Chiliwailer

I'm loving my set on my Jazz Bass. It has also had some other great strings on before, it's just the Cobalts happen to suit that bass best for me. The bass is versatile due to those strings, love them. Tried them on my MM Sabre and old Lull PJ4, they were great but maybe not the best strings for what I wanted from those basses.

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1495696655' post='3305874'] I suppose it also depends on your resale policy. My '66 is going nowhere (barring massively unforeseen and serious circumstances). [/quote] Same here with my 66P

[quote name='countjodius' timestamp='1495671885' post='3305811'] Sorry to hijack the thread slightly, but seeing as we're on the subject of 70's Jazz particulars! Did Fender change the wind of pickups along with the other design features from the mid 70's onwards? I ask as have always toyed with changing the pups on my 1973, but was unsure if this fell under manufacturer's 60's or 70's style winds. [/quote] From this useful site: [url="http://www.guitarhq.com/fender.html#specs"]http://www.guitarhq.com/fender.html#specs[/url] [b]Pickups and Pickup Springs[/b][list] [*]1950 to March 1964: all models had "black bottom" pickups and cast slug alnico magnets with rounded top edges. Pickups not dated. Pickup wire is usually a real rich cooper color. Pickups are dipped in hot wax to eliminate microphonics, and this wax is evident on the entire pickup. Also the pickup screw "springs" are made out of rubber surgical tubing cut into small 3/8" long pieces. [*]March 1964 to late 1970's: most models had "gray bottom" pickups and cast slug alnico magnets. Gray bottom pickups would be the rule, but black bottom pickups were used from old stock as late as 1967. Starting in the early 1970's, the top edges of the magnets were no longer rounded. Most gray bottom pickup assemblies have at least one pickup with a hand written date. By the late 1960's this changed to an inked stamped date code, much like the date code used on the butt of the neck. Most gray bottom pickups have a deep burgundy colored pickup wire. Wax treament is no longer used in favor of a lacquer dip treatment, which is much harder to see. Pickup screw springs are now actually real cone-shaped springs instead of rubber surgical tubing. Click [url="http://guitarhq.com/fenddiff/gray_bottom_pu.jpg"]here[/url] for a picture of gray bottom pickups (1970s). Click [url="http://guitarhq.com/fenddiff/gray_bottom_pu_stamp.jpg"]here[/url] for a picture of a November 4, 1964 gray bottom pickup date stamp. [/list]

[quote name='project_c' timestamp='1495631968' post='3305447'] If that's true, it's not very good news for my bank account. I think I need a second opinion on this bass, I need to find a jazz bass expert in east london to take a look at it objectively and tell me whether it's as good as i think it is, or if i'm just being fooled by some slightly odd pickups. [/quote] Trust your gut pal, we all like different things! Maybe the shop could give you 48 hour approval, it's not unheard of, I've allowed that myself when I managed shops in Denmark St.

[quote name='project_c' timestamp='1495628662' post='3305406'] Also out of curiosity i tried another similar bass today, a 76, and it sounded nothing like this bass, it just sounded like any other jazz, so I think there is definitely something different about this one. [/quote] Spot on, that's why I mentioned mojo when talking about my mates CS Jazz in my first post. I've played 8-10 different CS Jazzes through my headphone set up at home in the past three years, that bass has all the characteristics you mentioned and yet on spec it's not that different to many of the others. A friend of mine techs for Dave Swift, he told me about a time Dave got a Fender 5 string and loved it so much he ordered more, only to find they were nothing like the one he loved. They swapped pickups to see if that was it, but it must have been the specific pieces of wood (not the mojo )

[quote name='project_c' timestamp='1495496887' post='3304276'] Thanks for the replies. So let's say I want to get as close to that tone as humanly possible, but without spending 3 grand on a bass that's too valuable to leave the house.. Would an ash / maple 70's spacing jazz with single coils get me there? I've played a few more recent Fender USA Jazzes, which were nice but none of them had a tone that matched this one in terms of 'airy-ness' - not quite sure how else to describe it, aggressive but woolly, not harsh, and no hollowness on the front pickup or upper-mid honk on the back with the tone rolled off. I have a Tony Franklin P and the bridge pickup on that bass also has the same qualities so I know it's potentially doable. [/quote] £3k? Wow, that's high. You could get a refinished one for much less than a regular asking price too. That'd help scratch the itch. What's your budget?

[quote name='Saved' timestamp='1495440899' post='3303649'] Hi,last night,i instaled a piezo bridge in a bass. Is all metal,and the points that contact the strings,are metal to. Should i conect the bridge to the ground?the bass has also magnetic pickups [/quote] I would, my understanding is that it's safer and you should get less noise when taking hands off the strings, especially if passive.

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1495474194' post='3304024'] I don't believe in the word MoJo. [/quote] How about 'Je ne sais quio'? Edit - not sure I believe in the word mojo now either... a magic charmed bass?.... mojo1 ˈməʊdʒəʊ/ nounUS noun: mojo; plural noun: mojos a magic charm, talisman, or spell. "someone must have their mojo working over at the record company" influence, especially magic power. "the name has no mojo"

I had a Bartollini preamp in my old Lull, couldn't stand it as it's natural tone was way too clean for me, but I totally get why others would love it and berate me for saying that. I ended up playing my passive Lull more so I sold it. If I'd have kept the bass I would have tried a different preamp, like the Aguilar perhaps, because they do alter the tone to their own style. Pretty sure the Aguilar can run on 9v too if theres no space, and that there are different pot selection options. I'd say it's only worth doing if you love the bass itself, but think the active tone could be better suited to you via different shaping.

Many have said that it's because they are heavy, therefore high mass and huge sound (insert counter arguments here about sound versus mass). Others like the bridge pickup position. Also, many have Ash bodies so that may do it tone wise (insert argument here about tone woods). A friend of mine has a Custom Shop Jazz that has to be the biggest sounding Jazz I've ever heard.... it's mid ranged heavy but not 70's heavy, and I'm fairly sure it's an Alder body. Sometimes it's just all in the mojo.

23 years for my acoustic bass. It's a keeper. Sadly can't say the same for my electric basses! I'd love to say that my current 3 will be with me that long, fingers crossed

Looks dodgy to me. He states replica body. but the neck and logo look wrong to me, as does the colour of the lacquer on the back of the neck. Could be lighting, but I've seen that colour before on cheaper necks, and those dots...wtf?! Looks more like a P Bass nut width too.Those neck plates and logos are easy to get.

^ until you get the Bongo 5, eh Machines? Time for an update myself, removed the pics from the posts above as I lamented losing the Lull

[quote name='Chiliwailer' timestamp='1494697471' post='3297985'] Found some time and spent today making a tune. [url="https://soundcloud.com/user-382247502/journies-end/s-rMsq4"]https://soundcloud.com/user-382247502/journies-end[/url] . [/quote] I rushed my original version thinking that I wouldn't have time this month. Spent today learning more about Cubase (only my second tune on DAW), so did some new arrangements and mixing. This version is not how I wanted it, but absolutely sick of listening to it now, so here it is! https://soundcloud.com/user-382247502/journies-end

At the beginning, unless using an envelope filter, I'd put the filter first and the comp second. Though that's a personal preference.

Sold my 66 P Bass a couple of years ago, but was lucky enough to buy the same one back recently and it's just as I remembered. Couldn't be happier. Sold a 70's Music Man Sabre years back and later regretted it. Then bought another one recently and it's great, also just as I remembered. Thing is, we all know that 2 basses of the same make, model, year etc. can have their own tone and mojo, so whereas I got lucky with my Sabre being the same model and just as good, your Yammy sounds quite different, especially due to the electrics. That's a common issue I reckon.

[quote name='WILD FROG SHOT' timestamp='1494784956' post='3298518'] Thanks! The 'reverse engineering' was a 'fortunate accident' whereby I accidentally stood on the wrong foot switch whilst still recording. [/quote] Absolutely love it when that stuff happens, like jamming with the cosmos! Great tune btw

[quote name='Earbrass' timestamp='1494703394' post='3298046'] Everything you need to know right here: [/quote] !!!

Found some time and spent today making a tune. [url="https://soundcloud.com/user-382247502/journies-end"]https://soundcloud.c...02/journies-end[/url] (Edited 19th May)

[quote name='SH73' timestamp='1494532736' post='3296837'] No one else composes? [/quote] Haven't found anytime yet this month to do anything, mixture of a heavy workload and my health issues. I'm away with work next week so it's not looking likely for me

As above. Could be an internal fuse? Valve amps can have them in addition to the regular obvious one, hence the standby light being on.

You're an 80's kid, so how about representing the new tech 80's with a Steinberger L2 (Mullet and rolled up jacket sleeves optional)

[quote name='miles'tone' timestamp='1494077040' post='3293059'] Yes, been there too. Careful what you wish for and all that! Me, I'm 1972 so ideally I'd love a 72 fretless Precision but they are a bit too pricey for me now. I've seen a YOB Fender Tele bass which is doable, but I fear I may not get on with just the one neck mudbucker. I'm keeping my eyes peeled for one that has already been bastardised with a second pickup (cheaper and more versatile) - if anyone sees one... [/quote] How about a 72 Musicmaster and defret it? Players ones can still be found cheap and early ones can have a great mojo. I used a 71 Musicmaster Bass solidly for a few years with a PJ pickup combo, sounded excellent and to the point that a decent Producer I did some sessions for said to me "make sure you bring that bass!". It would have made an awesome Picollo bass, and I had plans for that but then I was able to use long scales again following an injury and sold it to buy a vintage Fender long scale. Would have been a very cool bass to keep back then if I could have.,.,

I once spent years looking at every jack plate on a Ric 4001 looking for 'RC' as that's March 1978. Eventually found a lovely Autumnglo bass with RC, and soon realised that owning a Ric wasn't as much fun for me back then as GAS'ing for one

[quote name='Defo' timestamp='1492425805' post='3280100'] Left with a Vintage Deluxe. This happen to anyone else? [/quote] Kind of, but not.., . I had a B3K, which is a damn fine pedal, but always felt it was 'too much' for me in terms of versatility and power. Just swapped it for the vintage microtubes and it instantly suits me better. Both are killer pedals though.