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Jazz necks: am I trippin?

Discussion in 'Basses [BG]' started by avvie, Dec 21, 2014.

  1. Dec 21, 2014 #1
    avvie

    avvie

    Oct 12, 2010
    Maui, HI
    So, I have a memory from long, long ago that I was in a music store in my early days and saw a Fender jazz..took a look because I was curious and saw that the neck at the nut was extremely narrow- like 1.25" or less- and the string spacing spread to normal at the bridge. I thought just by lookng at it that a Jazz would never be for me. This would've been in the late 80's.

    Was there actually a jazz model like that or have I just been tripping on a persistent dream memory since then? I'm under the impression that jazz and P necks aren't that drastically different now.
     
  2. Dec 21, 2014 #2
    bholder

    bholder Affable Sociopath Gold Supporting Member Supporting Member

    Sep 2, 2001
    Vestal, NY
    Received a gift from Sire* (see sig)
    I remember the first jazz I played felt narrow near the nut, but that was compared to the '54 Precision I was used to, which had rather a larger piece of lumber for a neck. :) I think the profile has changed over the years several times, with multiple options available. My next memory of a jazz neck was that the spacing near the nut was too wide for my tastes, and the thickness front to back was very (too) thin. Could just be me, though.
     
  3. Dec 21, 2014 #3
    JACink

    JACink

    Mar 9, 2011
    Spain
    According to the thread that has not all, but a lot of nut width info, the thinnest is Gretsch White Falcon - 1.28" (32.5mm)

    There are a few fenders around the 1.43" mark, but nothing under that, at least in the info submitted so far.

    You can check out the thread here:
    http://www.talkbass.com/threads/list-of-widths-at-nut.919079/
     
  4. Dec 21, 2014 #4
    jim nolte

    jim nolte

    Oct 26, 2006
    california
    I don't think the nut width has changed that much on Jazzes over the years, I have an early 65 L series, but the neck depth, front to back sure has. I have played very few that are as thick as mine, so that may give the impression that some are also wider at the nut? Jim
     
  5. Dec 21, 2014 #5
    avvie

    avvie

    Oct 12, 2010
    Maui, HI
    I see one Jazz on that list that's 36.5 mm; the rest are 38 mm which is what I play now. Up until 2009 I played a 43mm Yamaha. A 5 mm difference is not as drastic as I'm thinking, which leads me to believe that I may indeed be trippin.
     
  6. Dec 21, 2014 #6
    BazzTard

    BazzTard Inactive

    Sep 12, 2014
    Adelaide, South Australia
    I too thought I prefered jazzes coz of the narrower necks,then I got a P and there isn't that much difference in playability or comfort.
     
  7. Dec 21, 2014 #7
    Ritchie_Darling

    Ritchie_Darling Bass @ AZ

    May 22, 2006
    Arizona
    Impulse buyer...
    It might have been a Fender Performer bass....

    They had a VERY thin neck.
     
  8. Dec 22, 2014 #8
    line6man

    line6man

    Jun 20, 2008
    Close to Los Angeles, CA
    Are you sure it was a Fender? Not that there were that many copies floating around back then, but it's a possibility.

    Also, was it new or used? Someone could have re-profiled the neck.
     
    SirMjac28 likes this.
  9. Dec 22, 2014 #9
    jallenbass

    jallenbass Supporting Member Commercial User

    May 17, 2005
    Bend, Oregon
    I recall the first time that I tried a Jazz after playing mostly upright and P bass profiles that it did feel like a toothpick. Now that I've been playing them a while they just feel normal.
     
  10. Dec 22, 2014 #10
    BaileyMan

    BaileyMan

    Jan 8, 2012
    San Francisco
    I've played mostly a Jazz bass and recently picked up a P-Bass and have been playing a lot of Motown / Soul / R&B tunes that are in F. My left hand gets noticeably more tired on the P Bass neck. So much so, that I swapped necks and have my J neck on the P body. Anything above the 2nd or 3rd fret feels about the the same on the J or P neck. A few millimeters can make a noticeable difference (to some of us at least).
     
  11. Dec 22, 2014 #11
    mikeyb26

    mikeyb26

    Aug 23, 2009
    My 2001 japanese jazz bass is right at 36.5mm.