Maybe sell, but get what now?

[bigdaddybass12]

However, I think I’ve learned I’m really not a huge fan of its sound after playing that Ibanez.

YES on this. I had bought a LTD B205 with factory emgs, active eq, spoiled to active eq on the bass. I sold my Fender jazz that I was no longer playing. years later bought another Fender Jazz, played 1 set a gig with it, then I remembered why I sold the 1st one. Took it back to GC! I have a mint fender p that i have been toying selling. It is the best sounding p bass I have owned, I may better keep it. What to get? do you want "different" or similar? similar try a LTD B204 or the B205, best bang for the buck. Different? Sterling Ray34, I have been looking at a G&L Tribute Kiloton, but it is passive. Has more 'punch' than the jazz, crank up the lows on the amp, play between pickup & neck you can get a nice fat tone.

 

[groovaholic]

my experience has been that a passive Jazz is not my favorite 'bedroom tone' but it is my favorite in an ensemble

Interesting....for me it's exactly the opposite.

I've liked Jazz Basses at home, but the clarity of the single coil pickups and mid-scoop of the two pickups together made me feel like it disappeared in a band setting.

The fact that we use the same criteria to arrive at opposite conclusions is a good illustration of how there's only so far you can go talking about tone.

The only conclusive answer is how the bass feels in your hands and lands in your ears.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

I've liked Jazz Basses at home, but the clarity of the single coil pickups and mid-scoop of the two pickups together made me feel like it disappeared in a band setting.

Yes on this. Same for me, 2 different jazz basses. Unless you run a pedal, you dont hear it. Seems not to have enough 'kick' or big sound to compete with a drummer. I watch bands who the bass player has a passive jazz, it just doesn't stand out, (negative comments coming my way!!)

 

[Gervais Cote]

Yes on this. Same for me, 2 different jazz basses. Unless you run a pedal, you dont hear it. Seems not to have enough 'kick' or big sound to compete with a drummer. I watch bands who the bass player has a passive jazz, it just doesn't stand out, (negative comments coming my way!!)

Positive comments coming your way……….
I own jazz and precision basses (2 jazz and 3 precision) and no matter how hard I hit the strings on my jazz basses, when we play hard rock, I get lost in the mix.
With either of my p bass, no drummer can get me lost in the crowd, even the hard hitting drummers.

 

[DuluthDank]

EMG pickups in the jazz sounds like the best idea.

 

[sethlow3]

Basically… you sound as if you may prefer Precision and humbucking pickups. I’m the same way, but see some use/strengths in the jazz pickups also.

I’d spend some time there with some YouTube vids and headphones so see if that what you meant by “deep”. Is it really that you prefer a certain pickup config? If it’s all about an active EQ for you, you can go all passive and buy preamps, amps, etc to get that sound.

Many times when I think of Jazz Pickups, it’s not for a big/deep/low middy sound. It’s for the bridge tone, slap tone, or both pickups full on for pick and fingerstyle grooves.

So maybe hang onto to the Jazz unless you need some extra money stat. The Jazz has some strengths of its own you may find useful later, but that also be via a different bass.

 

[john_g]

I'd give it some more time.

IMO, this. You can always sell the Fender down the road if you want to. I had a similar thing happen to me years ago when I had my first Ric and then got a G&L L2500. The G&L was active and just sounded more powerful to me at that time. I sold the Ric. I eventually bought another one though. Now I have both and several others kinds of basses. I learned to appreciate it as a different tool.

 

[perfektspace6]

Sell something you don't want to buy something you will play. Otherwise keep what you have if you don't need to sell.

Once you own 3 or more basses you probably won't play one (or several) very often. You start moving into collector or "just in case" territory.

 

[bobba66]

You need to buy a lot more basses. That will solve everything.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

Once you own 3 or more basses you probably won't play one (or several) very often. You start moving into collector or "just in case" territory.

Yes on this. My main player is my most inexpensive bass. I have a nice 5 string that turned into “just in case” bass.

 

[Nightsprinter]

I come from the electric guitar side of things, so I'll echo what comes up often on the dark side over there-

Just buy a really good EQ. for the price of a bass, you can get a sick physical EQ and VST EQ plugin, and have plenty of cash left over for booze, smokes, food, utilities, whatever you're into outside of bass. With the right EQ and know-how, coal can be turned into diamonds.

 

[MCF]

A very cheap test you should perform is to change the strings on the Fender jazz and see how it goes.
I replaced the original strings on my Squier Afinity jazz bass with some Dunlop Marcus Miller stainless steel rounds super bright and oh my god, they woke up totally this humble little jazz bass. It’s now very funky on slapping BUT also growling and rumbling a lot on finger style playing.

+1 re the Dunlops. Those or SIT Powersteels are what I use on all my Thunderbirds except for a couple that I use for other specific tones.

 

[shoot-r]

The one thing I'd want to know before suggesting to keep or replace that Jazz is: Have you played the Ibanez with a band? Because my experience has been that a passive Jazz is not my favorite 'bedroom tone' but it is my favorite in an ensemble.

This ^^^^^.

OP, quit worrying about equipment.
You've got two great instruments now, (and great amps and cabs to play them through also.)

Use, learn on, play what you've now got!

Till you start playing out in a live band setting you don't know what will work for your ears, (and that includes amps and cabs.)

There's a reason you see so many/most players using passive P's and J's in live settings and for recording.

 

[LowendG]

Depends on your goals for gigging, recording, etc., but I think it's always good to have options, and IMHO a passive Fender-style bass - J or P - always good to have on hand if you intend to "work". Haven't read the entire thread, but maybe push it even farther away from the Ibby by putting some flatwounds on it. Having an active bass w rounds and a passive J or P w flats covers a lot of territory, from modern to old school.

 

[JazznFunk]

It’s not surprising that the active bass sounds good at home.

Hang on to the Fender. Leave it in the closet for now.

If you start recording with a DAW at home or playing loud with friends, you’ll wish you had the Fender for that.

The active bass will be just fine recording, or 'playing loud with friends' just like the passive Fender. This notion that 'active only sounds good at home' is long-dispelled. Every bass and amp setup can be set to sound good at home vs. on the gig. EQ is EQ, whether it's on the bass, on the amp, or a combo of both.

 

[DwaynieAD]

I wanna hear this Ibanez that is powerful and deep. Cuz I ain't heard an Ibanez do that yet

 

[LowendG]

Yes on this. Same for me, 2 different jazz basses. Unless you run a pedal, you dont hear it. Seems not to have enough 'kick' or big sound to compete with a drummer. I watch bands who the bass player has a passive jazz, it just doesn't stand out, (negative comments coming my way!!)

Certainly depends. I have one Jazz that with both pickups dimed does that disappearing act. But I have another that is a punchy as heck mids beast with the pickups full up, does the coveted "sit in the mix" thing like a P. I switch between that one and one of my P's in one band and no one bats an eye.

 

[OnTheDownLow]

Why are you so concerned about buying a third bass when you just got back into playing?

It hits some sooner than others.

 

[MattZilla]

The active bass will be just fine recording, or 'playing loud with friends' just like the passive Fender. This notion that 'active only sounds good at home' is long-dispelled. Every bass and amp setup can be set to sound good at home vs. on the gig. EQ is EQ, whether it's on the bass, on the amp, or a combo of both.

relax on the Onlies.

Any bass can be used for any purpose.

 

[JazznFunk]

relax on the Onlies.

Any bass can be used for any purpose.

Let's rewind. The 'only' time I used 'only' was in a 'quote' capacity to draw attention to the (false) notion that active basses are somehow less desirable or functional vs passive when - your words here - "you start recording with a DAW at home or playing loud with friends." Indeed - an active or passive bass will function fine in either setting, depending on the player and how it's EQ'ed on the bass itself and/or at the amp.

Any bass can be used for any purpose indeed.