My Jazz Bass has no balls. Help!

[Tony In Philly]

I had a Noel Redding model Jazz Bass MIJ that had the same exact problem. During the rare times I used it a gigs, I had to readjust all of my amp settings. It's one of the few basses that I have ended up trading away. The Fender dealer I bought my next bass from took it in trade, gave me a good price for it, and sold it immediately. It must be simply a matter of taste or perspective.

 

[bass.slinger]

How do you set the volume and tone knobs? I would try the bass with the tone and bridge volume dimed, and then roll the neck volume to around 80%. This should produce a more upfront tone. If you still don’t like this tone, then changing the pickups to something like the DiMarzio or Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounders would be a good choice. You could also drop in an active pre (you can get a replacement control plate with the preamp).

 

[MustangWally]

The stacked controls would make my jazz more accurate to a real 62. How would that change the sound I'm wondering?

I know it's not a Jazz, but when I put better quality pots on my Mustang PJ the tone got a lot better (to my ears at least), it seemed to have a much more immediate sound, seemed snappier somehow (describing sound with words is doomed from the start...) but whatever it was much more fun to play.

I don't know what quality of pots your MIJ J bass has, but if they are cheapies then that is where I would start - CTS pots are cheap and easy to fit. IMO lotsa bang for the buck and easy to do. Invalid Link Removed

 

[sonic 7]

My Jazz Basses do loose something with both pickups at 100%. I almost never have it set that way. I find my tones by choosing either 100% bridge or 100% neck and rolling the opposite pickup back to about 75%.

 

[npbassman]

I just put some daddario XT’s on my MIA pro jazz and man, the bass just woke up. Night and day. As others have said, maybe try some new pickups.

 

[Kipp Harrington]

I definitely think that some people are not understanding that a J and a P (or PJ for that matter) are totally different animals. I have a Fender 60s J (MIM re-issue) that I wasn't real keen with the sound/tone I was getting. I slowly understood the real difference between a P and a J sound. The J has a lot of sonic possibilities and it just takes "experimenting" around with it and the amp's EQ to get the sound you're looking for. I was wanting my J to sound like my P also... then I thought, "wait a minute", it's a J bass! As was mentioned many times earlier in this thread, different strings, pup height, EQ, and even where you pluck it, will change the overall sound and tone. Also, try using a pick. The notes "pop" a lot more with this technique. Good luck.

 

[pigpen1]

I have a made in japan Fender Jazz bass 62 reissue. It is a thing of beauty and has a great neck but I don't know why but it just feels like it doesnt have any balls. It's hard to describe what I mean but basically my precision feels like Harley davidson and the jazz feels like a Yamaha bike. I hope that makes sense haha. So my question is I was offered a Fender Aerodyne to trade for this bass which would give me the balls I need BUT is there a way to get my Jazz to sound more inspiring? A set of pickups maybe?

Dimarzios model j. Problem solved.

 

[skaine]

Sometimes its the pickups or the strings. I am not going to compare a P with J by any means. Sometimes its the wood i want to say, you have to try different options and see.

 

[okcrum]

If the pickups are the right height, and you hit a note hard on a J, you should be able to get it to growl pretty well. If not, Dimarzio can help.

 

[Rip Van Dan]

I have a made in japan Fender Jazz bass 62 reissue. It is a thing of beauty and has a great neck but I don't know why but it just feels like it doesnt have any balls. It's hard to describe what I mean but basically my precision feels like Harley davidson and the jazz feels like a Yamaha bike. I hope that makes sense haha. So my question is I was offered a Fender Aerodyne to trade for this bass which would give me the balls I need BUT is there a way to get my Jazz to sound more inspiring? A set of pickups maybe?

With both of your volume knobs and your tone knob turned all the way up, go to your amp and dial in a little boost at 250Hz if you can, and give it another try. I gig with only that 250Hz boost using my passive Jazz and I pop right up in the mix - not overbearing, but easily heard and felt. With noon being flat, I'll turn it up to 1 o'clock or 1:30. My control will give a max 15db boost/cut. If you boost too much, it will get honky, so back it off if you get that sound.

If you can't dial in specific frequencies like you can with a semi-parametric control, then nudge your low-mid control a bit. Did some recording in Seattle a couple of months ago and couldn't access 250Hz, so I boosted a little at 500Hz and that worked well too. Anywhere you can hit in between 250Hz and 500Hz should work for you.

If that doesn't do it for you...give the Aerodyne a try.

 

[Eminor3rd]

Based on what you're saying, I don't think there's a mod that will make enough of a difference that you change your mind about the tone.

 

[Ostie]

I never dime my pots. Always Set about 80 or 90 percent. I can’t tell you why, but the pups sound better that way.

 

[devnulljp]

I'd check the wiring to make sure it's not been miswired somehow. Easy to replace wires and crappy pots. I've often seen subpar electronics on MIJ basses, which is weird if you think about how good Japan is at electronics in general.
Failing that, yours might be weak somehow. Degaussed magnets, broken wires, or just crap pickups.
Everyone's going to recommend their favourite pickups. Buy a bunch and try them, sell the ones that don't do the job in the B&S forum (also a good place to buy a bunch to try) -- Depending on what you want, you really can't go wrong with Aguilar, Lollar, Pickup Wizard, Lindy Fralin, Bare Knuckles, DiMarzio, SD, or the Fender CS.

I put some Bare Knuckles and some decent pots in a 90s MIJ Jazz and it sounded amazing.

 

[PJ Muzikmansky]

I have a made in japan Fender Jazz bass 62 reissue. It is a thing of beauty and has a great neck but I don't know why but it just feels like it doesnt have any balls. It's hard to describe what I mean but basically my precision feels like Harley davidson and the jazz feels like a Yamaha bike. I hope that makes sense haha. So my question is I was offered a Fender Aerodyne to trade for this bass which would give me the balls I need BUT is there a way to get my Jazz to sound more inspiring? A set of pickups maybe?

I had a made in japan '62 reissue jazz bass just like yours. Anaemic sounding pickups. Absolutely zero oomph. I sold it.

 

[Mike Vee]

why not install some Pure Vintage 64 pickups and an Emerson wiring kit? The whole deal will cost you about 150.

 

[Topkat13]

If it’s brand new they may not have dropped yet.

 

[BassplayinBob]

I have a made in japan Fender Jazz bass 62 reissue. It is a thing of beauty and has a great neck but I don't know why but it just feels like it doesnt have any balls. It's hard to describe what I mean but basically my precision feels like Harley davidson and the jazz feels like a Yamaha bike. I hope that makes sense haha. So my question is I was offered a Fender Aerodyne to trade for this bass which would give me the balls I need BUT is there a way to get my Jazz to sound more inspiring? A set of pickups maybe?

You should trade your Jazz bass so you can miss it in about 6 months and then buy another one. Good advice there, no charge.

 

[Shinbone]

I had a Noel Redding model Jazz Bass MIJ that had the same exact problem. During the rare times I used it a gigs, I had to readjust all of my amp settings. It's one of the few basses that I have ended up trading away. The Fender dealer I bought my next bass from took it in trade, gave me a good price for it, and sold it immediately. It must be simply a matter of taste or perspective.

This is pretty much my story too. The only bass that I ever traded away. It was an MIM Jazz with Dimarzio pickups and a Badass II bridge. Sounded great at home but always got lost in the mix at gigs. Guess I'm just not a single coil kind of guy.

 

[Auspuff]

I have a made in japan Fender Jazz bass 62 reissue. It is a thing of beauty and has a great neck but I don't know why but it just feels like it doesnt have any balls. It's hard to describe what I mean but basically my precision feels like Harley davidson and the jazz feels like a Yamaha bike. I hope that makes sense haha. So my question is I was offered a Fender Aerodyne to trade for this bass which would give me the balls I need BUT is there a way to get my Jazz to sound more inspiring? A set of pickups maybe?

Get it to a professional to set it up, correctly.

While there are a lot of good ideas thrown at your issue, the best suggestion was how you are playing the bass, let alone what it is running through. Otherwise, it reminds me of my motorcycle racing days, when every "Issue" was supposedly solved by throwing tons of money at the "Problem."

I purchased this 2002 MIJ off Fleabay, and it is now the favorite bass in my stable. Once I got it, off it went to my Luthier, had GHS round-wounds put on it (just for fun), and I run it through a Carvin SC2000 amp, Gallien-Krueger CX410, and a Wampler Compressor.

I'm in sweet Bass Bliss.

 

[Tim Schnautz]

I have a made in japan Fender Jazz bass 62 reissue. It is a thing of beauty and has a great neck but I don't know why but it just feels like it doesnt have any balls. It's hard to describe what I mean but basically my precision feels like Harley davidson and the jazz feels like a Yamaha bike. I hope that makes sense haha. So my question is I was offered a Fender Aerodyne to trade for this bass which would give me the balls I need BUT is there a way to get my Jazz to sound more inspiring? A set of pickups maybe?

just out of curiosity, what are the condition of your strings? Dead strings can null a bass tone..