I could have a fretless like that for $300 about 12 or 13 years ago. I sure wish I had bought it!
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Jazz Basses with Soap Bar Pickups
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
- Start date
...and just to ice the cake, the reissue is labeled as a Jazz bass but listed in the Precision section of their website.
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I have one in black. It gets to make an appearance on stage next week!
On topic, the thing I like about soapbars - on any bass - is the size and shape. I like pickups close to the strings as practical so that I can use them like a ramp. Soapbars usually accomodate this pretty well. This is one of the many things I like about my new D-Roc.
I agree absolutely, Doc. Maybe “hum cancelling” is a more descriptive and less controversial phrase, but the overwhelming majority of pickups identified as “soapbars” are not single coils.
As you said, there many ways to skin the hum cat.
On a side note, we need to do a winter GTG in the StL. I’d love to let you rock the Sadowsky and shoot the bull.
That sounds like a great idea for January or February. I won’t call his name, but Mojo’s Music is now owned by a member of TB. Maybe he would host or maybe the folk’s over at Fazio’s might host us again also.
JeezyMcNuggles
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- Feb 23, 2018
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Yeah, I've noticed a lot of times the Jazz or Precision name gets thrown around in different ways. Sometimes it means the pickups, sometimes its referring to the body, other times the neck. It does get a little confusing.
I don't own any basses with soapbars anymore, but I've owned a few, and I love em.
I went through a phase where I wanted to get one of all the "standard" bass configs - P, J, MM - and ended up with no soapbars, unfortunately. Now that that's been satisfied, I'm pretty certain my next purchase will most-likely be a dual soapbar/humbucker config.
I went through a phase where I wanted to get one of all the "standard" bass configs - P, J, MM - and ended up with no soapbars, unfortunately. Now that that's been satisfied, I'm pretty certain my next purchase will most-likely be a dual soapbar/humbucker config.
Excellent player, but definitely not a sound I've ever tried to cop. Then again, I'm sure that bass has a handful of sounds in it I could dig. Zero interest in buying a bass like that these days, but the kid seems happy so I'm happy for himThis bass sound is as clean and cold as a surgical operating table.
I have seen quite a few Jazz style pups in soap bar size. But I've been wondering what soap bars are supposed bring you into precision territory?
Yeah me too, of course. In fact, after thinking about it, it may not be the bass. For me this is typically the sound of a super straight neck. I'm sure it can sound awesome with a little bit more relief, but some like it straight.Excellent player, but definitely not a sound I've ever tried to cop. Then again, I'm sure that bass has a handful of sounds in it I could dig. Zero interest in buying a bass like that these days, but the kid seems happy so I'm happy for him
YMMV
I admit I'm partial, I like his tone because it because it sounds a lot like my Ken Smith, kind of zingy/pingy. But the low end seems rolled off, either due to the electronics or the poor recording. I'm willing to bet that it could sound a lot fuller than the recording does justice to it.
Versatility is key for me, so my next bass purchase may well be dual-coil humbuckers (in soapbar form) that can be tapped to do single-coil, like the Fodera in an earlier post. I'd rather one bass do several tricks than several basses do one, though I know in reality it doesn't always work out that way - just like many PJ's can't sound exactly like a P or a J. Foderas can do such versatility well, but I don't have 10 grand to spare right now.
Versatility is key for me, so my next bass purchase may well be dual-coil humbuckers (in soapbar form) that can be tapped to do single-coil, like the Fodera in an earlier post. I'd rather one bass do several tricks than several basses do one, though I know in reality it doesn't always work out that way - just like many PJ's can't sound exactly like a P or a J. Foderas can do such versatility well, but I don't have 10 grand to spare right now.
Never thought about that. Interesting theory. What are you listening for? And how straight do you consider it "super-straight"? Like no relief whatsoever?Yeah me too, of course. In fact, after thinking about it, it may not be the bass. For me this is typically the sound of a super straight neck. I'm sure it can sound awesome with a little bit more relief, but some like it straight.
This is hard to explain. Any time I've done it, with nearly no relief or just a hair (less than 0.005"), the sound was stiff, tight, artificially compressed with highs that were not musical and a weak low-end. The word that comes to mind is "sterile". I've experimented a lot with relief, action, pickups height, different types of strings, etc. and it did it every time.
The opposite is true too. When I increase the relief the sound becomes more open, more "acoustic", the highs are singing and the lows are thick. Up to a certain limit, of course. I have never exceeded 0.020" as I found no benefit to do it.
If anyone has an explanation for this phenomenon, I'm interested.
I'm in a phase similar to yours then. In the past 5 months I've sold 5-6 instruments and countless FX pedals.
Ok, I've also bought a couple of extra FX and a Sandberg VM4
but the balance is negative. It was a bit sad at times, instruments I had a sentimental attachment to for no particular reason [1] but it's all quickly forgotten and it feels nice to be 'lighter' (plus the extra cash in the account looks good if I need it for something else... even if it's another 'toy' )[1] some things I just can't sell. Like my very first Fender Stratocaster. Ever since I started playing, I wanted a cream strat. Many years ago, my then girlfriend bought me one for my birthday. I've owned better guitars, but that one I just can't sell. When I went from too-many-guitars to keeping only two, that was one of the two. The funny thing is when I had more, others seemed better. Now that it is my only strat, I play it and it just seems to make all the right noises and I love it. Same with my one Precision. I sold all but one. I kept that one because it was very light, felt nice, and was inexpensive (modified Mike Dirnt Squier) while my other Precisions sold for decent money. Now that it's my only passive P bass, it just seems to do all the right things a P bass should do.
I think sometimes we lose ourselves a bit in too much gear.
Passinwind
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- Dec 3, 2003
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At least Fender has retained primarily two body styles, regardless of their electronics packages. And they've circled their wagons around 2 pickup types. 17~18 years ago we had the Zone Deluxe, Roscoe Beck, & Urge basses, which depart from Fender's bread & butter offerings, were not great sellers, but are now rare and coveted. A few years later they tried something different in the Dimension, which didn't last.
I think Fender isn't above trying something new or different once in a while to test the waters. But in the end, their traditional lines are what keeps them in business.
