Yes...a single degree off and you void your Fender warranty. Your bass is deemed defective and resale value is automatically degraded to that of a used Squier Affinity Jazz bass. Oh what do I know, I don't play a Jazz bass.....
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.
Which direction should jazz bass knobs face?
- Thread starter ia02
- Start date
Yes, on the southern side of the equator they turn backwards. (I know, my wife is from Peru)
Last edited:
The knobs should always face the Tort! Actually towards the lower horn so I can see how much they are backed off as I roll off the volumes/tone.
This is one of life's unfathomable questions. Leo knew this when he tried to solve the problem with the Stack Knob in '63. Later, even the great Jaco Pastorius was confused. His solution - dome-tops. By the 70's, most bass players were so confused they switched to strat knobs to remind themselves, and more importantly the audience (since the words were only legible to them) what each knob did.
Finally in the enlightened world of TB we have the answer - "if it sounds good it is good, but why J when all you need is a P with flats and tort?"
Finally in the enlightened world of TB we have the answer - "if it sounds good it is good, but why J when all you need is a P with flats and tort?"
The autist in me has them set up like this. 100% open is pointing straight upwards, 100% closed is pointing on the imaginary line running between the three potmeters. It's tidy, and it gives me the desired information in the blink of an eye.
(open, closed, open)
(open, closed, open)
okcrum
in your chest
While playing the bass, I have the lines more or less pointing at me when I'm looking down at the knobs.
The way they face on geddy Lee's basses.
Would that be great white north?
The way fender intended.
Would that be great white north?
The way fender intended.
It's amazing the discussions you can find here. I just got a new Lakland DJ-4 and the knobs came installed pointing down. I thought, well that is stupid. So I changed them to point directly at me when playing my bass. Of course, i got curious if there was a "correct" way to position them, and I found this thread. So here are pics of my Lakland knobs with before and after pictures.
Before
After
Before
After
If it's a passive bass, I put the markers facing me when on 10.
If it has a blend or active controls with center detents, I face the detent at me. Here's volume, blend, treble, bass.
If it has a blend or active controls with center detents, I face the detent at me. Here's volume, blend, treble, bass.
In 30+ years of playing bass it has never, ever, occurred to me to change the knobs on any of my basses to better see a marker. Given the small amount of rotation, it's just... my mind is a little bit blown at the moment.
