Hankering for a Jazz Bass

[Bottle]

Well, I'm getting inspired to play my Jazz bass more (the Ibby), but I'm looking for something slightly different in a Jazz. Having had a go on Balcro's Cort GB74 at the London bash, and having serious GAS for a Sandberg Cali JM4, what's a guy to do?

I'd also like to look at alternative tunings, having used DGCF for a while and found it very handy. I'd like to get back to using a low B tuning again, but on a 4-banger - which would entail a restringing for BEAD or ADGC tuning. How would a standard Fender/Squier Jazz Bass cope with this tuning - i.e. any BC'ers who've gone this route? I'm thinking that 34" scale is a mite too short for an authoritive open B, but I'm willing to be proved wrong!

I'd also like to make the following changes, based on the Sandberg Cali JM4 arrangement:

Replacement Jazz pickup in neck position
MM-style pickup in bridge position (plan on taking out the jazz p'up and re-route the cavity)
Drop-in pre-amp plate (Audere?) with Vol/Balance/2-band EQ - modded with coil tap switch for MM pickup (series/parallel)
Delano pickups (again, not sure on these - people seem to love them on the Sandy's, and I like the aesthetics with the big ol' pole pieces on show)
Gotoh bridge (eventually - how would the standard Fender 'bent tin' bridge cope with a 0.130" B-string?)

Oh yes, [i]has[/i] to be in Candy-Apple Red with a maple fingerboard

Ideally I'd like to keep costs down as I'm on a budget (say 500 quid or so), so second-hand market for a donor bass & pups. However, I'm open to suggestions for pre-configured basses on the market i.e Traben Array Attack etc (Sandbergs are a little outside my budget for the moment)

So, feel free to weigh in with any comments - I'm looking for some guidance, and any help avoiding pitfalls would be greatly appreciated!



Ian

[Balcro]

Hi there Bottle,

I don't have any knowledge to advise on low tunings on 4-strings, but I've got two ideas for doner basses.

If 4/s 34" will do, try the following:-
Have a look at the Cort GB34a at euroguitar.com - available new, in red metallic for a silly price of €199! Lots of routing & pre-drilling done already. Unfortunately you can't change the fretboard colour. The curve in the scratchplate looks suitably accommodating for a jazz style control plate. Second-hand? Ebay?

As an alternative there's the Squier VMJ in natural. The neck's the right colour but you'll need more woodwork and body refinishing.

Alan.

Edited July 16, 2010 by Balcro

[Bottle]

[quote name='Balcro' post='896983' date='Jul 16 2010, 11:26 PM']Hi there Bottle,

I don't have any knowledge to advise on low tunings on 4-strings, but I've got two ideas for doner basses.

If 4/s 34" will do, try the following:-
Have a look at the Cort GB34a at euroguitar.com - available new, in red metallic for a silly price of €199! Lots of routing & pre-drilling done already. Unfortunately you can't change the fretboard colour. The curve in the scratchplate looks suitably accommodating for a jazz style control plate. Second-hand? Ebay?

As an alternative there's the Squier VMJ in natural. The neck's the right colour but you'll need more woodwork and body refinishing.

Alan.[/quote]
Howdy fella!!

Hmmmm, lots of good options there - quite like the Squier VMJ idea. Woodwork isn't a problem - I now have access to a router, so I'm confident I can do the necessary to enlarge the bridge pickup rout.

That price for the Cort is unbelieveably low - looks like a really good deal


Ta, Ian

[Rich]

I reckon a Jazz would be fine with BEAD tuning. After all, Anthony Jackson has had his tuned C-F-Bb-Eb for years.

[Bottle]

[quote name='Rich' post='897293' date='Jul 17 2010, 02:14 PM']I reckon a Jazz would be fine with BEAD tuning. After all, Anthony Jackson has had his tuned C-F-Bb-Eb for years.[/quote]
Interesting!! I was really concerned that 1) the bridge and saddles wouldn't be far enough back to allow decent intonation of a 0.130" gauge B-string on a 34" scale, and 2) if I could actually get a 0.130" gauge string through the bridge anchor. Well, guess I'll have to try it!!

Thanks for the info!

Ian

[JTUK]

[quote name='Rich' post='897293' date='Jul 17 2010, 02:14 PM']I reckon a Jazz would be fine with BEAD tuning. After all, Anthony Jackson has had his tuned C-F-Bb-Eb for years.[/quote]


Has he played a 4 string for years...?

I would put him at 6 string exclusively for everything I've seen him do, for the last 20 or so......

Anyway, I would think a decent neck would handle a low C tuning permanently..
125 for the B string, detuning E's string is a bad idea for anything longer than a song or so, IME

[ThomBassmonkey]

Just for the record, I don't think scale length affects low strings as much as you think. My 34" Thumb BO handles low B brilliantly (it's a 5 string, but still 34" scale). On a cheaper instrument the extra tension from having a longer scale can help, but if you're upgrading the pups, I think you'll be ok if you get ones that'll do the job.

[JMT3781]

if you decide to go the VMJ route check this out [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=260638023639&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...me=STRK:MESE:IT[/url]

[BigRedX]

I'd agree that getting a good low B is more about the construction of the bass and the right choice of strings than the scale length. I'd take a well constructed bass over simply an extra inch of string length every day. I also find that a low B with tapered windings over the bridge helps.

[pete.young]

[quote name='Bottle' post='896499' date='Jul 16 2010, 01:15 PM']I'd like to get back to using a low B tuning again, but on a 4-banger - which would entail a restringing for BEAD or ADGC tuning. How would a standard Fender/Squier Jazz Bass cope with this tuning - i.e. any BC'ers who've gone this route? I'm thinking that 34" scale is a mite too short for an authoritive open B, but I'm willing to be proved wrong![/quote]

I have a Bass Collection SB310 set up like this at the moment. I have a 130 B string and it is as good as my 34" 5-string BC. It did require a slight truss-rod tweak, but only a slight one - i don't think there's a massive difference in overall tension.

You lose a bit of string tension, there again if you have a 35" that compromises the tension of the other strings.

[BassJase]

If you're all good with a router then maybe getting some ferrules and making it a thru-body stringing with a new bridge?

Also, if you're after something to basically start afresh with, on fleabay they sell Jazz "kits" which gives you a natural unfinished body and neck (plus all the guts) for about £110. You can also reshape the headstock as it comes with a basic "paddle" shape, and then you get the option of doing whatever you like to finish it and probably get a lot of satisfaction doing it all yourself.

[Davo-London]

I tune my Acoustic Bass DGCF ie a tone down just because that's the tension I like on the TI flats, I'm sure you could take a 105 or 110 E string down to B if you want too. Playing low tension strings requires a lot of good technique and so you can throw this into the bargain.

Davo

[Bottle]

[quote name='BigRedX' post='900792' date='Jul 21 2010, 10:40 AM']I'd agree that getting a good low B is more about the construction of the bass and the right choice of strings than the scale length. I'd take a well constructed bass over simply an extra inch of string length every day. I also find that a low B with tapered windings over the bridge helps.[/quote]
Good point. Having said that, I'm really impressed with the build of my Squier Precision special (OK, the soldering is a bit, well, [i]agricultural[/i], shall we say, but it's a beautifully finished bass otherwise), so I'm not so worried about whether a Squier VMJ will be up for it. Doubly-so if I'm going to gut it of the passive bits.

Second point: I've got a set of Hartke strings from a 5-string set so I could bin the G-string and try those (non-tapered, though). I'll check the packet, but I'm pretty sure it's got a 0.130" B string.

[quote name='Davo-London' post='900916' date='Jul 21 2010, 01:09 PM']I tune my Acoustic Bass DGCF ie a tone down just because that's the tension I like on the TI flats, I'm sure you could take a 105 or 110 E string down to B if you want too. Playing low tension strings requires a lot of good technique and so you can throw this into the bargain.[/quote]
I like my Squier now I've down-tuned it (DGCF as well) - tension is just about right, and it holds its intonation well. I've left the stock strings on it, not had any problems to speak of - standard set of 40/60/80/105's. Wouldn't want to drop the tuning any lower than that, though, or things might get a bit sloppy . My left- and right-hand technique could do with some help anyway, so this would force me to get out of bad habits.


Ta for all the advice!!

Ian