YANBD

[FinnDave]

Yet Another New Bass Day

I last posted in this section a month ago to announce the arrival of an Ibanez SR1200 to my collection. That left my care yesterday having been played once during my brief custody, and replaced by a Fender Jazz US Special. I just have to face up to the fact that I am not really made for exotic active basses, and should stick to standard Jazz & Precision basses from now on. Obviously,y it is inevitable that I will deviate from this sensible course, but such is life.

I acquired the Jazz after seeing it advertised on Facebook by a chap who wanted to swap it for a Premium Ibanez. As I had one doing nothing, I decided to get in touch, yesterday he came over to our house and we sat in the garden with an amp & cab, talked bass stuff and tried each other's basses. The result was satisfactory for us both - he prefers Ibanez and I prefer Fender, so a straight swap was agreed. Looking at the prices of each, it was a fair deal for us both, and a pleasant hour or so chatting and playing in the evening sun.

I now have four Jazz basses (though I am selling the active one) and only one Precision….

Obligatory picture of the new recruit:

 

 

 

[Jonesy]

Lovely stuff - that burst looks really warm and I really like the black scratch plate with it. Enjoy your new toy! 

[FinnDave]

5 minutes ago, Jonesy said:

Lovely stuff - that burst looks really warm and I really like the black scratch plate with it. Enjoy your new toy! 

Thanks, I like the black scratchplate as well, though I usually change them to tort. I'll leave this the way to is for now. It came with the original white plate as well. 

The bass has a very comfortable neck, as well. It might be that after 45 years or more of playing, I am finally coming round to the idea that the Jazz bass is my perfect instrument!

 

[Jonesy]

The black plate really gives it that 70s vibe, which I really dig and have on my G&L tribute......

Jazz necks are really nice to get around and can imagine yours is a dream. The only thing that took a bit of fiddling for me is eq'ing the thinness out, while still keeping that jazz bite. I took me a while to find a tone I was happy with, especially after playing with humbuckers for so long, but they're pretty versatile basses!

[Lozz196]

Looks great Dave, and I echo the thoughts re the black plate, proper 70s look

[FinnDave]

I've had Jazz basses for decades, after initial rumblings on a short scale Vox I managed to scrape the money together  for a Framus Jazz bass, which was a good bass for about £100 some 45 years ago. Since then, I've almost always had at lease one Jazz & currently have four, but something in my head keeps telling me to try other basses. The only long term keeper I have is a Precision!

Fenders are so common and boring in a way, but I have never had a bad one. Dull but reliable.

[FinnDave]

I've got a tort plate that'll fit lying around, I'll try just laying it over the black one and see how the bass looks. At least they're easy to change on a Jazz!

Edited June 24, 2021 by FinnDave

[Jonesy]

39 minutes ago, FinnDave said:

I've had Jazz basses for decades, after initial rumblings on a short scale Vox I managed to scrape the money together  for a Framus Jazz bass, which was a good bass for about £100 some 45 years ago. Since then, I've almost always had at lease one Jazz & currently have four, but something in my head keeps telling me to try other basses. The only long term keeper I have is a Precision!

Fenders are so common and boring in a way, but I have never had a bad one. Dull but reliable.

AHH, gotcha. Sorry, I misread your post and thought this was your first foray into Jazziness. Apologies, I didn't mean to come across like I was teaching you to suck eggs! 

I feel the same as you about Fenders and often think they're a dull choice. Then I play one or hear one and remind myself what all the fuss is about! 

I'm sure tort would look equally stunning on that, you'll just knock a decade off with 60s Noel Redding look!

[FinnDave]

I've a small stack of black, white, & one tort Jazz scratch plates right here and will see which hits the spot for me once I've finished my cuppa.

[police squad]

That's a lovely looking burst. I must be growing up (old) 

Happy NBD

[FinnDave]

This is what it looks like with a tort guard - not necessarily this one, as I could swap a couple around from my other Jazz basses.

 

[police squad]

1 minute ago, FinnDave said:

This is what it looks like with a tort guard - not necessarily this one, as I could swap a couple around from my other Jazz basses.

 

I prefer the black

[Jonesy]

I think that burst is so nice that anything would look good on it!  Having said that, I'm also leaning toward the black.

[tegs07]

11 minutes ago, FinnDave said:

This is what it looks like with a tort guard - not necessarily this one, as I could swap a couple around from my other Jazz basses.

 

Prefer the black- really makes a good contrast with the sunburst.

[spongebob]

Tort nice, black looks killer!

[chris_b]

17 minutes ago, FinnDave said:

This is what it looks like with a tort guard - not necessarily this one, as I could swap a couple around from my other Jazz basses.

 

Finishes it off nicely. This one gets my vote.

[LukeFRC]

21 minutes ago, FinnDave said:

This is what it looks like with a tort guard - not necessarily this one, as I could swap a couple around from my other Jazz basses.

 

not that you were asking but I would go black!

[FinnDave]

Thanks for the help - I'm still favouring the tort, just looks more interesting than a sheet of black plastic - but it does look pretty good with either. Looks terrible with the original white, though!

I can change from one plate to another in under 5 minutes, so I experiment a little.

[Lozz196]

Tort looks 60s

Black looks 70s

Both look great

[FinnDave]

3 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

Tort looks 60s

Black looks 70s

Both look great

I think I'm more 60s than 70s - and not just on my choice of scratch plates!

[PaulThePlug]

Nice Read.. Nice n subtle Brown Burst, without the brighter golden yellows...

What does the wood look like under the guard? Can we have a pick while ya swapping?

Have you considered no guard or a clear guard to keep the classic lines and 'shape' and use the screw holes and get 30% extra wood? Otherwise it would be Black Guard for me.

Edited June 24, 2021 by PaulThePlug

[FinnDave]

1 minute ago, PaulThePlug said:

Nice Read.. Nice n subtle Brown Burst, without the brighter golden yellows...

What does the wood look like under the guard? Have you considered no guard or a clear guard to keep the 'shape' and use the screw holes? and 30% more wood! otherwise it would be Black Guard for me.

That's a good point, I haven't removed the guard yet, just lay the tort on on top of the black one for the picture. I'll have a look at what's under it later. I'll probably have my 'best' tort Jazz guard ready to slip on if I want to. 

I've got two gigs this weekend (different bands & music) and would like to give the new Jazz a proper workout with them.

[PaulThePlug]

I'm Sorry... I know i say it every time the Which Scratchplate Q comes up!

I just like plain, simple, subtle and wood on a bass so why cover a big part of it with plastic, especialy if you dont need to like on a Jazz... unfortunatly most P's have pickup routing under the guard.

Having a clear plate also keeps the classic lines of the Jazz connecting with the Bell plate, No plate looks a little like something is missing (but is better than tort!), and A P looks better 'Rear Rout'

n urry up wiv the near-naked pic...

Edited June 24, 2021 by PaulThePlug

[FinnDave]

It doesn't look bad without a scratch plate, but the screw holes would annoy me.

Here is the Jazz with a WD celluloid tort plate, I've fixed this on one and will play this weekend's gigs with it and see how I feel about it. The yellower, more open tort plate I tried on it yesterday might be better.

None of this will any difference to how it plays or sounds, just messing about as I have a few spare plates lying around.