redstriper

I like modern life and I don't want to live in the past, I don't venerate old things like cars or anything else. I would simply love to find a modern bass that sounds as good to my ears as my old one. And it's not just my ears - my old one sounds better to everyone who has heard the comparison with newer models in blind tests. I don't know if it sounds better because it's old or for other reasons, but I'm interested to know of others who may have experienced the same phenomenon.

It's odd that Fender don't supply these basses with period correct strings because they are integral to that early 60s sound. I have only ever used flats and much prefer the feel and tone, but one man's meat etc...... My favourites are GHS precisions and I also like DRs and Fenders. Here's a review of the GHSs:

Hi Jack, Thanks for the info on your bass, it sounds right up my street and I will be sure to try one when I get the chance. Did it come with period correct flat wound strings? As for amps, only you will know what suits you - I tried lots after deciding to go lightweight. It took a while for me to settle with the LM2 after my old Trace amp and it doesn't sound the same - it is more controlled and precise, almost compressed sounding, but I've grown to love it because it seems to work in any situation, has plenty of power and tone and it fits in a laptop bag. I'm not keen on the CMD102p but a lot of people are - I found it too middy and aggressive sounding for my taste, but it's certainly loud, although not exactly lightweight. I prefer a separate head, so I can choose cabs to suit the gig and I have 2 ultra lightweight 15s made by Flite in the states. The nearest UK equivalent is probably the barefaced compact afaik. I would recommend you get the amp first and try it with your existing cabs to give a comparison with your old amp and don't sell your old rig until you are happy with it's replacement. Steve.

Hi Jack, Did you play the Custom Shop NOS '64 Limited Edition black Fender Jazz before buying it and did you compare it to new standard Fenders? I'm interested to know the difference in quality for the extra dough, but don't know anywhere to try one. I've also been playing a long time and still got the 'customised' '63 Fender Jazz that I bought in 1979. I changed from a heavy Trace rig to Markbass a few years ago and never looked back. I use the LM2 head with 2 lightweight 15s and it makes gigging a lot more enjoyable. Oh - and welcome to the forum. Steve.

[quote name='chris_b' post='1281325' date='Jun 24 2011, 06:07 PM']There are 5 pages of personal opinions here![/quote] But none from anyone who thinks old Fenders sound better than new ones and I am surprised by the strength of that opinion.

Thanks for all the replies. It seems 100% unanimous that the old ones do not in fact sound better. My old one sounds better to my ears and to everyone I've ever played it to in blind tests from non musicians to audio professionals, but it's clearly nothing to do with it's age. This has even been the case with exactly the same strings and the difference in tone is so noticeable that I'm sure any of you would agree if you heard the comparison for yourselves. I'm not surprised by the response on here, but I did expect there might be one or two people who thought the old ones sound better than the new and I had hoped some owners of early models would have given their opinion. The market for vintage Fender basses must have very little to do with their sound and more to do with collectibilty and investment value.

[quote name='chris_b' post='1280419' date='Jun 24 2011, 01:04 AM']You don't have a pre CBS Fender!![/quote] True - I presumed it was the pre cbs bits that gave it the sound, but maybe it's the other bits.

[quote name='ThomBassmonkey' post='1280402' date='Jun 24 2011, 12:29 AM']If you have the means, it'd be interesting to do a blind test. Record the same bass part over the same minimalistic backing track (changing nothing but the bass volume so that it's equal on all the versions) and see which people think is which (and which people prefer). [/quote] Thanks for the idea - I'll do that asap and I will appreciate any opinions. It won't be a completely level playing field because of the different strings - all 3 are strung with flats, but different gauges and ages.

[quote name='nottswarwick' post='1280319' date='Jun 23 2011, 10:59 PM']Don't know, but is your old fave no longer up to the job of gigging? Why retire it?[/quote] There are 3 things made me start looking for a new bass 1: Weight - the replacement body is solid maple and the bass weighs 10.5lbs. 2: Playability - the replacement fingerboard has massive jumbo frets, there's a dead spot and the intonation isn't perfect. 3: Looks - it's an ugly beast. My plan is to keep the old 'un for recording and special gigs, while using a new one for gigs. I just don't understand why the new ones don't have the tone of my oldie.

I have a '63 Jazz that sounds fab to my ears, it's very fat and warm sounding and I've never found another Jazz (or anything else) with so much clear depth and warmth in the tone. The closest I've found were a pair of late 60s Jazzes, but even those didn't quite have the same depth, although they both sang like birds. My 63 had a new body and fingerboard fitted in the 70s, so it isn't original and I don't know how much that work altered the basic tone. It's been my only bass for over 30 years and I've taken it for granted, not realising how hard it would be to find another with the same tone. I recently bought a new Mex Jazz and a Squier CV, looking to retire my old one from gigging and both are very nice instruments to play, but neither has the same deep, gutsy punch of the old one - they aren't anywhere near as loud either. I have played some new American standards in shops too and not been moved by the sound and all the 70s and 80s models I have played have left me cold. What is it about the early (pre CBS) Fender basses that gives them 'that' sound? Why can't it be replicated in modern instruments, after all it's not rocket science and copying a pick up design can't be so hard can it? Are the American Vintage and Custom Shop models more likely to have 'that' sound? My new Mex Jazz is the closest in tone that I have found to my old Jazz and I've bought, sold and tried a lot of basses since starting this quest, including some quite expensive ones. I just bought a Wizard 84 neck pick up to see if that improves the tone, I may also try swapping the pick ups and electrics from my old Jazz, to see if that's where the tone lies. I only use the neck pick up, mostly with the tone rolled off with old flat wound strings for an old school reggae/soul sound. Is it all in the mind, or do the old ones sound better and if so - why?

I bought a Wizard pick up from Chris, which arrived nice and quick exactly as described. Good comms. good bloke - deal with confidence.

Thanks man - that's tonight's entertainment sorted.

[quote name='bassintheface' post='1253877' date='Jun 2 2011, 01:02 PM']Ah, cool. We're just doing a 30 min set in the afternoon outdoors in the Eagles Meadow shopping centre. Got gigs at night so won't be able to watch sadly........ We're all mates of Mark Reynolds and he's putting the festival on so it's a bit of a favour to him. Looking forward to it. Cheers.[/quote] We're travelling from another gig in the afternoon, so we'll probably miss you - another time maybe...........

I think we're playing at the same do for Wrexham refugee week on the 18th - my band's called Tacsi and we're on in the evening at Letage. Maybe see you there. Steve.

I have been using one of [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/alesis_multimix_16_firewire.htm"]these[/url] for the past 4 years and I am very happy with it. It is connected via firewire to an old Toshiba Satellite laptop running Cubase. You need a firewire port on your laptop or a PCI card to fit one - I had to do this because the mini firewire port caused drop outs. It will record up to 16 tracks at once with very low latency and I have recorded 3 albums and many demos with great results. Latest recprdings can be heard [url="http://myspace.com/tacsiband"]here[/url].

[quote name='12stringbassist' post='1241795' date='May 23 2011, 04:06 PM']There's no right or wrong with anyone's taste in basses. It's just what feels and sounds good to the player.[/quote] That's the truest thing in this whole thread and it applies to most of the threads on this forum.

I bought Vinny's Squier CV Jazz and I'm very pleased with it. Fast honest replies to all my questions were followed by him holding the bass for a week before delivering it to a convenient meeting place for me. Vinny is a 100% diamond geezer and I would recommend him to anyone considering dealing with him.

They don't all do that - I played a '76 recently and there was no buzz wherever the tone was.

I believe Pino uses TIs on his Precision and they come as standard on his Fender signature bass. I think he plays in The Who now - and they're a 'rock' band afaik. I could be wrong about this though.............

Set the gain to match the output of your bass by playing as loud as you will in performance and turn the gain up until the blue clip light flickers, then back off the gain about 10%. Now use the master volume to set the level. It doesn't matter what setting the master volume control is at, providing the speakers are not distorting and the level is adequate for your needs. The volume level will also be different at different listening positions and it can be deceptive when listening close to the rig as compared to a few yards away. Also the position of the rig in relation to walls, along with the floor material and room acoustics all affect volume levels.

These chaps have the right idea:-

Yes, I'm with you there Dave and I like thin frets too. But I can't see me playing a bright white bass somehow and I prefer a satin finish to the neck. So I have the choice of re-spraying the body and sanding the neck or buying a VM with fatter frets. Unless the new CV 50s butterscotch P bass sounds as good. Either way, I don't see any reason to spend a packet on a 'real' Fender.

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='1226117' date='May 10 2011, 01:09 PM']Ive settled down with mine. I use my CV P with CV Jazz neck for all my gigs now, and other than the horrible colour its become one of the most played basses ive ever had. There really isnt much to talk about now as i dont intend to change any more parts, i'm not having any problems with it and it plays like a dream. The only thin i have thought about is getting it resprayed, probably black, but as it plays so well i can live with the colour for now. I would love a Matt Freeman as i prefer black, and i really want a maple necked P but as im still not 100% comfortable on a P neck i cant see me getting one just yet. My one regret is the amount i've wasted on other, "better" basses over the past 5-6 years.[/quote] Do you really think that the CVs are better than the Mexican and American Fenders? Have you tried the Squier Vintage Modified basses and if so, how did they compare?