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Growliest Fender Jazz for under $900

#41
I don't know if it's the exact sound you're looking for, but the most aggressive bass I own is a Fender Blacktop Jazz. Something about the double Precision pickups creates a sound that not only "growls", but "roars". And that was only with the stock strings. The Ernie Ball Cobalts adds just a little more "bite" to the overall sound.

I don't know what they go for in Europe, but they're around $500 here in the States.
 
#42
socialleper said:
I'd have to say that the setup, technique and some overdrive have more to do with the tone in those videos than the bass its self.
Fender Jazz basses have a particular tone, so you'd want to start there. I think really just about any would do. A lot of the "growl" there is actually a result of low action, very little relief in the neck, and the pickups being pretty close to the strings. I also noticed that the players are digging in pretty forcefully on the bridge pickup. Some nickle round wound strings should finish the instrument part of it.
I'll bet good money that there is a dirt pedal being used in all of those videos. A Sansamp BDDI sounds about right or VT Bass. Personally I use a Pork Loin for dirt, but I don't think you'll get those kind of present highs out of that pedal.

For my tastes I wouldn't call that tone growl as much as I would bark or grit. When I hear the word growl I think more of those hi-low/lo-mid freqs that add real character to the low end of a bass. The audible, recording friendly, lows that come at you like a panther about to tear your face off.
Click to expand...

This is actually one of the most important aspects to that specific kind of sound, an aggressive attack with very little neck relief and low action; that, coupled with the BDDI and ANY Jazz with round wounds should sound like what you're looking for.

MIM stand for Made In Mexico and refers to that line of Fender Jazz basses.

And to everyone who keeps suggesting it, the OP lives in the Greek countryside, so watching the used market and/or Craigslist isn't a realistic option at all.
 
#43
MDBass said:
And to everyone who keeps suggesting it, the OP lives in the Greek countryside, so watching the used market and/or Craigslist isn't a realistic option at all.
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That indeed. :hmm:

MDBass said:
This is actually one of the most important aspects to that specific kind of sound, an aggressive attack with very little neck relief and low action; that, coupled with the BDDI and ANY Jazz with round wounds should sound like what you're looking for.
Click to expand...
Tried that with 40-100 SS Lo-riders on my Sterling Ray34 but the result wasn't quite the sound I have in mind, maybe it's the strings, I don't know...
 
#46
I just sold a classic 60's jazz bass. It sounded really nice, but I could never get used to the neck. I know this is purely a preference thing, but I can't handle a narrow neck with a 7.25" radius because the fretboard feels too round. If it had had a flatter fretboard I would have kept it. I don't mind that radius on a wider neck but on a narrow neck it feels too much like a baseball bat. As I said, this is purely a personal taste thing. Just throwing out my two cents.
 
#51
I'm probably repeating other posts here but how about this:

- get a jazz bass that is basically OK and works
- make sure it has hottish pickups, especially the bridge
- you want some relief in the neck - not too much, not too little (the string needs some room to 'breathe' and be bassy!)
- lower the string height at the bridge so that the string is just hitting the highest fret when you dig in
- raise the bridge pickup as high as it will go without hitting the strings when you dig in - and then maybe a smidge higher
- set the neck pickup height to taste
- play through at least a little bit of dirt / compression, depending on the type of growl you want.
 
#54
topo morto said:
I'm probably repeating other posts here but how about this:

- get a jazz bass that is basically OK and works
- make sure it has hottish pickups, especially the bridge
- you want some relief in the neck - not too much, not too little (the string needs some room to 'breathe' and be bassy!)
- lower the string height at the bridge so that the string is just hitting the highest fret when you dig in
- raise the bridge pickup as high as it will go without hitting the strings - and then maybe a smidge higher
- set the neck pickup height to taste
- play through at least a little bit of dirt / compression, depending on the type of growl you want.
Click to expand...

I would only add, dig in towards the bridge while playing.
 
#56
there is alot of good information on here, but the bottom line, is there are several different ways to get very good growl out of a Jazz ... just my preference, but I buy Fender Jazz basses for their playability/feel/weight over a very specific sound all day long ... I can make them sound whatever I need for the most part

... with regards to NO MIM Standard, with a little research you will see that they use ceramic magnets, and specifically tend more towards the 'trebley/biting' nature of the EQ scale, where as all three of the basses OP poster has listed all have alnico's which tend to favor a rounder voicing more towards the other end of the EQ spectrum ... bottom line here, with string choice/set-up, PICK-UP BLENDING, amplification and playing technique, ANY Fender/Squier/etc Jazz is going to get as snarly as anyone could wish for with the knowledge/gear to get it there ...

... there is such a tremendous difference in the necks on all three of the OP basses mentioned, that I would think that would be a prime concern over what could be accomplished through the magnitude of voicing options available ... JMHO
 
#57
MDBass said:
This is actually one of the most important aspects to that specific kind of sound, an aggressive attack with very little neck relief and low action; that, coupled with the BDDI and ANY Jazz with round wounds should (could)sound like what you're looking for.

MIM stand for Made In Mexico and refers to that line of Fender Jazz basses.
Click to expand...

... good advice, but a little clarification on the MIM ... Made in Mexico refers to the country of origin, nothing more, nothing less ... there are several different 'lines' (Series) offered by Fender that include MIM basses, but there are also offerings from other countries of origin within each of those Series as well ... MIM is often times used to mean the Standard, but along with that assumption, there are a LOT of other VERY good basses thrown under the bus along with it ... a Road Worn (for example) does NOT offer the same as the Standard, and both are MIM... JMHO
 
#58
At the risk of possibly repeating someone else's suggestions (a LOT of suggestions to plow through), and fully understanding that the OP needs to buy new because he is ordering from a large European music store, and has virtually no access to the used market, here's mine....

...Classic Vibe Jazz 60s

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...or Vintage Modified Jazz 70s

86ceb3c861ac3d7b0737b2ccde488ca3.png


and THESE

5e2e75d36f36c8539e867445fda2bae2.png


Should be plenty growly AND affordable with the cost differential and tax.

IMHO, YMMV, etc. etc.
 
#59
I just bought a brand new discontinued AVRI '62 stack knob for 1000 bucks. Easily the best contemporary Jazz bass I have owned, woody, barky, growly, sweet sustaining. Gets very close to a real vintage 60's J. If you can't find one of these I like the Road Worns to.
 
#60
I own two top of the line Fender Jazz Basses. You know which one is the growliest?

My $145.00 Squire Jaguar SS Short Scale with DR Sunbeam 45-105s on it! LOL! Seriously! That little thing is amazing when it comes to that classic J Bass growl tone.
 

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