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What strings bring out the best in a Jazz?

#22
davidjackson said:
When I do get completely fed up of the Jazz being a bit thin and nasally I just pull out my P bass with heavy flats on. When that ends up sounding too muddy I switch back. Playing both regularly helps me appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of both.
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True for me also...can't seem to do without either.

The strings that I like best on a Jazz are: GHS Boomers, which have less zing and better feel than D'Addario XL's; and D'Addario Chromes, flats that deliver both thump and brightness, letting the Jazz growl the way it's supposed to, though soloing the bridge pickup a la Jaco sounds kinda "gray" (for lack of a better word) and not all that bright.
 
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#23
Stone Soup said:
Whre are you guys finding these "thin, nasally" Jazz Basses? I've never owned one, and I've owned many.
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They're all that way... and then people EQ them to not sound like that, it's fairly easy so it's actually not a big deal. At least in my experience, with nickel strings, all Jazz Basses sound this way. It comes more from the bridge pickup than the neck pickup. It's an upper-mid "honk" that just doesn't sound all that great. It's also why I like the tone of a P Bass or a Ric a lot better than a Jazz, but with EQ a Jazz is amazing.

Now, with steels, maybe they don't. I've never tried to know for sure. I always avoided steels due to the fret wear concern.
 
#24
I guess I'm either going to get DA ProSteels or DA Chromes, I'm just not sure which yet.

The strings are DA Nickels now (or similar Fender) gauged 50-70-85-105-135. There seemed to be a too-loud D string before but now that I've tweaked by lowering the G action and adding a little relief it it's okay. I'm going to try my most preferred gauges of 45-65-85-105-135 and hope that doesn't make the D string problem come back.
 
#25
I have a jazz style Sadowsky that is naturally very bright.
With stainless strings I have to cut so much high end
off the pre. If I have to do that, what's the point of having
an on-board preamp? I put some DR nickel Sunbeams on
last night and they're exactly what I needed. I can actually
use my treble control now. I would rather add treble to a dark
sounding string than cut all kinds of highs from a bright string.
 
#26
Try play using only the neck pickup. Almost close the tone control. Use old roundwounds or flats. Try compression if you haven't done it yet.
To me the jazz has more low end push and a fuller sound but a bit lower output than the P.
That makes it easier to make mistakes when adjusting the sound and also sound engineers might kill your sound by turning to much treble on. Also most stage monitors are not voiced for electric bass so they will sound nasal. The trick is to have just the right amount of treble and that's probably not as much as you think you need :)
The P-bass (with flats) is a much easier sound to mix with it's strong low mid thump. Not as deep and full though but I enjoy both in different situations.
 
#27
Depends on what you want to hear, the Jazz is pretty versatile. If you want a grindy rock or slap sound than Rounds are the way to go. If you just want a solid bass tone than try some flats, I use Labella 760 Fl's ,they sound like old school bass. Thats what I like to hear, if I want more bottom I can roll the back PU down or off, if I want more of the jaco " jazz bass mid burp" tone than I roll the front pickup down or off. So what you want your jazz to sound like ? than choose accordingly.
 
#28
mozilla314 said:
I have a jazz style Sadowsky that is naturally very bright.
With stainless strings I have to cut so much high end
off the pre. If I have to do that, what's the point of having
an on-board preamp? I put some DR nickel Sunbeams on
last night and they're exactly what I needed. I can actually
use my treble control now. I would rather add treble to a dark
sounding string than cut all kinds of highs from a bright string.
Click to expand...

lol
 
#29
It may not be just the strings, it is could be your technic AND /OR strings. You will have to try what works for your sound. Stainless Round or maybe even a pickup swap may be the trick....good luck.
 
#34
thiocyclist said:
They're all that way... and then people EQ them to not sound like that, it's fairly easy so it's actually not a big deal. At least in my experience, with nickel strings, all Jazz Basses sound this way. It comes more from the bridge pickup than the neck pickup. It's an upper-mid "honk" that just doesn't sound all that great. It's also why I like the tone of a P Bass or a Ric a lot better than a Jazz, but with EQ a Jazz is amazing.

Now, with steels, maybe they don't. I've never tried to know for sure. I always avoided steels due to the fret wear concern.
Click to expand...

Odd. Using either Sadowsky flats, DR Legends flats, or DR Sunbeams rounds, I've never had a thin, nasal, tone on my Jazz, even when I had the stock pick ups on it. Now that it has Lollars it's even warmer. :confused:
 
#35
Not that they aren't also warm... there's just a really strong high-mid resonant peak. It goes away with series wiring for the most part so it's just something about the pickup placement and the circuit. Some people love it but it drives me to drink (or play a Ric or a P or use an EQ). I think with flats it largely disappears, based on my limited experience with a Jazz with flats.

I listened to some EQ clips of steels and they sounded just like nickels with a little less low mids and a little more highs so I doubt that'll fix it. I'd better just go straight to some flats.
 

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