What Bass is Jaco Playing Here?

[gerryjazzman]

This just popped up on my YT feed. Cool jam at Musician's Institute with Frank Gambale in 1985. Cool jam, poor video/audio quality. But what in the world type of bass is Jaco playing here? Very unusual to see him without his requisite Fender Jazz.

 

[FRoss6788]

Jaydee….

I believe

 

[Matt Liebenau]

I don’t know the model but the picture in the thumbnail looks like a Jaydee bass. Probably most known for use by Mark King.

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/ive-never-seen-jaco-play-this-bass-before.927561/page-2

 

[gerryjazzman]

Interesting that this discussion popped up 12 years or so ago. Never saw that thread. I thought it was a one-off at this performance and he borrowed it or something. Ya learn somethin’ new every day.

 

[J-Bass RMR]

whether you recognize the bass or not, there's no mistaking who's playing it!

(unfortunately, in the later years, it wasn't too unusual - "borrowed bass" was a common thing)

 

[Cadillac_Mike]

Even in '85 Jaco wasn't quite ready for a pointy headstock bass... But by '87 there were just too many forces at play to resist.

 

[gerryjazzman]

whether you recognize the bass or not, there's no mistaking who's playing it!

(unfortunately, in the later years, it wasn't too unusual - "borrowed bass" was a common thing)

Yep. Unmistakable.

 

[GroovinOnFunk]

whether you recognize the bass or not, there's no mistaking who's playing it!

(unfortunately, in the later years, it wasn't too unusual - "borrowed bass" was a common thing)

Well yes... We all know what Jaco looks like... Don't think that was the point of the post

 

[JPK_DK]

This just popped up on my YT feed. Cool jam at Musician's Institute with Frank Gambale in 1985. Cool jam, poor video/audio quality. But what in the world type of bass is Jaco playing here? Very unusual to see him without his requisite Fender Jazz.

Yes, almost certainly a Jaydee!

Jaydee Series II - BassBros

Here we have a stunning, much sought after Jaydee Series II! These are fantastic basses that are increasingly hard to come […]

bassbros.co.uk

 

[Dynacord]

I was there for that. There were two segments, the other with Jeff Berlin. Jaco just borrowed students' basses. He didn't have a bass with him - it was a totally impromptu thing where he dropped by the school. I still have my student ID which he signed...

 

[Dynacord]

Well yes... We all know what Jaco looks like... Don't think that was the point of the post

I took that to be about his trademark playing style rather than look (?)

 

[Dynacord]

I'd also note that it was pretty much him just borrowing what was closest. He didn't try out a dozen basses looking for what he liked best or anything like that. So I wouldn't particularly take it as an endorsement of that bass specifically. While the J Bass bridge pickup tone was a big factor in his tone, he still sounded like him on whatever bass.

 

[andare]

I'd also note that it was pretty much him just borrowing what was closest. He didn't try out a dozen basses looking for what he liked best or anything like that. So I wouldn't particularly take it as an endorsement of that bass specifically. While the J Bass bridge pickup tone was a big factor in his tone, he still sounded like him on whatever bass.

Everybody sounds like themselves on whatever bass.

 

[MrClassicMetal]

This just popped up on my YT feed. Cool jam at Musician's Institute with Frank Gambale in 1985. Cool jam, poor video/audio quality. But what in the world type of bass is Jaco playing here? Very unusual to see him without his requisite Fender Jazz.

Off topic: Nice jam! Frank Gambale was an instructor at The Musicians Institute at the time. That guy has some serious chops, and can really shred when he wants to.

Jaco's playing is so tight here, love his groove. He keeps it interesting and sounds great even through a lousy phone speaker.

 

[Dynacord]

Off topic: Nice jam! Frank Gambale was an instructor at The Musicians Institute at the time. That guy has some serious chops, and can really shred when he wants to.

Jaco's playing is so tight here, love his groove. He keeps it interesting and sounds great even through a lousy phone speaker.

It was amazing there then. Gambale, Scott Henderson, Joe Pass, Tommy Tedesco, Jeff Berlin, Tim Bogert, Gary Willis, etc, etc and people dropping in like Jaco, Robben Ford, Chuck Rainey and lots of others.

 

[gerryjazzman]

Yes, almost certainly a Jaydee!

Jaydee Series II - BassBros

Here we have a stunning, much sought after Jaydee Series II! These are fantastic basses that are increasingly hard to come […]

bassbros.co.uk

Nice pictures of that Jaydee! Kind of has an Alembic look to it, sort of like Stanley Clarke’s bass.

 

[Kevnn4]

I don’t know the model but the picture in the thumbnail looks like a Jaydee bass. Probably most known for use by Mark King.

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/ive-never-seen-jaco-play-this-bass-before.927561/page-2

(In my best BRITISH ACCENT....) "I see your Mark King and raise you.... a TONY FRANKLIN!"

 

[Blues Daddy]

interesting to me the Peavey backline (I also was playing through Peaveys in 1985)

 

[Dynacord]

interesting to me the Peavey backline (I also was playing through Peaveys in 1985)

Those were the house amps at the school.

 

[Altitude]

Nice pictures of that Jaydee! Kind of has an Alembic look to it, sort of like Stanley Clarke’s bass.

The story goes that Mark King, early in his career, wanted an Alembic but couldn’t afford one. The Jaydee was his ghetto answer, sort of.

Though clearly they are artfully crafted basses on their own.

All these years later, Alembic still has a Mark King signature bass series though I don’t think King has played Alembic since about 1995.