Metal: Precision vs. Jazz

[Rnr..........4]

I used to like Ibanez SR necks but now think they're too thin like a matchstick. Warwick's are perfect for me.

 

[bhendrix]

Ian Hill rocked a Jazz for a while - and recorded with it. Now he uses his signature Spector Euro.

 

[Thegrandwazoo]

On the real, though, it seems like 80% of metal bass players choose Spector, Ibanez, modified Thunderbirds (for looks only, I assume), or Warwick basses.

 

[shojii]

Check out New Zealand rockers Beastwars’ bass player, James Woods J - bass tone. I’m usually a P guy but this has got Me

 

[Snakeman1066]

maybe he's playing metal in E standard, like those wussies in Black Sabbath.

not even downtuned. sheesh. can't be metal if it's not downtuned. wussies.

um...

Black Sabbath, Paranoid, Technical Ecstasy, Never Say Die, Mob Rules are in standard tuning

Vol. 4, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, Sabotage were down a step and a half

Heaven and Hell down a half step

Mater of Reality has multiple tunings depending on song

and before you decide you want to argue with me this is direct from the mouth of Geezer Butler...

 

[TrevorOfDoom]

um...

Black Sabbath, Paranoid, Technical Ecstasy, Never Say Die, Mob Rules are in standard tuning

Vol. 4, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, Sabotage were down a step and a half

Heaven and Hell down a half step

Mater of Reality has multiple tunings depending on song

and before you decide you want to argue with me this is direct from the mouth of Geezer Butler...

Not arguing. You're correct.
Was just being a little tongue-in-cheek.

My point is more that if you have to down-tune for your riff to sound "heavy", then methinks your riff needs some help.

You can drop-tune "Walkin' On Sunshine" a few steps and it'll sound heavy. Doesn't mean it is.

 

[sc_precision]

It all depends on the band. If it's a punk influenced, raw metal band, I've seen P basses used more. If it's heavy metal with hard rock influences, the Ric or P/J. If it's more prog'ish or arena metal (like Ghost) I've seen the Jazz used. Spector, Sandberg and Warwick or any other active are good for the stadium arena metal bands like Priest or Rammstein so the bass is heard over twin guitars (tho Steve Harris uses a passive P bass). Really comes down to what you like and what visually looks killer.

Lately for myself, I just prefer P basses both in sound and look. I have a jazz and a Ric but one is heavy and the other has a very bright tone (the ash Jazz). I like my Thunderbird for metal.

 

[nogood531]

I have an EMG PJ setup and most of the time, I prefer the P sound for metal songs.

With proper EQ, either can work. It also depends on what you’re using it with. Are you using only EQ’d clean signal or running some distortion or fuzz? Some effects, Darkglass for example I believe, split the signal, keeping your lows clean and EQ’d and only distort the higher frequencies.

Also depends if you’re playing old school or modern metal but IMO more important than pickups are the strings. Especially on 5 string, make sure the B is tight enough that you can comfortably play those 1/8ths or 1/16ths at relatively high speeds.