Pure happenstance. Got my hands on one, instantly loved the neck, loved the tone, loved the versatility. Had my first bass been a P, things may have been different, but the J was there first! 
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.
When did you become a Jazz Bass guy (gal)?
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
- Start date
-
- Tags
- jazz bass
Old thread but still a worthy topic.
I've always thought jazz basses were the most visually appealing of all the basses. The pearl blocks and binding models always catch my eye. Give me a nice bright white finish and Im very happy.
If the bass has dot inlays a nice Olympic white finish or well done sunburst is a nice match.
White and sunburst finished just seem to show of those beautiful curves of a jazz bass.
As for tone, I've owned several 4 string jazz basses in the past . All of them were 70's pickup spacing. Needless to say, they didn't make the cut and were sold or traded off.
It wasn't until I tried a 5 string Fender Elite Jazz V with ebony fingerboard that I found the perfect jazz bass for me.
All I had to do was get it refinished to my personal taste.
I can thank Marvin Isley, Larry Graham, & Verdine White for my liking a white jazz bass with pearl blocks.
But it's LARRY Graham, Janice Marie Johnson, Mark Adams, Marcus Miller, Prince, Jaco, Meshelle Ndegeocello , Esperanza Spalding , Justin Raines, Snoop Evans, Sharay Reed & Debra Killings that I give credit for turning my ear towards the Jazz Bass.
I've always thought jazz basses were the most visually appealing of all the basses. The pearl blocks and binding models always catch my eye. Give me a nice bright white finish and Im very happy.
If the bass has dot inlays a nice Olympic white finish or well done sunburst is a nice match.
White and sunburst finished just seem to show of those beautiful curves of a jazz bass.
As for tone, I've owned several 4 string jazz basses in the past . All of them were 70's pickup spacing. Needless to say, they didn't make the cut and were sold or traded off.
It wasn't until I tried a 5 string Fender Elite Jazz V with ebony fingerboard that I found the perfect jazz bass for me.
All I had to do was get it refinished to my personal taste.
I can thank Marvin Isley, Larry Graham, & Verdine White for my liking a white jazz bass with pearl blocks.
But it's LARRY Graham, Janice Marie Johnson, Mark Adams, Marcus Miller, Prince, Jaco, Meshelle Ndegeocello , Esperanza Spalding , Justin Raines, Snoop Evans, Sharay Reed & Debra Killings that I give credit for turning my ear towards the Jazz Bass.
Last edited:
I specifically remember he had a Japanese Geddy and Marcus Miller he favored most.
Eventually he bought a 6 string bolt on Smith and that blew my mind.
I was about 13 at that point I had gotten a CAR Squier J and it wasn't till many years later that I realized he was playing Jaco licks at church.
Last edited:
Tomorrow. I just found one of these and put it on hold, grabbing it after work tomorrow.
1970.
Played a Hofner Beatle bass before that. Hofner sounded killer but neck dive ruined it. And P bass neck was too wide to be comfortable for me. J 1.5" nut was just right. Both pickups full with a pick near the bridge. Life was good.
Up until early 90's, then I came across an '83 active/passive Ibanez Musician 924ds PJ. 1.6 nut, 24 fret, 3-band eq, dead ground wounds. With a 4" padded strap, it's comfortable for hours.
It's the only bass I own now.
Along With a HPF, I can beat any rig into submission.
Played a Hofner Beatle bass before that. Hofner sounded killer but neck dive ruined it. And P bass neck was too wide to be comfortable for me. J 1.5" nut was just right. Both pickups full with a pick near the bridge. Life was good.
Up until early 90's, then I came across an '83 active/passive Ibanez Musician 924ds PJ. 1.6 nut, 24 fret, 3-band eq, dead ground wounds. With a 4" padded strap, it's comfortable for hours.
It's the only bass I own now.
Along With a HPF, I can beat any rig into submission.
Still trying to bond with a Jazz Bass Doc, I have owned many over the years....Billy Cox got me into the look (Aesthetic)...I love the body style but not the sound...(at least in my hands anyway)...
This is the one I have kept longer than any other...and I built it up from parts...
Aesthetically I would love to have one that looks like this...
This is the one I have kept longer than any other...and I built it up from parts...
Aesthetically I would love to have one that looks like this...
A couple of years ago I walked into a small local guitar shop and saw a left handed 1992 Fender MIJ '62 Reissue Jazz in excellent condition. I played it and instantly knew I had to have it. It's been my #1 ever since.
It seems like that old Stingray has stolen my heart again.
I just bought a Player Series Jazz V last September, first and only Fender bass. My Warwick has J pickups in it but sounds nothing like a jazz.
Prior to buying the Fender, I installed a pair of EMG 40DC humbuckers & BQS system first into an Ibanez EDB605, which sucked, so I tried them in my G&L Tribute L2500, which also sucked. So I sold the DC's & bought a pair of 40J, and that was it, the "lightbulb moment". That's when it hit me that the j-bass "voice" was what I was drawn to. Looking back at all the basses I've owned or heard, it just never dawned on me that the tones I really dug were from J-basses. With the exception of maybe one famous player who uses humbuckers, I just don't like how they sound in general.
So I'd say after 20 years or so, I realized last spring I was a J-bass fan lol.
Prior to buying the Fender, I installed a pair of EMG 40DC humbuckers & BQS system first into an Ibanez EDB605, which sucked, so I tried them in my G&L Tribute L2500, which also sucked. So I sold the DC's & bought a pair of 40J, and that was it, the "lightbulb moment". That's when it hit me that the j-bass "voice" was what I was drawn to. Looking back at all the basses I've owned or heard, it just never dawned on me that the tones I really dug were from J-basses. With the exception of maybe one famous player who uses humbuckers, I just don't like how they sound in general.
So I'd say after 20 years or so, I realized last spring I was a J-bass fan lol.
Jim Carr
Dr. Jim
- Jan 21, 2006
- 16,223
- 7,614
- 76
- Disclosures
- fEARful Kool-Aid dispensing liberal academic card-carrying union member Musicians Local 72-147
The first, that I really liked, was a Road Worn Jazz. Weirdly, I got a second one when I discovered it was even better than the first.
I previously had a 2006 '60s Jazz classic, which I never was happy with. I even added a Leo Quan "bad ass" bridge, and later, Lindy Frailin hum cancelling pickups, but ending up selling it. That kid got a great bass for 550 bucks, lol.
Now I have a AVRI 64, a RW, a flea, and CS relic. That's not counting 2 Jazz-like 5-strings and a Nash. Must sell a couple, lol.
Last edited:
I'm having an internal debate about whether or not I'm a "Jazz bass guy". If It has to be a Fender, then I'm not - with huge hands, I'm not comfortably on a skinny neck - I build my own basses and the necks are nice and big. I'm also not at all interested in basses that hum when you solo a pickup - I play church gigs, where you have to get really quiet at times, and hum is just not going to work for me. However....
I do have a couple 2 pickup basses that have that Jazz Bass "scoop" with both pickups on. Some weeks, when I need that sound to work with the vibe of the music I'm playing, I'm sorta a Jazz Bass guy. Other weeks, when I need a different vibe, I'm not at all a Jazz Bass guy.
I do have a couple 2 pickup basses that have that Jazz Bass "scoop" with both pickups on. Some weeks, when I need that sound to work with the vibe of the music I'm playing, I'm sorta a Jazz Bass guy. Other weeks, when I need a different vibe, I'm not at all a Jazz Bass guy.
Nothing wrong with that. For me, that old classic 2band Stingray tone is one of my favorites . Louis Johnson, Bernard Edwards , and Allen McGreir are some of my favorite bassist. But I can't seem to get a good tone out of them when I'm playing them.
For years, I always played Stingrays with everything turned all the way up. Learning how simply turn it down has really helped me get more useable tones. I really don't need it, but that three band on the Sterling provides a ton of options too.
How is that Hartke rig? The 3500 is one of my favorite amps out there, and I am thinking about getting another one with that HyDrive 410...
My last thread derail; I went for a Motown sound here on my SUB5.
Last edited:
This is as jazzy as I'm gonna get, I'm not a fan of any of the Fender offset and contour bodies.
but I'm there in spirit
but I'm there in spirit
I became a Jazz bass fan about 2 seconds after I bought my Sadowsky Metro in February 2017.
I'm not a "jazz guy", despite having 2 very nice ones. They're just too heavy for comfort. 
This may change after the short scale jazz arrives later this week.
This may change after the short scale jazz arrives later this week.
