The Dark Lord

I am thinking of changing the control plate in my Jazz to the old style 2 x concentric pots ..... which will give me separate volume and tone control for each of the pickups. Then I guess I can play with both pickups with full volume, but with the tone rolled back on the bridge, but leave the neck pickup with full-bore volume and tone. I find the single tone control on there a bit of a drag - as, for my sound preferences, the neck pickup needs full tone, but the bridge doesn't. I wonder why the great Fender moved away from that 2 x concentric config anyway ..... as surely the modern VVT config gives less flexibility?

You have an interesting take on what you should be hearing. When you say the "Bell Inn", that sounds like a pub - not a huge stadium stage. So, in my very humble opinion, if you are using your backline as the device through which both the audience and yourself hears your bass playing, then there will be a problem or two. What you hear in the performing area and what the punters in all corners of the bar hear, will be quite different. Bass sound, due to the frequency of the sound waves, doesn't project or travel as well as higher pitched stuff. It is common for the drummer to complain that the bass is too loud, yet it can't be heard high enough in the mix at the back of the bar. Far better for you to balance the sound in different areas. Buy yourself a decent quality wedge monitor. Then play your backline high enough for you to hear yourself in the performing area and also send a DI from your bass amp to the mixing desk. Then, run an aux output from the desk to the wedge monitor. That way, you can hear yourself via the bass amp on stage, you can get what you need coming through the wedge monitor (I usually have everything, but with my bass and my vocals slightly higher in the mix) ........ and you can adjust the relative bass volume through the front of house PA so that the audience can hear you in a balanced way. Lots of bands put nothing but the vocals, and maybe a kick drum, through the front of house in a pub. I've never really liked that idea as the sound quality then varies as to where an audience member is standing. Lots of bands compensate for this by being deafeningly loud. Keep it low and manageable where you are - and let the FOH do the work. Simples. Unfortunately, when we play an instrument in a band, it's not about what we like and how good we sound to ourselves. It's a team sport, we have to fit in with the rest of 'em. And also, we are just like the bottle washers, window cleaners and glass collectors. We're there to do a job.

It looks good but, sadly, does not receive the seal of approval as the scale is too short. Not recommended.

[quote name='lowdowner' timestamp='1344269290' post='1762017'] Sometimes I wonder whether this site is sponsored by Fender given the amount of adoration heaped on the brand [/quote] Really? I'm a big Fender fan and I find that there is too much criticism of Fender on here. And anyway, you can spend £1000 on a new USA Jazz ...... or between £500 and £800 on one which is 1 to 10 years old in decent nick. I am unconvinced that you would be better spending an additional £1K or £2K on a bass that is 20 or 30 years old. Some will say that it has a better, more mature sound. I guess it is more likely that it will have had to have replacement parts for the bits that were broken or worn out - and will not be as reliable as a new one. When you play it live, in a pub, club or on a big stage, no-one will be able to tell the difference between the sound of an old one or a new one. Save your cash for other pleasures in life and revel in the ownership of a modern Fender ..... and get a black one.

There is also, I suppose, the option of East J-Retro thing.

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1344274077' post='1762097'] Tomastik Infeld flats are certainly worth trying. They aren't zingy like rounds, but have a good range into the upper mids. However, I don't find they bring back the depth to the J pick up. It's still plinky. [/quote] One of my Precisions came with TI flats. I found the tension on those a bit weird. Felt a bit like rubber bands. Bu I might give them a try on my acoustic bass first.

I can get a reasonable approximation of the JJ sound - which works for me at least - using a P Bass through a Line 6 X3 Live floorboard. I use a crystal clean sound on either of my amps and put (strangely) the Ampeg SVT and 8x10 emulation through it with an off-axis SM57 (again emulated via the Line 6). Then I add a managed amount of gain on the amp simulation and a barely noticeable touch of emulated Boss Digital Delay (or an actual DD6 Pedal). But hardly anything on that there delay. Finally, a touch of compression to make it all a less "hairy arsed" - again using the emulated compression. Works for me. A lot of tweaking and listening over a whole afternoon by myself at home got it there - and I saved the setting for ever more. Some bloke said I made Tainted Love sound like Peaches. I bought him a pint.

[quote name='AndyBob09' timestamp='1344261766' post='1761851'] My question is, if you're a through and through P player, why have the Jazz pickup? Aren't you as well just writing it off and having just a standard Precision? I mean, you can say you've given the Jazz pup a go and you're not happy so just resort back to what you know that you love? [/quote] Yep. This is a logical solution. However, rather than be single-minded about it, I did try to be versatile. I have four basses now .... a P, a P/J, a Jazz .... all of which are USA .... and I also have one of those cool Fender Kingman acoustics. I thought that would make a logical and versatile spread of devices. But chopping them all in and going for a row of Ps on the wall is an option. I'd like to resolve the pickup issue - but if I can't, I'm off down the shops and stopping at the bit where all the black ones hang.

[quote name='dincz' timestamp='1344259176' post='1761795'] I wonder if you'd be happier with flat-wound strings. A bit less zing. [/quote] Hmmmm. A suggestion out of left field. Interesting. As a committed disciple of the "Great Lord of all Things Black" without whom, we are all nothing but worthless backing musicians for the six string guitar players ....... I find it difficult, nay sacrilege, to use anything other than Rotosound roundwounds. However, I am about to change the OEM bronze thingies on my Fender Kingman acoustic bass and was considering flats for that. Pass Go and collect £200.

I have a couple of basses which have a Jazz bridge pickup. One of them is a 2010 black/maple USA Standard Jazz with stock pickups. The other is a 1999 USA Hot Rodded black/maple - which has a Seymour Duncan SJB-1 in the bridge position. On both of these basses, I don't like the sound of the bridge pickup. It's just too plinky for me. I would never consider using it on its own. On the 2010 Jazz, I end up using just the neck pickup. On the P/J, I do the same ..... which defeats the object of a P/J. It's not an amp thing - as it has been an issue with me through all of the amps that I've used and my current backline is real top notch gear. I'm getting the P/J rewired to allow independent tone/volume control for each of the pickups. This will allow me to roll the treble off that one and see how it goes. I might do the same with the Jazz bass. Or does anyone have any suggestions? A pickup change to a really warm sounding bridge unit (in which case I might change both pickups to maintain a matching set)? I fully realise that it may well be that the sound is fine to most ears and just might be to my personal taste. I am a committed Precision wielder of the whomping willow variety. Is this Jazz bridge pickup a common issue?

Played with my 2010 American Jazz at our gig last night. Black and maple, it's a looker, great build quality and very slick and easy to play. Good sound too with all of the Jazz growl - but, in a 3-piece, it doesn't seem to fill the sound out as well as my USA Precisions.

Fender USA Precision Standard. No better bass. Nothing even comes close. Accept no substitute. Respect no copies. Strap on and rock.

[quote name='Spike Vincent' timestamp='1343585028' post='1752376'] The sound is in my head,but it's fairly close to the one that JJ Burnell put there.. [/quote] Yep

[quote name='51m0n' timestamp='1343401159' post='1750234'] Still only 8 ins a t a time though, which if you are seriosly into tracking is a major limitation (That wont even cover a serious drumkit after all). Great kit though.... [/quote] Err ..... the OP said "Simple set up for home recording" - not "Replacement for Pro Studio desk". If you want ALL you need for home demos - this is your device.

Try one of these and DI everything via the modelling sounds contained therein. Bass sounds better DI recorded anyway. You can create your own drum sounds on it too. Wicked. [url="http://goo.gl/PVpqT"]http://goo.gl/PVpqT[/url]

You may pass GO and collect £200. [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1328619464' post='1530037'] For The Daves, our set last Friday was as below. All covers, unless stated. Set 1 ANARCHY WHITE RIOT EVER FALLEN IN LOVE BABYLONS BURNING KKK AMERICAN IDIOT SILLY THING SOUND OF THE SUBURBS NO FUN COMPLETE CONTROL ETON RIFLES KIDS ARE UNITED NEW ROSE HOLIDAYS IN THE SUN ASBO STREET - A Daves own song SUSPECT DEVICE ACE OF SPADES Set 2 NO FEELINGS WHAT DO I GET ALTERNATIVE ULSTER GARY GILMORES EYES GOD SAVE THE QUEEN ANTMUSIC IN THE CITY I WANNA BE SEDATED SHEENA IS A PUNK ROCKER TURNING JAPANESE TEENAGE KICKS GANGSTERS RUDI (A MESSAGE TO YOU) I FOUGHT THE LAW HURRY UP HARRY FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT BASKET CASE PRETTY VACANT BODIES SO WHAT [/quote]

I think this is cool. But ............ it takes all of the vibe out of original. It's like self abuse versus the real thing. If Adele had done it this way, it wouldn't have troubled the charts.

Commercially, they really ought to be less expensive than USA Fenders. If they came in at under a grand, then a lot of us would be more interested. Also, there is a ridiculously long waiting list. I guess they are happy with that? So, we just need to make do with what we can find or come across in shop stock. Not really going to make them big sellers.

[quote name='cloudburst' timestamp='1342719611' post='1739991'] My summary understanding (based on only a little experience) of Rickenbackers would be as follows: - Most bass players like the look of a Ric - A small number of bass players love the Ric sound (an important group with a valid opinion, but still a minority) - Almost no bass players rate Rics for their playability [/quote] That's about the size of it right there. If you have lots of money, get one to hang on your wall and touch occasionally. Maybe even use it at gigs for just one song (make it an easy and simple one) and you'll look cool. £1,500 (ish) well spent. For all other times, use a proper bass. An American Standard Fender Precision or Jazz will do the trick. You might as well buy both at the same time, as in the end, you'll end up with both anyway.

If you keep your guitars in a damp environment you may see regular string breakages - among other things.

[quote name='pst62' timestamp='1342608863' post='1737718'] It's nowt new! [attachment=113452:stranglers3.jpg] [/quote] We know that! He moved to black and maple when he broke that one - and I haven't seen his regular on stage bass change from that until now.

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1342606400' post='1737632'] Rosewood neck or rosewood fingerboard? [/quote] Fingerboard I mean.

One for the Stranglers legions on here...... Just had a look at some video footage of the Dunfermline gig on the 2012 Stranglers tour. JJ is playing one of his Shukers [b][size=6]which has a rosewood neck![/size][/b] I saw on the Shuker site that rosewood is an option on that model - but not a very authentic one I thought, since JJ is a black and maple man. That is ..... until I saw that footage last night. I went to see the band on the Portsmouth and Brighton legs of the tour this year. JJ did have a roadie swap his bass a couple of times, but each time he took receipt of a archetypal black and maple device. Has anyone else seen that?

Another Girl Another Planet by The Only Ones. A bit out of left field - people always tell us they love that one.