• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Playing a Jaco Bass, the real deal

RickC

RickC

Jun 9, 2005
2,135
770
#1
There's another thread about this bass in here somewhere, but I figured I'd start a new one. You may recall seeing/hearing about this:

Invalid Link Removed

A friend of mine is the current owner, and he's been threatening for months to let me take it out on a gig. Last night it finally happened! Peacheaters at Dante's in Marlborough MA, first set. Teen Town meets Whipping Post :)

Some pics below. It was an amazing experience; an amazing bass.


10718_160273760629_54046040629_3969.jpg



10718_160273765629_54046040629_3969.jpg



10718_160273770629_54046040629_3969.jpg



/rick
 
#12
A couple of quick comments on this bass. When I first saw it a few months ago I thought it was kind of heavy for a 60's; that turned out to be a totally wrong impression. Having it on the strap, on the gig, it was very light and sort of "melted into you" the way those old basses sometimes do. I switched to my Lakland JO for the second set, a nice weight at 8.5 lbs, and it felt considerably heavier and clumsier than the Jazz.

The neck is small, way smaller than I would normally consider acceptable for me, but it felt great. The more I played it the better it was, and after the long two hour first set I felt like I could've kept playing it forever. The shape, the smoothness - I've played some great modern attempts at recreating this, but they still don't touch what this one was like.

Soundwise, it had a very distinctive voice. Nice and throaty in the low end, and the upper register jumped out sweet and clear. Again, nothing else out there really nails what these basses do, imo.

/rick
 
#15
Rick,
You looked and sounded like you were spreading butter with a smooth, worn old butter knife the other night. What a beautiful bass with a great sound and great history. You're one lucky player to have used that one!
 
#19
pmgleenis said:
If this is actually one of Jaco's basses, why does his family not own it? Shouldn't the estate own it? His son Felix should be playing it.
Click to expand...

If you read the article, it never belonged to Jaco, it always belonged to someone else. He just played it/borrowed it when he was in town.

that's why I'm a little like this:hmm:
He just played it now and then. Never owned it or anything of great magnitude.
Sounds to me like the owner, and forgive me, this sounds disrespectful, but the owner is making WAY more out of this bass than it actually is.
 
#20
I find that apart from that little raincloud over the parade a larger problem for us bassists has been shown by those pics and its even more of a bummer. Jesus not only plays guitar, it appears he likes Gibsons better than Fenders.

Looks like a good percentage of us was wrong all this time.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back