Linus27

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1327182595' post='1507668'] It's got the offset body, the 1.5" nut, and it also says Fender Jazz Bass on it. I'd say it's in the family. As for tone, Jazz basses don't have only one tone. [/quote] Ok but the original Jazz did not have a split Precision pickup so tonally it is not accurate to the original concept. If I went to a shop and asked for a Fender Jazz and got given that then I would be very annoyed. Yes it has the characteristics of the jazz but tonally and pickups make it a different beast. A bit like the difference between an analogue watch and a digital watch perhaps. Both watches, both with straps and round faces and both tell the time by different methods. Yes you can call it a Jazz but its not the original concept.

[indent=1]Yep, defo the right thing. Sounds like the guy has a massive ego and a control freak.[/indent]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1327171879' post='1507455'] ... and here's another Jazz bass: [/quote] Is that not a PJ bass and a new breed of bass? If if its a copy of the original Fender Jazz then its a very bad one as it has the wrong pickup config and tone?

[quote name='Gareth Hughes' timestamp='1327161392' post='1507245'] Probably already been said here (haven't read everything yet) but Bill Nash made a fair point, I think, in that once Leo Fender sold Fender then EVERYTHING became a copy of Fender. I might be re-interpreting what he said but the gist of it was that it was Leo who made Fender what it was therefore without him, it's a copy in the same way Sadowsky or Lakland, etc is. For example - If Leo Fender never set foot in any of the Japanese Fender factories, then how can they be said to be a Fender? They are just making copies. Not a bad thing - just a different thing than if Leo was making them. Who builds the best is up to individual assessment. [/quote] But did everything become of copy when Leo sold it. Surely if the original designs and drawings were used then the original concept has been kept and continued despite who is sitting in the big chair at the top? Did Leo take all the machine tools, drawings etc with him and said right up to the new owners to draw their own designs?

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1327159549' post='1507210'] [size=4]This is just my opinion, but as far as 5 string Jazz basses are concerned, Nordstrand and Mike Lull are making far better instruments than Fender have ever built, closely followed by Lakland.[/size] [/quote] Can you explain a little more on this? Why is their copy better than the original? Are you saying that these copies are closer to the original concept than what Fender are making now or are you just saying that you prefer the look and feel of these copies? I am just interested in your use of the word better and don't forget we are talking tonally as well as build quality.

[quote name='Mornats' timestamp='1327151241' post='1507020'] Just like cars. Ford made the first mass produced car - the Model T. Today, Ford's are still arguably quite good cars in their class but others do them better (and others do them worse). But if you're like me, you'd look at a Ford, accept they're good then buy something more individual, just because that's your personal taste. Which is why I drive a Mitsubishi Lancer and play an Overwater Contemporary J. Fenders - yep, lovely and a classic and I have uber respect for them. They're just not for me. As for whether a non-Fender jazz is truly a jazz or not. Hmmm, not a true jazz perhaps but a development of one, just as a sports coupé or executive estate is an extension of the original Model T idea. Evolution baby. [/quote] I don't buy this theory as its too broad. Saying Ford produced the first mass produced car would be the same as saying Fender produced the first mass produced bass and not just the Jazz specificly.

Ok, this is all very interesting but it seems that most have commented on the shape and look but not much on the Jazz tone. Is there a defined Jazz tone that Leo Fender originally set out and if yes, do these other brands even emulate it? Has modern Fender Jazzes strayed so far way from the original Jazz tone?

OK, so this is going to be a bit open to abuse and personel opinion but it could be interesting to hear peoples thoughts on this. Fender invented the Jazz bass and in theory is the benchmark of what a Jazz bass should be all about. If you wanted the Jazz bass of Jazz basses, then you would buy a Fender right? I mean, if you wanted a Ferrari F40, you wouldn't go and buy an MR2. However, yesterday, i was talking to a very well known and respected bass retailer who gave me the impression that he was not overly impressed with Fender's especially the quality of the pickups. He then went on to explain that other brands make better. I can't help but think that other brands would just be a copy and unless it sounds exactly like a Fender Jazz then its not really a true representation of a Jazz bass. An example is the Bartolini pickups in my Jazz sound fantastic but are much smoother and darker than stock Fender Jazz pickups so in reality don't give that true Jazz tone. Unless that is, if Fender have gone astray and their current take of their Fender Jazz is nothing like the original concept of a Fender Jazz and these other brands are closer to what an original Fender Jazz was all about. I see a lot of people talk about Sadowsky, Lakland, Sandberg etc making great Jazz basses but what makes them better or is it just perception? Ok, craftmanship I can understand as Fender does/have had some QA issue but unless these other brands are using the Fender Jazz pickups then surely if it sounds different then its not a true representation of a Jazz bass. So, I would be interested in hearing the interpritation of what the Fender Jazz is tonally and its relation to other brands take on the Jazz bass especially in regards to the pickups and tone a Jazz should have. I also want to add that in no way am I being Pro Fender or anti any other brand. I am just interested in where we started with the Jazz bass and where we are now. Has it developed into just a famous shape with two pickups, one in the bridge and one in the neck position and thats enough to call it a Jazz bass and the original Fender tone, if there was an intentional one has become second to just the look and features. I hope that makes sense

To me, this is what bass playing is all about. groove, melody, chord progression and expression. None of this 1000 x slap notes that just sound like a bag of bolts being shaken in a metal tube. Just my personel opinion of course.

and another vote for Bob here. I have used him a few times and he is great and will use him again in the future.

[quote name='shizznit' timestamp='1327093558' post='1506501'] Ahhh...come to think of it, the same thing happened with one of my Corvette Prolines. Your description brought it all back to me (I am getting old!) [/quote] I would have to agree with you, your spellings gone to pot and you can't remember your EQ settings. Its all down hill for you from now on

[quote name='shizznit' timestamp='1327086981' post='1506376'] Yeah...well spotted mate. Doing it from memory and and made a typo! Should be the other way around... Lakland - mid +20% / freq 600Hz MTD - mid -20% / freq 600Hz Warwick - mid -20% / freq 600Hz (sometimes 800Hz if using the bridge pup) Should have [b]choked[/b] before posting...sorry for the confusion! [/quote] Don't go choking, I might need some more advice in the future

[quote name='warwickhunt' timestamp='1327085440' post='1506326'] For the battery cover to snap off within two weeks of owning a new bass does seem extreme (I'm assuming that the battery was being changed for the very first time, so these clips went on the very first usage). It certainly isn't unheard of for the battery covers to give up the ghost (I presently have 3 Warwicks and one is taped on, whilst one of them is jammed in place) and is probably second only to 'chocolate fire-guard' jack sockets for common Warwick faults. As for the pick-up mountings - Warwick pups are mounted on springs (almost like shock absorbers) which have always had some give in them, I've known people add foam under the pups to firm it up and at the extreme for someone to put a block of wood underneath the pup so that it was fixed at a set height but it's down to personal preference and not everyone will like the 'spring-loading'... of course yours could have a separate issue! [/quote] It was not the battery cover it was the two terminals that the battery clip onto. The battery clips into the two metal terminals and the two metal terminals sit in an ovel piece of plastic. This oval piece of plastic snapped away from the two metal terminals. Also, my pickups, they are not mounted on springs. The bolts go through the pickups and screw into a brass ferrule that is inserted into the wood in the pickup cavity. With the pickup removed, if I screwed the bolts into the ferrule as they should be, the bolt wobbles as if the thread is not tight enough. Wrapping a little PTFE tape around the thread of the bolt gave a tighter fit and stopped the wobble. There was no springs used at all on my LX4.

I like them and the brushes kit sounds fab. No doubt it will cost around the same as a 4 bedroom detached house with double garage, en-suite and swimming pool in leafy Surrey

[quote name='shizznit' timestamp='1327051670' post='1505574'] [u]Lakland 55-02 / Active[/u] Comp 60% Bass Flat Middle Flat Freq 800Hz Treble +10% Bright +10% [u]MTD / Passive[/u] Comp 30% Bass +20 Middle Flat Freq 400Hz Treble Flat% Bright 20% [/quote] Hey Shizznit, I am a little confused by these settings. You have the Mids set to flat (12 O Clock) on these two settings but the Freq at either 800hz or 400hz. I thought that changing the frequency dial with the mids set flat at 12 o clock makes no difference as the two are linked? So having the frequency set or 800hz or 400hz would make no difference and you might as well keep it set at 12 o clock which is 600hz. Thats how I am finding it on my Reidmar. With the mids at 12 o clock, moving the frequency dial does nothing tonally.

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1327067066' post='1505951'] It also raises an interesting question, has anyone here ever had a duff warwick? I've never played one I didn't think was excellent quality, there were I couple I didn't get on with but the Quality was still there.. [/quote] Well, I have an December 2011 German made Streamer LX. The battery clip has snapped off in the first two weeks and the split precision pickups wobble so bad that I have had to take them out, wrap plumbers PTFE tape around the bolts and then re-screw them back into the brass slots to stop the wobble. I questioned this on the Warwick forum and it seems that i am not the only one who has had the wobbly pickups. This is on an £1800 bass that is brand new. Not sure I would call it a duff Warwick but its not the quality I was expecting for my £1800 and if I am totally honest, I am very dissapointed.

Cheers gareth, will give that a try. Can those who have a Reidmar, post there EQ settings please. I am currently using shizznit's setting would sound ace apart from I don't have the character button on as that makes it very full and bassy. Might be different in a gig situation. His settings are roughly this, CHARACTER BUTTON: Off ACTIVE FILTER: On BASS: 2 O clock MID: 10 O Clock FREQ: 2 O Clock TREBLE: 2 O Clock Can others post how they have their EQ please.

Gareth, the Stingray sounds awsome through this little rig. Best rig i have heard to date for a Stingray.

I'm not liking any of the new Warwicks on show but I like the more traditional look of Warwick's.

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1326926647' post='1504012'] The way mid sweeps work is that you set a frequency and then dial in the boost of cut and at that point you will hear a change in tone. You either have a stacked control ( as per a retro ) or two seperate controls The frequency knob does nothing but set the freq to be affected. [/quote] Thanks JTUK, that all seems to be working thankfully as you describe.

Great bass for a beginner to fretless.

I can get you prices or a very rough estimate. The 30th Ani Streamer will be £42 million pounds. The rest will range from £4 million to £12 million pounds. They will also tell you that the Pro and China models are just as good as the German model in quality but the only difference is the German one will cost you a lot more but there really is no difference

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1326916034' post='1503788'] Correct. The mid freq is used in conjunction with mid level. Its setting the point at which the mid is centred - and of course the notch. The bright pot sounds a bit of a mystery though. [/quote] Ok, thanks.