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Jazz Bass First-Timer - Help Me Find One

#21
Find one 2010 Squier VM 77, like I have and save a ton of money for the same (or, even, better) sound output.
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#24
My two fav jazzes are, a Lakland DJ5, 2006 model with Aero p'ups, and a MIJ Geddy Lee. The Lakland is pretty much just perfect to my likes. The Geddy is almost perfect, it's a touch on the heavy side at right around 10 lbs. I've got $1k tied up in both of them together. In the pic of the Lakland, it's sporting a John East DJ Retro pre, liked it, but converted it back to passive. Much prefer these two as passive bases.
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#26
groove pump said:
The Lakland 44-02 is a decent Korean bass with a J pickup at the neck and a MM humbucker at the bridge that can also run single coil to make more of a Jazz traditional tone along with some other sounds depending on how you tweak it (active/passive). The neck is also comfortably wider than a traditional Jazz.
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Laklands are made in the USA. Lakland Skylines are the import version and are now made in Indonesia. You may find a used 44-02 that was built in Korea, but a new one will be from Indonesia.
 
#27
I have a few Jazz basses. A MIA 83 a cv60’s and a MIJ. I have been a jazz bass player for a long time. But I will tell you a lot of the sound comes from using your amp knobs. Don’t be afraid, they don’t eq like your p bass or pj basses. You can get a great sound from a jazz, but they take different amp settings. It’s probably why you thought they sounded thin at the guitar shop. Knobs are there to be turned, not just sit at noon so you can tell everyone you play it flat.
 
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#29
Outshined91 said:
For some reason I have never really gotten much into jazz basses-until recently, when I've really realized how versatile and how ballsy they can be (late to the party I know!). I think I've just never tried a good one because the ones I played in stores always sounded thin and lifeless to me. I'm also a sucker for celebrity endorsement and have been watching some old videos of my bass idol playing one and getting an amazing tone, etc.

SO I'm thinking of getting one for myself. But I don't know much about what's good in the jazz bass world, as I've been mainly a P/J and P guy up until now. So tell me what to buy. I play straight-up jazz, grunge and things in between so I am looking for a bass that can ballsy and edgy but also sit well in the mix with a more smooth, gentle tone.

My one somewhat limiting requirement: I would like one in black with a maple neck (yes I'm part of the black-and-maple camp and can't help it).

Does not have to be a Fender - just needs to look like a jazz! Either new or used is fine. My price max is around $1200-$1300 but of course, I'm looking to save money just like anyone else if I can.

Thanks!
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Get a player jazz and put a P neck on it. Get some fralins later on. Or a set of quarter pounders.
 
#31
DirkP said:
I love Precisions, too and more and more. But this prejudice against the Jazz is simply wrong.
I'd even say the J has more bass than a P, the Ps strong point are the lower mids.
There is a reason that Dub and Reggae musicians with their earth shaking bass use mostly a Jazz. There isn't a single of the most famous Reggae bass-players that use a Precision.
Robbie Shakespeare, Aston Barrett - just two name the two most important ones - play Jazz Basses. And they do so for a reason.
Some people simply don't know what you can do with the simple electronics of a Jazz. They have all the potis at their max setting all the time. They do miss so much.
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And I have found that more often than not it’s because people new to Jazz basses will simply dime the volume controls and wonder what happened to the bottom end, clank city, another misconception is that the pups need to be turned all the way up to cancel the hum, they don’t, my favorite ratio is front pup 85 to 90 % and bridge pup around 75 to 80%, all the bottom end I need plus some articulation from the rear pup and no hum.
 
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#34
Kukulkan61 said:
I blew thru at least a half dozen Jazz basses before I stopped with this one, just couldn’t warm up to them. This Fender Road worn isn’t going anywhere soon!
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I also have and can recommend a Road Worn. Mine is equipped with Dimarzio pickups. The neck pickup gets pretty close to a p soundwise. And, as others have already mentioned, the controls on basses and amps are there to be used. ;)
 
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#40
I was in your exact shoes. For years, P or PJ basses were all that felt right to me. I liked the sound of Jazz basses when other people played them, but whenever I picked one up, it just sounded empty to me. I even bought a Classic Vibe a couple years ago hoping I could get along with it. It never happened. But then I switched to short scale basses, and ended up getting a short scale 5 string jazz, and it’s awesome. I love the sound. I added an Audere preamp, and it’s even more flexible. So really I can’t tell you if it’s because it’s short scale, because of the pickups, or because I just shifted my preference. I’m pretty sure I’ve played some nice jazz basses in the stores and didn’t like them, but maybe it’s because this is a nicer quality bass too.

Come to think of it, I did actually play a flea jazz and really liked that one. So maybe you just need to play a whole bunch.
 
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