Jazz Bass First-Timer - Help Me Find One

[Outshined91]

Thanks all for the help. Seems like there's an overwhelming wave of suggestions for the Geddy Lee basses so I will check them out if I get a chance. Definitely liking the USA better than the MIJ partly because the white blocks are less visible and because I just read on here that they are quality-wise a little superior.

I am thinking of saving up a couple extra hundred $$ and getting a Nash jazz, as I have always dreamt of getting a Nash. Does anyone here know if they would be a good fit for me? Its naturally very hard to get one to try out but I know there is good resale on them so not super worried about that. But f I am getting one, I would definitely go whole hog and order my own so I can get exactly what I want. And if I do that it sure would be sweet to know going in if it will give me the sounds I want.

 

[Outshined91]

A couple issues to keep in mind if you want to add a J to what you have now.

Lots of Jazz necks are more narrow than those you'll typically find on several P and P/J basses. I rather like J's myself, but I've run into some serious hand strain with one or two necks that were just too narrow for me (37-38mm nut width) and I'm now much better off playing my P/J with its nut width of approx. 40-41mm.

There's a pretty broad spectrum of sounds that you may find among different instruments in the J-bass world. The Jazz I have at home sounds big and warm, but it also has a good deal of that inherent mid-scoop when I play it with both pickups turned full up - nice for slap, but not great for cutting through in a mix. It works better for me with the neck pickup solo'ed when I'm rockin' with the band, but it still doesn't have that aggressive wooly honk that I get with my P/J, especially with the P pickup solo'ed on that bass (both are passive).

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.

If you're good with a more narrow neck, I'll strongly agree with that recommendation above for a look at Bacchus. Schecter also builds a Jazz copy and they seem to be packing as much bang for our buck into everything they build as anyone else out there.

Right now, the other bass I will be keeping is a fretless P/J that has a LOT of bite so not too concerned about what I will be missing. As well, the bass I will be selling to buy this is a Mustang P/J that has a thin jazz neck- I have found I can be pretty flexible on the neck size/shape as long as it's not too chunky. Some jazz bass necks I have tried have felt weirdly wide (in the E to G string direction). That's really my only concern on the neck.

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.

This is EXACTLY me . A short-scale jazz is an interesting thought... didn't really occur to me. I have a Mustang right now and do dig the short-scale - it adds some bass and midrange IMO which some jazzes have been missing to my ears. Do you know any specific short-scale jazzes that are good?

 

[Outshined91]

Forgot to mention I am certainly keeping an eye on the Fender RW Flea Jazz... those look niiiiiice. If they sound anything like Flea's tone on some Stadium Arcadium tracks, I am so interested.

 

[sloppy_phil]

I am thinking of saving up a couple extra hundred $$ and getting a Nash jazz, as I have always dreamt of getting a Nash. Does anyone here know if they would be a good fit for me? Its naturally very hard to get one to try out but I know there is good resale on them so not super worried about that. But f I am getting one, I would definitely go whole hog and order my own so I can get exactly what I want. And if I do that it sure would be sweet to know going in if it will give me the sounds I want.

Dude, get the Nash! A great bass friend/mentor of mine has one, and it was the first Jazz I played that I thought had "the" sound which every one prior to that did not. I have basically gotten there recently, and am absolutely loving a Squier 70s CV that got a set of Lindy Fralin pickups. It's got the ballsy, throaty thing, but it can do smooth, and fat dub reggae as well. But that Nash bass.... hoo boy!

 

[Outshined91]

Dude, get the Nash! A great bass friend/mentor of mine has one, and it was the first Jazz I played that I thought had "the" sound which every one prior to that did not. I have basically gotten there recently, and am absolutely loving a Squier 70s CV that got a set of Lindy Fralin pickups. It's got the ballsy, throaty thing, but it can do smooth, and fat dub reggae as well. But that Nash bass.... hoo boy!

Oh wow, that is exactly what I was hoping for. Thank you! I even know what pickups to get if I get a Nash - do you happen to have the exact pickup model on the Fralins (split coil or standard)? Also do you think stacked knobs are actually needed get that tonal variety or are the knobs on your CV just neck volume, bridge volume and passive tone?

 

[Outshined91]

I am thinking of saving up a couple extra hundred $$ and getting a Nash jazz, as I have always dreamt of getting a Nash. Does anyone here know if they would be a good fit for me? Its naturally very hard to get one to try out but I know there is good resale on them so not super worried about that. But f I am getting one, I would definitely go whole hog and order my own so I can get exactly what I want. And if I do that it sure would be sweet to know going in if it will give me the sounds I want.

May have jumped on this too quickly... does anyone know an estimate of how much ordering my own JB63 from Nash with no extras might cost me?

 

[sloppy_phil]

Oh wow, that is exactly what I was hoping for. Thank you! I even know what pickups to get if I get a Nash - do you happen to have the exact pickup model on the Fralins (split coil or standard)? Also do you think stacked knobs are actually needed get that tonal variety or are the knobs on your CV just neck volume, bridge volume and passive tone?

For sure, I ordered the pickups myself. It was the standard single coils, stock wind on the neck pickup, 5% overwind on the bridge.

So I've been mainly playing a Rickenbacker for the last 10 years, which is V/T/V/T, and while I suppose there is technically more room for tonal variation, I find it easier in a live situation with this Jazz to only have to stress one tone knob for making quick tweaks to my sound. The two pickup volumes are key for opening up all the subtle blends (same as on the Ricky), but the single tone knob feels good with me thus far

 

[Fondsdale]

Forgot to mention I am certainly keeping an eye on the Fender RW Flea Jazz... those look niiiiiice. If they sound anything like Flea's tone on some Stadium Arcadium tracks, I am so interested.

Any Jazz with 60s pickup spacing and old flats will get that tone. But yeah, the Flea sig is nice.

Nash seem good quality but keep in mind they are just reliced AllParts components put together by their shop and sold at (imo) exorbitant prices. Not that I wouldn't object to paying that high of a price if one really spoke to me after playing it, but you could easily get equal quality for far less buying your own parts from Warmoth/AllParts/etc and taking it to a reputable luthier to put together. MJT do similar quality relic jobs if you really want a relic.

Jazz basses are the most common bass out there, no reason not to try every one you can get your hands on. If you can afford a Nash, look at Sandberg, Lakland, high end Fender, Moon, Atelier Z, Bacchus, used Sadowsky, Lull etc.

 

[Outshined91]

For sure, I ordered the pickups myself. It was the standard single coils, stock wind on the neck pickup, 5% overwind on the bridge.

So I've been mainly playing a Rickenbacker for the last 10 years, which is V/T/V/T, and while I suppose there is technically more room for tonal variation, I find it easier in a live situation with this Jazz to only have to stress one tone knob for making quick tweaks to my sound. The two pickup volumes are key for opening up all the subtle blends (same as on the Ricky), but the single tone knob feels good with me thus far

Awesome thanks! You don't get a lot of hum from the single coils?

And I figured as much, sometimes the simple knobs setups are the most effective...

 

[sloppy_phil]

Awesome thanks! You don't get a lot of hum from the single coils?

I mean, they do hum a bit. But only if you have one of them solo'd, which I very rarely do. If they are both at the same (or nearly the same) volume, then the RWRP hum-cancellation takes effect

 

[Outshined91]

So I was noodling around on the internet as one does, and one of these caught my eye: Fender 60th Anniversary Roadworn 60s Jazz Bass - Firemist Silver with Pau Ferro Fingerboard. (Fender 60th Anniv. Roadworn Jazz). Really like the look, but wondering if anyone here has played/owned one. If so, how is it? Can it give me the tones I'm looking for (growly and deep; smooth jazz/funk)? My main quibble is that it seems kinda pricey for an MIM Fender - is it worth it?

 

[sloppy_phil]

I'm sure that bass would definitely get the tones you want out of it. I'm not generally a fan of pre-worn basses, however. But that's my own personal quibble.

The price, while seemingly high compared to where these instruments were priced only a few years back, seems largely in line with where the industry pricing is at now. Maybe a *bit* on the steep side, but it's not extortionate for what you are getting