sammybee Posted December 15, 2016 Share Posted December 15, 2016 I recently added/upgraded my 75 RI Jazz to sport a J-Retro, wanting to add a MM type sound to my arsenal. Boy was I disappointed. It just seems too much, like adding nitrous oxide to a moped. It's not my only active bass, I have a stingray and used to own a MM Jazz. Love the stingray sound (wasnt so keen on the Jap MM). Am I the only one who thinks the J-Retro sound is just too OTT? Should I persevere with it? At least it's an easily reversible upgrade. Opinions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted December 15, 2016 Share Posted December 15, 2016 "More" always gets to the point of "too much". Also trying to make "something" sound like "everything" never works either. I'd look at a good quality passive system for your Jazz and maybe the top of the range Fender Jazz pickups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markstuk Posted December 15, 2016 Share Posted December 15, 2016 As a fellow J-retro user .... 1. You don't have to use all the knobs travel. :-) I set mine to be as close to the passive tone as possible and then move incrementally from there... 2. It's never going to sound like a stingray.. 3. Might be worth playing the trim settings on the preamp itself... But I agree that you need to be careful with it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammybee Posted December 15, 2016 Author Share Posted December 15, 2016 Oh I dont have everything cranked up - like you it's close to flat, with just a tiny touch of bass and treble boost. It still sounds like it will blow the doors off. I'll take a look at the trim settings on the preamp. I really want to like it, but initial impressions aren't great. Whereas my stingray seems to flatter my poor playing - and make it sound good, the J-Retro seems to magnify all the bits I dont like! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted December 15, 2016 Share Posted December 15, 2016 Isn't flat on one of them not centre on the bass control? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted December 15, 2016 Share Posted December 15, 2016 [quote name='sammybee' timestamp='1481807614' post='3195304'] . . . my stingray seems to flatter my poor playing - and make it sound good, the J-Retro seems to magnify all the bits I dont like! [/quote] I've had this several times in the last 15 years. Buy a better link in the chain and the "issues" in the other links are exposed. After decades feeling good about my playing I had a big wake up call when I bought my first Thunderfunk amp, and another when I bought my first Bergantino cabs. I almost felt like a beginner again! I've just bought a high quality Jazz which, again, is highlighting some left hand "problems". If you stick with the J retro and work on your technique you will be a better player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammybee Posted December 15, 2016 Author Share Posted December 15, 2016 The bass is boost only, with an indent midway - I think I might have had the bass boosted whoops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted December 17, 2016 Share Posted December 17, 2016 [quote name='sammybee' timestamp='1481795569' post='3195153'] I recently added/upgraded my 75 RI Jazz to sport a J-Retro, wanting to add a MM type sound to my arsenal. Boy was I disappointed. It just seems too much, like adding nitrous oxide to a moped. It's not my only active bass, I have a stingray and used to own a MM Jazz. Love the stingray sound (wasnt so keen on the Jap MM). Am I the only one who thinks the J-Retro sound is just too OTT? Should I persevere with it? At least it's an easily reversible upgrade. Opinions? [/quote] what's OTT about it? It can sound pretty much like anything you want to. Like with most preamps, a little boost/cut goes a long way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliusmonk Posted December 17, 2016 Share Posted December 17, 2016 I for one am not overly keen on the East preamps, despite widespread praise. I found them always a bit noisy. Then again, my set up is very sensitive to noise - can't stand non-shielded Laklands, for example (not even USA ones). I prefer the Bartolini or Glockenlang preamps. So maybe it's just not for you. The boost-only bass is a usual mistake - turn it down all the way to start with. I find East preamps work better with very dull-sounding basses. Your 75 jazz shouldn't be. It will never make any MM sounds, regardless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted December 17, 2016 Share Posted December 17, 2016 (edited) The bass is boost only on a J retro (the treble and mid are boost and cut). Turn it all the way anti-clockwise to turn the bass boost off. I tend to use the bass control sparingly. My preferred tone is to turn the low mid up full (bottom control on the mid boost turned all the way anti-clockwise) and the mid volume level up full. This gives me a clear, punchy and articulate sound, with a good bottom end. Frankly you can get any sound you want from a a Jazz and a J retro. You just need to experiment a bit. Edited December 18, 2016 by gjones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molan Posted December 17, 2016 Share Posted December 17, 2016 I really don't like the J-Retro circuits either. I've bought a few basses that came with J-Retros fitted and I've removed each one pretty quickly. I always find them too over the top. To me a good onboard circuit should be genuinely usable. I want to be able to use the full travel of a control to subtly adjust my tone. With the J-Retro I have to be so careful because the level of boost and cut is so extreme. Twist one a bit too far live and it can be way too excessive. I also find them too 'active' and a bit artificial sounding and not as 'organic' as some other pre-amps out there. I guess if you want to sit at home and use the pre-amp to set up a core tone that you're going to use live and not adjust it then it could work. Of course - this is just me, I know lots of people love them, lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrevorR Posted December 18, 2016 Share Posted December 18, 2016 Not knowingly tried J Retro but I do love the Audere preamp. One of the few cut/boost circuits where the maximum travel on the controls were still in musical usable tone territory. But never lacking or too tame either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted December 18, 2016 Share Posted December 18, 2016 [quote name='TrevorR' timestamp='1482047169' post='3197120'] Not knowingly tried J Retro but I do love the Audere preamp. One of the few cut/boost circuits where the maximum travel on the controls were still in musical usable tone territory. But never lacking or too tame either. [/quote] I guess that's there are so many different products in the market, as different people prefer different things. I had an Audere and I just did not like it and ended up being replaced by a J-Retro. I have two J-Retros and a U-Retro (same thing, just flexible links to fit in other basses not just Jazz)... and I love them. Yeah, at maximum travel you have quite a dramatic boost/cut... but you don't need to turn the knob to max, do you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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