HOTROD my jazz!

[Aussiephoenix]

So, Imagine, for a few unconfortable moments that you are me... lol.

I have a Fender Jazz Bass Classic 60's (Mex)

2-piece Alder body & replacement Schaller 2000 bridge

I play mostly fingerstyle, though I like to play around with slap... I really like this bass, its one of the best Mim fenders I've seen/played, so I think its worth dishing out a little to make it better.

basically, what I want is:

Keep the growly Gritty Jazz Passive tone
Add more Output for Slap.

now, this can be with a Passive/Active preamp, replacement pups, whatever! Anything goes. what would you do?

ps.: Almost anything goes, as Im not fond of fiddling with the electronics, so, no Series/Paralel mods, etc...

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Chuck in some high output J pickups?

 

[Doctor J]

DiMarzio Ultra J's

 

[klocwerk]

DiMarzio Ultra J's

ding!
and as for fiddling with electronics, replacing pickups is as simple as twisting two wires together and taping them up. (You really SHOULD solder them, but could get away without it if you twist them together really tight.)

 

[Philbiker]

Keep the growly Gritty Jazz Passive tone
Add more Output for Slap.

There's a knob on your amplifier labelled "Volume". Turn it up.

 

[Aussiephoenix]

Ultra J's? I've heard some not not so briliant comments about those... what have you noticed?
~
Would you guys go as far as to put a preamp on it? something like audere or j-retro? or is that going too far?

 

[Chef]

Nordstrand vintage pups, Aguilar OPB-1 preamp.

 

[Nick Ioannucci]

ooo man would i love to drop a j-retro into my fretless jazz(the only bass i own) i couldnt believe that beast was 300+shipping, plus if you dont know how to install(idk how much it would cost i do my own electronics) but ive never really heard one. im also interested in the aguilar pre-amps, but have recently want off on a crazy gas induced tnagent to go classic 60's and wire my bass concentric v/t v/t rofl people gas for a new bass, i gas for new electronics. i definitely vote new pick ups for you. go to the electronics forum hit the stickies, and find david wilson's basstasters for jbass pickups. it has a ton of pickups in there with sound clips of slap finger styl, tone adjustments, all through a geddy sig bass. it should help you find what youre looking for. i wish someone would make one for preamps thoiugh...

 

[fretless Bob]

well if it was me, i would get some new pickups, probably some nordtrands, then get a drop in pre amp like an audere or a j-retro, then get a drop tuner plus 3 new tuners, i'd try hipshot and then get a badass bridge.

and i am in the middle of doing this to my geddy lee Jazz bass, just got a j-retro deluxe fitted and a drop tuner, waiting for delivery of the other three tuners and gonna order some nordstrands in the next month or so, that along with a black scratch plate and it should be a damn nice active j at the end of it.


Dave

 

[BassJunkie730]

First spend $20 and get a soldering iron - I'm a firm believer that ANYONE can learn how to solder components - I've been doing it since I was 16 and I've never had any formal instruction.

That being said. Here's your modded bass

Nordstrand NJ4 pair (my fav)
Hipshot Classic HB-2 tuners
Hipshot Vintage bridge (with fender standard string spacing) or a B-style bridge with fender standard spacing - brass maybe a good choice given the body)
Replace the cap with one of better quality (orange cap or Jensen rebrands through www.angela.com)
Straplocks? maybe
Take the bass to a tech and have him remove the plastic nut and replace it with graphtech Tusq or bone and then set the whole thing up.

You'll be surprised at how smooth the bass operates.

Then get the sadowsky outboard preamp. so you can turn it on and off on the fly.

 

[steveb98]

Nordstrand vintage pups, Aguilar OPB-1 preamp.

I'll second that idea.

I put a set of Nordie's in my JBass and what a wonderful difference.

 

[Philbiker]

Let me clarify my earlier post. By turning the volume on your amp "up" I mean turn the knob labelled "Volume" clockwise.

 

[fenderx55]

First spend $20 and get a soldering iron - I'm a firm believer that ANYONE can learn how to solder components - I've been doing it since I was 16 and I've never had any formal instruction.

That being said. Here's your modded bass

Nordstrand NJ4 pair (my fav)
Hipshot Classic HB-2 tuners
Hipshot Vintage bridge (with fender standard string spacing) or a B-style bridge with fender standard spacing - brass maybe a good choice given the body)
Replace the cap with one of better quality (orange cap or Jensen rebrands through www.angela.com)

I'm ordering a pair of NJ4s tomorrow, but what does replacing the capacitor do? How much of a difference does it really make? and which one on that site would you get? Sorry for the battery of questions.

 

[fretless Bob]

I'm ordering a pair of NJ4s tomorrow, but what does replacing the capacitor do? How much of a difference does it really make? and which one on that site would you get? Sorry for the battery of questions.

i was thinking the same thing


Dave

 

[Winemule]

...and here I was under the impression that the Seymour Duncan Antiquity IIs were the pups of choice...?

 

[fenderx55]

Well I wasn't saying "pshhh he doesn't know what he's talking about...it's just a little piece of clay [or w/e it is...]" I was asking for empirical results.

 

[fenderx55]

...and here I was under the impression that the Seymour Duncan Antiquity IIs were the pups of choice...?

mneh, for w/e reason, Nordies tend to be the replacement p'up of choice around here (and from what I hear, for good reason...hence me ordering them). Check out smash's pickup shootout for a review...and a damn good one at that.

 

[Aussiephoenix]

Let me clarify my earlier post. By turning the volume on your amp "up" I mean turn the knob labelled "Volume" clockwise.

I dont think you're feeling me on this mate...

I dont want to be messing with my amp settings... its a bass "problem", so, it should be handled at that level.

fenderx55, why are Nordstrands the weapon of choice around here? I checked out Smash's topic, and he also gave a VERY good review on the SD Antiquities II...

 

[Oxblood]

All very good advice in this thread. I love modding basses and if I could mod your jazz, this is what I would do.

-Nordstrand Pickups (Never tryed them but I wanted to, heard nothing but good things about them)
-J-Retro Preamp (These things are worth the money, they are fantastic!)
-Hipshot Ultralites w/ Detuner (Best tuners around and the detuner is a really nice feature to have)
-CTS Pots & Copper Sheilding (Prevent any hum)
-Switchcraft Jack (Most jacks on cheap fenders aren't that good of quality, better to be safe than sorry)
-Schaller Straplocks (For me, a must have on all basses, I highly suggest them, cheap too)
-Bone Nut (Improves a bunch of things over the cheap plastic nuts)
-Hipshot 3 String Retainer (Helps prevent neck warpage, also another cheap but good investment)

Combine all those with a killer setup and you got yourself the PERFECT jazz bass. Of course, thats all IMO and you should go with whatever you want. Good luck with it and make sure you get back with us on what you decide and how it went!

 

[Aussiephoenix]

J-Retro Preamp (These things are worth the money, they are fantastic!)

Anyone care to compare this to the Audere J Preamp?

-Hipshot 3 String Retainer (Helps prevent neck warpage, also another cheap but good investment)

What exactly does it do?
How does it prevent neck warpage?