Jaco-Tone: Do you really like it?

[spindizzy]

timalan makes a very important point I think. The question is how much of the tone comes from axe setup/amp choice and how much is a result of how the player plays (touch, accuracy, articulation, muting technique etc.).

My experience is that much of your tone actually comes from your hands and the search for rigs is predicated on trying to have what your hands are producing accurately interpreted by your equipment.

As for Jaco, well back in those days you just didn't have the range of equipment, guitars and various electronic gagets to choose from. I played for years using two Acoustic 360's (bought mine long before Jaco got his) and a Fender Jazz with pickups and electronics that had been modified by my old friend Bill Lawrence (the guy who did Hendrix's Strat wiring).

The pickup wiring was designed so that I could get settings that were more mid-range and throaty for soloing and others that were more full for backup play.

However I wouldn't use that setup today because my tastes have changed and the range of options available to shape your personal sound allows me to get a more transparent and acoustical sound (think woody) as that is what I enjoy personally.

Although there will be folks on both sides of the fence as to whether or not they liked Jaco's sound the truth is, if he were alive today and still playing, he likely would not be using that setup and his sound would have evolved to a different place by now.

 

[fretless Bob]

im really liking what spindizzy is saying, really all i look for in anp is something that recreates what i do with my hands and bass.


Dave

 

[dougjwray]

One of my all-time "top five" favorite tones is Jaco's on "Bright Size Life." It sounds like the notes are just oozing and flowing out of the bass. Gorgeous. I wonder how much of that was due to the ECM recording process (maybe some reverb added, or something).
On the other hand, I really don't like his sound on the instructional video-- REALLY "stringy", bright and brittle. (Not sure whether it was a different bass... it was a different neck, for sure, a maple P-Bass one.)
Anyway, it was his voice, and he did show an awful lot of us how to take a perfectly standard issue axe with relatively minimal controls and sound completely different from everyone else. Pretty awesome accomplishment, actually.

 

[lucas vigor]

I love the sounds and tones Jaco used to coax out of his fretless. And I wish when I tried to approximate that sound myself, I could live with using it, but I can't. The tone I seem most content with is the Bernard Edward/Jamerson/Duck Dunn throbby type tone, big fat bass.

Bernard edwards? I would never put him in the list with Jamerson or Dunn. Edward's tone was pure jaco, and that's why it stands apart from other funk players of that era. His tone sounded very finger-like and bridge trebly.

 

[Human Bass]

I just gave a listen to Teen Town...i find his tone to be delicious!

 

[X Wolf]

Jaco was an amazing and inspirational figure in the world of Bass and I do pay the respect that is due him, but if you are referring to just that particular tone, then I would have to say...no. It's fine in the context used and he played it with wonderful feel but just not one of my favorite tones. I also am less drawn to the "Bass Soloists" than to the great "Foundation" type players.

George

 

[improvpwnd]

i like it.

 

[EddieG]

Bernard edwards? I would never put him in the list with Jamerson or Dunn. Edward's tone was pure jaco, and that's why it stands apart from other funk players of that era. His tone sounded very finger-like and bridge trebly.

What I meant by that was, while Jaco's tone seems to not be dripping with bottom end, Bernard's was nice and fat where it needed to be, with a little middle just for definition.

If I was able, I'd completely lose the top end of my tone, but you tend to lose note definition when you do that.

 

[trog]

It was fine for what he did: it allowed him to cut through. I don't like it, however - and that nasal tone is pretty rubbish for a more traditional playing style.

 

[rockstarbassist]

Not really. I don't care much for him anyway, but not a very desirous tone, at least for anything I and 95% of others do.

Want tone? Get an ABII5, set it to active, boost the bass and treb some, pickups to parallel, run it through a BassDrive and Trace/Mesa rig, wow-


THAT'S tone baby!

 

[zazz]

jacos tone happened between his fingers the strings and the wood...and that guy knew how to set up a jazz fretless to make sure it happend just the way he wanted it......the rest is academic.

 

[alembicf1x]

How can you claim to be a Jaco fan and hate his tone? What tone should he have used? Jamerson's? Stanley's? Geddy's? The question is inane. He's one of the few bassists who can be identified just by listening to him play ONE note, which is a significant achievement in itself.

It didn't matter what amp he used or what bass he played, he would always sound like Jaco because the tone was in his hands.

 

[funkalicious101]

songs like teentown and come on come over his tone sounds better. (on teentown, the only term i can think of to describe it is "crooked") but on most of his other stuff it just sounded way to floppy and weak

 

[j-raj]

*sarcasm* great another jaco thread */sarcasm*

 

[mobax]

I don't understand the point of this thread. Jaco was a great bassist. His tone was his tone. That's all.

 

[SteveC]

In my limited exposure to Jaco, no, I don't really care for it. Not for long periods of time anyway. I do like a "modified" Jaco tone, like Tom Kennedy for example.

 

[smeet]

If you haven't heard it yet, listen to the Birthday Concert CD.
Awesome playing by all, and a fat, round tone from Jaco.
But it still sounds like Jaco to me.

I think the fact that everybody is chiming in on this thread indicates how influential and challenging his approach was.

 

[BassMan250]

I'm a big Jaco fan but don't particularly like his tone, it works for solos but holding down the bottom end in a band atmosphere is sketchy. I prefer more neck pickup than bridge in most situations anyway, and prefer an SVT or Bassman sound over the Acoustic.

 

[markjazzbassist]

I like listening to Jaco's Tone and I appreciate that he has it. I think it fits him well and sounds awesome. But, I don't like it for myself. I don't try to cop his tone.

 

[The_Owl]

While I appreciate Jaco as a musician, I just can't stand his tone. Never been a big fan of the soloed bridge p:up, unless it's a Stingray.

Also, in my "world of bass" there are far to many bassists who either try to play like, or/and sound like Jaco. You get pretty tired of it, and the sound they produce.

My two cents.