Musicman20

[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.

Use the PA and a nice DI that doubles as an EQ/effects pedal...eg Aguilar Tonehammer. I wouldn't go any smaller than a 2x10 to be honest....otherwise I DI.

Nice little rig! What is the Hydrive 112 like? Nice bass as well. Oly White Modulus?

[quote name='lojo' timestamp='1348671503' post='1816751'] You"d be gutted if you had just spent nearer the RRP , thats quite a drop MM, one day you'll be one a TV show about people with GAS or great collections of bass related products [/quote] I know. Haha. I take comfort in the fact that those who spend a lot more on cars/bikes spend a LOT more money and don't have as much to show if they buy a car that becomes worthless.

Weirdly enough, the Ray 5 HS is the lightest. I imagine it was luck of the draw...but it really is super light.

Luckily my Sterling 5HS/Stingray 5 HS weigh about 9lbs max. each.

That Spector needs a video demo. I'd love to hear what the MM style pup sounds like.

Clarky is a good un!

If I had the space and a van I'd be all over an Aguilar DB412.

I agree with the originals band. The problem with our current music climate is that more and more bands are getting coverage, but hardly any of them are lasting past one decent debut. Thus, its getting harder and harder to keep up with new exciting bands. The problem is, the older you get, the harder it is to keep up without checking the internet ALL the time. Hardly any people I work with like music the way I do; I must come across as totally obsessed! So, I can't get new music through word of mouth. Then you have a career kick in, and unless its music orientated, you have that to juggle as well. Keep your hands in the original side of music and create as much as you can. Covers bands are fun but there is nothing like making your own music.

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1348529284' post='1814968'] I know the feeling Just think, Gareth - you could have one of those shipped as well Have you seen the pic of the Bongo 5 PDN and the natural finish Sterling Classic on the MM forum............some seriously nice basses being produced..........and bought (unfortunately not by me ). And I have vintage Fender gas on top of all that! [/quote] I know. Arghggh They are stunning. Now a Reflex 5 HH PDN as well. One of the best Ltd series they've made.

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1348526773' post='1814940'] ahahahaha, you don't change do you brother You are the one person on here with permanent, full on, GASSSSSS! I have to say, the Big Als are really lovely, but I can't get on with those nut widths. The white and tort is wondrous! [/quote] It's true! I try stay away but can't! I am trying to reduce looking at new gear though. Agreed the Big Als are great.

http://www.theperfectbass.com/Music-Man-Sterling-5-Premier-Dealer-Network-F20402.htm No words required, (well apart from these).

[quote name='jamesbass116' timestamp='1348369256' post='1812826'] I've done a fair bit of music work in my 19 years on this earth... I've got function gigs up the wazoo and regular gigs with 3 bands including one with serious label interest. However, despite all this I've come across so much ignorance towards me from certain people simply because I'm a 'kid'. I could act as professionally and friendly as possible to someone yet still be treated like I'm trying to use my bass headstock as a pacifier. I don't and never will understand this mindset at all. I can guarantee there are a lot of people twice/three times my age with far less playing experience that will be given regular and friendly service in music shops, or treated with respect at a gig etc... I'm sure I'm not the only one who's come across this in their lives. Has anyone ever experienced something similar? If so what was it? Or, if you've never been involved in something like this, how would you react if you had been? Now this is by no means a rant, nor am I trying to incite any kind of hateful retorts. This is simply meant to be a discussion on an issue of ageism in correlation to the perception of musical experience. [/quote] I'm 31, but due to luck of the genes I look about 22 at the oldest. I tend to find I still get people talking down to me about bass and my career. In fact, I get it about what music I listen to, and my opinions as well. Luckily, I just don't care anymore. I don't ever take how young I look for granted...ever. In fact, its a bloomin gift! Sometimes, it is genuine advice and I always look upto those with more knowledge than me, but sometimes, its just someone on their high horse because they haven't got anything else to shout about. Sounds like you are doing well for yourself, well done.

I must admit, I agree the Sterlings look better than the Rays. I've noticed certain colours are REALLY nice on the Sterling due to the lack on banana control plate and slightly sleaker body. Take Tobacco Burst. Looks great on a Ray. Oh my...it looks AMAZING on a Sterling. I also think the Sterling 5 is beautiful design, hence why I got one as well as a Ray 5 HS.

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1348492949' post='1814247'] I was wondering just the other day what a tenth anniversary Bongo might encompass. Maybe a mahogany body and Reflex electronics ? Imagine a series / parralel -switchable Bongo, with the option of active/passive. Regarding the subject of the o.p and this ltd. edition Bongo, I expect they sound amazing, but the Bongo pickups and preamp would probably sound good if the body was made out of balsa wood, never mind mahogany. I've just been looking at these and I must say that the finish looks a lot better in the flesh than I initially thought, although to me it looks better on the Sterlings than the Stingray, but I couldn't give you a rational reason why. that would be : [url="http://www.theperfectbass.com/explore.cfm?STORE=Y&N=122&SN=464&CT=101&PG=101&W=STORE&P=N&S=1001081&U=1&SS=1&CR=Y&modify=0"]http://www.theperfec...1&CR=Y&modify=0[/url] It's also interesting that the respective weights of these basses is about the same as if they were made out of ash, albeit that they are still a bit too heavy for me. [/quote] A chap on Talkbass has just posted pics of his Bongo 5 HH and it looks FABULOUS. I really want one now. I agree, the wood doesn't really matter on the Bongo. Its a very very powerful set of pups and pre, and I've not experienced anything else quite like it! Just pure power and modern sheen. I think Sterling might have quite an exciting Bongo up his sleeves for the 10th Anniversary. 10 years ago, when it first came out, I thought 'what the hell is that?!' Now? I totally love it.

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1348441749' post='1813777'] That's a stunning bass - v nice indeed. Keko wants a Bongo.........but is holding out for a 10th Anniversary one (2013 - if they make one) How about a PDN 2012 Bongo via an American dealer?? [/quote] I did think about it...but I'd rather get the UK warranty...