Another Jazz v Precision but in context of a gig.

[dave_bass5]

Ive never really got on with Jazz basses. Ive only ever had two mind you.

Saying that, last dec when i decided i was going to get rid of my DJ5 PJ i went back to my HW1 jazz for a few gigs and really enjoyed it.
To my untrained ears the Jazz had more presence in the D and G strings, while my P has this more in the E and A.
I found i started playing new lines to old songs and it was the slight lack of thickness, or low end that spurred me on.
Now ive gone back to P i find i use it a bit more for keeping the low end going if that makes sense. I still play runs etc but to me the P is more like a rhythm guitar and the Jazz more like the lead.
Im not saying i cant play both either way, just how the tone comes across to my ears and each inspired me to play a different way.
I do think at gigs it really doesnt matter much what i use, especially out front but on stage my DD seems to fill out our sound a bit better.

Just my thoughts.

[Ray]

Adding a series/parallel switch to a Jazz bass gives you the best of both worlds.

Pickups in parallel sounds like a Jazz. Pickups in series doesn't sound exactly like a P but has that dark P bass thump.

[Musicman20]

[quote name='Ray' post='754932' date='Feb 23 2010, 12:59 PM']Adding a series/parallel switch to a Jazz bass gives you the best of both worlds.

Pickups in parallel sounds like a Jazz. Pickups in series doesn't sound exactly like a P but has that dark P bass thump.[/quote]

I do sort of agree....but my friend had the S1 Jazz, and he uses it to sound like a P all the time. But...IMO...it didnt sound like a Jazz enough I love the Jazz twang...but as per the topic, the P thump just sits brilliantly!

[Ray]

[quote name='Musicman20' post='754966' date='Feb 23 2010, 01:21 PM']I do sort of agree....but my friend had the S1 Jazz, and he uses it to sound like a P all the time. But...IMO...it didnt sound like a Jazz enough I love the Jazz twang...but as per the topic, the P thump just sits brilliantly![/quote]
Ah, I see what you mean. I should have read the thread properly!

[neptunehealer]

I hoenstly do not not know whether to purchase a 2009 fender jazz in arctic/maple, or the precision model.
I can see the benefits of both but i just cannot decide.
Musicman, i not you have the 2009 jazz, is this the mexican model. If so would you recommend it, and what are the stock pups like?

[Low End Bee]

Purchase the Jazz if you're a musician and the Precision if you're a bass player.

[neptunehealer]

[quote name='Low End Bee' post='756001' date='Feb 24 2010, 12:41 PM']Purchase the Jazz if you're a musician and the Precision if you're a bass player.[/quote]

So, this has slightly confused me even more now.
Tough one to answer, but for a diverse cover band ie the beatles, kings of leon, james brown and the killers, which out of the two would be best, and why.

[Linus27]

I have found this with Jazz and Precisions. My old band which was guitar punk pop needed a precision. A jazz was too thin and elegant for this type of music. My last band was cleaner and more like indie folk and I found the Precision was too dirty and not defined enough. A lot of the bass lines turned to mush. A Jazz was perfect for this band.

It really does depend on the style of music played.

[redstriper]

[quote name='neptunehealer' post='755975' date='Feb 24 2010, 12:11 PM']I hoenstly do not not know whether to purchase a 2009 fender jazz in arctic/maple, or the precision model.
I can see the benefits of both but i just cannot decide.
Musicman, i not you have the 2009 jazz, is this the mexican model. If so would you recommend it, and what are the stock pups like?[/quote]


Don't buy either until you've played both extensively and [u]know[/u] which one sounds and feels right for you.
Other people's opinions don't matter when it comes to finding the right bass for you.

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='neptunehealer' post='756020' date='Feb 24 2010, 12:56 PM']So, this has slightly confused me even more now.
Tough one to answer, but for a diverse cover band ie the beatles, kings of leon, james brown and the killers, which out of the two would be best, and why.[/quote]



No one bass will get the authentic tones from all the bands in that list above. Even if you had the same bass you would need the same rig etc.

Whatever get it wont make much difference to the audience and you can play anything on almost anything. As per the thread title, in the context of a gig, with the rest of the band playing its really not going to make a huge difference IME.
We do all the above and ive gone through Ps' Jazz, 5 string Jazz, 5 string PJ, 5 string P a 55-01 (not sure what that comes under), i even used a Steinberger Spirit for a couple of gigs a few years ago.

Get a PJ if your worried.

[rasher80]

If you're going for a diverse range of music types, as Dave says - you aren't going to be able to tick every box authentically with just the one bass. You're going from Macca's Hofner with flats to KOL whose bassist uses a Thunderbird to the Killers who have gone from P to J and back again (or is that vice versa!).

Precisions are often accused of being one dimensional, and as they only have the one split pickup, you will be able to get a bigger range of tones out of a Jazz. You don't get that "thunk" you get with Precisions though.

It's an oft said thing round here, but one of each wouldn't be a bad way to go. The Squier CV or VM Jazzes have a lot of respect on the board, and aren't that expensive. Similarly there's a Precision or two in the range which are considered at least on a par, if not better than, the bottom of the range Mexican Fenders.

[Musicman20]

[quote name='neptunehealer' post='755975' date='Feb 24 2010, 12:11 PM']I hoenstly do not not know whether to purchase a 2009 fender jazz in arctic/maple, or the precision model.
I can see the benefits of both but i just cannot decide.
Musicman, i not you have the 2009 jazz, is this the mexican model. If so would you recommend it, and what are the stock pups like?[/quote]

PMd you back

[twentyhertz]

I tend to find that the precision or jazz argument really depends on the number of guitarists! I have an old Precision with some SD Quarter Pounders, and find it's absolutely priceless when you're playing with two loud guitarists, as it just sits really nicely down in the bottom of the mix and thickens things out a treat. As some have said though, it's a bit one-dimensional at times, and doesn't maybe have a fantastic range of tones available. I also love it for big thumpy funk/soul basslines. As for a jazz, I use a Yamaha BB404 which has the 2 j-type pickups, and having also had a Squier VM Jazz, I can account for them being pretty similar. The wider tone range and slightly more pronounced upper midrange lends itself much better to playing in a smaller band with one guitarist, as that extra top can fill a bit of the space where perhaps a rhythm guitar would've been. Genre-wise, I'd take the Precision every time for straight-up kinda "classic" rock sounds, but I definitely prefer the jazz for more aggressive, metally, distorted sounds.

[dave_bass5]

Actually i find for me its the opposite.
My main band only has one guitar (to speak of) and i find the thick P tone fills the gap nicely. In my other Band that also has an acoustic guitar i find the Jazz works better as it takes up less room in the mix.