NBD Cort GB75JJ - Advice dialing in a Jazz tone?

[DaLi]

Saw this on cash converters at a cracking price and thought how could I not! Looked like it had been sitting for a while when it arrived as the strings had rust patches and the frets had some gnarly dirt and oxidation going on but a few runs over with some fret erasers, a dust over and a set of elixirs sorted it out! Now I just need some advice on dialling in good jazz tone? The bass itself plays great but I just can't seem to get that Jazz bass growl going!

[chris_b]

The pickups and electrics is usually where the savings are made in cheaper basses. Get a good set up, replace the pickups and see where you go from there. 

[Paolo85]

I have a GB54 with J-M pickup. The J neck pickup in mine is brilliant. The preamp (which admittedly may be different in your bass) does a lot to the sound. Makes it neater, punchier in a way, but less growl. Do you have a push-pull knob to switch to passive? If so, maybe you could try and see if passive it sounds closer to a traditional J.

The problem, if you wanted that passive sound, is that - at last in my bass - there was no passive tone control.

I think that generation of Corts sounded good and is not in production anymore. If it does not work for you maybe the best thing would be to sell to somebody who is interested and buy something more "traditional" (say a Squier CV J)

[Lozz196]

I’ve often thought that the Jazz bass growl has a lot to do with low action and digging in so getting fret rattle.

[DaLi]

48 minutes ago, Paolo85 said:

I have a GB54 with J-M pickup. The J neck pickup in mine is brilliant. The preamp (which admittedly may be different in your bass) does a lot to the sound. Makes it neater, punchier in a way, but less growl. Do you have a push-pull knob to switch to passive? If so, maybe you could try and see if passive it sounds closer to a traditional J.

The problem, if you wanted that passive sound, is that - at last in my bass - there was no passive tone control.

I think that generation of Corts sounded good and is not in production anymore. If it does not work for you maybe the best thing would be to sell to somebody who is interested and buy something more "traditional" (say a Squier CV J)

Yeah I will say the Neck pickup is about 90% of the way I want it to sound but when I blend it with the bridge it seems to loose some of what I want. I think I just need to spend more time with it to find out where I need to have the nobs! As chris said it may be worth swapping the electronics out at some point I've got some Nordstands in my PJ that I love or possibly some EMG's 

[EJWW]

Personally I think both pickups on full, tone wide open should get a pretty good classic J clank. Give it a nice new set of round wound strings and a basic set up and you'll be laughing.

Not sure what the electrics are on these particular basses but judging by the Hipshot tuning pegs these are likely really decent instruments. 

[bubinga5]

the growl comes from string height/action.

[uncle psychosis]

Try experimenting with where you position your right hand. I find J basses particularly tone-sensitive to this. 

[DaLi]

On 01/06/2024 at 14:01, uncle psychosis said:

Try experimenting with where you position your right hand. I find J basses particularly tone-sensitive to this. 

Wow I must say I was a little skeptical that right hand positioning could make so much difference (as it wasn't quite as glaring on my PJ with flats) but I'm more than happy to be proved wrong! Played around with right hand positioning + different pickup balances and managed to get the sound I was fiending after and some! Thanks for the recommendation! 

[ebenezer]

Cort pickups are usually quite good but I think a quality pre like a glockenklang and set the neck as flat as you can should bring the rasp and growl when digging in.