G&L JB-2 Tribute - opinions please.

[Rayman]

You could have a poke around on here for some input:

[url="http://www.bassesbyleo.com"]http://www.bassesbyleo.com[/url]

I'm off to Sounds Great.

[harvey1-8]

[quote name='BB2000' post='860406' date='Jun 7 2010, 09:49 PM']I had a US JB2 for a couple on months. It's interesting to see the post above commenting on the powerful pickups, as my experience was the opposite. In terms of output the pickups in mine did not produce the same output as a typical Fender Jazz pickup, but it did seem to have a wider frequency response and a larger dynamic range than a Fender pup. They seemed to be less prone to hum as well. I liked it a lot, but the one I had did suffer from a bad dead spot across three frets on the G string. They are very comfortable to play, and the one I had was the lightest jazz I've ever had, at a shade over 8lb.[/quote]

I was playing the JB2 through a cranked RH450 (I say cranked, it was more like half, still bloody loud). The pickups seemed to be very powerful, but then I was using an unfamiliar amp at high volume.....

[Rayman]

OK, bad timing on my part, but Sounds Great were in the midst of a delivery from Ashdown, so I couldn't try the Tribute JB2 out, but it seemed well put together, nice finish on the frets, although I wish this trend for anemic looking maple necks would end, they would look so much nicer with an aged lacquer instead, just like the Jap Jaguar parked next to the JB2 on the wall.

Same layout as a Jazz, I guess it would sound similar, and it seemed to be quite light in weight too, but then I'm used to my P bass being a bit of a clonker.

I'll try and bob back in the next couple of days to try it out.

[dub_junkie]

I'd love a JB-2 but missed out a few months ago on the only one I've seen pop up on BC for sale on account of being skint.

I still want one and would go for a Tribute if they did it in sunburst/rosewood,a bit like the USA below. The only options on the Tributes are natural/rosewood and sunburst/maple

[dlloyd]

[quote name='dub_junkie' post='861130' date='Jun 8 2010, 03:50 PM']I still want one and would go for a Tribute if they did it in sunburst/rosewood,a bit like the USA below. The only options on the Tributes are natural/rosewood and sunburst/maple[/quote]

You could buy one of each and swap the necks...

[BB2000]

My old one, with a gorgeous GOT neck.

Edited June 8, 2010 by BB2000

[funkgod]

[quote name='BB2000' post='860413' date='Jun 7 2010, 09:53 PM']Actually it's interesting to read the comparison between the L2000 and the Wal. I've a pair of Mark 1 Wal's and had a L2000 tribute. I wouldn't say the L2000 sounded anything like the Wal's. Not even close![/quote]

hello BB2000
i had a collection of wals, only got the one left now,
and the best one i have tried, so ended up keeping it, its looking abit battered now after 20 years of playing it.
when i decided to use something else live, over them 20 years i had tried quite a few basses.
and the L2000 is the closest i can get to it, your right they dont sound the same, but it is the closest i have ever got to my wal in terms of power, simular mid honk, playing position, power of notes in the fast finger funk and in the slap sound, weight, sustane etc,
Now yours being a tribute migh have something to do with what you say, i dont know, but there is a difference between the usa L2000 and the tributes even tho its the same electrics, i know cus one of the guys i use to teach has a tribute and by his own admition they are not the same as the early usa ones ! ( i dont know about the later usa ones) there is no doubt the wal tonal range goes from sub bass to cutting heads off treble, and the g&L cant match that, but the tone i use to play live i can almost get with the G&L and with almost the same clear punch, i have added a photo of my G&Ls both early 3 bolt and my wal, that red G&L has turned out to be a fantastic bass, and would really struggle to find a replacement for it, it has the same cut on a loud stage (11 piece) as my wal with the same sort of weight and power to the notes.
Anyway again, horses for courses, etc
its just what we get use too.

by the way that white one looks fantastic !!!
im looking for an early one with a natural neck.

Edited June 8, 2010 by funkgod

[berries]

On 05/06/2010 at 12:12, redstriper said:

I'm thinking of buying a JB-2 Tribute because I like the precision body with jazz neck and pups and I don't know of another bass with that combination, apart from my 'customised' 1963 Fender jazz which had a home made precision body fitted in the 70s and suits me fine, but it weighs too much for my old back.

...

Any input is much appreciated.
Steve.

I make no apologies for "resurrecting an old thread". Information is information - there's no age limit on it.
I'll give my opinion later, but first here's some important facts about MY JB-2. YMMV.

 

And I was reluctant to say the following since it seems so negative, but just in case anyone else is as unlucky as me ...

 

Recently I had an urge to buy a Jazz Bass and, to cut a long story short, bought a brand new 3-Tone Sunburst G&L Tribute JB-2.
Initially, it all looked very nice.

 

After a short while, I noticed that the nut was loose.
Worse than that, when I looked closer, I noticed that the nut was not sitting parallel to the frets - it was sloping.
The G side was further away from the first fret than the E side.
And worse than that, when I measured the distance from the first fret to the nut, neither side was at the correct distance.

 

For a scale length of 863.6mm (34 inch) (measured to confirm), Nut to 1st fret should be 48.47mm.
I measured 49.3mm on the E side.
I was absolutely shocked by this. I've never seen anything like this on any of the many guitars or basses that I've owned.
I've owned and still own some really inexpensive guitars and I don't consider this one inexpensive.
I've had many guitars where the nut string slots are too high or spaced out too close to the end of the fingerboard for my liking, but nothing like this.

 

Since this JB-2 was on-sale end-of-line Swamp Ash body rather than current production "Ash Top over Poplar", there was no way I was going to return this to the shop.
I filed the nut slot at the correct location, fixed it in and cut the string slots to a nice height.
NOW it is ...

 

Oh, I nearly forgot!
I also noticed that turning both volume controls to zero did not give silence - there was some signal bleed-through.
I didn't pay that much attention to this because I was going to rewire it anyway with a pickup selector switch, 1 x Volume and 1 x Tone (like a Tele).
I mostly play guitar with a bit of bass on the side, so I really don't like the 2 x Volume Jazz Bass thing.
When I looked at the electronics inside, I could see why I was getting the signal bleed-through.
The Bridge pickup Volume control did not have a Ground connection on lug 1.

So the Volume control was acting as a variable series resistor rather than a potentiometer.
Unbelievable!

 

So I rewired it with a pickup selector switch, 1 x Volume and 1 x Tone. That's better.

 

Oh, and one other thing that I feel a bit mean in mentioning since this is something that can be common on any guitar/bass no matter what the price - the frets could do with a bit of levelling.
I can not get the action down to where I would like it due to the uneven frets. It's not too bad but it could be better so I'll leave that for another day.

 

At this point I have to say that maybe I was extremely unlucky to receive this particular bass and it could be a "Party Friday" bass that escaped the usual QA checks.
But, I think it's worth pointing out to people that you too could be unlucky, so check it.
I also have a Cort Action Junior short-scale that I bought new for £129 (this is what I call inexpensive) and that has an absolutely perfectly cut nut in every respect and the frets are as level as you can get.
 

NOW ... after fixing the nut and the electronics ... it is a lovely bass.

 

The neck is nice and slim but full/rounded at the same time. I like that it has 21 frets instead of the usual jazz 20.
The bridge is very nice.
Since rectifying the nut, the sustain is fantastic and the sound is nice and crisp. No dead spots.

Even the no-name factory fitted strings are good enough for me. I'm in no rush to change them.

 

Finally, coming back to the OP, my JB-2 weighs in at 4620g (10 lbs 3 oz) so it's the heaviest bass I own by far.
I don't think this would be good for your back. Perhaps the newer "Ash Top over Poplar" body is lighter.