Jonesing For a Jazz

[jmw1977]

I've been seriously contemplating picking up a Jazz bass and I guess I'm here to seek some advice. Currently, I'm playing in a Funk, R&B, Soul and Disco band and I've been using either a Fender P or a Rick 4003. I like both basses and think they sound good in the mix (the P moreso than the Rick), but I have this nagging feeling that I should give a Jazz bass a try, especially considering the type of music I'm currently playing.

Maybe I'm just here to receive justification to buy more gear , but I do think that my Rick/P bass rotation could be a bit redundant. I currently have my Rick up for sale in the classifieds to see if I get any offers and I wouldn't be too sad to let that one go since I've had a bunch of Ricks pass through my hands. I'd want to hang onto the P because it just sits better in the band mix, albeit it's not a super versatile bass.

I have my sights on a few basses, including a Fender Pro JB FMT which is for sale at my local shop and a couple of Foderas - one is for sale in the classifieds here and one is for sale at a shop in Chicago. I could demo the Fender JB, but I have no experience with Foderas. Thoughts? Should I be looking for something else to satisfy this Jazz jones or just be happy with what I've got?

 

[garp]

Nothin' wrong with a Jazz jones. However, just know there are many more affordable entry points than the ones you've cited. In the Fender arena, I've played everything from a Squier Affinity to a CS '60 Stack-knob, and they all sounded like a Jazz should. My #1 at the moment happens to be an MIM. Of course, there are also countless clones out there that do the job just as well. My advice: Play a few before you open your wallet.

 

[Glazenn]

I've been seriously contemplating picking up a Jazz bass and I guess I'm here to seek some advice. Currently, I'm playing in a Funk, R&B, Soul and Disco band and I've been using either a Fender P or a Rick 4003. I like both basses and think they sound good in the mix (the P moreso than the Rick), but I have this nagging feeling that I should give a Jazz bass a try, especially considering the type of music I'm currently playing.

Maybe I'm just here to receive justification to buy more gear , but I do think that my Rick/P bass rotation could be a bit redundant. I currently have my Rick up for sale in the classifieds to see if I get any offers and I wouldn't be too sad to let that one go since I've had oa bunch of Ricks pass through my hands. I'd want to hang onto the P because it just sits better in the band mix, albeit it's not a super versatile bass.

I have my sights on a few basses, including a Fender Pro JB FMT which is for sale at my local shop and a couple of Foderas - one is for sale in the classifieds here and one is for sale at a shop in Chicago. I could demo the Fender JB, but I have no experience with Foderas. Thoughts? Should I be looking for something else to satisfy this Jazz jones or just be happy with what I've got?

No harm to the wallet with the highly acclaimed Sire Marcus Miller V7. It's an incredible quality Jazz Bass, with an awesome pre-amp added, and ice on the cake, it's very affordable. Endorsed by the great Marcus himself. There are 3 versions: the V7, the V7 Vintage and the V9.

 

[JRA]

Maybe I'm just here to receive justification to buy more gear

might be....

Nothin' wrong with a Jazz jones.

^

not poking fun: i have a nice frankenjazz and i'm glad that i do...wouldn't ditch it for anything. and while many on TB are going swear that a P is good for this-or-that, and a J is good for this-or-that: i'm not convinced = i think that almost any electric bass instrument can be used for almost any music style (at least IME).

if you want it + can afford it = why not try it and see for yourself? good luck, hope your 'J lust' works out for you!

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Keep the Ric and buy a Sire V7 Vintage new or used . All the Jazz you'll ever need.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Keep the Ric and buy a Sire V7 Vintage new or used . All the Jazz you'll ever need.

 

[UNICORN BASS]

So good he said it twice.

 

[rufus.K]

sell everything and buy a Memphis or SX jazz.

 

[mpdd]

I'm not really a jazz guy so I got an old school g&l with a p neck, p body, and mfd single coils

 

[Malak the Mad]

I have my sights on a few basses, including a Fender Pro JB FMT which is for sale at my local shop

Man, oh man…those things are sooooo sweet lookin'! drool drool drool You could certainly do a lot worse than that one!

On the flip-side of things, if you want to "get to know" a Jazz before dropping a huge chunk o' change, I usually recommend trying out a Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz. Every one I've owned, not to mention a couple of their necks for parts-bass purposes, has been anywhere from "very good" to "flippin' great". This way, you can get the feel of/wrap your ears around what a Jazz is capable of without all the frippery and flair of active electronics. (I'm not saying actives are bad, more that I'm glad I learned my way around passive electronics first)

 

[garp]

On the flip-side of things, if you want to "get to know" a Jazz before dropping a huge chunk o' change, I usually recommend trying out a Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazz. Every one I've owned, not to mention a couple of their necks for parts-bass purposes, has been anywhere from "very good" to "flippin' great".

+1. Fender truly "knocked it out of the park" with that model.