My jazz bass is ridiculously bright

[Longhair]

Cheapest solution would be to experiment with different value pots, capacitors and resistors.

 

[danomite64]

Turning down the bridge volume will solve your treble troubles.

 

[audiomitch]

Its almost as if the pups are wired out of phase.

Not sure how this would make a difference if he's only using one pickup.

 

[bob atherton]

I find on my MIA 62 RI Stacknob that if my bridge PUP is fully up the neck volume has no effect at all until it gets to about 9 out of 10 and then it's kind of all or nothing. This also frustrates me.

I can blend my passive 2000 USA standard jazz VVT without this problem. Any ideas. Not trying to hijack the thread just having the same sort of issues. Mind you, the 62RI doesn't sound too bright for me though....

 

[PDGood]

To make a long story short, my jazz bass behaves very differently to any other one I've played.

This sounds like a pretty good clue.

If it's behaving differently than every other jazz bass, then that is your starting point for looking for a solution. Find what is different.

 

[Rattman]

Hmmmm... Maybe some mods have been done on the wiring & pots, post-factory eh? Better get a tech to check that out for ya real soon. Like the others already said, maybe switching over to some quality flats would be another solution as well.

 

[nostatic]

Most would be happy to have a ridiculously bright bass. I mean, who wants a stupid bass? Maybe your bass is acting out because it is bored (common with bright basses). You might try enrolling your bass in some after-gig activities - maybe chess club. America needs to celebrate their best and brightest!

 

[ehque]

the neck volume knob doesn't seem to add any neck volume until it's up full

the neck pickup tone knob does not do anything unless you turn it up all the way and then it's at full whack

These sound like defective pots. Possible corrosion?

 

[David Jayne]

I'm a bit baffled by how it can sound bright with the amp treble and mids at zero. Something's not right here. Even if the bass was broken somehow, it wouldn't be bright with those amp settings.

 

[DriesG]

Isn't it normal for single coil pups to have the effect that the OP describes? In my own experience ('72 Fender J), it's "better" to use the pu volumes on the bass between say 60-95% and blend the two pots to wathever sound you like or need. (I just don't like the tone of jazz basses with the volume on max). When I turn the pot to 100%, the sound changes a lot in the last 5% of the volume. So: try experimenting a bit with this and use a bit more of amp volume...

 

[PurpleDrank]

Two pages in and nobody's said it so here goes:

Get a P-Bass.

 

[ST-Growler]

Two pages in and nobody's said it so here goes:

Get a P-Bass.

I totally agree with this.

 

[darkstorm]

You either need to have the electronics rewired or replaced due to faulty wiring/parts or you need new pup for bridge psoition thats got darker char tone or both new/redone electronics and new bridge pup. Id start with redo the electronics. Then replace bridge pup if still brighter then desired.

 

[B String]

Two pages in and nobody's said it so here goes:

Get a P-Bass.

Nah.... He's not looking for a P bass sound. Actually....

It would be VERY helpful if you filled out you profile a bit. People could get an idea of what kind of music you play or the types of players (and their sound) you like.

The first thing!!!!! Take it to a tech and make sure everything is working right on the bass. It sounds like something's not right there. If everything is good, then perhaps its time to use an external preamp or eq to help shape your tone. For instance. There are times when I want a bridge pickup sound without the neck pickup, but I want it FAT. I use a Sansamp Paradriver with sweepable mids. I leave it switched out most of the time, but when I want "that" sound, I hit the foot switch and my pre eq'd is there. Less highs, a bump at 170hz, and a good low end bump. Totally fattens up the rear pickup while it still has the punch and articulation.

But again. Have a tech look at the bass first just in case.

 

[blipndub]

Its almost as if the pups are wired out of phase.

But wouldn't that be solved by turning off the neck pup, which is what he says he's doing? Don't the pups have to be out of phase with each other?

I mean, what he said /\

 

[JB696]

All righty then. How about shoving a thick hunk of foam rubber under the strings. That might tame some of the nasty treble that you get when you solo the bridge pickup. It would probably still be a little bit thin sounding. But it would have a nice motown thump to it.

OK, here's a followup. I shoved a piece of one inch mattress foam under the strings of my jazz bass between the pickup and the bridge. Just as I suspected, it took out most of the nasty treble. But I'm not sure if this is the tone the OP is looking for. Not much fundamental or sustain either. Sounds sort of like whacking an empty cardboard box with a stick.

 

[FunkMetalBass]

But wouldn't that be solved by turning off the neck pup, which is what he says he's doing? Don't the pups have to be out of phase with each other?

I mean, what he said /\

If tuning up the neck pickup "sounds terrible", it could be that the phasing is causing the signal to be thinner. He never really explained what the sound was doing, just that it sounded terrible.

OP, can you record? I'd love to hear what's happening. Also, what strings are you using? Can we get a picture of the bottom of the control plate?

 

[Handyman]

Also, the neck pickup tone knob does not do anything unless you turn it up all the way and then it's at full whack, so I can't really add in a little neck.

Are you saying your bass has more than one tone knob?

 

[Kael]

1. Set your amp back to flat. You are EQ'ing way too ehfing much. Try lightly cutting the treble if need be. Quit boosting your lows so much. You are killing your headroom. Seriously. I don't even need to hear your sound to know that with those particular settings you sound... not good.

2. Either go with both pickups on full or lightly favor the neck pickup. That will give you low end. If you just have to have the bridge burp tone, only dial down the neck pickup enough to get past the point where the pickups are loading each other.

3.. Turn down the tone knob. Done. You might sound a little more trebly than you think you ought to, but a little high end/mids will make you sit in the mix better. If you still have too much treble IN A MIX PLAYING WITH A FULL BAND, there is something wrong with your tone knob.

4. If all else fails, maybe you are a good candidate for flat wound strings.

 

[Killerfridge]

Are you saying your bass has more than one tone knob?

No, he's is getting the volume and tone knobs confused - he's mistakenly referring to the volume knobs as "tone" knobs, and the tone knob as the "treble" knob.