I can get the sound close, but not quite there. Like mentioned above, it won't be the same to an upright. But, i can get it close with a crappy p and some nice broken flats, and a few amp adjustments. When I'm going for that upright sound i do pluck differently. Of course, not the same, but i can get it to sound close.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Jazz Basses.
- Thread starter Lanzy
- Start date
I can get the sound close, but not quite there. Like mentioned above, it won't be the same to an upright. But, i can get it close with a crappy p and some nice broken flats, and a few amp adjustments. When I'm going for that upright sound i do pluck differently. Of course, not the same, but i can get it to sound close.
I would agree. An electric bass ain't gonna sound like an upright unless it's got a piezo in it and preferably a hollow body. Even that is no guarantee.
The Kala U Bass is known to sound very close to an upright.
A P with flats sounds like a P with flats
If it did you wouldn't see so many players doubling on electric and upright.
I would agree. An electric bass ain't gonna sound like an upright unless it's got a piezo in it and preferably a hollow body. Even that is no guarantee.
The Kala U Bass is known to sound very close to an upright.
A P with flats sounds like a P with flats
If it did you wouldn't see so many players doubling on electric and upright.
True.
Going back to the FSR. I hate how it looks. I absolutely despise the look of that bass. But, i love how it plays and feels and sounds. Of course, now for $600 I'm not going to touch that for a while....
Lanzy...Your primary consideration should always be finding an instrument that you can play comfortably. From there, it's all electronics, and that can always be changed to suit your tastes or needs. The P and J have distinctive sounds, as stock instruments. Which neck do you prefer? There are a number of instruments out there (by Fender, and others) that have both P- and J-style pickups on the same instrument (see post above ^^)...some active, some passive (I own a P, a J, and a combination bass called a 'P-Bass Lyte'). Get out and try as many as you can through an amp that's close to what you'll usually use, until you find something you're happy with. These days, you will find it....it's just a matter of time, and money! By the way, the only way to approximate the sound of an upright, IMHO, is to at least start with a fretless! If you can play an upright, then you should do OK with a fretless bass guitar. Also, try to find an instrument that doesn't require that you use a bunch of stompboxes just to get the basic sound you want! They're great for special FX (flange, chorus...whatever!), but they add noise and have a nasty habit of failing at all the worst times.
Honestly, I prefer maple necks and maple fingerboards. I am more comfortable on electric in general. I also generally prefer the look and feel of Fenders, (Squier included). Passive seems simpler, but active could be interesting. I love this advice. Ive been in GC 4000 times in the last 5 months without buying anything. They all get it, too. They say keep coming in we always get new stock, so i will keep coming in. i appreciate the advice. It is good to know that i will find it. Fretless is a good place to start.
Also, I generally despise pedals/extra effects as it makes me feel like it isn't something i made myself.
Of course, not positive here, just a thought, but, I'm pretty sure society frowns upon it when you give them $450 for a $600 bass and walk out.
Sure, its negotiable, but would you rather save $100 on a bass or build relationships in the music business. You might not think its relative....but as a kid. Just a kid. Who started music in general a year ago, i know that relationships in music are worth more then a few bucks. You might think I'm crazy, and i am, but if you can't see that, then good luck in your musical career.
You should have stopped after "just a kid". It's pretty clear you don't have a lot of experience with this. EVERYTHING is negotiable. And it certainly doesn't burn relationships.
I quite literally said, that i am just a kid, and that I'm new to this. So sure, i don't have a lot of experience, but having everything negotiable just isn't logical.
The car is priced at 30k for a reason, man.
Sure, they appreciate the knowledge, but they don't appreciate smartasses, such as myself, telling them flat out that they are wrong. Then again, i am part of society, and as a FULL GROWN MAN, I'm not really appreciating the respect you're giving me. Of course, I'm a smartass, disrespectful? sure. But I'm a kid. Thats how I'm supposed to be.
If you are so great, in all those famous rock songs, (Name a few, would ya?), why do you need to negotiate everything?
Finally, your the one that came onto my thread, and said, if you had read previous posts, knowing that I'm a kid, that you would trade a bass to me, for a car or furniture or whatever, is just ridiculous. I wouldn't walk into a supermarket, and say, hey instead of giving you $2 for that milk, ill give you 4 guitar strings, they're worth more. Or, i think i can negotiate the price down to $1.53.
Why. Just, why?
Now, for those of you that are giving me advice, i thank all of you kindly. For DinoRock, and Marko, sure, you can negotiate somethings. But if you walk into the same store, expecting to be able to get 20% off of everything all the time, then good luck with that.
No one said to trade furniture for a bass guitar. Furniture was an example of another item in addition to a bass guitar that has negotiable prices. I walk into many stores, most of them many times, and always leave with a price lower than what is on the sticker. It's how the retail world works, my friend. Stick around a while, you'll figure that out.
- Jul 3, 2007
- 1,380
- 1,036
- Disclosures
- Author of "Soul Fingers." I'm the Duck Dunn expert.
Why not start now? If you want to play upright, and the band director wants upright, work on upright. Don't wait until you get offered the spot. Believe me when I say band teachers take hard work into consideration.
keep working at it. There's no level you need to reach, just keep improving.
I see.
As of right now, i talked to the director, and he wants me to audition on bass guitar. He did say that if i do make it, he wants me to focus more on upright as far as jazz goes, but it is possible that ill be playing electric in the band. Of course, after i learn the audition music, ill get cracking on my upright skills.
That being said, they take 2 basses, and there are two of us trying out. He's one of the 2 music teachers who writes me a pass to go practice in study hall everyday, so thats even better.
Thanks for the advice
Lanzy play a lot of basses, if you like it and it's in your price range buy it. I play in Jazz bands and Blues band I use all different basses what ever I'm feeling that day. Good luck on you search for a bass!
If you think that "everything" is negotiable than Lanzy isn't the only inexperienced one here.
- Sep 14, 2012
- 1,560
- 1,198
- 40
- Disclosures
- Reverend Guitars ; SIT Strings ; Trickfish Amplifiers ; LK Straps ; Rattlesnake Cables
Jazz bass really is a different world from a Precision. What is your budget? You could also have a jazz pickup installed on your Precision if you wanted to save money.
I get pretty darn close to an upright tone from my Jazz Bass. But your problem is cash. I got an American Standard Jazz. Next to custom shop stuff it's probably the best Jazz Fender ever made. The pickups and the stings I use give me tones of tonal possibilities. But the $$$ is probably gonna put you off it. Best advice is get a Jazz Bass and some flats. Look for a passive bass. Amps are gonna be important as well. I'm using a Fender Rumble 350 into 2 410 cabs. All that combined is what works for tone. Peddles can be of help but I never cared for them. As far as you are concerned your gonna have to experiment. What works for me may not work for you. Your playing style is going to be a big variable in your sound as well. Lots of people here on TB are like me and been doing this for decades and have been through the equipment thing from north to south. Your just getting started from the sound of things. The journey is just beginning and its going to be a long one.
Lanzy,
I agree with above post from Joel.
I would recommend you go ahead with getting a jazz bass, if you like them, which you seem to be saying you do. I personally also prefer them for feel and sound most of the time.
They are indeed a bit more "jazzy" sounding IMO. By that I mean Better for the kind of band you are trying out for, as well as many kinds of music including classic rock. You really can't got wrong with a j-bass.
Go out and find the best Squire or used Mexican, etc... Jazz bass that feels good in your hands that you can afford. You'll be well taken care of for a good while. Then maybe you can upgrade when your older and have some real money to invest in a nicer, more professional level instrument. The kind that doesn't last you years but lasts you decades if you treat it right. My first "serious bass" of high quality was an EBMM Sterling when I was 16. It will always be with me.
I agree with above post from Joel.
I would recommend you go ahead with getting a jazz bass, if you like them, which you seem to be saying you do. I personally also prefer them for feel and sound most of the time.
They are indeed a bit more "jazzy" sounding IMO. By that I mean Better for the kind of band you are trying out for, as well as many kinds of music including classic rock. You really can't got wrong with a j-bass.
Go out and find the best Squire or used Mexican, etc... Jazz bass that feels good in your hands that you can afford. You'll be well taken care of for a good while. Then maybe you can upgrade when your older and have some real money to invest in a nicer, more professional level instrument. The kind that doesn't last you years but lasts you decades if you treat it right. My first "serious bass" of high quality was an EBMM Sterling when I was 16. It will always be with me.
I have an MIM P with flatwounds. Stock pickups. I also have a Geddy Lee signature with Custom Shop Fender jazz pickups strung exclusively with Rotosounds.
I love both but if I had to choose one, I'd stick to my Geddy.
The jazz bass is a different monster in itself. The fact that many people match it up with the precision bass says something; not many passive basses can really keep up with the precision in terms of delivering that phat tone. Yes I said phat, not fat.
Just don't go flipping all your basses to find the "right one". Trust me. It's not worth the money and effort wasted. Choose carefully; go to different stores because they will have different models. Each bass will sound and feel different to every person. Think hard too. They won't go anywhere for a while so play them, go back home, think about it, reassess how each one felt.
Better yet, bring a notebook or something and write down notes on each bass. Look over them later and try the ones you liked the most again.
I love both but if I had to choose one, I'd stick to my Geddy.
The jazz bass is a different monster in itself. The fact that many people match it up with the precision bass says something; not many passive basses can really keep up with the precision in terms of delivering that phat tone. Yes I said phat, not fat.
Just don't go flipping all your basses to find the "right one". Trust me. It's not worth the money and effort wasted. Choose carefully; go to different stores because they will have different models. Each bass will sound and feel different to every person. Think hard too. They won't go anywhere for a while so play them, go back home, think about it, reassess how each one felt.
Better yet, bring a notebook or something and write down notes on each bass. Look over them later and try the ones you liked the most again.
Everything here is 100% correct.
I have the most wonderful jazz bass I've ever had.
But I saw this p-bass at GC the other day......Ouch my stomach just made a funny sound...Like a p-bass sound...uh oh....
That was all from gaining so much knowledge on TalkBass. Learn as you go. That was me since June 2013.
Yes, Jazz sounds quite different from P. A Squier Jazz can be had new for under 300 and it sounds essentially just like my American standard which sounds great. 300 seems like a worthy investment for someone on your path. If you can afford more and care about resale then buy an American or fancy knock-off of a Jazz. Good luck.
