Help me choose a bass(es)

[PFDarkside]

I've been playing a lot more bass recently, my Jazz V (EADGC) neck is a little unwieldy, I'd like to convert it back to low B and get at least one more bass that's a standard 4 string.

Tones I like:
Geezer Butler: P - Flats
John Paul Jones: Jazz - Flats
Roger Waters: P - Flats
Geddy Lee: Jazz/Ric - Rounds
Tommy Shannon: Jazz - Flats
Matt Freeman: P - Rounds
Mike Dirnt: P/Ripper - Rounds
Tim Commerford: Jazz - Rounds
Justin Chancellor: Wal - Rounds

I'm falling down the GAS Hole wanting a couple of Jazzes with Flat/Rounds and a couple of Precisions with flats/rounds. Need to hit the brakes before this train is runaway...

Would it be better to try to do a Jack-of-all-Trades PJ with an advanced tone circuit? A few cheaper Squier basses, one with Flats and one with Rounds? Something else completely?

I did play a Squier Vintage Modified Jazz yesterday (60s, not 70s or 77) that played nice and sounded good stock, I wouldn't be opposed to Squiers, even though I'm a total brand snob.

 

[Scatabrain]

Help me choose a bass(es)

The Squier Jaguar is a nice instrument. It doesn't sound like a P or a J to me but quite nice in it's own way.


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[JOLLY]

Re: Help me choose a bass(es)

I've really been fighting the urge recently to buy a Squier Affinity P/J for $179 and throwing either a Duncan Quarter Pound set or an EMG active P/J set in it. I think that one could have a pretty nice little bass for right around $300 that way.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass...-bass-pj-rosewood-fingerboard/h96900000002001

 

[JOLLY]

Re: Help me choose a bass(es)

I've really been fighting the urge recently to buy a Squier Affinity P/J for $179 and throwing either a Duncan Quarter Pound set or an EMG active P/J set in it. I think that one could have a pretty nice little bass for right around $300 that way.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass...-bass-pj-rosewood-fingerboard/h96900000002001

I should also mention my reason for wanting that. I have two Carvins with active Jazz pickups, A Spector Legend Classic with EMG HZ Soapbars (wanting to replace with Blackouts), Hamer 12 string with soapbars, Kramer 5 string with soapbars.

I've really been missing the tone of a P/J bass lately, and that's my reason for wanting the Squier. However, for you, have you thought about a Spector Legend 4 Classic? I just got mine for a steal of $200 on Craigslist about a month and a half ago, and I absolutely love it. They can be found online in the $300-$400 range. I just wasn't sure if you had any basses with the soapbars.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Help me choose a bass(es)

John Paul Jones: Jazz - Flats

Even in his pre-LZ session days, Jones used roundwound strings. The 1962 spec Jazz Bass just seems to mellow things out compared to an ash/maple piece à la Marcus Miller.

Parts one and two of this 2000 video interview are worth a look. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaa1axJ63Qg

 

[Liko]

Re: Help me choose a bass(es)

I've been playing a lot more bass recently, my Jazz V (EADGC) neck is a little unwieldy, I'd like to convert it back to low B and get at least one more bass that's a standard 4 string.

Tones I like:
Geezer Butler: P - Flats
John Paul Jones: Jazz - Flats
Roger Waters: P - Flats
Geddy Lee: Jazz/Ric - Rounds
Tommy Shannon: Jazz - Flats
Matt Freeman: P - Rounds
Mike Dirnt: P/Ripper - Rounds
Tim Commerford: Jazz - Rounds
Justin Chancellor: Wal - Rounds

I'm falling down the GAS Hole wanting a couple of Jazzes with Flat/Rounds and a couple of Precisions with flats/rounds. Need to hit the brakes before this train is runaway...

Would it be better to try to do a Jack-of-all-Trades PJ with an advanced tone circuit? A few cheaper Squier basses, one with Flats and one with Rounds? Something else completely?

I did play a Squier Vintage Modified Jazz yesterday (60s, not 70s or 77) that played nice and sounded good stock, I wouldn't be opposed to Squiers, even though I'm a total brand snob.

Sounds like a 4-string P/J would be up your alley. There used to be a ton of these on the market, not so many new models anymore (the Fender Deluxe PJ is the main one I know of; Precision body, Jazz neck, PJ pickup set with passive electronics). Definitely cruise the pawnshops; as I said, this configuration was very common in the 80s and 90s so look for used basses in good condition. You could also get an MIM Jazz and rice it; the neck pickup well is routed more generously on Mexis, though I don't think it's quite enough for a P. If you're handy with tools you can carve out a little more in the neck well to fit a P, then you just need the upgraded pickups (maybe a QP P and Apollo Jazz bridge) and a Jazz pickguard with a P pickup hole, which Warmoth can get you easily enough. That would be an enviable bass.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Help me choose a bass(es)

The Squier Jaguar is a nice instrument. It doesn't sound like a P or a J to me but quite nice in it's own way.

Are they long scale? I thought they were shorter...

I should also mention my reason for wanting that. I have two Carvins with active Jazz pickups, A Spector Legend Classic with EMG HZ Soapbars (wanting to replace with Blackouts), Hamer 12 string with soapbars, Kramer 5 string with soapbars.

I've really been missing the tone of a P/J bass lately, and that's my reason for wanting the Squier. However, for you, have you thought about a Spector Legend 4 Classic? I just got mine for a steal of $200 on Craigslist about a month and a half ago, and I absolutely love it. They can be found online in the $300-$400 range. I just wasn't sure if you had any basses with the soapbars.

All I have is the Jazz V, and the pickups are leaving something to be desired. I was considering replacing them with Apollos or QPs and a preamp, but you can get a Squier for that price. I'll check out the Spector.

Even in his pre-LZ session days, Jones used roundwound strings. The 1962 spec Jazz Bass just seems to mellow things out compared to an ash/maple piece à la Marcus Miller.

Parts one and two of this 2000 video interview are worth a look. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaa1axJ63Qg

Huh... I didn't realize that. I'll check the vid when I get a chance.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Help me choose a bass(es)

Sounds like a 4-string P/J would be up your alley. There used to be a ton of these on the market, not so many new models anymore (the Fender Deluxe PJ is the main one I know of; Precision body, Jazz neck, PJ pickup set with passive electronics). Definitely cruise the pawnshops; as I said, this configuration was very common in the 80s and 90s so look for used basses in good condition. You could also get an MIM Jazz and rice it; the neck pickup well is routed more generously on Mexis, though I don't think it's quite enough for a P. If you're handy with tools you can carve out a little more in the neck well to fit a P, then you just need the upgraded pickups (maybe a QP P and Apollo Jazz bridge) and a Jazz pickguard with a P pickup hole, which Warmoth can get you easily enough. That would be an enviable bass.

That's what I was considering, maybe a vintage Hot or antiquity II and a Hot Stack Jazz bridge. But, I was wondering if that's a jack of all trades/master of none, leading me to think about both a P and a Jazz style.

Also, I'll add a few more players/tones:
On the mellow side, Jamerson and Dunn; on the aggressive side Mike Starr.

 

[uOpt]

Re: Help me choose a bass(es)

I don't believe that PJ basses work as Jazz replacement. "Mixing" the two passive pickups causes massive sound changes from their electrical properties influencing each other compared to actually mixing something just electrically, not to mention the "incorrect" pickup position for the "neck" pickup. You can get a good P sound out of them, with more capabilities, but not a Jazz sound.

The way I do it is make the P bass an AVRI which for some reason can be had much cheaper on Ebay than Jazz basses. For Jazz basses in turn you can have surprisingly cheap MIJ ones, e.g. the Fernandez offerings. The necks aren't that great but now you are just one warmoth neck snipe away, or if you don't need the correct headplate a Blazer neck or something.

I decided not to do 5 strings. I have a 6-string bass for extended range but I categorically don't gearslut including 5-string pieces. They are also hard to make good with passive pickups, they "needlessly" cost more for strings etc pp

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Help me choose a bass(es)

+1 for the Fender AVRI Precision Bass suggestion. They have the ride to do the Dunn/Jamerson thang in a way that the American Standard and Deluxe models do not. For my tastes, the current '63 style "round lam" fingerboard sounds better than the '62 style slab join.

The old Fender Roscoe Beck signature Jazz Bass is a versatile beast. So is the two-pickup American Deluxe Dimension Bass. Its neck profile is wonderful. Shame that the body looks so dumpy.

 

[Scatabrain]

Re: Help me choose a bass(es)

Are they long scale? I thought they were shorter....

34. The B is a bit floppy. Going to try flats for fun soon.




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[PFDarkside]

Re: Help me choose a bass(es)

+1 for the Fender AVRI Precision Bass suggestion. They have the ride to do the Dunn/Jamerson thang in a way that the American Standard and Deluxe models do not. For my tastes, the current '63 style "round lam" fingerboard sounds better than the '62 style slab join.

The old Fender Roscoe Beck signature Jazz Bass is a versatile beast. So is the two-pickup American Deluxe Dimension Bass. Its neck profile is wonderful. Shame that the body looks so dumpy.

I've read the latest Fender pickups are top notch. (63 Precision, 64 Jazz, 74 Jazz)

 

[Demanic]

Re: Help me choose a bass(es)

I've been eying some of the Jackson V series as well as the low mid level Ibbys.

 

[Scatabrain]

Re: Help me choose a bass(es)

Are they long scale? I thought they were shorter...



All I have is the Jazz V, and the pickups are leaving something to be desired. I was considering replacing them with Apollos or QPs and a preamp, but you can get a Squier for that price. I'll check out the Spector.


Huh... I didn't realize that. I'll check the vid when I get a chance.

Yes! They sell a long scale. I believe it has the word Special in that case.


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[PFDarkside]

Re: Help me choose a bass(es)

I'm almost feeling two Squier Vintage Modified basses, the PJ and the Jazz. Plenty of money left over for a new bridge and tuners if need be, and a couple of sets of replacement pickups (although the ones in the Vintage Modified Jazz sound pretty good stock)

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Help me choose a bass(es)

Tones I like:
John Paul Jones: Jazz - Flats Rounds
Geddy Lee: Jazz/Ric - Rounds

Even in his pre-LZ session days, Jones used roundwound strings. The 1962 spec Jazz Bass just seems to mellow things out compared to an ash/maple piece à la Marcus Miller.

Does that mean conceivably I could go from JPJ to Geddy with a Jazz?

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Help me choose a bass(es)

I'm going to say no.

IMO, the Sixties Fender Jazz Bass, with its alder body and rosewood fingerboard produces a different sound to the Seventies examples with maple necks, different pickup positioning and, in some cases, ash bodies.

In the specific instance of Jones versus Lee, they use different bridge designs. Both players attack their strings pretty hard. If you do that, you should not be too far off target. Ideally, in failing to sound like either of them, you will succeed in sounding like yourself.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Help me choose a bass(es)

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Help me choose a bass(es)

+1.

I'm even putting my money where my mouth is.

Just offloaded my Ibanez SRX. Squandered the proceeds on a Squier VM Jazz Bass. Sunburst finish, rosewood fingerboard, dot position markers, cheap 'n' nasty 3-ply brown torty pickguard, cheap 'n' nasty Fender Designed pickups, cheap 'n' nasty control electronics.

I have a Gotoh 201B waiting. Still mulling over my pickup options. Will probably tumble the fingerboard edges slightly and apply lemon oil when I fit decent strings.

A gig-worthy instrument for well under the price of a Fender MIM Standard model.


For what it is worth, I also tried Squier VM PJ, Dimension and Telecaster Bass Special (the discontinued model with J and Mudbucker pickups) before settling on the Jazz.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Help me choose a bass(es)

+1.

I'm even putting my money where my mouth is.

Just offloaded my Ibanez SRX. Squandered the proceeds on a Squier VM Jazz Bass. Sunburst finish, rosewood fingerboard, dot position markers, cheap 'n' nasty 3-ply brown torty pickguard, cheap 'n' nasty Fender Designed pickups, cheap 'n' nasty control electronics.

I have a Gotoh 201B waiting.

This is literally the Jazz that I've been mulling. It played great, sounded decent, and with a GC coupon I have, is only $237. I should just go pick it up already.

Still, I also want that P-Bass tone!