I brought my #1 jazz 98 american standard, black and maple to practice for the first time in a while, after finger dropping some 91% isopropyl into the pots (the type with the shaft coming out of the back), which made it usable again. I'm sure when I find my de-oxit they will be almost as new. This is the first I have cleaned the pots on it, so it was a good run almost 20 years. (my foundation needs some de-oxit too).
I had the old fender (Grey silk) nickel taper 110e set on the fender, which had just gotten out of the DNA bath, and on the foundation I still have the cleaned steel rounds which I am pretty sure are DM blue steels, so it was not a fair comparison since steel strings can be a bit louder and punchier. I had not played the jazz in a little while since the tone pot crapped out in an obnoxious wall of crackle a couple months ago, so I was dying to play it.
We started with low by cracker, and then went right into distant early warning. The chunkier neck and 110 e, and perhaps the string through added tension made it not as comfortable as I had been used to, so from now on that song will be after we have played a few more rockers to get loose and warm. After a few more songs I switch to the foundation. MUCH louder output than the jazz, i had to back off the gain and lows. But part of that could be the strings, but face it, perhaps jazz bass on steroids is referring to this, the VFLs are pretty hot.
The main thing I need to say is this. My foundation (post 94, undated late 90s I assume) neck feels soooo much better, it is like it was made for my hand. I really like playing this bass, and it is certainly #1 for this one particular band. The jazz is still awesome, great tone, perhaps I need to do a better setup and get an overdue fret job, and get the action lower and go back to roundcore strings like high beams, to make it more comfy. I am on the verge of putting it back in storage. That bass and I have been through a lot, the foundation was a fairly recent "rescue". The jazz is long overdue for some professional attention. I might let Kadaver work on it, we go way back.
I might be checking out that beat to hell 93 fury soon, if the neck wear does not bother me tactilely, and it fits like the later foundation does in my hand, it would become the #2 for that band until I can find a vfl foundation 5 to match my 4. I am probably getting a bird too, so another foundation has to become a future thing, unless one pops up beat up for super cheap. Ubernator is poor, cheap beat up USA peaveys appeal to me in this extended period of thin funds. The bird and my max amount I am willing to pay for that fury, basically wipes out my gear kitty.
