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Marcus Miller Jazz vs. Sadowsky

#41
on the Marcus Miller 4s, the battery compartment is on the front. looking at the face of the bass, top left corner of the pickguard, there should be a piece that has 2 screws holding it on seperate from the rest of the guard....that is if it's a stock guard and not an aftermarket....but never the less battery is on the front of the bass on MM4s.
 
#42
I'm not much for arguing on the 'net but...

crispygoat said:
I've gone through 3 basses in the past year

I put down exactly what I would want and what I don't want and came ended up that the Miller Jazz bass would be what I'm looking for.

I want a passive bass.

What I don't mind about an active pre amp is the boost of gain.

I'm looking for a more vintage tone than modern.

Hence, I believe that the Marcus Miller would be better for this.

I thought about getting a Precision, but I like slapping.
Click to expand...

You're doing a fine job of arguing with yourself. You don't need anyone to argue with.

Admit it. You have no idea what you want. If you're looking for a MM jazz to get that "passive sound", I'm not at all sure you'd know how to go about getting what you want if you ever figured it out.

That is why you've been through 3 basses this year.


How'd I do?
 
#43
I've had a Marcus Miller CIJ Jazz and it was quite a nice bass, apart from the awfully harsh sounding preamp. It sounded reasonably classic jazz in passive mode (but there was no tone control in passive as mentioned earlier in this thread), and the best sound I had from it was to run it passive & put it through a Sadowsky preamp/di pedal.

I actually ended up selling the bass to fund another Status bass, but now have one of the new American Standard Jazzes running through the same Sadowsky preamp. The sound is utter heaven. Rich, rounded, as much top and bottom as you want & thunderous. Job done :)

Oh, and the biggest downside to the Marcus Jazz is the weight of the thing. It weighs more than the Queen Mary!
 
#44
Steve said:
I'm not much for arguing on the 'net but...



You're doing a fine job of arguing with yourself. You don't need anyone to argue with.

Admit it. You have no idea what you want. If you're looking for a MM jazz to get that "passive sound", I'm not at all sure you'd know how to go about getting what you want if you ever figured it out.

That is why you've been through 3 basses this year.


How'd I do?
Click to expand...

Pff,

I read on the Fender website that the Marcus Miller was Volume/Volume Tone/Tone and also read that the MM did the vintage tone well (in the Show your MM basses thread). Happens that by "tone/tone" Fender actually means "treble/bass" and not "tone" as in a passive bass. So I thought that each pickup had it's own volume and it's own "tone" knob. Which would have been cool! But now, Zach and Chris suggested I put VTC in my bass, change to the pickups to single coils and if I want, rewire to volume/volume! Which seems very reasonable and sounds like it's what I'm looking for? (sounds like what I'm looking for uhm... looks like what I want it to sound like?) This is why I posted this thread, and thankfully I got the argument I wanted!

Nice try Steve :spit:
 
#45
zachbass02 said:
The VTC is a passive tone control...like on a passive jazz bass....it allows you to roll some of the edgey bite off even in "Active" mode just like a passive jazz bass. It also works in passive and you essentially have a passive jazz bass...vol, vol (or pan), tone cause pulling the VTC up bypasses the active circuit.
Click to expand...

What's a VTC? sorry guys not too hep on the acronyms...and stuff
 
#46
crispygoat said:
Pff,

I read on the Fender website that the Marcus Miller was Volume/Volume Tone/Tone and also read that the MM did the vintage tone well (in the Show your MM basses thread). Happens that by "tone/tone" Fender actually means "treble/bass" and not "tone" as in a passive bass. So I thought that each pickup had it's own volume and it's own "tone" knob. Which would have been cool! But now, Zach and Chris suggested I put VTC in my bass, change to the pickups to single coils and if I want, rewire to volume/volume! Which seems very reasonable and sounds like it's what I'm looking for? (sounds like what I'm looking for uhm... looks like what I want it to sound like?) This is why I posted this thread, and thankfully I got the argument I wanted!

Nice try Steve :spit:
Click to expand...

Check this out :)
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=173709
 
#47
OutToPlayJazz said:
I've had a Marcus Miller CIJ Jazz and it was quite a nice bass, apart from the awfully harsh sounding preamp. It sounded reasonably classic jazz in passive mode (but there was no tone control in passive as mentioned earlier in this thread), and the best sound I had from it was to run it passive & put it through a Sadowsky preamp/di pedal.

I actually ended up selling the bass to fund another Status bass, but now have one of the new American Standard Jazzes running through the same Sadowsky preamp. The sound is utter heaven. Rich, rounded, as much top and bottom as you want & thunderous. Job done :)

Oh, and the biggest downside to the Marcus Jazz is the weight of the thing. It weighs more than the Queen Mary!
Click to expand...


+1000

i too had a MM bass but ran it in passive mode with an aguilar 924 outboard pre and an older sadowsky pre....sound was at its best with either pre's
 
#49
I don't think it's prudent to have one bass that does it all...because it doesn't exist. You can get a very versatile bass, but it's not going to do everything. That's why I have a jazz, fretless jazz, ric, stingray, and soon a '72 telebass deluxe. They all sound very different and do their own thing in a different way. That said, I've played the MM and thought it was a very nice bass...but I'd rather just have a passive with a tone knob then the MM. If i want to fiddle with bass and treble I'll either use my amp or get a pedal...don't put it on my bass please. My stingray is the only exception to my passive craze, and that's only because it sounds freaking sweet.
 
#50
HI

If you want a vintage type JJ tone, get single coils put in your metro. That and a factory VTC should make you happy again. You can take the humcanceling pickups and sell them in the classified. Wont cost you much to change up. Yes, you can wire your bass volume/volume. Why dont you call Sadowsky and send it to them for the work?

Rob
 
#51
bikeplate said:
HI

If you want a vintage type JJ tone, get single coils put in your metro. That and a factory VTC should make you happy again. You can take the humcanceling pickups and sell them in the classified. Wont cost you much to change up. Yes, you can wire your bass volume/volume. Why dont you call Sadowsky and send it to them for the work?

Rob
Click to expand...


maybe this is totally off subject but dont really want to post a whole new thread about it ...but does sadowsky still offer tech work....i was thinking of send some of my jazz basses out to him to install his PU and pre....anyone? thanks:help:
 
#52
bikeplate said:
HI

If you want a vintage type JJ tone, get single coils put in your metro. That and a factory VTC should make you happy again. You can take the humcanceling pickups and sell them in the classified. Wont cost you much to change up. Yes, you can wire your bass volume/volume. Why dont you call Sadowsky and send it to them for the work?

Rob
Click to expand...

Saddly, I live in Canada... It'd be way too much trouble.
 
#53
crispygoat said:
Yeah... that was another impression of mine. Passive mode is kinda lacking with the Sadowsky. What's the difference between the Single Coils and the Hum cancelling?

Btw, does your (or chris') UV70 have '59 burst with tortoise? If so, is it the same tortoise I'd buy from the Sadowsky store? I might as well get a pickguard if I order from there.

Edit:

$160!! I'll start with the VTC and pickguard... then I may consider new pickups...
Click to expand...

Yes, that's my Sadowsky. I love the tort, but I think I may order a black one for the uber 70's vibe. The passive mode on the Sadowsky is more like a fail safe for me. I think it sounds great in passive mode (I like passive basses too).

The single coils have a bit more mids in them where the HC's tend to be a little more modern sounding. If you are going for a more vintagy tone, look into the SC's as well. I was luck that Bartman modded this one to SC's. I would have done the same thing.
 
#54
crispygoat said:
Pff,

I read on the Fender website that the Marcus Miller was Volume/Volume Tone/Tone and also read that the MM did the vintage tone well (in the Show your MM basses thread). Happens that by "tone/tone" Fender actually means "treble/bass" and not "tone" as in a passive bass. So I thought that each pickup had it's own volume and it's own "tone" knob. Which would have been cool! But now, Zach and Chris suggested I put VTC in my bass, change to the pickups to single coils and if I want, rewire to volume/volume! Which seems very reasonable and sounds like it's what I'm looking for? (sounds like what I'm looking for uhm... looks like what I want it to sound like?) This is why I posted this thread, and thankfully I got the argument I wanted!

Nice try Steve :spit:
Click to expand...

So how much will this experiment cost?
 
#59
HI

Youll get more than $50 for a used set of HC Sadowsky pickups. You'll like the Sadowsky SC's. Killer

Another thing. Do you like the playability and weight of your present bass? Im guessing you do. There is no guarantee you'll find an MM with a similar weight and playability.

Rob
 

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