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Most versatile type of Jazz bass

#121
Wilbyman said:
I dunno Ken, I love you but my 8.5lb ash/maple DJ4 wasn't that great...might be personal preference...I didn't feel it had a great/good slap sound and the fingerstyle sound felt a little weak compared to the alder basses. We might have to agree to disagree...
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That DJ with the Aero's is a very different sounding bass... very, very aggressive, and not a lot of low mids.... massive upper mid grind. It was even too much for me, although with the passive tone cranked back, it sounded pretty good. I agree on the slap thing... that model was all about the grindy, super upper mid bright rock tone.

I would think, for your tone goals, that bass would have been pure hell!


Edit: This brings up a good point though.... it all has to work together. For example, my ash/maple NYC Sadowsky with 60's pickup position is one of my favorite basses of all time, but with the stock HC pickups, it is a trebly, ganky mess up top (IMO) and too much deep low end versus growl. Stick some Sadowsky singles in there, based on one of the Seymour Duncan models, and it just sings. Those pickups have a grindy but not harsh midrange and some lower mids built in to balance wonderfully.... grindy but also growly, and plenty of top end for slapping on the rare occasions that is called for any more!
 
#122
I have a '78 Fender Jazz with the heavy ash body and the rosewood fretboard with the neck binding and inlays. I got this baby when she was young, back in the early 80's. Everyone who I let play this monster breaks into smiles. It just sounds awesome and plays "like buttah." The frets are in great condition, and Funk players especially like the tone on both slap and fingerstyle.

That being said, my back is trashed and I now need to play something much lighter in weight (i.e. 7.5 to 8 lbs in a 4 string), and I've never been able to replicate the sound of the '78.

Anyone have any ideas for a lightweight, but great-sounding J bass?
 
#124
somegeezer said:
I think a Jazz bass is just versatile in itself. It's up to the player how they change it to suit and whatnot. But a Jazz bass just has everything you really need.
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+1 All this stuff we are talking about is a tweak here and there. To me, decide which classic tone you want, 60's warm and fat or 70's bright and aggressive, spec 'er out, pick a color, and let 'er rip!:D
 
#125
Bassblisters said:
I have a '78 Fender Jazz with the heavy ash body and the rosewood fretboard with the neck binding and inlays. I got this baby when she was young, back in the early 80's. Everyone who I let play this monster breaks into smiles. It just sounds awesome and plays "like buttah." The frets are in great condition, and Funk players especially like the tone on both slap and fingerstyle.

That being said, my back is trashed and I now need to play something much lighter in weight (i.e. 7.5 to 8 lbs in a 4 string), and I've never been able to replicate the sound of the '78.

Anyone have any ideas for a lightweight, but great-sounding J bass?
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if thats the sound youre used to, thats tough. an 8lb ash jazz just doesnt hit hard. it blooms and has a more hollow character.
 
#126
somegeezer said:
I think a Jazz bass is just versatile in itself. It's up to the player how they change it to suit and whatnot. But a Jazz bass just has everything you really need.
Click to expand...

Don't mean to disagree, but a good P bass is tone heaven.
There are many guys who've done quite well with both fingers
and slap on a P bass. It has an authoritative, supportive
sound that no other bass quite has.
A good Jazz bass has just about everything, but it ain't a P bass.
 
#127
B String said:
Don't mean to disagree, but a good P bass is tone heaven.
There are many guys who've done quite well with both fingers
and slap on a P bass. It has an authoritative, supportive
sound that no other bass quite has.
A good Jazz bass has just about everything, but it ain't a P bass.
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+1 Fun thread, and as always, I love noodlin' Jazz Bass features and tone issues! A good passive P and a 60's style alder/RW J Bass would probably get 90% of the players where they need to be tone-wise. For the other 10% that dig the grind and/or funk, some sort of ash/maple J would finish that classic trio:bassist:
 
#132
B String said:
Sometimes its just the magic of wood and how the neck and body work with each other.
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So True...
We can count on a general tone from certian combos but there sometimes is just a right combo that does it.
 
#135
I just wanted to resurrect this thread to inform everyone (anyone) of my findings so far. Poor Carey Nordstrand has had to endure my flopping back and forth between options while I try to end my quest for the most versatile Jazz bass.
A few of my findings.

One of the most important parts of this puzzle has not been the wood as much as four or five strings. If I were looking for a four string bass, my choice would be Alder/Rosewood. Low mid fullness and a sweet top end. But adding a B string to the mix changes things. I've consistently found the B string to be more articulate with an Ash/Maple combination. And as both Peterpalmieri and Kjung have stated in their opinions, with a 60's spaced Ash/Maple, with active pre and passive tone control, its easier to tame the upper end and clank than to try and make the Alder/RW B string more articulate. This is NOT a universal truth! Just what I've found with the basses I've played so far.

This experience is also giving me a great bass building education too. I really wanted a Rosewood board because of the feel until Carey Nordstrand showed me different options for finish on both the front and back of the neck. I now love the feel of the slightly rough satin finish on the front and back. It almost feels like an unfinished neck.

Again, none of this is set in stone, just my experience so far. And if I may add, its a really fun journey!
 
#138
B String said:
Don't mean to disagree, but a good P bass is tone heaven.
There are many guys who've done quite well with both fingers
and slap on a P bass. It has an authoritative, supportive
sound that no other bass quite has.
A good Jazz bass has just about everything, but it ain't a P bass.
Click to expand...

Well, I've got both, and I was surprised how close I could get to the P sound when I solo'ed the J's neck pickup and bumped the low mids 3-6 dB. Not identical, but so close you'd have to listen very carefully to tell.

OTOH, I've got an old Epiphone AccuBass (Epi P bass clone, alder/maple) that sounds like a P on steroids with rounds on it. Really well made and inexpensive for all it delivers.

Still, I use my Js on the gig, by and large. I like the wider tonal range I can get just from right hand position + the controls on the bass.
 
#139
emjazz said:
Alder/maple
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Well smart boy, that's what I have now. An 04 Fender Am Dlx J V, with Alder/Maple, 60's spacing. Its actually an amazing bass. Especially since Carey reshaped the neck for me and put a satin finish on it. If I were to put one of Carey's preamps in, it would be the end of my search. HOWEVER.....
I already gave Carey my deposit for a bass. He's been truly wonderful with his advice and very giving with his time. It would be totally wrong of me to pull out now. That, and I think I'm going to end up with a very special instrument.

Although, I almost changed my mind yesterday when I played the new P5 he has in stock. Wow! That P bass is a freak.
 
#140
B String said:
Well smart boy, that's what I have now. An 04 Fender Am Dlx J V, with Alder/Maple, 60's spacing. Its actually an amazing bass. Especially since Carey reshaped the neck for me and put a satin finish on it. If I were to put one of Carey's preamps in, it would be the end of my search. HOWEVER.....
I already gave Carey my deposit for a bass. He's been truly wonderful with his advice and very giving with his time. It would be totally wrong of me to pull out now. That, and I think I'm going to end up with a very special instrument.

Although, I almost changed my mind yesterday when I played the new P5 he has in stock. Wow! That P bass is a freak.
Click to expand...

why not put his pre in your bass anyway? the cost on that is super minimal.

are you getting singles or humcanelling in your new bass? if youre doing singles are you looking for a different sound than your fender?
 

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