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Jazz Bass: Soundclips + Analysis

Discussion in 'Basses [BG]' started by -=DanAtkinson=-, Jan 14, 2009.

  1. Jan 14, 2009 #1
    -=DanAtkinson=-

    -=DanAtkinson=-

    Feb 26, 2008
    Atlanta, GA
    So I was bored last night and decided to compare 2 of my Jazz basses, sound wise. They are both Alder with maple/rosewood necks, and standard bridges. Here are the differences:

    • Bass 1: Fender 60's Custom Shop pickups & TI Jazz flatwound strings
    • Bass 2: DiMarzio Model J DP123 pickups & Fender 7150M nickel roundwound strings

    I expected some differences, obviously. But they sound surprisingly close to my ears. Strangely, Bass 2 sounds warmer and more mellow than Bass 1 with the flats! Maybe it's the pickups?

    Here is the soundclip. I play some random phrases. Bass 1 goes first, then Bass 2.

     
  2. Jan 14, 2009 #2
    2x4strgkramers

    2x4strgkramers Guest

    Dec 15, 2008
    Preamp is crushing the tone variations or crappy A/D conversion. They both sound almost identical.
     
  3. Jan 14, 2009 #3
    Dbassmon

    Dbassmon Supporting Member

    Oct 2, 2004
    Rutherford, NJ
    Those round wounds are dead. No zing left in them. If you play a string long enough if will sound flat.
     
  4. Jan 14, 2009 #4
    -=DanAtkinson=-

    -=DanAtkinson=-

    Feb 26, 2008
    Atlanta, GA
    Even after 1 month of casual play?
     
  5. Jan 14, 2009 #5
    KJung

    KJung

    Apr 9, 2005
    Wisconsin and Upper Michigan
    Oh yeah. One of the key things to me in doing a comparison is having the same brand, type and age of string on both basses. If you can afford it, putting the same string type/brand on both basses and putting about a gig worth of time on each one (4 hours of playing or so) will get the string to the point of sounding 'how it does' through its 2-6 week life for roundwounds (depending how fussy you are about treble response), and will at least take the 'new string zing' off of flatwounds. IMO.