Marcus Miller JB or American Stardard JB?

[javipuer]

Well, the time is now. I've been saving for buying a Jazz Bazz so much Time. The bass i want is The standard american Jazz Bass. But i recently discovered the Marcus Miller model, made in japan.
This one is an active bass, meanwhile the american is a passive one. The price is almost the same... so which should i buy?
There's one thing i don't like from marcus miller's: it's signed!! puagh!! and i don't know how to erase the ****ing signature.

 

[matt"bass"]

personally, i'd take the marcus any day. All the ones i've played have been excllent quality, and not much difference between those and the americans. The marcus does have a passive switch so in a way you kinda get the best of both worlds.
the neck i though was thinner than a regular jazz n the playbility is all the same so i'd save money n buy the marcus.
IMO i can't see a problem with a bass being signed, because at the end of the day your the one whose playing it, and it doesnt matter what your playing but how, anyway you could always sand it offer n then laquer it over again maybe?

but yeah personally, i'd take the Marcus Over american, if you have any spare money coz you might save some from not buying an american, consider buying an M-Retro (john east preamp) these are a preamp specialy designed for the MM jazz, but with more tonal versatility as you have a mid sweep etc.

hope this helps
matt

(i bet someone though will have a total contrasting opinion to mine, but you know im a bit of a treble slap freak so this bass works for me)

 

[javipuer]

Thanks!
Well, i'm not a slap player, but i love trebs and mids in my sound, so the MM jazz would be a good choice. I don't know how much mids and trebs i can get from an american standard, so... if somebody knows...
I live in europe, so getting the M-Retro would be so hard... Everything is more expensive here and we don't have so many things to choose.
See the Marcus Miller is about 1.150 € here in Spain (bout 1.300 $).
Anyway, thanks!!

 

[pyrohr]

Thanks!
Well, i'm not a slap player, but i love trebs and mids in my sound, so the MM jazz would be a good choice. I don't know how much mids and trebs i can get from an american standard, so... if somebody knows...
I live in europe, so getting the M-Retro would be so hard... Everything is more expensive here and we don't have so many things to choose.
See the Marcus Miller is about 1.150 € here in Spain (bout 1.300 $).
Anyway, thanks!!

I own both basses and here's my take, both are excellent basses and the MIA bass while passive is more versatile! The MM bass is all boost and no cut (treble & bass) while having no mids. The treble sounds decent if you don't try to "over boost" for if you do it can sound shrill! The bass knob is thick and a can be boomy, I think this part of the bass is definately the weakest link! Now as for the jazz it is what it is, a MIA jazz! Mine is my staple bass and goes on all the "I'm not sure what bass to use gig's" If I had to sell one of these two the MM bass would be the one to go!

 

[Slaphound]

Its actually a J-retro and its made in the UK. I had a Marcus Miller bass and to say the truth I dont really miss it. I sold it for a Fender Japan P bass and I love this beast.

The Marcus tone wasn't for me. Very sensitive to the touch and I did'nt like the high tone clicks I got when I was playing it. There is no tone control on it and to put a new pre amp in seeems like spending alot of money.What I did like most about the bass was the Ash bodie. It was heavy and solid feeling and the bound maple finger board was sweet too. Those are the two things I liked most about it. I always HATED the pick guard. The battery cover is in the front under a 4 screw plate that is part of the pick guard.


I plan on buying a new jazz bass next year from Ishibashi in Japan. I'm going to buy a nice ash bodied one with the bound maple finger board. Ishibashi deals over the Internet world wide.

Hope this helps.

 

[MrDuncan]

I wouldn't go for the MM. I tried one and was very unimpressed with the tone but the workmanship was impeccable. The American Standard is a great bass and well worth buying.

Plus I don't care much for the look of a MM. I'm starting to think I may be the only person on this planet that thinks they're horrible looking.

 

[javipuer]

First of all, thank you all, you are helping me a lot.
To specify i will say that i'm looking for an agressive sound, full of trebs and mids. I play with pick in my band, and i like that "clonc" sound when i hit the strings.
I won't use a round sound at all. so I'm not looking for a full of lows sound. That's what i thought maybe an active bass would be a better choice.
But as you say MM won't give me mids, maybe it's better to get the standard MIA one.
Anyway, i'm looking for one of those basses which sound is always the same as if you have just put new strings on it. Is the Standard MIA one of those?

 

[SuperDuck]

The MM isn't very mid-heavy by nature. Here's a link to a thread where I have some sound samples of a MM bass. I think the only way you can get that new string sound all the time is to play with new strings. The Marcus Miller has a treble boost which can help that, but I would say that it's more a matter of wiping your strings down with cloth after each time you play in order to extend their life.

 

[tplyons]

Anyway, i'm looking for one of those basses which sound is always the same as if you have just put new strings on it. Is the Standard MIA one of those?

A bass with dead strings is never going to sound like it has new ones. Honestly. You'll need to keep new strings on it, maybe steels because they keep that punch longer, but dead strings are going to sound like dead strings no matter what.

I'd personally take the Marcus Miller. It has the same pickups, construction is on par if not slightly better than the Americans IMO and frankly, when you say it's active - it can be passive. It has a preamp bypbass switch, which I leave off about half the time.

IMO the Marcus Miller Jazz is everything the American Jazz is and more. And you could always sand that signature off.

 

[Marcus]

The Marcus Miller jazz bass has a lousy preamp that's not very conducive when you really want to cut through. Unless you're slapping, that is...

Having owned and sold one for the aforementioned reason being most irritating, I can safely say I do not miss it one bit and would suggest the American standard.

 

[Nitkin]

i would reccomend you next thing.
Try to find second-hand american jazz(ok,we don`t have so many of them over here,but anyway)and then addin` J-Retro preamp you`ll get any sound you want from basic jazz bass.

 

[Figjam]

If you find a std MIA that plays well, get it. Dont buy one blind though.

 

[Ty_Boogie]

Javipuer, from what you're saying I think the MM is for you.

I read in another thread, can't remember which one, the "A MM is going to sound like a MM, and nothing else"

if slap and bright is what you like, go with the MM, and it sounds great in passive mode too!

I've played a few, and they're great