Who’s playing a Jazz?

[barbarbass]

Here's me on my jazz getting buried in the mix:



Buried enough to pull the whole band out of the pit of disaster when they forgot the arrangement at around 1:35.

Two observations:

1. Nice. I never got my J-Bass to sound like this, though. Maybe your comment about "scooping mids" was the mistake I was making as well;

2. Why is it always on the bass player to remember chord progressions/arrangements/and every other damn thing to do w/ music? BTW -- that observation extends beyond pop/rock and into orchestral bass playing as well.

 

[Mark Ellis]

I have no problem with cutting through with either of my Jazz basses, although the purple one is a Jazz Bass but with PJ pickups. I get the graphic equalizer right on my amp. Pull out low mids, push up about 1.2k.

My custom Aerodyne style Jazz Bass - The purple one.
=======================

Warmoth Jazz bass neck
Schaller Bass BM machine heads
DiMarzio PJ Pickups with 500k ohm pots.
Aguilar bass preamp OBP-1
Gotoh Multi-Tonal Series Bass Bridge - 4 Strings - Chrome - 404BO-4CS
Fiji mahogany body with maple veneer
D'Addario XL Chromes Regular Light Strings - Flats​

 

[Jeremy Crockett]

Do not make me choose between the Brothers.

In response, the Vintera Jazz pickups have a markedly lower output level than the Player P, but I use the amp to compensate.

 

[John M Ewers]

I played a Jazz at church (retired from that now). The sound engineer preferred it over my Precisions. For all other situations, I preferred the Precision.

 

[Avezzano]

="barbarbass, post: 26847547, member: 97925"]2. Why is it always on the bass player to remember chord progressions/arrangements/and every other damn thing to do w/ music? BTW -- that observation extends beyond pop/rock and into orchestral bass playing as well.

Because we are the FOUNDATION of the building, in the sense that a sax/guitar/kb player or the singer can pause for one or two measures and nothing would actually happen: it's their "creativity at work", you know? We are supposed instead to be the skeleton. Always. No pause allowed, unless it's written out on the tune. Out of 100 listeners, barely one or two will notice our strong and essential supporting work. Normally, they are bassplayers as well. But if WE make a mistake, that will be the moment we'll be pointed the finger at from a lot of listeners: they will somehow feel that there is somethong wrong in the air tonight...!!!

 

[LBS-bass]

Because we are the FOUNDATION of the building, in the sense that a sax/guitar/kb player or the singer can pause for one or two measures and nothing would actually happen: it's their "creativity at work", you know? We are supposed instead to be the skeleton. Always. No pause allowed, unless it's written out on the tune. Out of 100 listeners, barely one or two will notice our strong and essential supporting work. Normally, they are bassplayers as well. But if WE make a mistake, that will be the moment we'll be pointed the finger at from a lot of listeners: they will somehow feel that there is somethong wrong in the air tonight...!!!

Yep, and it's not just us - it's the rhythm section. The drummer didn't forget either, but he just doesn't have the melodic heft to keep the other instruments from train wrecking to the wrong section.

 

[Avezzano]

Yep, and it's not just us - it's the rhythm section. The drummer didn't forget either, but he just doesn't have the melodic heft to keep the other instruments from train wrecking to the wrong section.

Often, we're the single individual that carries on the shoulder everybody and ALSO the damn drummer! We love him, for sure. But everybody knows he's only happy beating and torturing his drums and cymbals!!!! You know the old story: "how many are you guys in the band" "four musicans and a drummer"

 

[LBS-bass]

1. Nice. I never got my J-Bass to sound like this, though. Maybe your comment about "scooping mids" was the mistake I was making as well;

It's a very midrangey sound and I end up dialing out a lot of bottom end with my HPF to get there. I think many players would hear that and think it's got way too much "honk" and try to dial that out, but that's what gives it presence, and in the mix that's what you're going to need. As I've mentioned, the preamp is a big help for me here, too. If I want to add more bottom I will add more of the neck pickup, and blend alone at this point usually gives me a lot of tonal options.

 

[nonohmic]

Jazz or bust.

 

[LBS-bass]

Jazz or bust.

View attachment 4827654

With another beautiful RevSound cabinet. I sure do love mine!

 

[BasEd]

Played my P for set 1 and J for set 2 at a gig recently. The P was just “there” straight away. The J was needed for some slap numbers for which it was great (Ps are also cool for slap, just different) but it suffered a bit in the mix when playing finger style. After owning 10s of basses (Js, Ps, Stingrays etc), if I was asked to recommend just one bass to a new bassist I’d go a P (a Fender Player would fit the bill, or a Sire)… passive.

 

[LBS-bass]

The J was needed for some slap numbers for which it was great (Ps are also cool for slap, just different) but it suffered a bit in the mix when playing finger style.

I would guess that having it set up primarily for slap would be a problem if you're switching to finger style without doing any tonal adjustments.

 

[rzero]

Anyone dissatisfied with their Jazz tone should try to break in a set of HiBeams or FatBeams at least once. I'm a few months in on a set of HiBeams and have never been this pleased with my Jazz, and am getting more satisfied every day as the strings age. Hex-core stainless are similar I'm sure but my ear wasn't as dialed-in last time I tried them.

Right now I usually have both pickups on full, tone on full, amp EQ flat. I'm still experimenting with compression and overdrive but I finally feel like I'm close to a solid foundational tone on this bass.

 

[BasEd]

I actually prefer my J to my P. There’s nothing like that scooped sound with both pickups and tone fully up. But the P seems to work straight off at gigs whereas I’m always messing with the EQ when using the J. I suppose it’s all to do with the mids. Dialling back the bridge pickup slightly does bring out more mids though.

 

[wluffman]

I don't think Larry Graham's Jazz ever got lost in the mix on those classic Sly & The Family Stone records. Nor did Geddy Lee's admittedly non-typical Jazz when playing with Rush.

 

[bpritchard]

I use a Sansamp with my Jazz which gives it big balls

 

[Doug P]

On the cd’s I’m on 75% Jazz, sometimes a “P”, a Ric maybe. This is because I’ve played Jazz basses most of my “playing life” and they feel right to me. The way I sit is kinda out of my hands. The tone you hear on them is not “my pick” for the most part…. Long story. Anyway, I’m in the mix for sure. Live, I got a used Seymour Duncan Hot Stack for the neck. With this and turning down the bridge down a bit gives me somewhat a “P” sound. I bought two more SD’s and my three GL jazz basses I play live are all the same and I have no issues. No mid scoop if anything more mid’s. I’m ok with it.
Also, new Roto 66’s.

 

[4 String Fetish]

Who’s playing a jazz as your #1? Do you feel like you get buried in the mix?

I love the soloed sound of a jazz but am wondering if it gets lost a little in a mix. I’m playing blues, classic rock, funk and disco.

My current #1 is a Sandberg VM5 and it’s super punchy, which I like. I really like the sound of a 5string jazz but don’t want to get one to figure out it won’t punch through a mix.
Thoughts?
Thanks!

 

[4 String Fetish]

If you like your your Sandberg, you could try a TM. My go to bass is a TM4. It has a split coil on the MM, so with them split is basically a jazz with the correct pickup spacing. If it’s sounding thin in any situation, just flick in the second coil of the bridge pickup, it beefs it up nicely but the neck pickup still tends to dominate so it doesn’t get too far away from the sound of a jazz (to my ears).

 

[Jinobass1]

It’s true. Jazz Bass can’t cut through the mix. That’s why Bootsy Collins started wearing those big hats and glasses, before that nobody knew James Brown had a bass player.

It’s also the back story behind the White Stripes. Jack was a huge Alex Lifeson fan and he saw Rush and thought it would be cool to sound just like that, just guitar and drums, no bass player.

Some of the newer digitally remixed Sly and the Family Stone albums have been edited with a keyboard bass line because just between you and me the dancers could never pick out Larry’s bass lines. EVER.

Did you ever listens to Bootsy playing Fender Jazz on James Brown’s Sex Machine ?? I think IMHO It cuts through the mix. But maybe if Bootsy was playing P-Bass with Flats it might of cut through more like James Jameson!?!!??? Dunno for sure but string height also has something to do with tone.

low Action : Neck Resonates but not the body

high Action: Body Resonates More

but than If you have big Hands w/thick fingers….more tone!?

had so many great players playing my basses and thick fingers are what I envy!!! Just my 2cents.