thebassist

I was thinking about that. A 5-string strung E-C.

I've recently joined a jazz fusion band and after our rehearsal this week, one of the guys asked whether I'd ever played a 5 or 6-string bass. I said no and he suggested I at least try one out - he wasn't being a dick or anything and I must admit it's got me thinking. I've been playing for nearly 20 years now and a lot of bassists I like play 5 or 6-string basses (Matt Garrison, Evan Marien, Scott Devine, Christian McBride, John Patitucci, etc., etc.) but I've alway gone with the theory of "if 4 was enough for Jaco, 4 is certainly enough for me". Anyway - I'd be very interested to get other bassist's views and experiences on this? For those experienced with 5 and/or 6-string basses would you stick with a 4 in hindsight? Or, would you never go back to a 4 now? How easy or hard is it to switch? Would you go to a 5-string first, then to 6? Stick with a 5? Or go straight to a 6 maybe bypassing a 5? etc., etc.

I've heard good things about the Tanglewood/Overwater J-style basses.

[quote name='dan670844' timestamp='1389017027' post='2328790'] To me if you had to cover all styles of music if you had a jazz, precision and a ray you could do anything. [/quote] I totally agree with this part. I've currently got two Jazz Basses and will be buying a Precision Bass at the end of this month. A 2 band EQ StingRay will come after that. I much prefer a passive bass nowadays.

How long have you had it? Maybe you could contact the previous owner to see if they know?

Found this FYI all. Mind you, I'm not confident I'll be able to get this in 10 days. I wouldn't be able to put a timeframe on it but I reckon I'll need at least a month with this piece. http://trinityrockstore.fabermusic.com/Havona-Grade-8-Bass-b1014.aspx

Absolutely brilliant. Thanks a lot.

I've pretty much got Birdland now. Havona is so, so hard - I'll try my damn hardest but I'm not confident on this one at all.

While I agree, I'm simply not going to be able to learn to read music as quickly as I'd like which is why I'm taking my grades now - I completely understand that there are no short cuts to learning to read music but I do need to be able to play Birdland and Havona by next Saturday so needed the tab. I'll be able to learn and play the bass part while playing along to the CD.

I've found them online. Thanks.

3 band EQ or 2 band EQ?

That is why I'm doing grades but I'd like to play along to the CD now.

Thanks a lot gentlemen but I actually made the wrong request - I should have asked for bass tab. While my playing ability is OK from being in various bands for twenty odd years, my theory is at beginner level - I'm currently studying Rock School grade 3. I'd like to get hold of the bass tab so that I can play along with the Heavy Weather CD.

Does anyone know of any pdf files online showing Jaco's Heavy Weather bass parts?

Awesome and beautiful bass. It looks like two-tone sunburst - that is just so incredible.

I had a £200 Ibanez about 19 years ago when I was 16. It was the smoothest bass I ever had but I didn't like the way it looked so sold it on. I was so stupid - looks were more important than playability back then.

Yes thats the exact same case I have. Beautiful bass by the way. Does it play as well as it looks?

[quote name='Steff' timestamp='1388147864' post='2318846'] Might also be worth mentioning, what era are you aiming for? There's a big difference between 60s/70's/modern days Ps, also MIJ, MIA, CIJ or whatever else there is. Also I've never played a proper vintage Ray, neither one of those new ones, but from what I know they all sound a bit different too. One thing I know for sure is and I've mentioned it before, 1990's rays (and maybe + - a few years) as mine is will expose your playing much more than a P. If your timing is great, definitely a Ray. If it isn't that well refined, the P will be more "friendly". The Ray will deliver the note you're playing at the exact time you play it, as the P is a bit more rounded and the time of the exact tone attack isnt that clear (don't throw stones at me now, I'm only talking about the time of tone's attack). With the P's I've played that is. Also worth mentioning. When I got my 77 Jazz, it had Fender CS 60s pickups in. I've recently bought a pair of original 70s pickups and the difference is night and day. So much that now I wanna play my jazz more and more. Before with the CS 60s it was more about owning a 70s jazz rather than playing a 70s jazz. Also a few people mention Rays sound terrible on their own. Are you sure you've actually tried genuine Rays? I'd say that's very subjective. In my opinion my ray never sounded bad on its own apart from when it has very old strings. Which is the case with any other bass really. [/quote] My usual sound with the Jazz Bass is neck pick-up off, bridge pick-up wide open with the tone rolled all the way up. I just fancy something different. Great responses here. Long may they continue.

My 1964 Fender Jazz Bass [url="http://s1301.photobucket.com/user/minuspilots/media/1_zps7c36fd4c.jpg.html"][/url] My 2013 Fender American Standard Jazz Bass [size=2][size=2][url="http://s1301.photobucket.com/user/minuspilots/media/1_zps4c37cc37.jpg.html"][/url][/size][/size]

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1388119722' post='2318682'] You're only interested about our preference? Nothing else? Stingray then. Without hesitation. [/quote] I figured that a lot of people would put down their reasons anyway Considering I've not played a Stingray before, I was initially leaning more in that direction simply because the pickup is situated closer to where I'm used to positioning my right-hand thumb on top of the Jazz bridge pickup. I'll definitely play as many variants of both basses as I can between now and the end of January before making a final decision.

[quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1388092914' post='2318524'] Aye, I started with that - but then the OP says he doesn't want our reasons, just our preference. Am not sure what that does beyond revealing that there are horses for courses, mind! To add to the subjectivity, make mine a Stingray [/quote] Yes I was just interested in general preferences. I'm going to buy one or the other in January and being a Jazz Bass player for the past sixteen years I haven't yet made up my mind. As ever, excellent responses here from the basschat community.