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I was advised to use a Jazz Bass.. help!

#121
Slightly off-topic but in another thread today people were talking about battery life and what many don't seem to realize is that not all active pickup systems are just a pre-amp plopped into an instrument with passive pickups. Early Rays and other actives were that way, the more recent ones have pickups that are more like EMGs where the pickups are wound quite differently. The very most recent EMGs are wound different than their actives of just 2 years ago to give a sound and dynamic closer to a passive. Point being the OPs dilemma is based upon people's beliefs based on past experience and technology that is STILL in flux. Each technology has pros and cons in the dynamics they provide.
I look forward to hearing how it shakes out for the OP.
 
#123
edpal said:
But any bass can take well to being played aggressively can't it, if the sound is the end result you want? A Ray played aggressively sounds like a Ray played aggressively, Jazz ditto.
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Well, not ANY bass.

From my experience, I dislike aggressive playing on
Hofner, anything with tape wounds IMHO, hollow bodies, Gibson EB IMHO, many low action ERBs made for tapping or jazz fusion IMHO....
 
#124
dkelley said:
Well, not ANY bass.

From my experience, I dislike aggressive playing on
Hofner, anything with tape wounds IMHO, hollow bodies, Gibson EB IMHO, many low action ERBs made for tapping or jazz fusion IMHO....
Click to expand...
I would agree with you that most of those don't sound good played aggressively. But as you indicate - it comes down to personal preference (emphasis added by me). There is certainly someone who likes each of those played aggressively. No accounting for taste :D
 
#126
There is a lot that can be done in post production to get close to the sound you want. I personally like the jazz bass because of the smooth tone, and thinner, responsive neck, but I really like a vintage bass tone. I have never played a MM before, so I have no frame of reference for a comparison. What I will say though, is soak up those suggestions from others, question them why they think you should play that certain way, and actively listen their perspective. Then when you're by yourself, make up your own mind. Musicians do this all the time when you show them your recordings. They throw in their two cents about how they would make it sound. This is a great way to expand your knowledge base and perspective. Still, its up to you to make the choice in the end. If you have a good producer behind the computer, and you play the right notes, you will sound good in the end.
 
#128
edpal said:
EMGs where the pickups are wound quite differently. The very most recent EMGs are wound different than their actives of just 2 years ago to give a sound and dynamic closer to a passive.
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Really? The reason I asked that is because last year I bought a new PJ set that I directly compared to the 96 PJ set in another bass, and I couldn't tell a difference.
 
#129
JimmyM said:
Really? The reason I asked that is because last year I bought a new PJ set that I directly compared to the 96 PJ set in another bass, and I couldn't tell a difference.
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It's what they claim. But you know, you have no control over dealer stock, might be old.

The bickering over the Jazz sound got me looking at Jazzes - geesh, some of them even come with actives. Trying to compare some of these instruments seems kind of pointless online unless you have very specific instruments to A/B.
 

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