Musicman20

Lightweight amp heads. Whether they be A/B or D. No matter how much a cabinet weight, I still think a lightweight amp head is one of the best innovations in bass guitar technology. I still like an old school normal weight tube amp, but for most of my gigs the light amps are used. Lighter cabs are great, but most of the time we are only talking a pretty small difference in weight, and you still have to carter about 50-60lbs thats normally pretty large.

I could try a Roadworn. Ouch on the price for a MIM though.

I'll probably just get an EBMM Sterling haha

Not keen on the Shuker colour Im afraid, but thanks. Ive never really found a Jazz that does everything I want. The P bass I have is freakishly good. Im so impressed with it, and I do think of getting another, but I know this one will always be the one, unless I go for a true vintage. I find most Jazzes get lost in a rock band, (they sound great but the natural scoop makes them disappear a little). Whereas a P is either there being fat and warm in the background or grindy and midrangey. Im considering just not bothering and just waiting until I find one....eg not giving it much thought. Im quite interested to see what true vintage vibe Jazz basses John Shuker can make, (eg not fancy, just a true to spec 60s style Jazz), but I dont want to pay too much for a normal passive jazz. At the moment, I always reach for a P or Ray/MM, so I might just stick with what works. We shall see. Sandberg is an option, but I have no way of testing it....thats the problem. Custom order, so If I dont like it, Im stuck.

I reckon it's the power supply where you are using it. I had a similar experience in my parents front room on a socket we barely use with a LM 3 and Berg HS410.

[quote name='CHRISDABASS' post='968168' date='Sep 26 2010, 10:07 AM']Fender really frustrate me!! They've been doing it longer than anyone else yet they still manage to make poor quality instruments! don't get me wrong, i love a good jazz as much as the next guy but i shouldn't have to go on a mission to multiple shops just to find one thats acceptable! what happens to all be basses we reject?? is there a scrap heap somewhere?? lol[/quote] I often wondered that. Get a high quality well built one and they are stunning. If you don't, and you send it back, what do they do with them?! Surely they can't try to sell them to another dealer.

[quote name='alanbass1' post='968141' date='Sep 26 2010, 09:18 AM']Any reason why the new US standards don't do it for you?[/quote] I think i just fancy a change. I'd 100% go with Fender if I could get one I was after which plays and feels as good as the Precision I've got. The other Jazz I had did tick a lot of boxes and was well made but for me the maple (glossed) was a little too much in your face, not smooth like the Musicman maple. Miller slap fans would have loved it! I do like a more subdued yet still growly jazz sound. I'm half tempted to just order a rosewood version but the whole lottery of getting a good one is a little annoying. After the pickup/finish problems davebass had on here, it puts me off.

Can anyone suggest a good quality, well made, passive Jazz bass thats 60 spacing? Around the £800-£1000 mark. No more. The only options I can think of are Lakland and Sandberg once you put it into passive mode.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lS0mQDmQzAs&feature=youtube_gdata_player"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lS0mQDmQzAs...be_gdata_player[/url]

I do agree they have a good sense of low-medium weight!

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='966844' date='Sep 24 2010, 03:59 PM']Funnily enough, one of the worst basses for poor fretwork I have ever tried was the black modern Sadowsky Metro in Guitar, Guitar, Birmingham. It played OK, but the sides of those frets certainly needed some attention![/quote] Oh heck! Quick, get it on talkbass Im sure this would be a rare occurance with Sadowsky. I think if I bought a Metro, id expect it to be FLAWLESS. Not one issue. I agree that its hards to get a Fender like that....takes patience and a bit of searching even with the improvements.

[quote name='Clarky' post='966849' date='Sep 24 2010, 04:03 PM']I find the B width neck (1.625 inches), half way betwwe P and J widths, to be the most comfortable. My 72P has a B width neck and is so easy to play that any idiot could do it (which is fortunate for me). The Alleva WW had a traditional 1.75 width neck and I didn't find it as comfortable as my 72P (although it wasa clearly better made!) You can buy matched PJ pickup sets from Wizard, DiMarzio etc so why not try that on one of your Ps, Gareth? Will cost including installation between £100-200 but that's a lot cheaper than the cost of a Jazz bass.[/quote] Down to one now! As I promised myself.

[quote name='Conan' post='966827' date='Sep 24 2010, 03:48 PM']Hmmmm. That wasn't my experience, but I guess it depends on your particular 4x10! Are you talking about your Orange or your old Berg Gareth? Both are, incidentally, a lot more expensive than a Compact![/quote] Orange. The Berg would have eaten it alive for sheer volume....it is still more than likely the loudest most compact 4x10 Ive ever used. But I only compared it to the Orange. I actually also used it at a gig where we had an Ampeg 410E on standby (8 ohms) and yes, the amp we were all using (SVT Pro 3) can seem to have a lack of volume, it was much more evident with the Compact. Lows? Yes. Sweet highs and normal mids? Not in my experience. The 410 was just punch central and provided a much fuller sound. The horn was off. Its definitely light, and its pretty loud, but Id much rather use a 2x12 or 4x10. I actually preferred my Orange OBC 115 as well. This is just my experience.

Ay, I bought a Lakland DJ5 from them and it was in a terrible condition, and the wrong gig bag. Nice guys, but the stock always seems knocked about, (obviously not all of it).

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='966707' date='Sep 24 2010, 02:07 PM']..or pretty any J bass with the Sadowsky electronics in it. Don't get bogged down in the mythical Sadowsky snake oil thing. There is no real secret ingredients in getting the Sadowsky tone - it's pretty much down to the pickups/circuit... it certainly doesn't come from the woods or construction (afterall, it's the same as pretty much every bolt on jazz type bass) What I will say is that Sadowsky have achieved the reputation they have through the quality of their constuction and the like... and also through Fender not being able to get their shop in order and get a run of nicely finished basses out there. Nice one for breaking through and giving Fender a run for their money I'd say. Give Mr Sadowsky a selection of seemingly identical wood to build basses from and whilst they may look identical, due to wood being organic, there will be a slight deviation in the sound - especially when run passively. You can never tell what a bass sounds like exactly until it's been built. The second you put a circuit in, the importance of the wood is not as great and the pickups/circuit has a greater influence on the tone than anything else.[/quote] I definitely agree with most of this. I do commend Sadowsky for its excellent quality, and for giving Fender good competition. They got lazy (and still are sometimes) and needed a kick.

WOW!

[quote name='Conan' post='966571' date='Sep 24 2010, 12:17 PM']Good call - but depends on budget again as there are few BFB cabs available second hand and they ain't the cheapest option when bought new![/quote] I agree. Id go for a semi decent 4x10. At low-medium budget, weight cant really be a factor. Ive tried the Compact and light it may be, but it couldnt keep up my 4x10....

My guitarist uses a PRS (not sure of the model) and it sounds fantastic. Its a crazy silver sparkly thing, and the tones are stunning. We play really fast and quite technical modern punk, and all the little extra runs and techy chord changes he puts in come through excellently.

[quote name='Beedster' post='966490' date='Sep 24 2010, 10:37 AM']In your shoes, and with a hankering for something different but from one of the big three, I'd be looking at one of the newer EBMMs.[/quote] Ah...well, that is also being addressed. 2 basses are leaving me today....and a few new ones are being ordered. One of them being distinctively Big Al shaped Its my 30th next March so they should be here just in time.