precision sound from a jazz bass... is it possible?

[tedious1]

Good one.

+1

 

[experimental bassist]

These threads come up often, those that spend any time with Precisions know the answer is "No."

Those that don't spend any time with Precisions will say things like roll off all the tone on any old bass, tape a pillow to the speaker, put cotton in your ears, etc etc etc, and it will sound like a Precision.

For the record, [insert brand X bass that is not a Precision here] with all the tonal nuances turned down is simply NOT what a Precision sounds like. That is merely what [insert brand X bass that is not a Precision here] sounds like with the tonal nuances turned down.

A Precision sounds like Jamerson knocking it down for Motown, sure, but it also sounds like Entwistle tearing it up at Leeds, or Geddy on the first Rush album, and many points in between.

It's power, it's low mids, it's aggressive, and it's BASS. If a Jazz growls, then a Precision roars. To insinuate a Precision is some generic thud sound is simply not accurate.


Regardless, the real answer that you are looking for is that a Jazz bass has a great tone of it's own and making the best of it should be all that is ever asked of you as a bassist!

Good luck.

 

[Rocktometrist]

Scooped mids is probably the last thing I would think about a Precision having, at least in its most fundamental state at an Alnico 10.5-12k winding. Cutting the mids from a soloed jazz neck single coil would be just that: making the low end an unfocused woof that turns to mud and gets BURIED in a mix. I call shenanigans.

Sure, of course you're right. P-basses are known for their mid-range growl and honk.

Oh wait, no they're not. They're known for having a hollow grind sound. (One guess what the "hollow" part of that fairly common description is referring to...)

Heavy mid-low grind is pbass territory, but the mid-frequency band on an active Fender jazz bass doesn't give you that sound--it dials in the midrange honk that comes so naturally to single coils. So, yeah--you're gonna want to dial that honk the hell out of there if you're going for a pbass sound.

Sound is subjective, so maybe we're both right--but there's no way you can convince me I'm wrong about this.

 

[vin*tone]

His guitarist isn't asking for the exact the sound of a Precision. He just wants the OP to have more of that middy P tone.

Dial back the bridge and roll off some tone. That might keep him happy.

 

[fnordlyone]

P bass pu position is key:

http://s216.photobucket.com/user/dpw780/media/pickup_comparison_zps9ffdefd6.jpg.html

Notice the neck J pu is more or less aligned with the top P pu…

Jazz can never give the source P thump sound (shoot me but I think it is the pu position + neck gravity )
… but sounds pretty close, as mentioned: with some flats and the bridge pu rolled off a bit along with tone knob. Then play very close to the neck. Sounds real good but can't mimic that elusive P thump.

fnord!

 

[petrus61]

Sure, of course you're right. P-basses are known for their mid-range growl and honk.

Oh wait, no they're not. They're known for having a hollow grind sound. (One guess what the "hollow" part of that fairly common description is referring to...)

Heavy mid-low grind is pbass territory, but the mid-frequency band on an active Fender jazz bass doesn't give you that sound--it dials in the midrange honk that comes so naturally to single coils. So, yeah--you're gonna want to dial that honk the hell out of there if you're going for a pbass sound.

Sound is subjective, so maybe we're both right--but there's no way you can convince me I'm wrong about this.

I have to wonder if you've ever played a precision bass in your life, to be frank.

Your previous post pretty much goes against every accepted sound characteristic that a Precision bass (again, in its most fundamental form) offers. Or maybe you never rolled off the tone knob?

 

[Rocktometrist]

I have to wonder if you've ever played a precision bass in your life, to be frank.

Your previous post pretty much goes against every accepted sound characteristic that a Precision bass (again, in its most fundamental form) offers. Or maybe you never rolled off the tone knob?

OK, I submit that the most defining characteristic of "fundamental" pbass tone is round low-mid grunt.

I also submit that the most defining characteristic of "fundamental" jbass tone is mid-to-high-mid honk and growl.

So if you're trying to make a jbass sound like a pbass, I think it's fairly obvious you need to start with the rounder tone of the neck pup, dial out some mids and upper-mids to tame the honk, boost the lows to give it some low-end push, eq your amp to focus that low-end push in the mid-lows, and adjust treble to your preferred level of bite. Works for me on my j-basses and my rig. Apparently your mileage and/or conception of fundamental pbass tone differs.

Also, as a side point: if you read through this thread, you'll see that many (most?) posters offer advice similar to mine. Maybe none of those people have played a pbass or used a tone knob before--but I doubt it.

 

[Thumper]

Or just get a VM Squier for around $250 or less, you really should have a P bass. Of course he'll tell you to get a real Fender.....

 

[Dragan]

to the OP: very possible, use neck (front) pick up only and play above it. if any member of "Anal people" group tell the difference,in a live band situation, I will....
hmm... not exactly sure what,but that's impossible anyway.