Ander87 Posted January 24, 2022 Share Posted January 24, 2022 (edited) Well... I've had a lot of gear dramas. If you see my posts here you can tell I'm a usual criminal of sales trades and whatnot. I picked up a guitar recently after letting go of one of my (admittedly redundant) Limelight P basses (jazz necks, nordy pickups)... And guys even if I was a guitarist in a past life, for the last 3 years all I've enjoyed is bass. Got a fender US special tele guitar last week with hopes to record demos or gel back in and gosh I just do not enjoy it anymore. It feels closer to doing the dishes than making music. I find ideas for bass whilst playing guitar and switch in a moment to my preferred instrument... ... With that in mind I did some reflection and thought 'what is the bass that is different to your Limelights that you'd still use?' - I hate having stuff I don't use in the house, and well the options for buying new are slimmer considering how the prices are lately, and I've gone through gear worth 2.3/3k£ and can admittedly say that for my budget and the price/quality, the 1k£ish range is what I prefer most... I've also gone through 19 basses since I started playing in October 2018 - yep you've read that right - mind you some where returns the next day or week or just passing by as part exchange etc.... but I've learned enough about basses to know what I like. Comfy neck, passive, fender types... ... So I decided to round it up to 20 basses and will want to retire for a while (admins, can I be banned from marketplace?.... Seriously.... can I be banned from there?). I saw a good JMJ for £800 and went for it - I'll be selling the guitar and back to three basses - the short scale is handy for when I'm on my mates' little Ford Fiesta for gigs so that I don't have to keep my bass in my lap in the rear seats for 2hrs. A short scale should fit nicely in the boot, as it's just a bit longer than a regular tele - Probs not bigger than a baritone guitar. The pros: * Finish on nitro, tasty relic * 'Grown up bass' sound - it feels like a real thing! Very nice sound, proper passive P vibes but with a sweeter top end I'd say (probs the scale/strings) * I don't like big necks and this is a P profile, but being short scale means it doesn't dig into my fingers like a regular P/Stingray does. * Light at 3.5kg which is a big plus... I'm used to 3.7/3.8kg tops these days.. * Flat wounds make a lot of sense on a bass this type, does pick very well which is grand The cons: * Why on Earth did Fender use LONG SCALE strings on this bass? the actual strings on E and A roll around the tuning peg * Why on Earth again does it come with a LONG SCALE gig back? These cons are honestly a joke - easy to fix which is good, but man.... seriously 🤣 I get it's probably money saving but it's very cheap of a bass that retails over 1k£ I'll be putting appropriate labella flats (760F-MUS) soon and may get an appropriate gigbag I will post picutres if someone points me in the right direction - the last months I've not been able too as all my pictures exceed the 3.5kb limit it says? (of course it does, who has 3.5kb pics?) I'm really hoping that with this journey having gone from actives to passives, from 5ers to 4 stringers, headless basses, modern, classics, cheap and pricey..... I'm genuinely hoping I can retire or go on a long hiatus of not buying more stuff - I've put a lot of thought into all my rig to continue going down this way ugh! Best, Ander. Edited January 24, 2022 by Ander87 added pictures! 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
police squad Posted January 24, 2022 Share Posted January 24, 2022 Hey Ander, my JMJ is my absolute goto. A fab bass, great neck, I dont mind the strings either A great choice 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adee Posted January 24, 2022 Share Posted January 24, 2022 Excellent choice, solid, resonant, great to play and look cool as flip whats not to love about the JMJ ... I have 3 short scales now and it sits well with the bunch . ... ENJOY! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martthebass Posted January 24, 2022 Share Posted January 24, 2022 (edited) 3 is a good number for shorties..... BTW, there isn’t a 3.5 kB limit, this is 895 kb Edited January 24, 2022 by martthebass 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ander87 Posted January 24, 2022 Author Share Posted January 24, 2022 2 hours ago, police squad said: Hey Ander, my JMJ is my absolute goto. A fab bass, great neck, I dont mind the strings either A great choice Aha! I did read your posts, thanks for sharing and the demos too! I'm a P bass man but this little thing definitely brings some good joy!! 2 hours ago, Adee said: Excellent choice, solid, resonant, great to play and look cool as flip whats not to love about the JMJ Cheers! I had never played short scale basses and I'll be dead honest I wasn't thinking much of them - nonetheless my feeling for the last half year was 'if I ever go for a short scale it'd be the JMJ'. I did lost an auction on eBay for it at a very decent price and funny enough as ended up with my white Limelight as a rebound ha! Fantastic bass, but preferred my charcoal and purple ones - glad this one made it's way back to me. They really do look cool, tons of mojo! Still have to try it in a band setting but I would imagine this sits great in a punk rock gig! 59 minutes ago, martthebass said: 3 is a good number for shorties..... BTW, there isn’t a 3.5 kB limit, this is 895 kb Gorgeous collection! That G&L was tempting me not long ago...! Well about the pictures... For the last 2 months or so, whenever I try post a picture all I get is the message '1 file would exceed the total allowed size of 3.596kB, and was skipped' Could any mod help or assist? these are local files from either laptop or phone, personal pictures or google pictures that I try paste too... Best, Ander. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted January 24, 2022 Share Posted January 24, 2022 Probably means you have used up your allotted space for attachments. Click on your BC profile and scroll down to your attachments. Then delete a load of old, no longer relevant pics. Should fix it for you (I think!) 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ander87 Posted January 24, 2022 Author Share Posted January 24, 2022 20 minutes ago, Clarky said: Probably means you have used up your allotted space for attachments. Click on your BC profile and scroll down to your attachments. Then delete a load of old, no longer relevant pics. Should fix it for you (I think!) You.... you're good, you! (read in De Niro's voice) ... Worked a charm!! I had no idea about my allocation of attachments etc - a lot of crap as you can assume by my history of basses sales and trades...! THANK YOU. Well now, I shall add a couple pictures at the top! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
police squad Posted January 25, 2022 Share Posted January 25, 2022 it sounds very P bass like in a band setting. I've done a couple of gigs with mine and it sounds ace. Everybody that's played it loves it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ander87 Posted January 25, 2022 Author Share Posted January 25, 2022 yes! it definitely gives me that vibe @police squad...! Today I should be receiving the new La Bella strings for this beauty (alongside gold flats for my other bass). I'll share a family picture once I sort them up and pick up the other bass which got a jaguar mute just now! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ander87 Posted January 25, 2022 Author Share Posted January 25, 2022 Well as promised… The new family together! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted January 25, 2022 Share Posted January 25, 2022 I’ve been very tempted by these JMJ basses 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aidan63 Posted January 25, 2022 Share Posted January 25, 2022 picture doesn't display and link doesn't work either for me using Edge browser in Win10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ander87 Posted January 25, 2022 Author Share Posted January 25, 2022 1 hour ago, Lozz196 said: I’ve been very tempted by these JMJ basses Hm.... My report of it is positive - wouldn't put it ahead of my Limelights but also the Limelights are slightly pricier when new... The relic is very good, the finish is super nice and the hardware/electronics are very very reliable. I'll test it in a band environment soon I hope, but also the ergonomics of it are very convenient - P bass nut width but since the first frets are closer to you than a on a long scale so I would say it is equivalent (ie. surely this 41mm would span out to 38mm if it was 3 inchest further/longer). I was expecting my fretting hand would struggle - asides from a couple bum notes I'd say it all falls in place easily, changing between one scale and the other doesn't seem too noticeable - it is more the difference on your lap etc. 1 hour ago, Aidan63 said: picture doesn't display and link doesn't work either for me using Edge browser in Win10 Odd! I can see them on Windows (Chrome and Edge), Mac and iPhone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aidan63 Posted January 26, 2022 Share Posted January 26, 2022 I can see all the other photos just not the latest one, weird one but not important; same thing happens on the other forum I use sometimes, but then right click open in new tab does work, in this case it doesn't Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osiris Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 These are superb basses as everyone says! But I highly recommend that you string it with rounds instead of flats, seriously! They come fitted with flats but although it sounded great there was something in the high end that I was never really happy with but once I switched over to rounds it just sounded right, like a precision in the mids and high end. In comparison it sounded choked with flats. You can get a flats like vibe by backing the tone control off but if you want clarity and definition to each and every note then rounds are the way to go. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ander87 Posted January 27, 2022 Author Share Posted January 27, 2022 @Osiris thank you mate! much appreciated - I have just changed it to Labella's and they're to my linking much better than the Fenders. These flats have silk by the ball end (as they bend on a thru body like this) and also appropriate trimming/silk at the string end - now they don't curl like the stock Fenders - they sound much more clear and alive, stronger bottom too. I also find that with flat strings an action a tad bit higher helps with better tone, I prefer it. Having said that I will no doubt test rounds on this bass at some point - out of curiosity which ones did you go for? I am hoping to find some 45-105 or similar, looks like most are 45-100. Ander. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 I put rounds on my JMJ and whilst it was an improvement over the stock Fender flats, I wasn’t totally happy with them. Cue fitting a spare set of EB cobalts - sorted! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osiris Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 1 hour ago, Ander87 said: @Osiris Having said that I will no doubt test rounds on this bass at some point - out of curiosity which ones did you go for? I am hoping to find some 45-105 or similar, looks like most are 45-100. Ander. I fitted my preferred string gauge 50-105, they are a full size set of D'Addario Nickel strings and - IMO - have really brought the tone to life. I should probably say that despite having tried several different brands of flats over the years they're just not for me, I don't like a bright clanky bass tone at all but I do like the bass to sound clear and defined and these strings give me exactly what I want. There is, of course, a lot of people online who will tell you not to fit full length strings to a short scale bass but I've been doing it for years and haven't had a single problem, no broken strings, no intonation problems. Not one. It works for me but maybe not for everyone 😉 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ander87 Posted January 28, 2022 Author Share Posted January 28, 2022 Well that’s interesting! it really got to me that it came with long scale strings so I changed them halfway thru this thread to the LaBella Flats 760F-MUS They make a lot of sense for me, but I will try rounds at some point. I know it’s probably my OCD but I didn’t love the break angles on the actual string with the ones it came with, you could see the winding bent out and whatnot… Best, Ander. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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