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Who makes a great J right now?
- Thread starter 600 Ohms
- Start date
Mike Lull is making some amazing J basses. Check out the M4V or M5V. Very lightweight ash (I believe he chambers them), custom wound pickups, hand built by Mike, Plek’d fretboards, everything about these basses is outstanding. Such a versatile instrument. If you want 70s pickup spacing, he build one for you like that. One other suggestion if you want that specific pup spacing and can’t afford a Lull is the Geddy Lee signature J Bass from Fender. I have one that was CIJ (crafted in Japan). Great basses that are modeled on the 72’ or 73’ J Bass.
I own several J basses, both vintage and newer, and my prized possession is my '72 J. But for my live use I wanted active preamp capability in a J setup, and being a lefty the choices are few and far between. I now use my Sire V7 basses. You simply can't beat them for quality, tone, and versatility for the price. They check all the boxes for what you're looking for in a price well under $1000.
Personally I would pick a fender every time, not because I like them but because they are great all rounder and do every type of music and sound good.
I try and stay away from active electrics, have been burnt many times by them failing! and for good measure I have only known one to work properly and sound good, it was the Music Man circuit, does what it says on the tin as they say.
I know a few of my friends who have active bass's and they are always fiddling with the controls on stage! never satisfied with the sound!
Try a few, passive and active and judge the sound for yourself, you have live with it afterwards.
A lot of people on here will say buy this or buy that, and one is extolling the virtues of the the '69 fender Jazz, having played a lot of vintage bass's in the past one thing I have found is that a new instrument sounds like the vintage instrument did it was new! so I don't much stock in what they say about vintage sounding better, it is an illusion and very expensive to play that game, but having said that I do own a '70 J bass in all original condition and it sounds no better than my recent ones, maybe a little muddier and well played in but thats it!
By all means take advice, but try as many as you can before you make a decision and be as sure as you can be before you make a purchase.
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I've been in the market for a new Jazz. I like my 2001 American Jazz, but I've been looking.
I was recently in Nashville, and went to Gruhn Guitars. I played a boatload of J's. The '69 Fender was unreal. Completely lived up to the hype of a vintage instrument. Outside of that, it was an easy call for me. The Suhr J's absolutely killed everything else they had in there. I went in super excited about playing all the different Sadowsky's they had (Will Lee, P/J, etc.). I walked away very disappointed in the tone of the Sadowsky's. It's like there was a huge hole in the tone in a crucial area of the mids. My wife, who was being a good sport, said the Suhr sounded like it was a pro level instrument amongst a bunch of toys. The feel was fantastic and the tone was head and shoulders better than the Sadowsky's and everything else they had (not counting the '69 Jazz, of course).
I suspect I will own a Suhr in the near future.
I was recently in Nashville, and went to Gruhn Guitars. I played a boatload of J's. The '69 Fender was unreal. Completely lived up to the hype of a vintage instrument. Outside of that, it was an easy call for me. The Suhr J's absolutely killed everything else they had in there. I went in super excited about playing all the different Sadowsky's they had (Will Lee, P/J, etc.). I walked away very disappointed in the tone of the Sadowsky's. It's like there was a huge hole in the tone in a crucial area of the mids. My wife, who was being a good sport, said the Suhr sounded like it was a pro level instrument amongst a bunch of toys. The feel was fantastic and the tone was head and shoulders better than the Sadowsky's and everything else they had (not counting the '69 Jazz, of course).
I suspect I will own a Suhr in the near future.
I like the look of both the Jericho Alpha Blacker (I think based on the Fender Aerodyne):
http://jerichoguitars.com/product/alpha-blacker/
or the Atelier Z J basses (3 links but more on their website):
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Stunning looking basses with awesome tone!
http://jerichoguitars.com/product/alpha-blacker/
or the Atelier Z J basses (3 links but more on their website):
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Stunning looking basses with awesome tone!
I just played a really nice Baachus MIJ Woodline series in Singapore last week and was quite pleased with how nice that bass really was. It sounded great with the dual coil pickuis and playability was super with the ebony fingerboard. I also played a couple of really nice Sandburg jazz basses in Tokyo last week and was equally as impressed with tone and playability, same thing it did not have single coil pickups on it so it sounded a little beefier.
Sadowsky. I've had a Sadowsky J since 1986. I did the self-build route and even a modified self-build where I used a NYC luthier, Woody Phifer, to put the parts together and finish it for me. Then Will Lee let me play his Sadowsky and I was sold. I bought one the next week at Roger's old shop at 1600 Broadway. I was so into the instrument that I bought the only one he had available at the time in a color that I've never liked (refrigerator white).
The Sadowsky was much better than my '71 PJ and roll-yer-owns and was my main bass until only a few years ago. These days I'm more into fretless, acoustic and vintage P basses so I don't use it as much, although it will always go to the the studio with me, just in case. They're well balanced (both weight and tonally), record well and are built like trucks. Mine has never required major maintenance other than a new tuning gear after it was knocked over by an over-enthusiastic Newfoundland dog (see avatar). Even the finish still looks like it's a two year old bass.
NB: I know John Suhr's and Fender Custom Shop's J and they're great basses. I'm not familiar with some of the alternative brands I've read in this thread but I can say that I see more NYC session players using Sadowskys than other makes.
The Sadowsky was much better than my '71 PJ and roll-yer-owns and was my main bass until only a few years ago. These days I'm more into fretless, acoustic and vintage P basses so I don't use it as much, although it will always go to the the studio with me, just in case. They're well balanced (both weight and tonally), record well and are built like trucks. Mine has never required major maintenance other than a new tuning gear after it was knocked over by an over-enthusiastic Newfoundland dog (see avatar). Even the finish still looks like it's a two year old bass.
NB: I know John Suhr's and Fender Custom Shop's J and they're great basses. I'm not familiar with some of the alternative brands I've read in this thread but I can say that I see more NYC session players using Sadowskys than other makes.
You could contact Joey Milstein over at Gamma Bass Guitars (GAMMA Custom Bass Guitars). I just bought a new J model (Alpha) from him and I love it. It is really an amazing bass that I can't say enough good about. Also, he will take your exact specs and make exactly what you want if you can't find it in his inventory.
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In my experience (and it's a lot when discussing Jbass') hands down the Sadowsky J Bass is the best crafted one available. My Metro JBass will put all of the others to shame. The neck, fretwork, pickups and EQ cannot be matched. They are incredibly dependable and consistent for playability. The NY Sadowsky's are incredible too but not much different than the metro other than wood options.
I've found MIJ Fenders to be great value for money, though you might want to swap out the original pickups.
I'm also lucky to have a luthier brother, so I can get any bass I want at "family" rates. He built me a variation on the theme of a J bass, but when I got my MIJ Fender J, the hand-built bass sounded "too much" like a Jazz, so I put some more versatile sounding pickups in it. If I want a Fender J sound, I play the Fender!
There are three things to remember about Fenders: First, Leo Fender gave the prototypes to gigging musicians, who played them, critiqued them and made suggestions for improvement, so the production designs were basically very sound. Second, they were always designed to be built my machine in factories (unless you want to shell out for a Custom Shop). Third, Fenders hold their market value better than anything else. Any hand-built instrument ought in theory to be better than a factory-built one. But as someone said right up at the top of the thread, you get good ones and bad ones of all makes.
Take your time and choose what sounds and feels best to you!
I'm also lucky to have a luthier brother, so I can get any bass I want at "family" rates. He built me a variation on the theme of a J bass, but when I got my MIJ Fender J, the hand-built bass sounded "too much" like a Jazz, so I put some more versatile sounding pickups in it. If I want a Fender J sound, I play the Fender!
There are three things to remember about Fenders: First, Leo Fender gave the prototypes to gigging musicians, who played them, critiqued them and made suggestions for improvement, so the production designs were basically very sound. Second, they were always designed to be built my machine in factories (unless you want to shell out for a Custom Shop). Third, Fenders hold their market value better than anything else. Any hand-built instrument ought in theory to be better than a factory-built one. But as someone said right up at the top of the thread, you get good ones and bad ones of all makes.
Take your time and choose what sounds and feels best to you!
Well I gotta tell ya...Fenders aren't the best build quality compared to many out there but there's just something magical about them I simply can't explain. They frustrate the hell out me with parts dropping off, truss rod sockets wearing out and screws rimming out their tappings. Try as I might I cannot seem to find anything I feel at home with as much as my 2005 USA Deluxe 5 string Jazz that I took all of 10 minutes deciding to buy having only visited the store for a jack cable! I've owned Sandburg and Lakland, borrowed a Sadowsky, been down the Japanese soap bar pickup type bass route. But nothing catches my eye and ear like a Fender, even after 45 years and all the myriad alternatives around. Maybe it's illogical along with an over romantic attitude born out of four and a half decades playing them, but recently I saw a bass player friend of mine play a theatre musical show on his Marcus Miller Fender Jazz 5 and the sound was just awesome. I had a chance to check out the bass backstage after the show and it was to die for. I've been trying to find one ever since but they just don't turn up for sale used and have been discontinued for a long time now. One day perhaps. Good luck with your search. I'm seeing a lot of beautiful looking instruments on this thread that's making me pause for thought.
After going to the local music store and playing the new MIA Fenders, including the Elite Jazz 5, I decided to go the Warmoth in-stock route. I went with all Hipshot USA hardware and Aguilar 70s pickups. I also was able to get gold fret wire, which was not an option with Fender. Other nice touches include Dunlop dual-use strap locks and Kilo knobs. The bass balances great and, though not a feather weight, is noticeably lighter than the Fenders I tried. Even though I bought everything new, I was able to procure the parts at good prices by not being in a hurry and being a smart online shopper.
When you say who makes the best Jazz, well isn't it one of Fender signature basses? So I say fender. Sadowsky has added a real good touch as with Alleva Coppolo. Names like Sadowsky and Coppolo make really good jazz as with Suhr. Hard to say who makes the best sounding bass but Fender makes the best Jazz, but the others have made nice adds to it.
I own a couple of Maruszczyk Elwoods (4 & 5) that I'm pretty happy with but I think the pickup spacing is more 60ish. Lately, I've been fascinated by Dragonfly basses.......
There are a few other Japanese makers that I'm looking at as well.......
Man, I played a sick Will Lee Sadowsky the other day. That was a smooth playing, great sounding bass. First ever, and boy was I impressed.
I'm going to suggest Alleva Coppolo
Jimmy makes remarkable playing and sounding basses in most respects true to their respective era, but upgraded and better. He doesn't do a whole lot of exotic tops or add excessive bells and whistles, but what he does do suits the needs of any J Style aficionado.
I've tried most high-end j-style bases and while there are a lot of great ones out there like Sadowsky, Sandberg, Lull, none sound or play like Jimmy's coppolo.
Jimmy makes remarkable playing and sounding basses in most respects true to their respective era, but upgraded and better. He doesn't do a whole lot of exotic tops or add excessive bells and whistles, but what he does do suits the needs of any J Style aficionado.
I've tried most high-end j-style bases and while there are a lot of great ones out there like Sadowsky, Sandberg, Lull, none sound or play like Jimmy's coppolo.
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