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Jazz Basses.

Lanzy

Lanzy

Guest
Dec 5, 2014
242
32
#1
Hiya.

I know i do post a lot about gear and such, but here it goes.

Ive decided not to get an acoustic. It is something i would only use for one week a year, while I'm on vacation. I can run my current bass through garageband for that.

Right now, heres the situation

I have a no-name p with flats on, but it doesn't sound bad. It sounds like a P-bass with flats.
I have a rumble 25.

I also play bass in 2 jazz ensembles. While the p was fine for this year, as the other player had a jazz, he is graduating this year so I'm not sure how much that will affect the bands tone. As for the other Jazz band, it is a competitive one. I will most likely be playing upright in that, but it is possible that i have a song or two on bass guitar. So, heres the question.

Is a Jazz bass that different?
Is the tone that different?
Is it worth the extra money?
Should i get a Jazz, especially for Jazz band?
If so, what models? I was looking at squier vintage modified 77, and vintage modified FSR, though I was thinking about MIMs and Fender Mim FSRs. I do prefer a maple neck.....

Thoughts?

I have gone to a number of stores and tried various Jazz basses, but i just can't compare side by side. I have tried used Mexican fenders, which would alright, but mostly had problems, and new FSRs from guitar center.

Thanks,
Sorry for posting so much about gear!
 
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#2
My only thoughts are that they do sound different, that's why both exist, and that the name Jazz has no correlation to the styles of music for which it is suitable (any more than "Precision" or any other brand name would be). A J bass will give you more tonal flexibility - try one, decide which you prefer, don't look back.
 
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#4
bholder said:
My only thoughts are that they do sound different, that's why both exist, and that the name Jazz has no correlation to the styles of music for which it is suitable (any more than "Precision" or any other brand name would be). A J bass will give you more tonal flexibility - try one, decide which you prefer, don't look back.
Click to expand...

Well yeah.
Of course, the p with flats sounds closer to the upright and blended well.

However, I'm just a student....so i don't have a ton of cash.

I like the flexibility and feel of a jazz, but i don't know really know how much different it is. Of course, i haven't played a ton of jazz basses. I did try two different basses, of the same model, and i could definitely tell that the neck tone and feel of one was far superior to the other. But it was scooped up before i had enough dough for it...

I just, I'm pretty sure i do want a Jazz bass, but I'm not sure if it is worth the cash. If so, what models do you suggest?
 
#6
I'm loving my new P-bass. But now that the honeymoon period is over, my Geddy will go back to my standard working bass.

Just like Bholder said, it's more versatile. Either way, no choice is the wrong one. I had only a P style bass until my second year of college, and did fine with it.
 
#7
Sure, ill try as many basses as possible. I just feeling I'm outgrowing my current bass and just don't have the range i would like to be able to explore with. I mostly play classic rock, and in jazz band, so its fine for some older rock/alternative and some walking, but it doesnt feel like its really popping..
 
#8
The Fender FSR Jazz bass is one of the best MIM basses made.
I've always thought Fender was crazy for selling the FSR Jazz for $499...$100 less than the Standard Jazz and it looks like someone from Fender must've read my mind because the FSR went up to $599 a few weeks ago!
By the way Lanzy, you might try one of these to expand your tone.
105w705.jpg

Some people might put down Behringer (hey, some people put down Squier!) but the V-Tone gets almost nothing but positive reviews. Just check out Amazon. It might be the best $30 you ever spend.
 
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#10
Dave W said:
A J bass can arguably cop a decent P bass tone with the bridge pickup totally rolled off. They can do a whole lot more too. Although versatile, a P bass can't cop a J bass tone.

A P with flats does not sound like an upright.
Click to expand...

A p with flats and the right amp adjustments sounds similar to an upright, especially compared to a jazz.
jd56hawk said:
The Fender FSR Jazz bass is one of the best MIM basses made.
I've always thought Fender was crazy for selling the FSR Jazz for $499...$100 less than the Standard Jazz and it looks like someone from Fender must've read my mind because the FSR went up to $599 a few weeks ago!
By the way Lanzy, you might try one of these to expand your tone.
105w705.jpg



Some people might put down Behringer (hey, some people put down Squier!) but the V-Tone gets almost nothing but positive reviews. Just check out Amazon. It might be the best $30 you ever spend.
Click to expand...

Ill check it out
 
#12
DinoRock said:
You might consider a Fender Active P Bass Special, which has a P bass pickup in the middle position and a J pickup in the bridge position. Precision body and Jazz neck. Active electronics. A wide variety of sounds can be dialed in. I have many basses but I use this a fair amount in the studio if I just want to grab one bass and go. As with most Fenders, I needed to do a setup on it, which I did myself. I have Rotosound Roundwounds 66 on it. I picked it up new for just under $500 but I don't mind negotiating for a price that I'm willing to pay on certain items (cars, furniture, guitars).

As others have said, if you can go and play in an isolation room with an amp similar to what you use, that is best.
Click to expand...

(Cars, furnirtue, guitars) ? Why......

Im not really looking for a p/j. I have my p. And if i get another bass it would be a J....
 
#13
gnarlyWarlock said:
Going fretless with tapewounds really helps you get the upright tone, if that's what you're going for..
Click to expand...

I actually have been considering getting a fretless squier vm jazz.... Maybe ill get that and put flats on it, maybe not. That is very good to know as the Jazz 1 instructor has a very strong preference to the sound of upright over electric. However, i am much better at electric, and would know where my hands would go on a fretless. So thats definitely a possibility...
 
#16
Lanzy said:
I actually have been considering getting a fretless squier vm jazz.... Maybe ill get that and put flats on it, maybe not. That is very good to know as the Jazz 1 instructor has a very strong preference to the sound of upright over electric. However, i am much better at electric, and would know where my hands would go on a fretless. So thats definitely a possibility...
Click to expand...

If you know how to play on a fretted CORRECTLY, you will have no problem on the fretless. Otherwise, I'd say at first you might have issues with absolute pitch - it might in areas sound out of tune, if a guitar's logarithmic fret progression isn't in your muscle memory. A fretless is a really cool animal in its own right, and you might find yourself sliding a lot more than you would on a fretted, as well as learning to do a classic orchestral vibrato. But again, it isn't exactly a steep learning curve at all, and you might, like I, find yourself adoring the "mwah" of a fretless.
 
#17
You mention that you do play upright. When you have tunes that you play electric, the point is to sound like an electric. If you wanted to sound like an upright, you would stay on an upright.

Over the years, electric bass players have made countless attempts trying to sound like an upright, rather than putting in the work on an upright. Band directors make the mistake of furthering this quest.

The closest an electric will sound like an upright involves a string mute and all the tone rolled off--but anybody listening won't be fooled.

When I work with high schools, I do talk about this with the band director. Truth be told, the electric with big band sound is a great sound in its own right.
 
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#19
DinoRock said:
Those are items where you can save a ton of money if you are willing to negotiate. If i were to buy a bass for my son, who is likely older than you, in the price range I believe you are consudering, I would get either the p special or an ibanez. FYI, my main bass for live work for many years was my '74 Fender Jazz. It's very versatile in a live setting. For me, the studio is a very different animal and I've used the J very infrequently over the past 40 or so years.
Click to expand...

Right. Thing is, I'm buying my own bass. I don't have a use for another p, and certainly don't have a car, or furniture, or anything that i could trade.... Oh well.....Good luck with that....
gnarlyWarlock said:
If you know how to play on a fretted CORRECTLY, you will have no problem on the fretless. Otherwise, I'd say at first you might have issues with absolute pitch - it might in areas sound out of tune, if a guitar's logarithmic fret progression isn't in your muscle memory. A fretless is a really cool animal in its own right, and you might find yourself sliding a lot more than you would on a fretted, as well as learning to do a classic orchestral vibrato. But again, it isn't exactly a steep learning curve at all, and you might, like I, find yourself adoring the "mwah" of a fretless.
Click to expand...

Actually, since i play upright in orchestra, i know that vibrato. I think i play fretted correctly (Fingers right before the bump) I actually slide a LOT anyways, just because i like the sound. Ill definitely consider it, i really did love the sound of the fretless vm i played at GC. However, i am unfamiliar with the guitars logaritmic fret progression, i think. Anyhow, the notes shouldn't really be too much of a problem, but i wouldn't mind getting a fretless painted with lines, so i could check if I'm playing the right note.

I can't believe those FSRs went up $100....I would have possibly gotten one at $500, but at 6 i just can't do that.
 
#20
bopeuph said:
You mention that you do play upright. When you have tunes that you play electric, the point is to sound like an electric. If you wanted to sound like an upright, you would stay on an upright.

Over the years, electric bass players have made countless attempts trying to sound like an upright, rather than putting in the work on an upright. Band directors make the mistake of furthering this quest.

The closest an electric will sound like an upright involves a string mute and all the tone rolled off--but anybody listening won't be fooled.

When I work with high schools, I do talk about this with the band director. Truth be told, the electric with big band sound is a great sound in its own right.
Click to expand...

I personally prefer the sound of electric in big bands. The director strongly prefers upright, and it is his band, so I'm fine with that, just not as skilled at it. i have put in the work, maybe not quite enough. I started music in general a year ago. I started upright 7 months ago, along with some theory, and can sight read at a high school orchestra level most of the time. I can sight read at a high school jazz level on bass guitar, not quite there on upright. If i do make the band, ill get my upright reset up, and polish my playing over the summer. Of course, electrics won't sound the same, but if that was a sort of a compromise, it would work out better for me.
Space Pickle said:
A P with flats can never sound like an upright.

OP: you don't need a Jazz bass to play jazz. It's just a name.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I know. I played through the Jazz season on my p. It just in some pieces didn't really pop.
 

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