mark76 Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 Ever since the band I was in broke up I've been thinking about buying myself a bass; primarily for the purpose of recording, although I wouldn't be averse to jamming with some other musicians once I can actually play the thing properly My initial instinct was to get a Squier, but then I came across the J & D's on the DV247 website. At less than half the price of even the cheapest Squier bass available locally (Affinity PJ at £206/210) I was sceptical that they'd be any good, but some write ups I read here and elsewhere convinced me to pull the trigger. So I ordered the white with black pickguard p-bass (£92 with delivery) because... Ramones f*** yeah, and it arrived early this afternoon. First impressions. My! That's a lot of packaging. Two whole boxes in fact. Once I'd gotten over just how big the outer box was I got to work and soon freed my new wooden chum from his cardboard tomb. Second impressions. This... This is actually rather well made. Neck sits nicely in the pocket; hardware seems decent; knobs and tuners operate smoothly and without any noise, and, after running finger and thumb down the sides of the fretboard I can tell you that I found no evidence of any lack of attention to detail in that department. All the frets look well finished, with not a sharp edge to be found. Also, the saddles on the bridge have grooves. Which is nice. Third impressions. Plugged it into my Pathfinder 15 (because I don't have a bass amp), tuned up and... Oh no, it sounds crap. But enough about my playing (got you there ), it sounds bloody good considering what I paid for it. I'm in no great hurry to change the strings or the pickups. Though I am wondering about swapping the chrome saddles for brass. Just to see what it would do to the tone. Anyhao, photos [attachment=208849:IMGP2008.JPG] [attachment=208851:IMGP2010.JPG] [attachment=208853:IMGP2012.JPG] [attachment=208854:IMGP2013.JPG] [attachment=208855:IMGP2014.JPG] Please ignore the date stamp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subbeh Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 (edited) It really is amazing that you can get a good bass (top colour choice btw!) for that kind of money, I've yet to hear anything bad about J&D and that one looks really nice, congrats! Edited January 6, 2016 by Subbeh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassix Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 This is quite interesting, I've heard the jazzes praised but didn't know they did p's too. I notice there seems to be varying prices, had anyone tried the "top of the range" ones at £119? Is there a discernable difference? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockmanrock Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 Anyone else noticed the J&D and Harley Bentons Jazzes have a similar serial number format and decal? [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_hbb1975_na.htm"]http://www.thomann.d..._hbb1975_na.htm[/url]: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 Can't say I have noticed . None of the 12 Harley Bentons I bought had serial numbers anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockmanrock Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 Maybe Thomann requested no serials on theirs, but the early samples that got used for photos had them. On Mark's J&D: WSM1505A05.0016 On the HB JB75-NA: WSM1404A03.0534 So that's 2015 and 2014 by the look of it. WSM must be Yeou Chern / J & D ? A few years back, the word was that Saein/Shine were making all the HB's but it seems not. I read on a German site that up to 10 suppliers are used for the guitars/basses. The HBs and J&Ds aren't the same though, the J&D's usually have an extra fret and the bridge is further up from the base of the body. Xaviere basses from GFS in the USA seem to be J&D's too: [url]http://www.guitarfetish.com/Xaviere-Bass-Guitars_c_362.html[/url]. Right, that's enough trainspotting for tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 I've started a poll over on the Harley Benton Forum on the S/N question, The people deserve to know. Give it a week or so for the guitar players to stop talking about Joyo Vs HB pedals and I'll stick up results Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 [quote name='rockmanrock' timestamp='1452302392' post='2948797'] Maybe Thomann requested no serials on theirs, but the early samples that got used for photos had them. On Mark's J&D: WSM1505A05.0016 On the HB JB75-NA: WSM1404A03.0534 So that's 2015 and 2014 by the look of it. WSM must be Yeou Chern / J & D ? A few years back, the word was that Saein/Shine were making all the HB's but it seems not. I read on a German site that up to 10 suppliers are used for the guitars/basses. The HBs and J&Ds aren't the same though, the J&D's usually have an extra fret and the bridge is further up from the base of the body. Xaviere basses from GFS in the USA seem to be J&D's too: [url="http://www.guitarfetish.com/Xaviere-Bass-Guitars_c_362.html"]http://www.guitarfet...tars_c_362.html[/url]. Right, that's enough trainspotting for tonight. [/quote] Interesting, and some of those Xaviere basses look tasty. But the end of the neck where it meets the body seems too square. Or is it just an overhang? J&D's are rounder, Fender-style. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockmanrock Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 I think they're an overhang. The J&D ones look the same to me, quite squarish? [url="https://images.musicstore.de/images/1600/jack-und-danny-pb-bk-black_4_BAS0000912-001.jpg"]https://images.music...0000912-001.jpg[/url] Spot the difference: [url="http://www.guitarfetish.com/DLX-Bass-Active-Preamp-Carved-Body-Gloss-Black-24-Fret_p_4314.html"]http://www.guitarfet...ret_p_4314.html[/url] [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_b_450_black_progressive_series.htm"]http://www.thomann.d...sive_series.htm[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 [quote name='rockmanrock' timestamp='1452333222' post='2948885'] I think they're an overhang. The J&D ones look the same to me, quite squarish? [url="https://images.musicstore.de/images/1600/jack-und-danny-pb-bk-black_4_BAS0000912-001.jpg"]https://images.music...0000912-001.jpg[/url] Spot the difference: [url="http://www.guitarfetish.com/DLX-Bass-Active-Preamp-Carved-Body-Gloss-Black-24-Fret_p_4314.html"]http://www.guitarfet...ret_p_4314.html[/url] [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_b_450_black_progressive_series.htm"]http://www.thomann.d...sive_series.htm[/url] [/quote] The Jazz J&D is definitely round and 'Fender-compatible'... but yeah, it could easily be an overhang on the squareish ones. And the others do look similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockmanrock Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 [quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1452342880' post='2949038'] The Jazz J&D is definitely round and 'Fender-compatible'... but yeah, it could easily be an overhang on the squareish ones. And the others do look similar. [/quote] Oh yes, the J&D 1975 Jazz looks very similar to the HB JB75 one. The cheaper J&D Jazz has got the square overhang 21 fret neck though, but the cheap HB JB20 Jazz has a rounded 20 fret one. So I would guess the HB JB75 Jazz, J&D 1975 and standard Jazz, J&D P-basses are all made by J&D / Yeou Chern. The bog-standard HB P-Basses and Jazzes look to be from another manufacturer. The J&D 1975 Jazzes come in some nice colours, and they're Alder rather than Ash. The HB JB75 ones do weigh a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 The HB JB-75 do weigh quite a bit. So far the only reply about HB serial numbers has been one fella with the JB-75 NA same as the one linked above. Same s/n starting WSM. I wouldn't be surprised if they were assembled in the same factory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockmanrock Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 Ah thanks. I'm getting tempted to try a J&D now. Thomann/HB get all the attention, probably due to the Dekos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theyellowcar Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 The J&D stuff is top notch. I regret selling my J&D Jazz now, but I had a new bass incoming at the time so it had to go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevebasshead Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 My HB JB-75NA has a serial number in the sane format as the photos above Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark76 Posted January 9, 2016 Author Share Posted January 9, 2016 (edited) I've got my eye on the J bass equivalent now. The black with white pickguard they sell for £79. I think I have GAS Talking of which... Does anyone make a P bass with a maple fretboard south of £200? Anyone [b][i]other[/i][/b] than SX, I mean (God, those headstocks are fugly) Edited January 9, 2016 by mark76 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 The J&D surf green Jazz always grabs my attention and I believe DV247 offer easy returns if there's a QC issue so it's a no-brainer when the time comes. While I've bought a few HB dekos, the models I was interested in I paid normal price,the PB-50 is a ridiculously good bass for £70. Were J&D not marketed here as Jim Deacon over here ? Seem to remember the Deacons had a good rep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockmanrock Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 I think the Jim Deacon (now just Deacon?) are the same manufacturer as the SX ones. I don't know if SX have been linked to J&D/Yeou Chern, they've got a company called Team International behind them who maybe contract out to a company like YC. I agree about the headstocks, that big hook on them isn't very appealing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockmanrock Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 [quote name='mark76' timestamp='1452372110' post='2949412'] Talking of which... Does anyone make a P bass with a maple fretboard south of £200? [/quote] As kodiakblair mentioned, the Harley Benton 50s style P-Bass has got a maple board: [url]http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_pb_50_sb_vintage_series.htm[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 [quote name='rockmanrock' timestamp='1452430126' post='2949816'] I think the Jim Deacon (now just Deacon?) are the same manufacturer as the SX ones. I don't know if SX have been linked to J&D/Yeou Chern, they've got a company called Team International behind them who maybe contract out to a company like YC. I agree about the headstocks, that big hook on them isn't very appealing. [/quote] There's a good chance I've got SX and J&D and Deacon all mixed up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 Has anyone modded one of these? I'm just thinking pickguards and pickups fitting properly. White bass with a tort guard for example Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
synthaside Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 (edited) I did my similar no name bass upgrades with no issues the pickup swap from the stock's no names to some duncan designed , hand me downs from a Squire Vintage modified that someone had gone for Quarter pounders ... it plays wonderfully as the neck was already a dream and the pickup and loom / pots upgrade from kiogon meant its a great bitsa now for those gigs where the status should not go. I could not find a pick-gaurd to suit the screw holes are all in the wrong places and as i was looking for a cheap solution didnt want to get a custom one made , so instead i followed somone's suggestion to cover it in sticky back vinyl ... worked a treat ... Here's a couple of quick snaps .... the vinyl peel's off really easy and i have loads spare ... 4 Meter roll was 4 pounds. [url="http://smg.photobucket.com/user/synthaside/media/DSC_0677_zps4aidylbg.jpg.html"][/url] A close to see my slightly less dodgey work with a craft knife and the white gaurd underneath giving a BWB 3 ply kind of effect [url="http://smg.photobucket.com/user/synthaside/media/DSC_0680_zpsggy4utbw.jpg.html"][/url] Edited January 10, 2016 by synthaside Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 Pickguards always seem to be a bit niggly. That might have to be a homemade venture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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