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How to make a Jbass cut through the mix?

1st disregard what you heard, it's hilariously wrong.
2nd Never heard someone say this about a J-bass
3rd Check volume as you may not have enough presence because you're not loud enough (more speakers can help or the volume knob on your bass amp), because the tonal properties of the J-bass are on your side when it comes to cutting through a mix.

Best regards,

Brooks
 
I have a fender american special jazz, but ive heard that jazz basses arent heard as well as pbasses or musicmans

How do you make the Jazz bass heard more?

Run your bass all full. On your amp, Lower the bass two notches, boost the mids two notches. If your amp doesn't have mids, get a 7 to 10 band eq. foot pedal and adjust from there. Don't over boost/cut any frequency.

If that doesn't work, you need more speakers. If that doesn't work you need more amp.
 
I have found that a mid heavy mix can easily bury a Jazz bass due to the two pickups canceling around 500-1000hz. solution, boost 500hz or dim one of the pickups. Depends on what kind of mix we are talking about..

Actually, this is a pretty common observation for me as a sound guy. Jazz basses can easily get lost in a busy mix, especially when both pickups are used.
 
Thanks guys, maybe I should actually test it out instead of listening to random people haha :)
This should be your motto throughout life. Advice is good unless it's bad advice. Learning which is which isn't always easy, but in the end you should make your own decisions and go with your gut. The Jazz Bass is a classic beloved design for a reason. Getting lost in the mix ain't it. Yes, it does have less mid content than a Precision with both pickups on full, but that doesn't mean it'll get lost in the mix. And if you want a Precision sound with the extra upper mids, you can just turn the bridge pickup off and use the front. Not 100% identical but certainly close enough.
 
I have found that a mid heavy mix can easily bury a Jazz bass due to the two pickups canceling around 500-1000hz. solution, boost 500hz or dim one of the pickups. Depends on what kind of mix we are talking about..

Actually, this is a pretty common observation for me as a sound guy. Jazz basses can easily get lost in a busy mix, especially when both pickups are used.

I find this too. I just turn the bridge pup down 1/2 a number, just barely. Makes a big difference on my Jazz.
 
It is totally easy for a J to get lost in a mix.

When you're getting people's opinions on it, you should consider whether each person is reporting their opinion based on what their bass sounds like to them, when they're on stage, standing in front of their rig, or whether they're reporting their opinion based on being out in the middle of the audience listening to what it sounds like out there.

What your bass sounds like to you, standing on stage in front of your rig can be TOTALLY different than what it sounds like out in the middle of the audience.

If you can't get out in the middle of the audience to hear what your own bass sounds like, then you should hope you have a sound guy and that he's good and then listen to what he tells you.
 
Even though I'm a P guy, most of the awe inspiring live basses I've heard have been Jazz basses (even though Mel Schacher (Grand Funk) had a mudbucker installed). I wish I had talked to a bassist I heard on Bourbon Street, every note hit me in the chest like a rubber mallet. Unfortunately, I was too many drinks into the evening to get around to it. I prefer P's for filling in the mix, but cutting through it's gotta be a J! That's one of the reasons I just picked up a J/P/J.
 
I just turn the bridge pup down 1/2 a number, just barely. Makes a big difference on my Jazz.

I'm in this camp too. I usually turn the bridge p'up down until the sound opens and fattens, and go from there.

Nevertheless, even then I find my J-basses won't cut through as much as I'd like with certain amps: usually combos or cabs with 15" speakers (or, in one case 18") and more old-school voicing. With these rigs, P-basses usually sound better IMO. With tens or twelves, however, J-basses always rock IME, even with both pickups on full.
 

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