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Would I be Hated?

B

brisbass

Apr 14, 2009
10
0
Bristol UK
www.myspace.com
#1
So i'm looking round for a vintage bass, i have around 2 pushing 2 and a half thousand pounds to spend, I've been looking at jazz bass's but I'd like a sixties one as I like the sound and the feel etc, fell in love with a 65 the other day but that was six and a half thousand!!

I've always toyed with the idea of a Gibson Eb3 Bass Because I love the sound of the front pick up with the beautiful round warmth to it, and with the bridge pick up it'll bring a good amount of that jazz bass sound to it. Also it is short scale which means that I wouldn't have the same problems that I do with a Precision neck (small hands.)

I play in a band that plays jazz hip hop, I do a lot of jazz, and I also do cover bands playing the usual stuff, as well as a classic blues rock band doing hendrix/cream stuff. I'm using a little mark 2 going into a bergantino 1x12 cab.

What I'm trying to say is what do people think about me using an eb3 bass in all these situations? One of the main reasons is because I can get a really nice eb3 for a lot less than the same standard jazz bass.

My opinion is that you shouldn't type cast tone because then it gives the music nowhere to go, for instance a classic jazz guitar tone like herb ellis and joe pass, if everyone just repeats their tone they wont create their own etc...

I just wanted to see what everyone else thought about this? any ideas for alternatives to either bass?

Thanks
 
#2
Personally I'd hate you till the end of time if you used an EB3 in those situations. :D

Seriously though, play the bass that YOU think sounds best. You'll make the tone fit in the situations you play in. Just make sure that the bass is truly what you want, spend a good amount of time with it, and see if you can do a rehearsal and maybe a gig before flat out buying it.
 
#3
A lot of bands are full of people who hear with their eyes, so you'd have to expect some looks when you reach for an EB. That said, it should produce a huge, thick hip hop tone. If your cover band does any Cream, then the EB should count as a plus. Would you have another bass to serve as a backup if the people you play with aren't feeling the EB tone all the time?
 
#4
Thanks Michael for your opinion, but I'd love to hear why you'd hate it, just so I can understand everyones opinion.

And Dan I was thinking it would be good for the hip hop, and also the cover band does do a load of cream.

But I think my main concern is still the jazz as in how it would sound in that situation, are there any bass players who have already done this on record, or you've seen do it?
 
#5
brisbass said:
Thanks Michael for your opinion, but I'd love to hear why you'd hate it, just so I can understand everyones opinion.

And Dan I was thinking it would be good for the hip hop, and also the cover band does do a load of cream.

But I think my main concern is still the jazz as in how it would sound in that situation, are there any bass players who have already done this on record, or you've seen do it?
Click to expand...

IMHO, it is how you play, not what instrument you have that matters, especially in Jazz.

Use your best judgement for EQ, and volume--your Jazz touch will come through if you can articulate a full range of dynamics.
 
#7
From what I know, if you were to play in front of a bunch of older jazz cats in a club or something, it wouldn't matter what kind of bass you have, but rather the fact that you're using an electric bass at all, as opposed to an upright. But, as has been said you should just use what you want.
 
#8
Rudreax said:
From what I know, if you were to play in front of a bunch of older jazz cats in a club or something, it wouldn't matter what kind of bass you have, but rather the fact that you're using an electric bass at all, as opposed to an upright. But, as has been said you should just use what you want.
Click to expand...

good point--any jazz "purist" (although I think the term is somewhat of a contradiction in itself...but thats for another thread) will be upset that you aren't using an upright in the first place, as thats a "real bass" haha
 
#9
hmm, I'm still unsure what to do, I'm going down london again soon in the near future, so I may go have a look again. I think I may just go to hell with it and do it, because they are that much cheaper and I do like the range of tone in them!!!

Any famous Eb3 players apart from the obvious one's i.e jack bruce?
 
#12
Illbay said:
Okay, I'm starting to dislike you right there. :p
Click to expand...

HAHAHAHA sorry about that!!!

I've thought about the boutique route, but then think about the bass's i'm looking at their all old skool passive bass's, a boutique bass will not give me that sound that I'm going for, I have a spector euro5lx that I hardly use, my main bass is a squier vintage reissue jazz bass!!

and my other arguement is, wouldnt a muddy bass be perfect for jazz, it's not like a double bass is really crisp clear like a boutique bass?

All opinions welcome?
 
#14
brisbass said:
HAHAHAHA sorry about that!!!

I've thought about the boutique route, but then think about the bass's i'm looking at their all old skool passive bass's, a boutique bass will not give me that sound that I'm going for, I have a spector euro5lx that I hardly use, my main bass is a squier vintage reissue jazz bass!!

and my other arguement is, wouldnt a muddy bass be perfect for jazz, it's not like a double bass is really crisp clear like a boutique bass?

All opinions welcome?
Click to expand...

Sell the Spector, and buy a Nash or a Sadowsky. There you go, boutique and Jazz-alicious.
 
#16
brisbass said:
HAHAHAHA sorry about that!!!

I've thought about the boutique route, but then think about the bass's i'm looking at their all old skool passive bass's, a boutique bass will not give me that sound that I'm going for, I have a spector euro5lx that I hardly use, my main bass is a squier vintage reissue jazz bass!!

and my other arguement is, wouldnt a muddy bass be perfect for jazz, it's not like a double bass is really crisp clear like a boutique bass?

All opinions welcome?
Click to expand...

I think that the double bass has mwah goin on (or at least my Shen SB180 does) but not as much as say, an expoxied fretless with rounds.
Why don't you look at a custom fretless bass? I'm pretty sure Carl Thompson is offering some in that range.
(WARNING: I didn't really care for the SG Bass Reissue so I'm kind of biased... I just thought it was rather "hello there" than slap you in the face and call you sally... I already had a P-Bass so I already had that "standard" classic rock tone.
 
#18
See I have a double bass as well, so I don't need the double bass sound from the electric, i'm just not at the standard on the double to play jazz yet, so for the moment electric is doing.

I thought about going down the sadowsky route as well, but I like the sound of the passive basses which is why I don't want the active boutique stuff!!

Here's a bit of a diversion on the thread,
Electric basses that are good for jazz, and I'm not talking self indulgent jazz fusion jazz, more doing miles davis and that kind of stuff??????? what do people use, etc and their reasons for using them!!
 
#20
PRUNEFACE said:
An All Original One-Piece Maple Neck '73

'76 Natural Ash Jazzer (includes original pups)

A '77 P-Bass, All Originial -They say it's the best they've ever played! (And Evan has some chops)

A Bass V (Personally I'm really interested these...)

a VERY cheap '72 EB-3
Click to expand...


Wow thanks for looking for those, there are some great options there, main problem is I'm in the UK and I wouldn't want to pay that kind of money with out playing them!!! the jazz looks beautiful!!!
 

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