Jazz basses, what's the point?

[FinnDave]

Now don't get me wrong, I love the aesthetics of a Jazz bass, and I love the sound when I play them alone (as you do when trying them out in a shop...) but whenever I turn up to play with a band and get one of my JBs out, they always ask if I've brought a P bass with me, as no matter who I play with, they always prefer the sound of the Precision.

So I have a Fender Classic 60s Jazz, nitro finish, lovely beast, and a new US Standard Jazz both sitting in cases upstairs and I never get to use them in anger.

Is this a common experience? I suppose in an ideal world I'd meet someone with a pair of little-used Precisions because they always play Jazzes and we could arrange a swap!

Glad I got that off my chest, now back to learning tomorrow's set....on a Precision!

[markstuk]

Why do you let them tell you what bass to play ? :-) do you get to choose what they play ?

[thebassist]

Personally I prefer the sound of a Jazz, always play them in bands and I reckon I'd probably quit if someone told me what instrument I should play. But then I'd never tell a guitarist to use a Strat over a Tele, etc.

[lowhand_mike]

play what you want not what others tell you to play
i also prefer the sound of a jazz over a precision

Edited November 11, 2016 by lowhand_mike

[Ghost_Bass]

Actually i hear more talk about Fender Jazz over here from other musos (normally keyboard players). Also i'm allways running in to that guy on a gig that knows what a bass guitar is and has a passion for it (even though he may or not play it). As that guy sees that i'm carrying a Yamaha he starts telling me that i should buy a Fender, that's a real bass, the best bass, etc. etc. etc.
In the old days i would be bothered to take some time to explain why my Yammy is way better than the Fender but now i just smile and let them all find out what that bass sounds like when the gig starts.

Fender are still the standart and most people will take it as the pinnacle of bass/guitar without really knowing what it is. Other have their ear formatted to a sound at such level that everything that sounds different isn't acceptable.

Finn, if you like the sound of the J in the band's mix i say you should stick with your guns and let them find out how good it sounds and get used to it. If you also think that the P sits better then keep the J locked until you find yourself in another band with another style.

[chris_b]

I'm not a Jazz person either. I played a 4 string P bass for 25 years and only one person commented on it. A record producer said "Oh, good. Turn everything up full and we'll do the rest in here". That was it!

I switched to 5 string basses (MM, Wal, Lakland & Lull) for the last 25 years and all I've got is, "That looks good" and "How many strings has it got?"

The guys I mix with don't care about gear, but they do notice and comment on how the band played and whether the groove was good or not.

[Musicman20]

Probably because they are used to the sound of how a Precision fits with your music.

I often find a Jazz has a lot of low bass, not so much mid, and treble sheen. Lovely sound, but it needs some EQ to cut in a busy band.

[FinnDave]

Don't me wrong, I love my P basses as well, and I agree with bandmates when they say they prefer the sound of P in the mix. No one is telling me what bass to play, but they always prefer the sound of the P over the J, so that's what gets used. I started out on a Jazz yesterday, then switched to a Precision after half a dozen for so songs, and the guitarist and drummer immediately said how much better it sounded.

To be honest, I am increasingly finding the Jazz basses to sound a bit thin and lacking that authority thump of a decent Precision, but I suspect I'd forget that if I sold the Js and a year or two down the lone would splash out on another!

[Ghost_Bass]

[quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1478880418' post='3172388']
Don't me wrong, I love my P basses as well, and I agree with bandmates when they say they prefer the sound of P in the mix. No one is telling me what bass to play, but they always prefer the sound of the P over the J, so that's what gets used. I started out on a Jazz yesterday, then switched to a Precision after half a dozen for so songs, and the guitarist and drummer immediately said how much better it sounded.

To be honest, I am increasingly finding the Jazz basses to sound a bit thin and lacking that authority thump of a decent Precision, but I suspect I'd forget that if I sold the Js and a year or two down the lone would splash out on another!
[/quote]

From what you're saying the P is the way to go in your band. If everybody (including you) prefers the tone and the way it sits in the mix then it's a no brainer. Keep at least one J with you, in a few years you may find yourself in another project where it would get all the thumbs up regarding tone and band mix.

[LewisK1975]

PJ?

[thegummy]

I've heard a lot of talk online about everyone preferring P's but I was watching the Crossroads DVDs a few days ago and noticed that there are far more J's being played there.

[FinnDave]

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1478880115' post='3172381']
Probably because they are used to the sound of how a Precision fits with your music.
[/quote]

This has come from people in 3 different bands in the last couple of weeks, some of them hadn't heard me before, so it's the overall bass sound rather than me that is being commented on.

[bassbiscuits]

I'm a P man thru and thru.

I've had three jazzes which were all good basses (two Fenders and a Sandberg California) and currently have a Lull PJ4, but the bass that just sounds fattest and fits best with 90 percent of the music i play is just an old P bass.

Jazzes are great for having those extra sounds, more articulation etc, but if i had to have just one bass, it would be a P every time.

I play in a couple of different bands ranging from blues/rock originals to alt/acoustic stuff and just pop/rock covers and the P just always sounds better.

[Hobbayne]

I tried a Jazz bass a few times and always went back to a P. I found the neck too narrow at the nut. I always ran both pickups wide open too.
Not really a fan. Horses for courses.

[gareth]

[quote name='LewisK1975' timestamp='1478881265' post='3172404']
PJ?
[/quote]pj is a good idea. Basically a p but you have the extra tone variations afforded by the Jazz bridge pup.

[lefrash]

[quote name='gareth' timestamp='1478883504' post='3172452']
pj is a good idea. Basically a p but you have the extra tone variations afforded by the Jazz bridge pup.
[/quote]

I seem to remember reading somewhere that on a pj bass the p pickup is positioned differently in order to get a better mix with the j pick Up, so it's not a direct replacement to a good old fashioned p bass.

Ive got a p/j jazz and I think I might be right, I don't think it quite has the same tonal qualities as an actual p bass when the j pickup is rolled off. Although ive never owned a good p bass so can't totally compare.

[spongebob]

I've owned a few, a regularly GAS for another.....then I often remember why I sold them in the first place!

I love the sound of other people playing them - but when I've had them, I just can't get a good tone or cut through enough. The tone I want is never the tone I managed.

I always ended up trying to make it sound like a P for more bottom and grunt. Which kind of did away with the point of owning it in the first place!

[Lozz196]

I love the sound of a Jazz bass, until I play one. Then it just sounds wrong. I suppose I`m so used to hearing a Precision sound when I play that anything non-Precision sounds wrong, as I find the same with Stingrays. Just about the only time a Jazz sounded alright for me was when playing heavy rock, and some detuned stuff - as there were 2 detuned guitars and keys the Precision was too much in the mix, whereas the Jazz being crisper sounding fitted quite well.

I also think that especially in bands where there`s just one guitar that having a Precision helps to fill out the space better, although many bands with one guitar have had Jazz basses do a very fine job - Led Zep/Rush to start off with.

Have to say though, the bassist in one of my fave bands - Booze and Glory - uses a Jazz and his sound is great.

Edited November 11, 2016 by Lozz196

[spongebob]

Must add, that as I'm primarily a pick player, that doesn't seem to help matters either.

I have an odd hand position that leaves 3 of my fingers sticking out when I play - they always seem to keep banging into the Jazz controls.

In the words of John Wetton - 'too much knobs!'

[ahpook]

What's the point of Jazz basses ? They're for people who like Jazz basses. Now, as someone who does like Jazz basses, I can see the point of Precision basses but I just don't like them as much as I like Jazz basses.

[RhysP]

[quote name='thegummy' timestamp='1478881682' post='3172411']
I've heard a lot of talk online about everyone preferring P's but I was watching the Crossroads DVDs a few days ago and noticed that there are far more J's being played there.
[/quote]

Yes, Amy Turtle, Meg Richardson & Benny were all well known for their love of Jazz basses.

[EliasMooseblaster]

[quote name='lefrash' timestamp='1478883918' post='3172457']
I seem to remember reading somewhere that on a pj bass the p pickup is positioned differently in order to get a better mix with the j pick Up, so it's not a direct replacement to a good old fashioned p bass.

Ive got a p/j jazz and I think I might be right, I don't think it quite has the same tonal qualities as an actual p bass when the j pickup is rolled off. Although ive never owned a good p bass so can't totally compare.
[/quote]

I've just measured the placement on my Precision copy and my Schecter (P/J). Based on this very narrow sample size alone, you may be right: the P pickup is a little over a centimetre further back on the Schecter. Of course, neither of these are Fender basses and are therefore unlikely to be representative of the original design!

[JTUK]

Nope... I get a few knowingly smiles and then we are off.

A Jazz suits my style, a P does not and no one says anything unless there is anything wrong.

I've never been asked to play a P

[BaconCheese]

It all depends on what the band sounds like and where the bass should fit in the mix.

There is a reason for choosing a P or J, and it is no coincidence that they are chosen in certain settings.

If you have a big sounding drum kit, especially the bass drum, you have to figure out where the bass sits in the mix. The majority of players in these Rock bands tend to play P basses- they blend very well with heavy (Les Paul) guitars and a with the fat bass drum. It also fits best if you are playing along with the bass drum a lot or if you are laying down a very straight groove. A P with a maple board and ash body adds more high mids and treble to the mix than an alder/rosewood P. With a J, you are more likely to clash with a distorted Les Paul sound, but it fits beautifully to a Fender guitar sound and more "old school" drums with a more natural sounding bass drum.

The J may also sound better if you are playing busy lines, because the sound is way clearer, especially if you rely on the bridge pickup.

[Woodinblack]

I haven't ever had that, or heard it. I heard someone say they wanted a P-Bass sound but had no problem played with a J.

I have a Squier P, but it's not something I really play at all, and I don't really play 4 strings so it doesn't really matter. If people wanted that I guess they would want a different bass player.