When did you become a Jazz Bass guy (gal)?

[JaseyT]

For me, the Jazz Bass seed was planted sometime in the late '90s or early '2000s, when I started paying more attention to certain songs/records that I knew were the Jazz Bass tone. Around that same time, probably 2000, I played a Geddy Lee for the first time and loved everything about it. And this was that first run of the Geddys, that still had the "limited edition" neck plate and the thinnest necks of all Geddys made since. Fast-forward to 2001. I got a '70s Jazz, mocha brown with pearl block inlays, for a lower price since it didn't have the stock pickups (it had active Seymour Duncans with the white dip switches - remember those?). It has seen many modifications/upgrades, but since August 2001 it has consistently been my #1 go-to bass.

These days, this is the current incarnation of my Jazz:
- maple Warmoth neck with black binding and black blocks, original tuners
- BadAss bridge
- Nordstrand NJ4s with the '70s winding
- Dunlop straplocks
- original body and original black pickguard

 

[Jon_the_Cynic]

I became a jazz bass guy last month! I just started learning bass this year on an Ibanez Mikro (PJ), and while I like the comfortable short scale, I wasn't entirely satisfied with the tone. I found a decent deal on a MIM Jazz V, and I found I love that cutting, growling, "angry piano" J tone through my Sansamp VTDI!

I'm now curious if I'd like the Mikro 5 string (JJ pickups) tone considerably better, or whether it's just a case of getting what you pay for.

 

[HMZ]

My first bass was a used 1972 Jazz bass in 1982ish. I was a Jazz bass fan for a long time till I bought a P bass about 10 years ago. Needless to say I have two P basses and no Jazz basses....at this time;-)

 

[Rib 13]

Entry instruments aside, I started on a Jazz -- from there, I went to Alembic, then to G&L, then to Musicman, back to G&L for a long time and with an assortment of Peaveys, Ibanez, and other brands sprinkled in for good measure....I went back to a Jazz last year and realized that I had gone full circle..............

To answer "Why?" It has Swiss Army bass capabilities...I like the crispness and more "Modern" tones I can get from one.....I prefer its tone for slap bass over any other

 

[TonyP-]

To this day I still don't like JJ basses. They just don't sound good to me in my hands. I had a Fender JJ back in the early 90's that was a good bass - played it in a big band and in a jazz quartet. I switched to a Sterling in '94, sold the JJ and never have owned one since (for more than a day or three). For me it is PJ or Smith - Music Man can work, and Rob Allen but that's a different beast.

Different strokes...

Lol I'm diatonicly opposite of that.

Even my big Lulls are just 35" scale J basses taking a good dose of creatine and the gym.

It funny how some gravitate to a style.
Cheers

 

[bassinflorida]

Had a Gibson EBO in 1971. Thought it was from the Gods. Later in 1974 I found a used 72 Fender jazz in local music store for $200. Played it and then realized the EBO was just a "bowed 2x4 with a cheap microphone".
Bought it and never looked back.

 

[JimK]

1st Bass-ever was an Epiphone (Xmas '72)...saved my milk money & couple years later, I bought a '64 P-bass from a friend's friend for $200 (still have...major facelift, though).

Cut my teeth on that bass. The Players I was into at the time? P-bass guys (Chuck Rainey, Alan Gorrie, Will Lee, even Louis Johnson). I also liked the fact that it was 1-pickup. It was my job to make it work (with my hands). Blah.
Around '78, I bought a Sting Ray (another 1-pickup bass)...tone was too "Metallic", IMO.
I then bought a Schecter P-bass & gigged extensively with that until...

Oteil Burbridge came to town playing his Jazz.
Something in my sound was missing. It hadda be the bass, right? ;-)
Too, the neck was a lot less clunky than my Schecter.

So, added a Jazz pickup in the Bridge position & bought a Warmoth Jazz neck.
That was the initial move towards being a Jazz bass guy.

 

[Timmy-Watts]

Whenever I listen to Marcus Miller. It never took on my actual playing, though.

 

[GroovinOnFunk]

The very first bass I ever played was a purple MiM Fender Jazz that was hanging on the wall in a studio my dad was recording at.
As I sat at yet another of my dad's recording sessions, bored and filled with energy but nothing to do, I noticed this bass on the wall beckoning for me. My dad had just gotten the gig as lead trumpet player with Tower of Power and I had started becoming infatuated with Rocco's playing.
I sheepishly looked at the owner of the studio (and the jazz bass) and asked if I could play the bass while the session happened. At the end of the session she says I'm a natural and offers to let me take the bass home for the summer so I have something to learn on while I save up for my own bass.
Never did an unplugged cheap bass bring me as much joy. I played all summer with no amp and old strings. None of that mattered to me though. By the end of the summer I bought my first bass off of legendary bassist Lincoln Goiness, who was our neighbor at the time, and got a little combo amp from Rocco, himself, and the rest is history.

I've been a jazz bass fan from the start. Have a jazz bass tattooed on my arm. Just recently discovered why P-basses are so popular (have to play it in a band context) but J-bass is where my heart is at.

Getting my first custom built 70's style J bass soon. Should be my new number one.

 

[mattattack187]

Since I pieced one together. Love the neck profile and the sound of both pickups full on. I've never played another style of bass that sounds as good with overdrive to my liking than a Jazz Bass.

 

[BassJuju]

It wasn't until June of this year that I played one seriously. A friend had one a few years ago that I noodled around on for a bit, but didn't really bond with it because it wasn't mine. Recently, I played a new Jazz at GC and really liked the way it handled. It had tonal options that I couldn't get out of my other basses and I am still finding new tones. Whenever I walk into the room it is the one I gravitate to without fail. I still play the others, but this jazz is definitely my #1.

 

[rtslinger]

Okay i know exactly when I started to love jazz bass I was playing a show and the owner was a bass player and he asked me if I would like to play his jazz bass this was his and lucky I dated the photo, I knew someday someone would ask me this question ha ha ha

and this one is mine It is a Older SX I change out the pickups recent after the one pole went bad now she is back in the game hey also a shot before the lights were add rare photo

 

[Jerry Wang]

Since I was born

 

[Dr. Cheese]

The very first bass I ever played was a purple MiM Fender Jazz that was hanging on the wall in a studio my dad was recording at.
As I sat at yet another of my dad's recording sessions, bored and filled with energy but nothing to do, I noticed this bass on the wall beckoning for me. My dad had just gotten the gig as lead trumpet player with Tower of Power and I had started becoming infatuated with Rocco's playing.
I sheepishly looked at the owner of the studio (and the jazz bass) and asked if I could play the bass while the session happened. At the end of the session she says I'm a natural and offers to let me take the bass home for the summer so I have something to learn on while I save up for my own bass.
Never did an unplugged cheap bass bring me as much joy. I played all summer with no amp and old strings. None of that mattered to me though. By the end of the summer I bought my first bass off of legendary bassist Lincoln Goiness, who was our neighbor at the time, and got a little combo amp from Rocco, himself, and the rest is history.

I've been a jazz bass fan from the start. Have a jazz bass tattooed on my arm. Just recently discovered why P-basses are so popular (have to play it in a band context) but J-bass is where my heart is at.

Getting my first custom built 70's style J bass soon. Should be my new number one.

What is your main gig?

 

[Clef_de_fa]

My first bass was a Fender PJ probably made in mexico bought in a pawnshop and it was awful.

So my impression of Fender and Fender-ish instrument is a relic from the past not really a modern player. A few years ago I did get a Squire Jbass for like 3 months.

I'll stay with modern instrument in 5 or 6 strings.

 

[GnarwhalNick]

I'm not a Jazz bass guy yet. I started off with a Squier P-Bass and fell in love with the P-Bass pick-up and tone. I also played punk and rock for the majority of my time playing bass, and I just couldn't get a jazz bass to sound right (I used a pick). As the years went on, and I really started listening and was able to figure out the difference between the J and P, I started to grow admiration for the Jazz bass. But every time I played one (fingers and pick) I just couldn't get that sound I was looking for or was familiar with. I started following a lot of bass pages on all different social media platforms recently, and I see a lot of Jazz basses. I wanted one so bad but I just couldn't get the sound I wanted, and eventually I bought a Jaguar because it was the best of both worlds (P/J). Now, while I love my Jag, I still GAS over Jazz basses. Specifically one that is lake placid blue with a white pick guard and a maple neck. I actually was planning on purchasing that one before I got the Jag but I couldn't part with the P-bass pickups. The other day, I walked into GC and pulled a Jazz off the shelf and started playing it. And that is when I finally figured it out, how to make it sound the way I want it to. So while it is not smart for me to buy a bass right now, a Jazz is definitely the next bass on my list.

Invalid Link Removed

 

[PauFerro]

Marcus Miller played one, so I followed his lead. I liked the tone of a back pickup too because it sounded clear and cut through the mix when soloing.

The one thing I don't like about jazz basses is the assymetrical body shape. My ideal bass now is a PJ configuration on a precision body. My jazz style bass is too banged up from falling off stands that weren't suitable for it.

 

[GnarwhalNick]

Marcus Miller played one, so I followed his lead. I liked the tone of a back pickup too because it sounded clear and cut through the mix when soloing.

The one thing I don't like about jazz basses is the assymetrical body shape. My ideal bass now is a PJ configuration on a precision body. My jazz style bass is too banged up from falling off stands that weren't suitable for it.

I didn't realize how much I would appreciate my P's symmetrical body until I got a Jaguar and put it on a stand. I either have to twist it or the stand to make it sit straight without fear that it will fall!

 

[FirewalZ]

Growing up in the 80's/90's watching my older brother play his 1977 Fender Jazz bass.....it was on the rod with him for several years and went from white to dark yellow. It has some mods he did in the 80's some time, brass nut, bartolini p-ups and a Schaller Roller Bridge, but is otherwise original. It's now in my possession, heavy as hell, but sounds and plays great. I also own and play a P bass and an older Stingray which are also great instruments, but that early experience watching my brother play that Jazz bass had an impact on me and I always go back the Jazz.

 

[JRA]

pj's for the last 20+ years for me, but i had a wonderful neck (jazz style) from a custom build just sitting on a shelf for several years, so: went looking for a body to mate it, and found a jazz body on CL, added hardware and electronics and ended up with this:


very pleased. way fun to play!