Fat Rich

I love my somewhat beaten up Japanese Fenders (Marcus Miller Jazz 4 string, 62 reissue Jazzes fretted & fretless, 62 reissue P bass) but I had to play a lot of junk to find some I like because quality control was so poor 20 years ago. It seems a bit better now but not much. In the early 90s I refused to pay more than a £300 for what was essentially 2 bits of wood screwed together, bent metal hardware and primitive pickups, although I paid a bit more for the MM Jazz recently(£500), I just can't see the point in paying really big money for a Fender. When you start to add expensive options or going for Super Jazzes or Super Precisions they start to lose that classic sound and feel in my opinion, so I preferred to go the high tech route with graphite and active EQ for when I need a more modern sound. After watching this years Jools Holland show it seems like almost everyone was playing a Fender (with a pick) through an Ampeg SVT, bass players seem to be getting really conservative these days. A whole series and there was one guy playing an Aria SB, another guy playing a Fender through a Trace stack, another through an Ashdown and that was about it. It made a nice change to see someone playing a Tuba!

[quote name='MoonBassAlpha' post='1034176' date='Nov 23 2010, 06:15 PM']It looks great as it is! Leave it alone![/quote] Yup, I agree. It looks gorgeous!

[quote name='TheRockinRoadie' post='1034164' date='Nov 23 2010, 06:00 PM']I have an MM Jazz IV and i don't have a problem with the stock pre-amp. I might upgrade it one day, but theres nothing wrong with it. I would like a cut option though...[/quote] It's OK, but running it passive through a Sadowsky outboard preamp was a bit of an eye opener. Definitely give one a try if you get the opportunity

The Jazzes are more flexible basses and it takes me a little longer (10 minutes) to adapt to the chunkier neck on the P bass or the Stingray. They've all got their own characteristic vintage sounds that can't be completely replicated by other basses so it's down to what feels right and works with the music you play. (But the Status S2 Classic is still the bass that fits me the best after trying loads of other instruments)

Status putting 2 strap buttons on the bottom of their basses so they don't fall over when you lean them against something. No need for a stand, just lean it against a wall..... simple.

Old Fenders where you have to take the neck off to adjust the truss rod. Why don't all basses have 2 strap buttons on the bottom that act like feet and allow your instrument to lean against things without falling over? Status have been doing that for 30 years, you'd have thought someone else would have copied it. Gus basses that slide down your leg unless you have it on a strap when playing sitting down.

Did a search for Les Pauls, found this: [url="http://www.newkingsroadguitars.co.uk/guitarshop/1957_Alnico_LP.html"]http://www.newkingsroadguitars.co.uk/guita..._Alnico_LP.html[/url] (Don't look at the bass pages unless you want serious GAS)

[quote name='Vibrating G String' post='1029965' date='Nov 19 2010, 10:08 PM']Funny how often the Sadowsky pre is mentioned as being part of Marcus' sound as he plays a Bartolini. Sadowsky installed the preamp but I think only a few people can actually hear that [/quote] Odd, I'm sure I read somewhere his main bass has a Sadowsky onboard and he runs his more collectable unmodded jazzes through the outboard version. Either way, both the Sadowsky and Bartolini preamps have a much warmer fatter sound than the Fender version. Back on topic, congrats on getting the Bongo, should be fantastic!

.. [i]Reason for edit: Posted in wrong thread[/i]

It probably didn't sound so clear in 1963, if it's been remastered then suddenly you can hear all the problems with the original recording. I remember reading about the air conditioning unit at Motown interfering with the recording equipment and making a lot of background noise, so they turned it off when they recorded and the temperature rocketed in a small studio with 10+ musicians in it. The result was everything went out of tune. Plus it was probably recorded in one take, if everyone else's parts were great but the bass was a little out of tune.... tough!

+1 for Japanese Jazzes, the quality is usually pretty good and they somehow sound more alive than US ones. I quite like the sound and feel of the Mexican ones but the quality is a bit hit and miss, the Squiers seem better and are great value for money. My Marcus Miller Jazz has a slightly fatter neck than my '62 reissues but it's still pretty slim, I think the 70s necks are generally slightly chubbier.

I recently got a very beat up Marcus Miller (clear finish) and the Fender preamp is pretty uninspiring. To get the classic MM sound I think you need: ANY Fender Jazz bass with vintage pickups although all maple neck may sound a little more snappy DR Fat Beam or Hi Beam strings (the most important part of his sound IMO) Sadowsky Preamp (haven't tried the East preamps, heard very good things about them) And you need to be able to play rather well too!

I thought James Jamerson invented funk on a P bass? Maybe I dreamt it.....

Have tried several Squiers in shops recently, they've all been rather good and often better than Mex Fenders and even one USA Fender although I ended up with a Japanese Fender in the end. The Squiers are excellent value for money, like all Fender products make sure you play it first as the quality is variable. If you don't want to follow the herd you could always paint the headstock and cover the logo.

[quote name='bigash' post='1016428' date='Nov 8 2010, 02:52 PM']I think i know the stuff you mean. just cut it to size and how thick would it need to be, 1 inch or so.[/quote] Brand new Fender stuff is about 9mm high but it's probably a bit springier than the air foam, and it'll depend how high you want your pickups. Put a few layers in and see if it works I guess!

I've used all kinds of leftover foam over the years, some loses it's springyness really quickly but if you put the right amount in and don't need to adjust the height of your pickups too much it works fine. Best free stuff is the whitish / clear foam that feels like it has air in it, used as packing on edges of kitchen worktops and sometimes it's layered up to make it thicker.

I've never gone below a low B but based on what people are saying it might be worth putting a low F# string on your current bass temporarily and seeing if it works in your band situation before spending lots of cash on a 7 stringer (assuming you don't have to file the nut out to accommodate the thicker string).

The pickups probably have black spongy stuff under them (on a copper earthing plate in the pickup recess) and if the pickup has been lowered so much for a long time it may have lost it's springyness. You may need to completely remove the pickups and replace the foam, although the old stuff may recover it's shape eventually. Have a look in the Repairs and Technical area of this forum, there's a list of parts suppliers (pinned at the top) who will have replacement Fender scratchplates, although I'd be tempted to try to fix the original if possible if the bass has a roadworn mojo look about it.

Oddly I had the exact same problem today, got some unbranded P pickups and they're a little too big, particularly the lugs where the screws go. I think the Fender vintage pickups may be slightly smaller than the newer / non Fender ones, if you can get your pickups out of their covers you might be able to fit standard Fender covers instead - maybe! The covers are quite cheap on ebay but might cause more frustration if the pickups won't go in or the pole piece holes don't match. Also old scratchplates shrink apparently, mine no longer fits even though it's the original that came with the bass 20 years ago but hasn't been fitted in all that time. Half the holes don't line up, these jobs are never as simple as they should be. I gave up on the new pickups and ordered some Fender vintage ones, hopefully that'll solve the problem.

I believe the very early P basses had a wire earthing the cover to the pickup but Fender seem to have abandoned that pretty early on.

[quote name='Jebo1' post='941339' date='Aug 31 2010, 07:21 PM']........ (you've seen it but it's my 68 jazz - home made Jaco replica!) ........[/quote] You might need to do some more research, pretty sure Jaco never had a bass like that... Fantastic collection, some really stunning basses (apart from the Wishbass!)

[quote name='Bigwan' post='1009290' date='Nov 2 2010, 08:57 AM']I think some of you are missing something quite vital - obviously the look isn't to everyone's taste, but surely the worn-in feel can be something everyone can appreciate? If a relic is done well it should feel like a vintage instrument as well as look like one - from playing a few vintage basses (never played any relic) there's something about a 45 year old bass that's been played a lot that makes it feel so much better than a modern version (thinking a 66 P bass vs. a current US P bass, obvious production differences aside).[/quote] Absolutely although I think that depends on your playing style also. I never hook my thumb over the top of the fingerboard so I'm not going to notice if the edges are worn nice and smooth from years of playing. But I dig in quite hard with my other thumb resting on the pickup so I like the worn smooth feel of my trusty 20+ year old pickups. [quote name='orangepeelneil' post='1009279' date='Nov 2 2010, 08:29 AM']Hi there, Yes good topic,my viewpoints have been covered here by others but another point I'd like to make is in my experience instruments don't generally get that tatty quickly..? I had a 94 MIJ Jazz for over 12 years and was my only gigging/rehearsing bass. I played pretty regularly and gigged lots with it , but when I sold it two years ago it was still pretty great condition-hardly a relic... just reasonably used condition. I do look after my instruments and don't carry them round in bin liners (like I have seen!! ) but I don't know how you get that kind of wear on an instrument. You must have to literally gig daily (and who can confess to that) with sandpaper for shirts and aspestos for fingers ...dunno maybe I'm just light with bass ( but don't think so) - even my highway one with the light nitro covering isn't showing much wear after 4 years and I use that weekly...? Cheers Neil[/quote] It takes far longer to wear through modern poly finishes than the old nitro finish on vintage instruments so the Roadworn and Highway 1 Fenders should show signs of wear quicker than the poly finished ones, be interesting to see how long it takes.

I try not to bump the Status basses into things, gave them a quick polish for the first time in about 10 years and they're still in really good shape apart from some wear on the bridge pickups where my thumb goes. No adjustments ever necessary apart from an occasional battery change. I don't do anything to the Fenders apart from adjust the truss rods when required, as James Jamerson said "the dirt keeps the funk" and I need all the help I can get.

It seems to be a fashion thing, my 20+ year old Jap Fenders have chrome knobs, EMG pickups and the pickguards missing as that seemed to be the fashionable thing to do in the 80s (Jaco style). Now I'm looking at putting them back to standard '62 spec I'll end up with worn scruffy basses with dull corroded hardware but shiny new pickguard, knobs and pickup covers, it'll all look a bit wrong. So I'll probably take the shine off the new bits and try and source used stuff wherever possible so they look the same age as the rest of the bass, so kind of a relic job. But most of the wear and tear will be due to 20+ years of gigging. BTW there's some pretty convincing relics here: [url="http://www.bravewoodguitars.co.uk/"]http://www.bravewoodguitars.co.uk/[/url] (If anyone has a tort Jazz bass pickguard and Jazz knobs they want to flog let me know!)

[quote name='Oakbear' post='1006021' date='Oct 30 2010, 06:43 AM']When i bought my Ritter it was as a bass for life, something to cherish. I still love it dearly, and it plays a dream. In all honesty, I've not played anything like it for comfort and general quality. .........[/quote] Based on the above then definitely hang on to it, you'll probably regret it later especially if you don't need the cash it'd generate. It's easy to look back in five years time and find the 4k you got for it (or less in these difficult times) was spent on everyday stuff that was useful for a short while and then binned when it reached the end of it's life... and you're left with nothing to show for it. I stopped playing for 12 years and sometimes considered selling my gear, probably should have sold the amps and effects as better stuff is available now for half the price, but so glad I didn't sell the basses. I hear tales of people selling basses and regretting it, and then buying back their instruments at inflated costs when they come back on the market.