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Jazz bass with flats


Ricky 4000

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I know I'm a late developer, but I've just accidentally discovered playing funk with flats on a J bass.

All 3 knobs turned up full, and straight in to my cheapass Behringer 802 USB mixer, using channel #1 for some boost from the mic' pre, and half a turn on the compressor.

Playing along to this through a high pass filter. It's so down and dirty, playing it in my Larry Graham (modified) style, I feels like a wild animal, and it sounds... it sounds exactly like the smell of sex.

Many thanks to the BCer who recently put me on to Betty Davis. I have the album now on Spotify. 👍

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I tried flats on a passive Jazz that I owned a few years ago. While it sounded pretty good, it brought the sound of the Jazz too close to the sound of my P bass. I ended up going down the traditional route with flats on the passive P and rounds on the active J.

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7 minutes ago, Ricky 4000 said:

A good question. They came on the bass. Green silks and coloured ball ends. Probably not expensive.

I wonder if somebody can identify them? 👍

WP_20190527_15_50_48_Pro.thumb.jpg.d5f9eef6e2be5261f77eb681b84f7a2f.jpg

They look the same as  my fender flats 🙂

EF200478-3AC6-4322-AD01-FFEEDEE613FD.jpeg

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2 hours ago, Sibob said:

hence why I stick to flats on a P and rounds on a Jazz

me too - EB Cobalts on the P, D'Addario rounds on the Jazz. I could see a day I'd put cobalts on the Jazz too, but the P + flats is a perfect fit I reckon. 

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3 hours ago, Marvin said:

I've got D'Addario Chromes (flats) on my jazz. It sounds great.

Although...the rounds I had on my jazz were SO old that the Chromes sounded very bright initially.

That's a thing, I dunno if these Fender flats will soon lose the "bite" that they have at the moment...

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17 minutes ago, Ricky 4000 said:

That's a thing, I dunno if these Fender flats will soon lose the "bite" that they have at the moment...

I’ve had mine on for about 2 years and they haven’t really changed much tone wise , maybe mellowed a bit, which I like,    but they are on a jazz I don’t play constantly , probably around 6 hours a week , my main jazz has tapewounds 🙂

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6 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

I’ve had mine on for about 2 years and they haven’t really changed much tone wise , maybe mellowed a bit, which I like,    but they are on a jazz I don’t play constantly , probably around 6 hours a week , my main jazz has tapewounds 🙂

What sort of sound do the tapewounds have, RB?

I think Teebs has some black ones, but I figured that's an S&M thang...? :ph34r:

Edited by Ricky 4000
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2 minutes ago, Ricky 4000 said:

What sort of sound do the tapewounds have, RB?

I think Teebs has some black ones, but I figured that's an S&M thang...? :ph34r:

😂.     The D’Addario tapes I’ve got have quite a deep warm sound but still clear, definitely not zingy, absolutely perfect for reggae 🙂

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22 minutes ago, Ricky 4000 said:

What sort of sound do the tapewounds have

The flats I've used have a great, thick, warm, chewy, fat and thumpy sound with most of their energy centred in the low mids. They don't always sound great on their own but in a band they just fit right in.

They sound like this

Sean Hurley (including a great insight to playing a band @ 4.36)   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsApLu5TF6I

 

Mike Leech  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr_eVcCAUXo

Bob Babbitt  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0F9lh8TiSM

 

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Daddario tapes on P’s, J’s and PJ’s all the way for me. I don’t slap but I don’t think tapes would be ideal for slap, they have a very dark and juicy tone for finger style, and they’re great for digging in, but they don’t have that metallic sound at all, it’s a much more subtle tone than that. I love them though, if it wasn’t for tapes I don’t think I’d be able to play the music I like playing, I swear by them.

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13 hours ago, Ricky 4000 said:

I wonder if somebody can identify them? 👍

WP_20190527_15_50_48_Pro.thumb.jpg.d5f9eef6e2be5261f77eb681b84f7a2f.jpg

If tuned correctly, I imagine they're E A D G (from left to right in the photo).

Hope this helps :)

;)

Edited by Teebs
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