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How the h*** does one choose a J Bass?!
- Thread starter williamk
- Start date
I think you just need to read the first few posts of this thread
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=672217
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=672217
I have had a few Jazz Basses over the decades and finally got a JB-2 recently. I find the G&L to be a lot better overall in fit and finish, and the sound is versatile enough that it is fast becoming my main fretted bass. The headstock shape is, of course, a personal thing as to looks, but once I saw it against a dark background and visualized the negative space I came to appreciate it much more.
I love the hardware, the bridge is great, the ultralite tuners are very nice, the 6 bolt neck mounting is extremely solid. The only thing I plan to do in the future is put humbucking pickups in it (probably Nordstrands), but then, all siglecoil pickup Jazz Basses have the same noise issue when the pickups are not matched with the volume controls. One thing the G&L pickups do not have compared to every Jazz Bass I have owned or played is uneven string response; all the strings are even in volume, unlike a Fender Jazz Bass, in which the E and G strings are louder than the A and D strings.I've been through that kind of thinking already, I'm just looking for a bass that can deal with all playing styles, and my Ric can't do that.
Considering the number of J Bass options, I would highly recommend that you go play every J Bass you can get your hands on. You will find YOUR bass if you play enough of them! Also, if you are a slap guy...which it sounds like u are...I would recommend taking a Musicman Sterling, and Stingray for a spin. You can get a lot of tonal variety out of any of these options.
yeah I was considering musicman basses too, but they seem less frequent on the used market around here...
Lakland JO or DJ, used of course, but those basses are built like a jazz bass is supposed to be built like. You can find them in the TB classifieds for your price range, maybe a couple of hundred bucks more, but well worth the money IMO.
Go for a Classic Vibe Squire Jazz bass. Don't let the Squire name fool you, these basses are awesome. They are cheap but not cheaply made, and they play and sound great. I would get one of these over a MIM Fender any day,except maybe a Road Worn model Jazz.
I got a Highway 1 J-bass a few months ago and absolutely love it! My original intent was to go with an American standard but I am much happier with the H1. Warmer sound, better price.
I recently got my first Jazz bass. The G&L JB. And I love it. Its passive but the output is monstrous. I have mine strung with flats and it can do anything. The bass's only limitation is me. Its a pretty new model so there wont be many used and new it may be out of your price range but if youre going out touring then get the best bass you can get. If you settle now then youre just gonna buy the Cadillac later anyway. Save the hassle. Get the Cadillac now. I did and I am very happy.
yeah but I already own a high-end bass (the ric) and I don't think I deserve 2 basses over 1000$!!!
I love my Geddy! It's my #1 go to bass. It's got gobs of tone, from growly aggressive, to dubby and fat. It looks great! You can run it without the pick gaurd, to give you that custom look. There's no routing holes under there like some models. Or change it for a different one. Plus it plays great with the fast comfortable neck. The neck is glossy, that took me a minute to adjust, but it's all good now. Just carry a towel to wipe down between songs.
Passive is the way to go for that classic Jazz Bass tone, in my opinion. Plus, I think it's more aggressive. I wasn't looking for a Geddy when I found mine, I knew I wanted a Jazz Bass. And I knew I wanted a maple fretboard. I just like the tone of the maple, to me THAT'S a Jazz Bass! I was actually looking for one of the new MIM in Lake Placid Blue, but no one had them. Then I played this Geddy, and snuck it in just as they were raising the prices on all the Fenders. So I got it before the price hike.
I say get a used one, or buy a new one on sale. Try it out first of course if possible. It's totally worth checking out!
Things to consider...
Pickup placement - The bridge pup in 70's models are a little closer to the bridge so tend to give a bitier tone. Note MIJ 70's RI has the standard 60's spacing for some dumb reason. The Mexican 70s reissue is correct.
Fretboard radius and fret size - The older models have a tighter curve on the FB at 7 1/4". During the 80's flatter boards became the norm - modern radius is 9 1/4" (I think??). IMO this makes a HUGE difference to how a bass feels. The modern flatter board might suit you as it's more similar to the Ric. I prefer the 7.25.
Finish - Poly or nitro. Check out a MIJ jazz - it will have a thick poly coat, compare it to a Highway 1 which will be thin nitro. Intended to wear quickly like a pair of old jeans.
Body wood - People say it makes a huge difference. Personally I find the diff so subtle that I can't tell. Most bodies are either ash or alder. Many of the cheaper MIJ ones are basswood.
I strongly recommend you try a MIJ 60's or 70's RI. Great bang for your buck particularly if you find an older 80's model. As a rule of thumb with MIJ basses - the top range ones have larger tuning pegs (alder bodies) where the basswood JB40's have the smaller tuners.
Also make sure you try a Marcus Miller and also a Jaguar. If set up correctly the Jag can be killer.
Pickup placement - The bridge pup in 70's models are a little closer to the bridge so tend to give a bitier tone. Note MIJ 70's RI has the standard 60's spacing for some dumb reason. The Mexican 70s reissue is correct.
Fretboard radius and fret size - The older models have a tighter curve on the FB at 7 1/4". During the 80's flatter boards became the norm - modern radius is 9 1/4" (I think??). IMO this makes a HUGE difference to how a bass feels. The modern flatter board might suit you as it's more similar to the Ric. I prefer the 7.25.
Finish - Poly or nitro. Check out a MIJ jazz - it will have a thick poly coat, compare it to a Highway 1 which will be thin nitro. Intended to wear quickly like a pair of old jeans.
Body wood - People say it makes a huge difference. Personally I find the diff so subtle that I can't tell. Most bodies are either ash or alder. Many of the cheaper MIJ ones are basswood.
I strongly recommend you try a MIJ 60's or 70's RI. Great bang for your buck particularly if you find an older 80's model. As a rule of thumb with MIJ basses - the top range ones have larger tuning pegs (alder bodies) where the basswood JB40's have the smaller tuners.
Also make sure you try a Marcus Miller and also a Jaguar. If set up correctly the Jag can be killer.
Try a Fender Jaguar Well made very versatile. Got one and love it better than my MIJ Jazz. The few complaints are easily fixed check out the other posts. They have just been discontinued by Fender for who know why. You should be able to get one for less than $800. I paid 550 for mine.
