not quite NBD: Matt Freeman Precision to Jazz conversion

[mcnach]

It's not quite a NBD because I already owned this bass and have used it enough... but it's undergone a radical transformation.

I like the Jazz bass sound, but I'm not a big fan of the large body or the thin neck. I had this Precision which was pretty sweet, great neck, but a bit 'surplus to requirements' and I thought I could put a couple of Jazz pickups on it and see what happens.

I happened to have a couple of Nordstrand NJ4SE pickups, and I gave the job to Chris McIntyre. I collected it today.

This was before:

(the one on the left)






I replaced the pickguard with a parchment colour one, but I can't find pictures of it... oh, and a sticker of the logo of my band

I had the Jazz pickups installed as on a 60s spacing Jazz, and instead of VVT controls I have a master tone, master volume and a pan control. The jack socket was moved to the side. And this is what it looks like now:



the 'sofa shot'




It sounds... like a Jazz with these Nordstrand pickups: not exactly traditional Jazz territory, but clearly Jazz... yet with a much nicer sized body and a bigger and more comfortable (for me) neck.

I don't know why I didn't do this before instead of buying so many Jazz basses over the years

[Bassman Sam]

That looks lush. I wouldn't mind doing that conversion myself.

[mr zed]

That looks great - and a very neat job.

[discreet]

Want!

[Beedster]

Funny how good a Precision with J-PUPs looks, especially when compared to a Jazz with a P-PUP, which just looks wrong. That's a very elegant looking bass. I've always been convinced that a significant part of the P-Bass tone is in the neck (having played Precision neck on Jazz bodies and vice-versa), so I'm looking forward to hearing your views on how that sounds compared to a 'proper' Jazz. Either way, lovely looking bass, good work.

[mcnach]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1470695509' post='3107803']
Want!
[/quote]

You could try something like that on your RW Precision!

[discreet]

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1470697845' post='3107822']
You could try something like that on your RW Precision!
[/quote]

Hmmm... no.

[mcnach]

[quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1470695837' post='3107806']
Funny how good a Precision with J-PUPs looks, especially when compared to a Jazz with a P-PUP, which just looks wrong. That's a very elegant looking bass. I've always been convinced that a significant part of the P-Bass tone is in the neck (having played Precision neck on Jazz bodies and vice-versa), so I'm looking forward to hearing your views on how that sounds compared to a 'proper' Jazz. Either way, lovely looking bass, good work.
[/quote]

I'm sceptical about the neck contributing significantly to a P-tone... but I'm also one of those infidels who don't think the difference between maple and rosewood fingerboards is significant

So, what this one sound like? It's hard because those pickups are not the most traditional Jazz pickups ever. They are humbuckers and unlike other humbucking Jazz pickups I don't think they particularly tried to reproduce a traditional Jazz bass sound.
I had them on a 75RI Jazz, and I'd say it sounds pretty similar to that bass with the same pickups. I'm still playing a bit with the pickup heights, which affects the sound (especially both pickups on) a lot. This bridge pickup is very meaty and it's not very much like a standard Jazz pickup. It's fatter, with less top end and less of that nasal tone. The neck pickup is a bit tamer than a standard neck pickup in a Jazz: it sounds big, but doesn't have the prominent midrange that many Jazz neck pickups have and help them resemble a Precision. Together you get the traditional scooped sound, and I've been adjusting the relative heights so that it's not quite as scooped.
So... because these pickups are not the most Jazz-alike, it's not exactly a Jazz, but it does sound a lot like my old 75RI used to sound with them.
I think I'll end up installing another more traditional pickup eventually.

[mcnach]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1470698793' post='3107826']
Hmmm... no.
[/quote]

good answer. You passed the test

[artisan]

Lovely looking bass,great conversion

[NancyJohnson]

That looks pretty good. I wouldn't go so far as to say a Jazz looks wrong with a P-pickup (Mark Hoppus edition), but the other way round looks nice.

[Graham]

[quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1470695837' post='3107806']
That's a very elegant looking bass.
[/quote]

That's exactly the right word for it.

[discreet]

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1470698922' post='3107828']
good answer. You passed the test
[/quote]

But I do have a decent Squier P neck. May be a good excuse to find a Squier P body and fit it with Jazz pups...

[merello]

Sofa King Good!

[bigsmokebass]

Looks a while differently new bass. I quite like it but I'd have P/J confit for me

BSB

[mcnach]

[quote name='bigsmokebass' timestamp='1470944374' post='3109575']
Looks a while differently new bass. I quite like it but I'd have P/J confit for me

BSB
[/quote]

That would have been the simplest option, but I already have the Jake P/JJ and the point was having a Jazz in a more comfy package than... a Jazz

[bigsmokebass]

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1470947203' post='3109593']


That would have been the simplest option, but I already have the Jake P/JJ and the point was having a Jazz in a more comfy package than... a Jazz
[/quote]

I have a P/J as well but I think the BB is inbetween the Precision and Jazz so does me well. I think a precision body and jazz pickups is quite cool though.

[mcnach]

As much as I used to love the Nordstrand NJ4SE pickups on my 75RI Jazz, I was not 'loving it' here. My favourite Jazz pickups are the DiMarzio Area J humbuckers. I have them on a very cheap Squier Jazz and I love the sound... so I was thinking maybe I should try those on the MF Jazz, until I found out they're also available with cream coloured pickup covers. Then I stopped thinking and I KNEW I had to get a pair. Of pickups, Discreet, of pickups!

They arrived on Tuesday, and finally this evening I removed the Nordstrands and installed the Area J. I happened to have a set of cream coloured Jazz bass knobs, so I used those too.

I like the sound a lot more now. And it looks pretty classy too

[AlexDelores]

Wow what a cool modification and the cream coloured changes really set it off. Lovely looking PreciJazz that.

[therealting]

I prefer a smaller body size too, my Sadowsky does that for me nicely. The Warmoth Dinky J is very similar.

[krispn]

That's a great looking conversion Jose. Was it an expensive mod to have done?

Edited October 21, 2016 by krispn

[mcnach]

[quote name='krispn' timestamp='1477062319' post='3159636']
That's a great looking conversion Jose. Was it an expensive mod to have done?
[/quote]

It could have cost a lot less, but I was lazy

Just routing the bridge pickup and cutting a new pickguard is not that expensive. I added cost because I let him route also the hidden neck pickup (I could have easily done it myself as it doesn't matter of it's not pretty), and I decided to have the output socket moved to the side (so extra routing, plus new socket), and had him wire it too. All stuff I could have done if I could be bothered, but I just wanted to play the thing

I went for volume / blend / tone. I regret that. I will rewire it volume / volume / tone. I don't know what it is, but with the blend control it feels like it doesn't sound "right". I had this on a Jazz I briefly converted to V/B/T and turned it back to V/V/T... but I had forgotten about it. I guess all the controls are interactive to some degree and to get "the" Jazz sound you really need the VVT configuration.

[stingrayPete1977]

That looks really good, as a man that like you likes a proper mans nut width and jazz basses I can see that is a proper solution well done

[Trueno]

Interesting about the volume/blend/tone layout. As I've mostly played active basses with this layout I'd prefer it on my passive Jazz... but I have read, like you say, it's not the same... so I guess I'll leave it volume/volume/tone.
Fabulous bass, by the way.

[LZD56]

I can smell the nastee funk coming off that bass! Cream top and cream pups - top notch!!