a Jazz Bass is a "forgiving" bass

[Fionn]

... for me at least.

I've traditionally played Warwicks. My style and technique have developed with, and have even been shaped (to some extent) by those particular flavours of bass.

However, I've had a hankering for a Jazz Bass for a while. I've been trying them out in shops, and I've played a good few. Usually American Standards, which I love for the most part. Now, something that really stands out to me is how "forgiving" they seem to be in comparison to the bold active Warwicks that I'm familiar with. I don't know if this is because the Warwicks are "unforgiving", or if it's because the way my technique translates onto the Jazz, or if, as I suspect, the Jazz bass is just one of those machines that by some accident of design smoothes out your imperfections a little bit.

Has anyone else noticed this, or am I tripping?

[marcus bell]

I noticed this when switching from a jaydee to jazz. The jaydee I have to be precise on whereas a jazz I can loosen up a bit more

[shizznit]

I have a Warwick Thumb BO and a Fender J and they are very different instruments in many ways. I like them both for different reasons. One engineer that I work with regularly hates my Warwick and the others I have owned in the past. He says they are "too clicky and squeak a lot". So, it's not liked by everyone that I work with, but I love it!

Timber aside, two other things make Warwick's very sensitive to the touch. The brass frets have great attack and response and the MEC active circuit is very flat and clean. That's why I like Warwick's...they really respond very well to your playing. Not everyone's cup if tea, but it works for me.

I can get lots of zing and grunt out of the J just as easily as I can with the Thumb, but it is not as hyperactive. The finish to the tone is much rounder and the natural mid presence is not as crazy as it can be on the Thumb. I wouldn't say either bass is less forgiving as the other as I play with a pretty flat tone no matter which instrument I am playing, so when I make a small technical mistake it's bloody obvious that I have done so!

[Fat Rich]

You should try the old Status basses with the totally rigid (no truss rod) graphite necks if you want to highlight any problems with your technique. I played one for nearly 20 years and it improved up my playing no end. The newer ones with a truss rod are a lot more forgiving.

Fenders and other basses with one piece necks generally have a bit of flex in them and it seems to take a lot of the clatter and fret noise away. Multi laminate through necks always seem a bit toppier, my theory is that they're stiffer.

Edited January 21, 2013 by Fat Rich

[soul deluxe]

ive played many Modulus basses, especially the jazz basses, or should i be Alan Partridge about it and say Moduly anyways they are so precise, every note is just there, incredible action, but i hate to say it... boring tone. its the graphite necked jazz basses specifically.. then i come back to a proper jazz bass, and everything seems easier tone wise. there not close to the playability of a VJ4 but i dont care.. the tone is there.... i know what you mean though.... you just cant beat a good jazz bass... but then there is Suhr who imo take jazz basses to a different level, even over sadowsky, alleva, imo..

[DiMarco]

I owned a Thumb nt4, streamer stage 1 and still own two dolphin pro 1 models by Warwick. To me the opposite is true. Especially the Thumb seems to have this natural compression going on and its tone is the same across the entire neck. It is a VERY forgiving bass compared to my old passive Jazz. I found playing some harder stuff much easier to do on these active monsters. On passive basses I MUST have a compressor or it will sound pish.

[lowdowner]

I wonder if what someone thinks of as 'forgiving' is defined by exactly what tone they are looking for? If a bass makes 'your' searched-for tone easier to make then maybe the player thinks it's more forgiving?

My Warwick thumb B.O. definitely has more metallic buzz/scrape if you are in any way stiff or not relaxed, or even if you have more than 1 micron of fingernails, but when you're relaxed it is soft and forgiving. My graphite neck Vigier is too new for me to make comment on - superficially, I think it's easier to play, but it's just too early to know...

[Chris2112]

With Warwicks, you do tend to have to play cleanly to get the best out of them if you're not layered in overdrive. They highlight sloppiness in your playing, simply because of their ability to push through the mix. Where you might get away with some sloppiness on an old passive jazz that can be buried in the mix, a Warwick will keep you front and centre.

On the plus side, they sound superb when treat with due care and attention.

[Bassic]

On a slightly different not does it take much to adjust to the thinner Jazz neck

I have been a precision man and used to a 1.75 neck but like fionn I am hankering after a jazz.

[Chris2112]

Or on the contrary, some just can't get on with them as they are too thin! I have heard some people saying they can't get on with Jazz basses as the thin neck exacerbates tendon pain in their wrist if they play them. I've never had that problem, but I do prefer a slightly thicker neck in any event.

[Musicman20]

To be honest, I think the only thing that makes a bass less 'forgiving' is when there is less treble/hi mids, (eg with flats) or when you have grit to blend the tone.

I have only just realised how much Flea uses a hair of grit on the recordings...and not only does it make it blend well with clean or distorted guitars, it tends to make the playing of it that little bit easier.

I am all for clean bass, don't get me wrong, but I love some grit on it.

[Ghost_Bass]

I would say that a Precision could be more forgiving than a Jazz but it all comes down to EQ. A neck pickup with the treble rolled off will mask lots of flaws but roll the treble back in and/or add some bridge pickup and the playing becomes more revealing. So i wouldn't use the term "forgiving" to describe any bass in general, only when used in a certain context.

That said i can only add that my TRB has got my technique more sharp because it can in fact reveal every bit of a note from bad fretting to variations on right hand attack and that happens no mather how i EQ it.

[Musicman20]

The worst thing is when someone reviews a bass/amp/cab and says 'it reveals all of your bad technique'. I can't stand that, to be honest. One person may class bad technique as character; we aren't all precise jazz players.

I can hear if I'm playing rubbish with any bass/amp/cab....usually because I haven't practiced or my hands are cold.

[Jacqueslemac]

My Warwicks are my bass of choice, but I swap to the Jazz every now and again and - infuriatingly - I then get compliments about the tone (last Saturday's gig was one such time)!

The Jazz is a lot easier to play (forgiving?) than the Warwicks to me, but it looks just too conventional. I also have a Hipshot d-tuner installed, which does make retuning for our drop D songs a lot easier, but...

Any tips on how to make a Corvette $$ sound like a Jazz?

[brensabre79]

[quote name='Jacqueslemac' timestamp='1359380181' post='1953773']
My Warwicks are my bass of choice, but I swap to the Jazz every now and again and - infuriatingly - I then get compliments about the tone (last Saturday's gig was one such time)![/quote]
It's almost like people are trying to tell you something isn't it?

Seriously though, I see lots and lots of bass players every year buying a Warwick bass prior to arriving at the Music Institute nearby for their 3 year bass playing course. As they progress through the course, usually by the end of year 1, nearly all of them sell their Warwicks and buy the bass that they will keep and use in their professional careers... the same bass that professional musicians have been using for years and years... the same bass that is on more records than the others combined (except for the Precision)... yes the Fender Jazz Bass. Is it better? well, no but the thing is, it works, every engineer in the land knows what to do with it and its the industry standard for a reason... it works.

[quote name='Jacqueslemac' timestamp='1359380181' post='1953773']
Any tips on how to make a Corvette $$ sound like a Jazz?[/quote]
Sell it, buy a Jazz, never look back

[discreet]

[quote name='Chris2112' timestamp='1359335776' post='1953325']
...I have heard some people saying they can't get on with Jazz basses as the thin neck exacerbates tendon pain in their wrist if they play them...
[/quote]

I've tried time and again to love the Jazz Bass, but I just don't get on with them. Love the look though.

[Jacqueslemac]

[quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1359381257' post='1953796']
Sell it, buy a Jazz, never look back
[/quote]

Got a couple already - the one I use most is a USA Deluxe with one of the nicest necks I've ever played.

The Corvette is just so good to look at (particularly the natural one), and the body is so small and light, while the angled tuners make so much sense.

Yes, I know I'm sounding shallow!

[DiMarco]

Each bass has its own pros and cons. I currently love to play my MIJ Fender MM signature, punchy and has a really great neck. Does sound a bit scooped but that's what I bought it for. The Dolphins are my midrange growling monsters which sound very modern, direct and dry. For raunchy dirty gritty picked rock&roll I grab the Ric 4003 (although the Ric has a great neck for slapping too).

A man can't have just one bass and expect it to do it all equally good.

[Chris2112]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1359381413' post='1953797']
I've tried time and again to love the Jazz Bass, but I just don't get on with them. Love the look though.
[/quote]

There is nothing in particular that draws me back to them either, despite the fact that I've owned and played some really good Jazz basses over the years, particularly a Fender Jaco Pastorius jazz bass. I can take them or leave them.

[LemonCello]

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1358762342' post='1944442']
You should try the old Status basses with the totally rigid (no truss rod) graphite necks if you want to highlight any problems with your technique. I played one for nearly 20 years and it improved up my playing no end. The newer ones with a truss rod are a lot more forgiving.

Fenders and other basses with one piece necks generally have a bit of flex in them and it seems to take a lot of the clatter and fret noise away. Multi laminate through necks always seem a bit toppier, my theory is that they're stiffer.
[/quote]

I know what you mean. My old Vigier had a very rigid neck and was very unforgiving in the dodgy fretting department! It did teach me to be a bit more precise though so no bad thing!

[Dr M]

I've got an old Squier Standard-series Jazz from 2006. The neck is fantastic - having small hands, I really get on with the slim, narrow style, and the satin finish feels great. Compared to my Ibby, I find the Jazz dead easy to play.

Unfortunately, I do have 2 problems with it. The first is the weight. A 2 hour rehearsal leaves my shoulder aching like mad, and then I've got to carry the damn thing home.

The second is the tone. Unfortunately, I've come to realise that I'm a great fan of the Precision tone. Just can't get that middly growl out of a Jazz.

This means that I find the Jazz a pleasure to play, but I also find it somewhat boring, which is a real shame.

[thisnameistaken]

Take the neck off the Jazz and put it on a light Precision body?

[4 Strings]

Frustratingly for me, I can't get on with a Jazz I find them the opposite of forgiving.

I love the way they look, the way they sound but always in someone else's hands, I can't get them to do what I want at all. Tried with two so far, not a success, won't try again and it is my rather sad loss.

Give me a Stingray and it all falls into place.