Help me get a thick Jazz bass tone!

[Kenny Allyn]

Kenny, the Icelanders have an old folk saying:

'That is like killing a fly with a sledgehammer'. I think a double DS'ed Jazz would qualify.

That's a good one ... But ya know what it still sounds like a Jazz Bass

I know Fred Hammon and he emailed me one day about a proposed Super Jazz project that I was planning, and sent me a pair to try in it. The "victim" bass was an old 76 Jazz I had that had already been routed and the Badass is an original 70s that is counter-sunk so there was no way to ever bring the bass back to vintage spec.

Here is a picture of Fred Hammon, Bud LeCompte and me with another DS bass that Bud made for me taken at the MOjO Sonic/LeCompte booth at Summer NAMM

... Talk about two great guys Fred and Bud!

 

[Thor]

Never seen a pic of Fred before, I had a totally different visual idea. Wow. We are acquainted. Very nice guy.

Any, back on topic. DS is out of budget.

 

[Ampeg SVT]

I'll just make a list of what I can do financially right now (subject to change).

-Buy an Audere JZ3
-Buy a set of pickups instead
-Buy flats
-Leave everything stock and buy a compressor instead (to smooth out the tone)
-Anything that doesn't go over $200 total

 

[Thor]

I have both Fralin Split coils and SD Antiquity II's in jazzes, and I like the SD's better at 1/2 the price.

I have never used the Nordies mentioned above so I can't
comment on that, but I am very happy with my setup.

 

[BeauZooka]

Quick Idea: I usually run my Geddy with the bridge pickup all the way off. The Neck pup by itself just sounds more pure and burly to me, as opposed to the 2 pickups interacting with each other.

 

[Ryan Mohr]

Ben Kenney uses a Lakland Joe Osborn w/ Fralin pickups and flats in Dig if that helps. Personally, go for the Antiquity IIs for a fat tone.

 

[bikeplate]

HI

One word--- Sadowsky!!

Rob

 

[Ryan Mohr]

Read my next post...

 

[Ryan Mohr]

And the real key is Seymour Duncan Antiquity II's. They really
rule with this bass. They run about 60 bucks each new but what beautiful sound.

Are you thinking of the SJB-1? SD Antiquity are some of the most expensive Jazz Bass pickups, they go for 90 per pickup - http://www.bestbassgear.com/duncan-antiquity2-jazz.htm

 

[Ampeg SVT]

HI

One word--- Sadowsky!!

Rob

basses or pickups?

I used to have a Metro RV4 and it got pretty close to what I wanted.

 

[David Jayne]

OK, again(beats dead horse)....Save your money. Buying stuff will not fix it. Seriously. Single coil pickups are just fundamentally different, and take getting used to. That's it. I have been in your shoes and I'm telling you, leave it alone and play it awhile.
I was at a store the other day and pulled a new MIA Jazz off the wall, plugged it into a SWR combo, and it sounded awesome, instantly. Nothing wrong with the pickups. Hands, it in your hands.

 

[Jumbotron]

Very easy and cheap mod for thickness: install a series-parallel switch, and run the pickups in series. It isn't the traditional jazz tone, but it's huge and thick.

 

[broadblik]

Yeh the stock Fender PU's tend to be a bit thin sounding to me....

Might be your problem.

 

[Ampeg SVT]

Ill try most of the tips on pickup settings on Monday, I am trying not to spend money (even though I sounded like I wanted to spend some money), I am thinking the cabinet might be part of the problem but I have owned a MIA J before (it was a S-1 loaded one though) and i found it to be a bit thin and that was back when I was using a much bassier cab.

I am not sure why but I find that the jazz bass records well, I might just add the series switch if the tone doesn't do it for me at practice. I do remember that I used the S-1 switch alot with the old MIA I had, I think I used it with a pick a lot as it had a super big punch to it.

 

[Chris Breese]

Personally, I think that head is the biggest problem. I used to own a Buster 200 and never could get any low end out of that stupid thing with a Jazz bass. That was one of the most disappointing amps I have ever bought. To me, my BehringerBx300T sounds better than the Buster ever did.

 

[Ampeg SVT]

Well crap, I can get a lot of low end but it just disappears as soon as some guitar comes in. I was thinking it was a bass thing.

 

[EduardoK]

Here is a picture of Fred Hammon, Bud LeCompte and me with another DS bass that Bud made for me taken at the MOjO Sonic/LeCompte booth at Summer NAMM

Wow, that DS bass looks coooool ! Tell us more about it !!!!

 

[FaithNoMan]

Dimarzio Model J.

Thicker in sound and humbucking, like a Precision pup in a J cover.

Listen to how much thicker they are compared to Sadowsky single coils, here:


Link Removed

 

[bThumper38]

I'm in a bit of the same struggle. I just got an 85 mij Jazz all stock and I'm telling you that thing was weak, weak, weak. So far I've put a set a bartolini's(I know they're old school but i like barts), and a bad ass bridge. Both made a huge difference to getting clean tone, and decent bottom. I'm still thinking bout getting the audere 4band to top it off. good luck with yours=)

 

[Nagan60]

I have been having a bit of a problem with my Jazz bass, the sound is ridiculously thin. I have tried messing with the EQ on my head and it isnt really helping me much, also the tone control helps slightly but doesn't seem to add any low end.

I need a relatively thick bass tone, its not an amp or cab problem (Mesa Buster 200 and tour 410) as my peavey sounds huge and thick through my amp.

I have been thinking of getting an Audere and using that to send a thick signal with the Z mode setting that gives the most bass or getting a set of Dimarzio Model J's and wiring it in Series.

I really can't get another bass right now, I just need to use what I have now.

Audere would not be the way to go for the sound that you are looking for. Don't get me wrong, Audere is a very good preamp but for what you are trying to do you might be a little disappointed. The Audere is a very pristine transparent preamp with an mild eq. You can put it into Low Z and crank the bass full and it will not give you very deep bass. For most people this doesn't bother them. But if your looking for a deep thick dub like sound you can forget it. I would suggest you go with Aguilar if you are trying to get deep bass. Stay away from Audere and Bartolini's if you want deep bass. Not saying anything negative about either one because they are both great products. The bartolini livened up my Conklin GT7 very nicely and its a great preamp. And the Audere give my jazz bass very good transparency which was an improvement over the stock passive pre by a long shot. But when I went to get some serious lows, I found that even in Low Z I had to crank it up full blast compared to the pre on my Fender Jazz Deluxe in which I only had to turn it to a 2 or three past its mid-point. Don't get me wrong....I hate muddy basses....but I don't like thin stuff either....I like some meat to my substance.