Is a cheap Jazz Bass worth it?

[Erwin Huigen]

A lot of cheap basses are built quite good IMO. Including HB basses. I do not own one, but play one regularly, provided by a jamsession venue. Not sure of the type, sorry.

But save some money for a good set-up (neck relief, string height, intonation, replacing factory strings). Most of the time there's a lot of room for improvement, with basses right out of the factory.

Keep the P-bass!

 

[matskull]

I have 3 cheap jazz basses........

G&L Tribute JB: $550
Sire Marcus Miller V5 fretless: $600
Fender Vintera 60's Jazz: $539

Do you have a preference between those?

 

[matskull]

Get a USED Squire Classic Vibe (or 70's VM modified) jazz bass for under $400. The CV would probably be my first choice as I think the pickups are nicer than in the VM 70 model (which I own... made in 2011). Because i got if for a steal some years ago, I was able to over-improve it with very little total cost. The big upgrade were pickups that somehow one of the shows I was doing paid for because they wanted me to have "noiseless" pickups, so generously paid for them. I did put a Gotoh heavy bridge and a drop D tuner in, which really did little. The BIG thing was having a professsional fret level/crown job done for around $100 and it plays as good as any of my instruments regardless of price/cost. If pickups are an issue there are some great ones out there for little $$$.
One more thing... I re-wired it so I could access either series or parallel pickup output. Other than the fret level/crown, the best thing I did for it.
Too bad it's a 4 string... and never gets played any more .

View attachment 7565069

Thanks for the tip I'll check those out. The squier name does not resonate with me because they used to be not so great but people seem to be liking them now so that's good to hear.

 

[matskull]

Squire or Sire have good cheap options for Jazz basses. SX used if you can find one. The ones from about 2005-2015 I think.

I never heard of SX, why these years?

 

[Jefenator]

It took me a few tries to get a J-bass I really gelled with – but it was sure worth it!
The eventual winner was a parts build: Allparts neck (nice thick rosewood slab) Warmoth swamp ash body & Lollar pickups. It's been dominating all my other bass guitars for years.

 

[matskull]

Does it make bass sounds?
If so......your 90% of the way there.

Haha nice, if only it was that simple, I'd just play my precision and be done with it.

 

[matskull]

(Flame suit on)
Recently I toyed with the idea of getting a fretless bass again. My first attempt nearly 50 years ago was a disaster. But my sweet wife got me a EUB for Christmas two years ago that forced me into dealing without frets. That sparked the fretless idea. On a “oh, what the hell” moment, I convinced myself to order a $66.00 Glarry fretless P bass. You know something? It’s not half bad. I had been getting friends to try some of these low dollar imports…every one of them just shakes their heads. I remember the SX basses, and while I missed out on the Harley Bentons before they became less of a bargain stateside, I figured that the Glarry would be pretty trashy, but it surprised me. The same sweet wife has really been enjoying the cheap instruments showing up among our friends and she insisted (really!) on getting me a Glarry 5 string J type for Father’s Day. Nice looking bass…and it actually sounds and plays just fine. Not my first choice to grab, but easy enough to justify in order to try something different. And I would have no problem using it on a gig.

Kim

I didn't know about these, that's even cheaper than the H.B. since they are available on amazon canada. I'll keep those in mind, thanks!

 

[Swerve]

Could try to do something like this.

Thread 'Weezer/Matt Sharp Jazz build'

Mar 3, 2011

Hi folks,

Thought I'd let you know about a build I've started - a replica of Matt Sharp's black jazz bass he used in his time with early Weezer and the Rentals. The bass is made up of a knackered old 70's body, some Schecter Monstertone pickups and a Birdseye Maple/Ebony Warmoth Tele Bass neck. Karl Koch (Weezer's webmaster and general fifth member) got in touch with Matt for me and passed on the specifics for the build, so I'm really grateful for that. Here's the bass as it is now.

I'm not one for relicing basses, so I needed a black Jazz body...

• UnDoNe
• Replies: 52
• Forum: Basses [BG]

• 

 

[matskull]

Could try to do something like this.

Thread 'Weezer/Matt Sharp Jazz build'

Mar 3, 2011

Hi folks,

Thought I'd let you know about a build I've started - a replica of Matt Sharp's black jazz bass he used in his time with early Weezer and the Rentals. The bass is made up of a knackered old 70's body, some Schecter Monstertone pickups and a Birdseye Maple/Ebony Warmoth Tele Bass neck. Karl Koch (Weezer's webmaster and general fifth member) got in touch with Matt for me and passed on the specifics for the build, so I'm really grateful for that. Here's the bass as it is now.

I'm not one for relicing basses, so I needed a black Jazz body...

• UnDoNe
• Replies: 52
• Forum: Basses [BG]

• 

That's tempting but I know these projects can get expansive pretty fast. Cool to read about it though!

 

[bigdaddybass12]

On ANY bass you buy, check the neck. Watch for weird grain patterns, straightness. Also if used check the truss rod. Make sure it turns. Even expensive basses can have a bad neck or neck with issues.

 

[Mastermold]

I never heard of SX, why these years?

I believe if do a search here on TB for “Essex” you should find the thread. “SX” was apparently not enough letters for the search engine. They were really popular here during that time for making decent Fender-like basses for cheap, and unlike Squire, using alder and ash woods. They were good players, I owned several and still have one. Some members bought dozens. @dabbler

 

[La Faro]

I started with my Squier VM Jazz, I did switch the pick ups about 8 years ago to Di Marzio, but I probably didn't need to. I also have a Sire P7 5 string, and couldn't be more happier with both. I now have a Sire Z7 sitting in Germany that has due to be exported. So for me I'm in the Squier/Sire (Squire) camp.

 

[BassBrass]

I never heard of SX, why these years?

it might have to do with an "ugly" (or uglier) headstock design but those years they were available from $170 to $270 (for a 5) I had one It sounded like a jazz bass... also now known for being used by Laura Lee (with different p.u.'s) and Fender has made a Laura Lee Fender which would be a copy of an sx...

 

[ElectricBass72]

Do you have a preference between those?

Not really. All 3 have different applications. The Sire and G&L are Indonesian made. The Fender is Mexican made. All are about the same good quality and bang-for-the-buck, for the price paid. If I had to rank them it would go: Sire > G&L > Fender

Sire Jazz Fretless has Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats
G&L Jazz has Dunlop Super Bright Stainless Steel Rounds
Fender Vintera Jazz has Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats and I replaced the original bridge with Fender HiMass.

 

[La Faro]

The Sire and G&L are Indonesian made.

My Squier, my Sire and my Mountain Bike are all Indonesian, even my ex was half Indonesian and her mum did a great job.

 

[ElectricBass72]

My cheap J's.........

 

[matskull]

My cheap J's.........

View attachment 7565271

Cool!
That sire body looks the most different to a fender on that picture. However from the demo I heard they seem to sound very good.

 

[prndltech]

There’s some great inexpensive basses out there. Find one from Japan!

Either that or get a Harley Benton or Squier.

 

[Mastermold]

This is my SX Andromeda with a one piece ash body.

 

[michael_t]

It looks great!
I gotta do my homework but in Canada is a Squier a better option than the Harley Benton?
I think the HB still ends up cheaper.

Also I wonder about the difference between passive and active.

Earlier this year I bought a Squier Classic Vibe 60's Precision from a friend of mine, and I was very pleased with the way it sounded and played.

I already own three passive Jazz basses, a Highway One and two American Specials (all 60's pickup spacing), so when I came across with the Squier CV Active 70’s Jazz, I thought it would make a nice addition to my collection. I do like the active/passive opinion as well as the noiseless alnico pickups with a blend knob instead of the conventional V-V-T.

I'm not at all familiar with Harley Benton as it's not something that's readily available where I am.