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Why did Jaco remove the pickguard?

#144
He worshipped Jerry Jemmott. Its the same reason why he bought a 67 Jazz, since it looked like Jerry's. Jemmott played with no pickguard and the bridge cover on. Jaco did it too. I've got a picture of him and his CBS Jazz trying to cop a Jerry Jemmott vibe.

Jaco has said a couple of times that he thinks Jerry Jemmott is a better player than him. He was his hero, and how many people have bought a bass like their idols?

steubig said:
further fuel for people who think i'm an idiot: i think the amount of and type of finish changes the sound of a bass. i like oil finishes, i know people who think they make a bass sound muddy and they prefer paint (a la fender finishes).

last: i remember reading that people who were trying to figure out why a stradivarius sounded different than a gaurneri - - there was some thought that it was the varnish, not the woods used (which were virtually the same). yeah, they thought the finish changed the sound.

dunno, maybe i'm misreading stuff here, but it seems like some people will blow it off without even trying it or hearing for themselves.
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You can put me in the club that thinks you're taking a big fat placebo. I think the majority of those who think that finish on an electric instrument really affects the sound are a bunch of crack heads.:rolleyes:

Tons of high end makers use poly. Some use nitro. Some use oil. Its a matter of preference. My sweat tends to dissolve nitro pretty quickly, so most of my basses are poly. To bring an end to the nitro/poly debate, realize that around 99% of 'nitro' finished instruments have a poly undercoat. Including those revered 60s pre-CBS instruments. Think about that while stuffing your proverbial crackpipe.;)

As for the stradivarius comment, you're comparing an acoustic and an electric instrument.
They figured out what made those old violins tick a while ago. It was considered a combination or the remarkably consistant density found in the wood used, as well as his varnish. Unfortunately, to figure out how he made the varnish, you'd need to destroy one of these priceless violins. Something that no one is willing to do.
The reason why the finish is so much more important on an acoustic instrument, is because all the tone from instrument is produced by the actual vibrations of the instrument. No pickups, no electronics. Since the volume and tone of the instrument are determined by how the body resonates, how the finish has settled into the wood is important.
Which is why those stradivarius violins get played everyday.
 
#146
GeneralElectric said:
He worshipped Jerry Jemmott. Its the same reason why he bought a 67 Jazz, since it looked like Jerry's. Jemmott played with no pickguard and the bridge cover on. Jaco did it too. I've got a picture of him and his CBS Jazz trying to cop a Jerry Jemmott vibe.


You can put me in the club that thinks you're taking a big fat placebo. I think the majority of those who think that finish on an electric instrument really affects the sound are a bunch of crack heads.:rolleyes:

Tons of high end makers use poly. Some use nitro. Some use oil. Its a matter of preference. My sweat tends to dissolve nitro pretty quickly, so most of my basses are poly. To bring an end to the nitro/poly debate, realize that around 99% of 'nitro' finished instruments have a poly undercoat. Including those revered 60s pre-CBS instruments. Think about that while stuffing your proverbial crackpipe.;)

As for the stradivarius comment, you're comparing an acoustic and an electric instrument. . . . .
Which is why those stradivarius violins get played everyday.
Click to expand...


hmmm.okay.

maybe we need to ask jerry jemmot why HE did it then. again, i made no claims as to knowing why jaco did it.

here's one thing for me, i know you're trying to be funny, but the whole crackhead thing really doesn't add much to the discussion. here's where i could say: "but what do i expect from a guy who's a methhead." ya know, doesn't add anything?

placebo in your mind or not: i did i by mistake back in the '70s and noticed a change when i had expected NOTHING. ymmv.

i understand the electric vs. acoustic phenomenon, thanks.

considering electric bass (for the most part) is just a slab of wood with strings on it, a lot of us spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about tone woods, etc. plywood could be just as cool - - or we could use masonite (as i've heard the dan electros are made of - - and thy have a way different sound)

re finishes: i don't like any paint on my basses. sounds different to me. i like oil finishes. i'm sure that's a placebo, too. since i've talked to some pretty well-regarded luthiers who (as i recall) think that finishes do sound different, i'll agree to disagree with you.

we're all gonna do what we think sounds best - - i'm not gonna change your mind and you're not change mine.
 

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