jjay69

i totally agree, i feel like i've spent half my playing life waiting for that elusive drummer to turn up.. The op makes very relevant points, i play in 2 bands, one where we go back years with a great, technical drummer whos always on the money, got plenty of experience and can make me feel like im an awesome bassist, it just flows nicely, [i]but[/i] im permanently craving him to stop doing fills and just lock down a lovely funky groove, sadly it'll never happen. The other drummer is getting back into it after many years away and when we jam i feel like a total amature whos just picked up a bass for the first time, the timing is all over the place. Im constantly telling him to feel the song, speed up, slow down, you name it, it feels like im always whinging about something or other and it gets a tad frustrating. Whats actually happening is im sacrificing my improvement (actually going backwards) while the drummer re-learns his craft and i gotta be honest, it sucks. So you guys out there who just play, are quite happy and don't even notice your drummer, think yourselves lucky, you've got more than you realise. Imo a drummer who fits right in there is like finding your perfect bass, ie it might take a while !

Ha genius topic, i've had plenty of trace gear back in the day, not neccesarily because i liked the sound but more because it was everywhere, it looked good, big n green, i even had a UV light on my AH350x, it had a great modular fit together system of cabs and heads and was the original 4x10 / 1x15 big rig ! But no matter what i did, the damn things always sounded sh*te to me. Hello Mark Bass

i often use a Behringer amp at the studio we rehearse at if i can't get my own amp there, combined with a Marshall 4x12 it can sound flippin awesome somedays, i've often thought sometimes i'll just get one of these a a backup. Nice and easy to use, great range of sounds, decent shape filter, good rock tone, all in all a good back up. Not the same as the one in the add though but this one [url="http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/BX4500H.aspx"]http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/BX4500H.aspx[/url]

[quote]It took me 25 years to pick up a Jazz Bass for exactly the same reason[/quote] Ditto, (breathes, sighs, relieved, content - for now)

Heres my lovely natural 78 with additional j pup, emg's, 2 band eq and a tortoise.. flat slot bridge as per Sei's

Im loving this thread almost like its a great novel and can't wait for the next chapter ! i think im almost at the point of making descisions of my own regarding upgrading my cabs to BF (long overdue) anyone interested in a couple of Trace cabs 2x10 and 15 !

I just bought one of these and yes it's and American Deluxe Jazz, with active/passive pickups, 3 way eq, they are a current model. Lfalex is right around £1.4k and the bits in the case, truss rod adjuster and various tags and paperwork confirming it's authenticity etc oh and a lead and straplocks !. Nice furry case. But who cares about that stuff i'd be happy if it came in a black bin bag, it's the one..

Well guys thanks for all your input, it was all duly taken into account. So here's the update. Sitting at home is a beau-ti-ful American Jazz Deluxe, 4 string, sunburst, rosewood, in short the bass i've had in mind for many years but denied myself for far too long, why? as my old drummer mate says, your a long time dead ! (i know it's not wise to listen to drummers, but it's ok if you pick n choose wisely I saw it online for £1095 and considering it was the perfect colour scheme and all the others i saw were around the £1400 i had to investigate further. The mouse practically clicked itself not long after speaking to the guys and i was £1095 lighter. Before despatching they give it a thorough check over, changed the strings to my spec and did a full set up and inspection, which i though pretty decent. The day it was due to be sent i get a call saying they found an issue with the neck pickup. With a thumb rested on it, it was shorting or buzzing or something, so they would have to send it to Fender. Bugger, but ok lets get it sorted. Fender "repair" the problem and are about to send it back, but find the problem re-occurs. The shop tells them, ok sort it and fit a new pickup. Which was all done within a couple of days. The bass turns up with me a couple of days later. Pretty good service overall i thought. I can't help wondering if the reason it was cheaper in the first place was somehow related to this dodgy pickup, i may be wrong, who cares i now know i've got a perfect bass with brand new pickup for at least £300 less than a typical price, so i'd call that a result. Sound and playability ! thats a whole new chapter which i won't bang on about now, lets just say i am one very happy chappie, who is just itching to turn up at the next practice and blow those fookers away with some seriously active shock and awe !! Itch finally scratched...... until the next time............... !

Damn you MEP i shouldnt have watched that in work, now im chuckling uncontrollably at random throught the day. Genii comes to mind. Nice work

If budgets no problem theres no point asking us you need to get out there and try some, some will feel horrible, others much more like it. You could be a Fender man, Gibson, Warwick, wide neck, flat, thin, It's personal ! Anybody know motorbikes ? your either an Aria fit or a Shoei

Hit me with your rythym stick ! have fun...

Wow thats some first bass, my first one came out of saved up pocket money and cost a full £75 (it played like a strung scaffolding plank mind you, but i wore those blisters with pride), the 30w combo was extra lol, it was 26 years ago.. I still haven't spent £1500 one, no need, i always bought 2nd hand except the G&L tribute which is an absolute beaut. Check them out, for £5-600 (or less) you get a lot af bass for your buck there. To give you an idea i played this for about 4 years prefering it to my Stingray and P Bass. As JLP above says, everyone is different, an old pro once told me when i was young, try as many as it takes until something just feels right, neck widths, fretboard curves, string spacings, weight all play a part, i wouldn't just get one cos some band on tv uses one. I really wanted a Warwick for years but each time i tried one i didn't get on with them, shame cos they looked great to me.

Nice one Scott, this is really useful for me i'll be digging in regularly

I've played [url="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jjay69/6406505549/in/photostream"]this[/url] bass solidly for about 3-4 years, chosing it over my Fender P and Stingray mainly because of it's awesome range of sounds (and lovely playability). I started off with only using both pickups for a really smooth and toneful sound with plenty of oomph in the bass and crisp tops (always active), then moved onto only using the bridge pickup, active without the extra treble boost, both these settings were in parallel. I'll include a link to a recording done on this setting if you want to hear. My latest carnation of sound is finding the genius of using the bridge pickup in series mode, i used to think it was a bit old school, but wow with the treble rolled almost right off it's warm and punchy cutting through really well, dare i say almost jazzy esque but can still work in rock, our band is quite rock heavy. Thing about L2000 is they have so much choice and most if it is very useable, the only one i don't use so much is the neck pickup alone, if i want a P bass sound i'll reach for my P bass. I can't get the individual links to work but [url="http://www.myspace.com/vincentrrock/music/songs?filter=featured"]Ode to Bill[/url] and [url="http://www.myspace.com/vincentrrock/music/songs?filter=featured"]Ricoche[/url]t are good examples of the sort of sound you can get on these settings. Bridge pickup, Active, parallel, Full treble (rolled off a bit on the amp), full bass, hit em hard - Ode to Bill is fingers, Ricochet, pick. [url="http://www.myspace.com/vincentrrock/music/songs?filter=featured"]http://www.myspace.com/vincentrrock/music/songs?filter=featured[/url]

I've put it in the basses section Soop

I've come to the conclusion that nothing sounds like a Jazz..... therefore... i want one ! Besides theres a gap in my mini Fender related collection of P Bass, Stingray and G&L. I've done a bit of homework recently and based on my requirements, like colour, block inlays essential, non Mex, possible Jap but lack of choice etc i'm seriously looking at the American Deluxe. My question is .. if i go for the American Deluxe with all the bells n whistles will i still get that famous "Jazz" tone with it's clear midrange punch with the "Pan pot" p'up selector ? I tried a couple of standards and that great sound was there with both p'ups on full, i can't help wondering if i will get the same with the Pan Pot on the Deluxe ? I really like the Active option as my other basses are active and i find the range of sounds a useful tool in different situations. The tone choices on the G&L are fantastic but not quite a Jazz. Does anyone have one who can confirm or deny my thoughts ? or indeed any other Jazz suggestions btw Im impulsive and I have my eye on one and if im not careful it'll end up at my front door any day now ! ! Ta J

Hi Guys Im J from London,been having a look at the site and it's getting time to ask a few q's so here i am. Been playing for ooo ages im 42 and been at it since about 17. Most of that time has been on rock / blues style, covers and originals. Theres a lot missing from my skills like slap, jazz and the like but i hope to remedy some of that soon, could be on the lookout for some tips or tuition for guidance. My oldest bass is a 78 Fender Precision which had a jazz pickup added even before i got it 20 yrs ago, i soon changed them to a pair of EMG's which are still in it today. Just had some major work done on it, new bridge, tweaked pre amps etc it now plays like a dream. Then came the Stingray 2 band eq, played that for many years, awesome sound looks the biz. A few years ago got myself a G&L Tribute, not too expensive but what a bass, great range of sounds and plays lovely. Next i need a Jazz, hence im here to quiz you guys. Gear. I use a Mark Bass head 600w (i forget the model name, but it has the 2 separate inputs with separate control) Some old Trace 2x10's and 1x15 cabs (want to change these one day) i also have a Warwick head 350w Valve / tranny, great sound range but heavy.