern sound.

 

[Maxi Funkl]

Sire V5

 

[Grinderman]

Modern Vintage.

Modern Vintage MVJ4-66 ’60s Vintage 4-String Electric Bass Guitar – Piano Black Finish

Look at that neck. Particularly for $1,900 retail that's a very good-looking neck.

 

[Mike Marshall]

Watch the T.B. Classifieds for Fender's best kept secret, a "Roadworn Jazz."

Plays, feels, sounds, looks, weighs like a old Jazz without the BIG vintage bass price tag.

I too like the Road Worn basses