Musicman20

A pickup upgrade wouldn't be a bad idea...depends what you are after. I think most P bass pups sound VERY similar once you get to a certain level.

I'd stick with it how it is...personally those BA bridges look awful! Keep it classic. Again, a pre-amp pedal might be nice. If you want more mids, the Aguilar Tonehammer will help. The Sadowsky pre-amp is nice but to my knowledge it has no mid control, same with the Sansamp BDDI.

The Streamliner isn't muddy if you use a fairly balanced non-bass heavy cabinet, and drop the bass a bit. I'd suggest a Shuttlemax 9.2 which I personally consider to be one of the best amps out at the moment. Its the 9.0 plus a lot more. It also allows you to drive the pre tube quite a lot on the Tube channel, and the Fet channel is ULTRA clean.

Agreed with the above. Find a good one and you will be VERY happy.

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1349210234' post='1823449'] if you want lots of power in the low end a jazz cant compete with a SR 5 HS, i totally dig those basses... but i think for an awsome slap tone and great articulation a 75 in particular has it hands down... nothing like a jazz bass with 70's spacing... just my opinion of course [/quote] Oh no I agree. Its unfair to judge passive Jazz to a Ray 5 HS when we are talking about sheer power etc, but I was referring more to the actual quality and richness of tone that the Ray prduces. I wouldn't mind a 70s position pup Jazz but I wouldn't want to pay the current prices for a 75 Fender J Reissue. A Sadowsky in that format would be nice, but again I don't think Sadowsky has the grunt and edge that the original Fender sound does.

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1349250507' post='1823732'] I sometimes run my unmodified Jazz basses through an outboard Sadowsky preamp if I want that polished boutique Jazz tone, best of both worlds. [/quote] Ay, agreed! Best of both. That is why I bought the TH pedal...to get an active bass but without the need to change anything on the bass itself. Plus it can be used with ALL of my basses.

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1349210468' post='1823455'] Some people will disagree with you - but wait till you get that Bongo!!! The bass EQ control alone is a wonder to behold - can damage structures instantaneously!! If you haven't tried them, EB Grp 3 flats on a Ray are wondrous. Possibly on a Jazz as well. [/quote] I've got them on my Ray 4 H which I've gigged a fair bit...and I got used to them. They can seem quite tough to play once you are used to normal Slinkys but they sound great.

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1349209161' post='1823423'] Gareth remember you will soon be taking delivery of your tangerine pearlescent Bongo, at which point everything in the world of bass will fit into place.................glad you're enjoying your Jazz though. In the meantime, just boost the mid range on your amp a little to overcome the scooped sound if you feel the need - but remember the audience may not be hearing quite the sound you do on stage. I do this sometimes with my Stingray 2 band in a guitar heavy mix (well to be precise a guitar mix where they're playing in similar sonic territory as the bass - but possibly at or near their soloing volume). I find with a Stingray HH, particularly in the 2 humbucker setting, I like to boost the mid control on the bass a little and cut the bass control a little. I think it's the same issue to be honest - clearly you'd need to control it from a box or the amp if you're using a passive or 2 band EQ Jazz. [/quote] True. Last night I gave my Ray 5 HS some much needed TLC. This meant changing the two year old stock strings, and the battery. Oh. My. God. The sheer power and rich tone blew the Jazz away. The Jazz is great, but the Ray 5 HS sounds amazing.

JUNE?!!!!

Grohl is one of my all time grunge/punk heroes. He started off in hardcore bands playing tiny shows and grew into a stunning drummer and songwriter. I like his style on guitar (pure riff, no messing about and doesn't hog the limelight) and his vocals are great. The first Foo's album is amazing, and the second really set them up. I actually think the latest album is one of their best to date. Even though I'm not a fan of the colour or the bridge, that price is tempting! Especially as its finished in nitro.

I definitely see why people love the Jazz. Its a lovely design...great aesthetics. I am still wowwed by the slap tone (although I barely ever slap). I wouldn't see any reason to opt for a Sadowsky over this Jazz as the passive tone is fantastic, and the Tonehammer adds a wonderful touch. Its well made and lightweight. I think I much prefer the ''rough' Fender Jazz tone over a more polished boutique tone. So far, still very happy. Part of me wants to get a matching Jazz with a glossed maple board...but that is the collectors side of me coming out.

Wow, £665?! That seems like cheap price!

Personally I've tried a lot of 5 string basses and gone back Musicman. Stingray 5/Sterling 5 HS or HH. More adventurous? Bongo 5 HS or HH. Killer tight b and well defined.

Not mad on the colour, bridge or pickup choice! Cool idea to him a sig bass though

I practiced to a few Jamiroquai songs tonight. The slap tone is absolutely superb. The best Jazz slap tone I've heard...I couldn't believe it...totally spot on. Both pups full with almost full tone. Very snappy and aggressive. Goes to show a good passive Jazz can nail it!

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1349091020' post='1821533'] If it is any encouragement, I know for a fact that a growly ,cutting- through kind of a tone is definitely achievable with a Jazz. I expect that he is unlikely to be a player that you listen to or are are trying to emulate, but the venerable Geddy Lee , for example, uses a Jazz Bass with both pickups wide open to get his signature cutting-but-full tone with Rush nowadays. He uses all sorts of eq ( Sansamp and Orange amps at the moment, I believe) and a selective amount of distortion but every note is clearly audible. Its also possible that what people are hearing out front is different to your perception of the sound onstage, and that things aren't as bad as you think. The good news is that what's for certain is that the solution lies within the equipment you already have. It's just a question of experimenting with the bass , e.q and amplification that you have already shelled out for rather than throwing any more money at the problem, because if you can't get a sound with your Jazz that pleases you from your existing gear ( which is already some of the best that money can buy) then I would doubt very much anything else would bring the satisfaction you crave. [/quote] I do appreciate Geddy as a player and Rush do have some great songs. Speaking of Geddy, I met a player a few years back who used a Geddy Lee Fender Jazz. I know it has slightly different pup positions, but the growl he achieved was just crazy. It absolutely stole the show in terms of tone...although they were a bass dominant band with the guitars being audible but not the usual overbearing volume. He used a fairly normal 4x10 and amp, but the pedals he used (including a Sansamp) must have been setup to really push an aggressive tone. It was the perfect Jazz tone.

Thanks all! Agreed, the two pup EBMMs work the same way in some of the selector positions due to the position of the pups. Scooping the tone. Sounds nice, but misses a little 'bark'. I've had years on the P bass and I can pick a Ray up and it feels like it plays itself! I think I need to spend more quality time on this Jazz. I'd much rather stick to passive for 'that' tone.

The wonders of the Fender Jazz... In my time as a bassist, I have always longed for certain tones that only the Fender Jazz can produce. I initially started on a cheap P bass copy, and I used to think about one day getting a real Jazz and a real Stingray. Little did I know that using a P bass for so many years would have such an effect on how I view other instruments. I bought my first Jazz in 2000. Awful bass. Waited 3 months for it to come in to Electro Music, only to find (as many experienced back then) a shoddy bass. Very heavy, very thin nasally tone (no growl) and the worst finish I have seen on a Fender. It was £100 extra for the Natural finish, and they had basically shipped it without letting the coating dry off, so it had stuck to the case in some parts and looked awful when you held it to the light. Within 2-3 weeks I had time to drive back up and ask for a new bass. Even Electro were pretty shocked and that led to my second Stingray, which was perfect. So, still no Jazz. 2008, new series! Guess what, now is the time to buy an American Standard. I did, and it was a great bass. I was much happier. I didn’t like the fact they hadn’t filled some of the fret slots properly (I think they’ve caught onto that now as I’ve not seen it again) and the paint (as seems usual on the 2008-) has sunk into the grain and didn’t look that smooth. But, it was a great bass. For some reason, I traded it when I was offered close to what I paid for it. 2011, I buy another, this time a 3TS/Rosewood/Tort. I have kept this and will continue to keep it. I’ve had barely anytime recently to get to know it, but I spent a few more hours on it on Friday evening. Here are my thoughts: Nice and light! Nice paintwork, well finished neck/frets. Classic colours. Both pups with full volume/tone – Classic Jazz tone I always like to hear. Back pup – If you EQ the amp a little, you can get a very very middy honk. Anyone thinking ‘it instantly makes you sounds something like Jaco’ would be wrong. The main reason being his technique! The back pup does ring clear as a bell though.....very clear. Front pup – P bass territory but without the P bass kick. Nice pup...it can get very warm and thumpy. Neck profile – needs some getting used to from my perspective. The tone control works as expected. I have fairly unused strings on it so it helps to tame the very bright sound a Jazz can produce. Why this topic? It isn’t a review as such. I really want to play Jazz basses a lot more, but I’m fighting it a little when I play. I find the pups on full volume sounds brilliant solo’d, but I lose it a bit when playing in a band or playing to music at home. I’ve heard countless bands use Jazz basses well, but how are they doing it? A P bass is plug and play, as I find a Stingray/Musicman bass is as well. Some of my favourite bands, including Interpol, use a Jazz bass to great effect. I don’t want to mod it or add an EQ, as I can use my Aguilar Tone Hammer for its ‘onboard EQ in a pedal’, and I usually find the pups I like best are the stock pups! I realise I can knock one of the volumes down slightly on the pups, but I find it doesn’t make a huge difference, (there is a sweet spot and then it starts to sound like a pup solo’d or both pups!). Are there many Jazz basses out there with a pan control? I’m going to do the sensible thing and play it as much as possible. It might just be time...and experience on this type of bass.

Its taken me a long time to realise that IF you have a bass that ticks most/all of the boxes, you should never submit to selling it for the latest/greatest thing. I currently have a fairly large collection, which I've craved since I started 16 years ago. It won't get much bigger now as I'm starting to get quite good at knowing I have a good collection. I wouldn't sell any of the basses I own now; it would cost too much to replace them.

[quote name='DukeL' timestamp='1348985655' post='1820309'] Great to see how much attention my little Thunderchlid cab has generated here! Now if only that attention had been [i]positive[/i] instead of [i]negative[/i]... alas, we can't have it all, can we?? There's a method behind the madness of that big PA-style horn. You see, what I'm doing is radiation pattern matching in the crossover region. Let me explain: The dispersion of a cone driver narrows as we go up in frequency, and big cones can be quite beamy at high frequencies (case in point: The on-axis icepick effect of many guitar cabs). So I'm crossing over to a 90-degree constant-directivity horn at the frequency where the woofer's radiation pattern has narrowed to roughly 90 degrees. If I do this well, you won't be able to hear any transition in the crossover region. If I do it poorly, than we have a crappy-sounding cab that's ugly too. Radiation pattern matching in the crossover region is hardly a new concept, people have been doing it in PA cabs for decades, and I was doing it in the home audio market for years before getting into bass cabs. The advantage is that it makes the sound more uniform throughout the audience area. One hopes that said relatively uniform sound is pleasing rather than painful, of course, and that's where crossover design plays a big role (to be more specific, that's where [i]equalization[/i] plays a big role, equalization being one of the jobs of the crossover). My hope is to broaden the choices open to bass players, and along the way I've been Fortunate enough to have a backlog of orders ever since I launched my first bass cab in 2010. Bass players have treated me very well. [/quote] Nice to see you over here Duke...welcome! The new 2x12 looks fantastic.

Most Fender's are finished well before the actual time you receive it, plus they swap necks and all sorts. Fender serials nowadays are pretty much indicative of nowt, haha.

Agreed, they don't really have an option to visit... Shame, as I'd love to pop to the states a few times over the next few years. I know everyone would want to see Sadowsky, Fodera, or Fender, but to be honest EBMM are where I'd want to go.

I think out of all the manufacturers, my favourite to go and visit would be EBMM. I'd love to see what they get upto and what stashes of prototypes they have.

50lbs is reasonably light for a 2x12 you can gig with. I wouldn't bother going smaller. Get a cart to help with the cab. £20 from Amazon.