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Jazz Bass...... what's it for??

#101
The Jazz Bass was introduced in the early 1960's as the fancier upgraded instrument for those players who wanted something different than Fender's only bass model available, the beloved Precision. The newest guitar additions at the time were the Jaguar and Jazzmaster. The Jazzmaster was marketed as a solid body alternative to hollow body jazz boxes. Jazz players never really embraced them, and although they were considered the top of the Fender line, they never found a niche. They did eventually get some use in surf music. The Jazz Bass is the bass version of the Jazzmaster. Regardless of what style of music you play, the instrument features two pickups, a slim neck, and offset waist body shape. George McArdle of the Little River Band used a Jazz bass on most of the recordings during the 1970's. I imagine being Australian you should be familiar with their music. Have a good day.
 
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#102
Jeff Scott said:
Can you find a Jazz Bass in the Bass Strait? Throw a line and pick one out? :hyper:
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If only it were that easy:laugh:

lowsideonacurve said:
In 30 years of playing guitar, you must have played with at least one bass player that played a Jazz, what he doing it?
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Actually can't recall one. Most playing over the years was acoustic duos without bass. Didn't know what I was missing.

David Jayne said:
Jazz bass goes "Grink" and P bass goes "Gronk."
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This answer I like!!

Mike in Chicago said:
OP is a perfect example why we refer to guitar players as guitards
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Way to go with positive words for newer bass players. A perfect example of there being wankers in all walks of life.




Thanks for all the feedback folks. Will definitely have to try one and not rule anything out.
 
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#104
Garagiste said:
Fantastic tone. I forgot about this guy. I assume those are flat wounds. Dig the sponge mute. I guess in some ways the Jazz bass with the bridge pup muted has a bigger bottom than a Precision. All the old school reggae guys seem to prefer J's.
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Yes, it seems to me at least, that a J Bass has more absolute low end than a P Bass.

A P Bass goes right to the heart of the low mids naturally, a J Bass has more pure lows and highs. And that natural scoop a J Bass has is perfect in lots of situations.
 
#105
The only thing that stops me from getting another Jazz is the weight of the vast majority of them being way higher than I can stand. I would get another one in a heartbeat if they were lighter, but the lighter ones cost a fortune, and if I can get a lighter Jazz Bass, I might as well get a lighter Precision or PJ and play an even lighter bass than what I have now. But I love them, and I loved that 98 MIA Jazz I used to have right up until the moment I realized it was way too heavy for me to be able to continue using.
 
#106
When it was originally released in1960, the Jazz Bass was called the Deluxe. The name was changed to "Jazz" because it was believed the narrower, rounder neck would appeal to jazz players. Thus, the name is strictly a marketing tool. It's a very versatile bass suitable for many styles of music. I have employed it at one time or another for blues, r&b, classic rock and country music. It's all in the settings.
 
#108
I have a Jazz bass. I love it. I can get any bass-related tone I want from it. Thump, punch, click, clack, dimple, pillow, push, growl, grind, plow, penetrate, annihilate, invade, caress, support, sound, thunder, chunder, lumber, fill, floor, ring, sing, hammer, slammer, jammer, and friend.

My jazz bass is my friend. She loves me. Dontcha, Ronnie?

starship.jpg
 
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#109
JimmyM said:
The only thing that stops me from getting another Jazz is the weight of the vast majority of them being way higher than I can stand. I would get another one in a heartbeat if they were lighter, but the lighter ones cost a fortune, and if I can get a lighter Jazz Bass, I might as well get a lighter Precision or PJ and play an even lighter bass than what I have now. But I love them, and I loved that 98 MIA Jazz I used to have right up until the moment I realized it was way too heavy for me to be able to continue using.
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[Please pardon this quick thread-derailment]

Jimmy, I forget…did I share with you the story of my most recent P/J Jazz parts-bass? I got it down to exactly 8lbs. Seriously, the Mighty Mite body I got for it is a light as it is cool looking.

[/derailment]
 
#116
BAG said:
Hey folks,

I'm pretty new to bass after 30 years of guitar and really enjoy playing my Jag Short Scale but i'm now hankering for something else to play as well. I live in a small town nearly 250km from the nearest guitar shop and time to play other basses is very limited. Every time we go to the big-smoke we've got so much to do it's rare for me to get more than a couple of minutes to get anything more than necessities.

I've been pretty much avoiding Jazz Basses so far for a number of reasons. The main two are that I don't like the sound of the J bridge pickup on my Jag and, until I did the shielding of it, i hated the noisiness of it and so it never even gets turned up now. Is the neck pickup very different?

The other reason is that I don't like Jazz music. I can listen to most genre's but apart from a small number of songs that may be loosely classified as "jazz" i can't get into it. I particularly dislike most live jazz I've ever listened to and find it to be too much "musical masturbation" and not enough "entertainment". (I generally think the same about 10minute blues solos as well). Hence the "Jazz Bass" name alone puts me off. Ha ha ha. Yeah..... shallow, I know.

The only reason I can think of for me to even try a Jazz is that I prefer the narrow neck to a P-bass from the quick (unplugged) play I have had of a couple. I have yet to play any through an amp yet.

So is there any auditory reason at all I should try the Jazz bass or should I just save some time keep looking at other styles??
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to my mind, the Jazz Bass is sort of the generic bass.. it's the "must have" in any bassists closet.. it would be like having a toolbox without a #2 Philips head screwdriver.
 
#117
JimmyM said:
Pretty cool, Malak. Did you have to pay an upcharge for the light body?
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Thanks, Jimmy!

Upcharged? Not at all. It's just a Mighty Mite swamp ash body I ordered from Guitar Center's website. In fact, I got it on sale with one of their "15%-Off" online sales, knocking almost $30 off the usual price.

My first build project was using one of their Precision bodies, also in blue-burst. It, too, was quite light.
 

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