it's been awhile. when i realized (or admitted to myself) that no brand/model/build was superior to my need for 'feel' = i stopped being "underwhelmed" --- if it feels good = make adjustments/mods/etc. and have a great time!
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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.
Severely Underwhelmed by New Bass
- Thread starter _HunterB_
- Start date
The new Jaguar Player series has a PJ setup. From what I've heard the preamp in the older Jaguars was a weak point. You can always add active electronics, or a stand-alone preamp.
Invalid Link Removed
Invalid Link Removed
I would say a little more complicated in some ways. The American Jaguar kept the electronics in favor of the PJ setup. The PJ configuration certainly tames the "grit", if that's your thing. Original advertising was centered around pick playing a'la Rick type tones.
The player series is an awesome value for working musicians. Certainly plays on the popularity of the Squire Jags in the same configuration.
Ain't it the truth. I keep the bass setting on my Rumble at 9 o'clock, all others around noon.
I'm surprised at a Jazz lacking low end. If both pickups are on you might lose mids. But it should have enough low compared to, say, an MM with coils in parallel. I'd suggest checking how you are using the pickups and amp EQ with the Jazz, then try the Jag again.
Disclosure: I mostly use a Jazz with neck pickup only. The bridge pickup is for occasional use only.
Odds are that this bass won't be all that you dreamed.
However, I agree with the above. Recently I bought a bass which sounded pretty good to me just sitting down and playing it. It wasn't the Holy Grail or anything. Sounded a lot different than my go-to Jazz. Then I took it to a decent size club with a good PA. What a revelation, hearing the sound of the bass in the room. It was more influential in my decision to keep the bass than the sound of it while just sitting in front of an amp and playing it.
The bass is not speaking to you, I would dump it.
I wanted a P/J bass for a long time. One day I tried a bunch out at the local music store and none them spoke to me. The way they felt, played, balanced, sounded, etc.
Some basses I pick up sound good and feel good right away. Of course, that is no guarantee that the bass will make it through my unmerciful scrutiny when I get it home. But at least it has a chance.
I wanted a P/J bass for a long time. One day I tried a bunch out at the local music store and none them spoke to me. The way they felt, played, balanced, sounded, etc.
Some basses I pick up sound good and feel good right away. Of course, that is no guarantee that the bass will make it through my unmerciful scrutiny when I get it home. But at least it has a chance.
Sansamp GED-2112 if you like Geddy's tone. I have one. I love Geddy's tone but was frustrated trying to get it with various amps, pedals, etc. It's in his DI now, he just dials it in (and he's much more skilled than me so there are some things - many things that are in his fingers). Geddy attributes his "sound" to an agressive playing style with a dual channel setup. The GED-2112 splits the signal and sends one to a Deep channel and a Drive channel. I used to come close to it with a Sansamp BDDI Deluxe, I can pretty much nail the tone with a GED-2112. And I play a Ray35. The GED-2112 gives you the fat sound but with the mids and slight distortion Geddy is known for. He plays a Jazz so the pickups should work.
wmhill
Inactive
- Aug 20, 2012
- 4,054
- 17,209
- Disclosures
- MTD basses endorsed artist Bartolini pickups emerging artist TECAMP bass players gear endorsed
trust your first impressions- send it back.
(PS- most Fender stuff fails to live up to the hype in my book).
(PS- most Fender stuff fails to live up to the hype in my book).
I've been there. I spent a really long time modding and parting together a bass to sound in the same ballpark as a Rickenbacker based on things I had learned and thought about reading on TB. I was pretty disappointed when I finally took it for a spin. I think it's because I've always been a P-bass guy and the two pickups together create scooped sound that I never liked on a Jazz. Then I had a couple thoughts:
1. The only time I got a chance to play a Rick (which was part of what started me on the project), I was really disappointed by the sound while playing it. Thanks God my wife took a video of me playing it and when I heard the video, I realized it sounded like the Rickenbacker sound I love, but it just sounded bad to me when I was playing it.
2. I only play bass at church. I don't have a band or a gig outside of that. I've never had someone come up to me after service to tell me my bass sounded good before. Each of the first two weeks I played my new FrankenRick, I had someone who knows nothing about bass or guitars come up to me and say how great it sounded. That confirmed that it sounded good, but my ears just weren't used to hearing me play a bass with so much mid-scoop. Took me a bit to get used to it, but now I love that bass.
Why dump money into something you don't like? That will not make you like it. It will only waste time and money. This is true for basically anything. When you know what you want (G&L in OP's case) you go get it. Don't waste resources on things you don't like.
First of all, thank you all for the incredibly helpful advice! As I said I would last night, I spent all day playing around with the bass and trying to get it to sound good. I'm happy to say that I may be keeping my dream bass after all! Its now obvious that part of the problem was that I never tried to find out what the bass was good at. Roll the tone knob back, stick the pickups in series, and my god is it buttery! Finding that tone in this bass was enough to make me want to keep it. It just sounds so good, and plays even better. Moral of the story here, dont make a bass do something that it doesnt do well. I may still put some fralins in for the low end, and I might as well considering I plan on having this bass for a while. Thanks again guys!!
Good, you won't be sorry that you did. Ignore the haters and explore your dream bass. It took me more than a day to really grasp what this bass is capable of doing. After owning 40+ basses and countless amps, I can tell you that there is no "everything" bass or amp out there.
At last weekends outdoor gig I was told on three ocassions that my bass tone was cutting people in half and could I either turn down or do something else, I turned way down and still the complaints came.
I play a two dollar Squier P bass. Just sayin..
Ahhh there's your problem.
The Fender Rumble's I've played through have sold me more basses than the music store employees.
Just about anything is gonna sound good through those.
Not really man though I do like to get things going a bit but, Ive had a couple high end basses and there's just sumthin bout that P bass heavy mid range that still does it.
Oh and just to say I was running a Rumble 200..maybe it was the amp who knows.
.
