Have I made the right choice?

[lanark]

I've just put a deposit on a brand new Squier CV Jazz and am going through the "did I do the right thing?" period.

I'm used to the low P-bass sound, with flats and a sponge mute, but the Jazz was SO nice to play (especially as I'm small and have small hands) and sounded great too.

My question is whether it's possible to approximate (or improve on) the low booming sound I was getting from my P-bass on this jazz if I want to? I'm getting flats put on as part of the setup and I'd like some pointers on how to get the Jazz to play with less zing and more oomph. (I play in a salsa band if that's any help with this question).

Edited September 5, 2010 by lanark

[Machines]

I think it should be possible to get close. Neck pickup soloed and played high up is the best way to go for it.

[neilb]

Back off the bridge pup a little. I changed from a P (15 odd years) to a Jazz. No regrets.

[the_skezz]

Shouldn't be difficult, went from a Fender P to a Squier Jazz myself a few months ago, and was able to get it close to the Precision sound while I was messing around with the volume settings on the pickups and changing the position of my hand along the body while playing. I go for a bit more twang now, as I think it sounds better, but it's definately possible...and much easier to play on a Jazz, IMO

[stingrayPete1977]

You could come over to the dark side a stick an active pre amp in it? My squier jazz has Bartolinis and an EBS preamp, Im pretty sure it can get lower than any passive P-Bass!

[chris_b]

Why did you buy a Jazz if you wanted a Precision sound??

It won't sound like a Precision, it'll sound like a Jazz and that's a good thing! There's a reason why most modern basses have been designed around the concept of the Jazz and not the Precision. You've made a good choice and the Jazz will get you all the sounds you need.

Edited September 5, 2010 by chris_b

[hillbilly deluxe]

It took me ages to get from P to J basses comforably,but it was worth it IMO,to get back into P basses was just as awkward,for me,but mine has a J size neck.I do miss the bridge J pup though.

[Shambo]

My 2007 American Standard has an 'S1' series switch which gives extra thump that has been likened to a P bass. They stopped including it in the 2008 revision, (unfortunately IMO). There's a circut diagram somewhere on the internets. It also cancels out any annoying humming too. Coupled with a pair of Wizard 84's and my jazz can get quite thunderous.

Edited September 5, 2010 by Shambo

[JTUK]

For some gigs, not much beats a good old P-bass, but the Jazz is versatile.
I, too, am bemused on your choice regarding the switch.

IMV, they are horses for courses but as long as you think they sound great, I'd go through with it.
I trust you have kept the P-bass...?
I think getting the Jazz may well open up other influences and sounds and that can't be a bad thing, IMO.

[lanark]

[quote name='chris_b' post='946046' date='Sep 5 2010, 12:04 PM']Why did you buy a Jazz if you wanted a Precision sound??[/quote]

It's not so much wanting a Precision sound as that I'm used to a P sound and I've got it to work (with the sponge mute and flats), but the Jazz just felt much nicer to play. It's only since I've agreed to buy it that I'm getting the jitters that it's going to be all twangy and slappy.

Edited September 5, 2010 by lanark

[Jigster]

i've recently realised [b]THE SOUND IN MY HEAD[/b] is a jazz, not a P - I'm happy -


...but worried it might actually turn out to be a very expensive Warwick Thumb sitting in a shop not a milion miles from me

But agree with previous, it won't do that full on P sound, which is exactly why I've had to make the transition, the P is just so P

[Jigster]

[quote name='lanark' post='946081' date='Sep 5 2010, 12:31 PM']It's not so much wanting a Precision sound as that I'm used to a P sound and I've got it to work (with the sponge mute and flats), but the Jazz just felt much nicer to play. It's only since I've agreed to buy it that I'm getting the jitters that it's going to be all twangy and slappy.[/quote]


not at all - ease the tone back, play around with the blending of pups, but a jazz is also mellow, it also rocks and it also growls -

[wateroftyne]

I'm a P guy at heart, but I use a J often because one of my bands really needs a J bridge burp.

Yes, you can solo a J's neck pup for a passable P imitation, but it won't have the authoritative, focussed punch that makes a P a P.

I put Fralin split coils in my J, which has helped a lot, but when I want a P tone, I use a P.

[lozbass]

I agree with much of the advice above on experimenting with pickup mix and tone control. I think you'll find the J works very well in the intended setting but may just take a little while to get used to. If you're really lacking deep thud, you can mute the strings with foam in the bridge cover (some early J's had foam or felt mutes installed). You can also experiment with the eq on your amp or with an external preamp (stompbox version - there are some really good ones around and they can be fairly inexpensive). To answer your question, I think that you've made a very good decision and one that will offer some versatility - I played a Squier J recently and was very impressed. I wouldn't say that it was capable of a full-on P tone, however, there was no lack of rounded bottom-end and the bass was very comfortable to play.

[JMT3781]

Dude i'm having the exact same thing with a bass i've put a deposit on lol, it always passes once you have it! but it feels horrible lol

[Ou7shined]

As far as I'm concerned a J sounds like a J and a P sound like a P but you can also get pups (even humbuckers) to reproduce P and J characteristics. I've always imagined that a soloed split J in the neck position would give a decent P sound but I've never got passed the theory stage. I tried to get Wizard to make me one once but lost interest when the replies took so long to come back to me.

[lanark]

I wouln't really say that I'm wanting to exactly replicate the P sound, just that I don't slap and I want fat warm bottom rather than a twangy clinky top.

After all, I didn't really know that the P sound was before I bought the Affinity Precision I have at the moment. It's just a case of getting the best warm lows I can out of the Jazz.

It's probably post-payment nerves. If I have the guitar in my hands I could experiment myself.

[Spoombung]

[quote name='lanark' post='946194' date='Sep 5 2010, 02:37 PM']I wouln't really say that I'm wanting to exactly replicate the P sound, just that I don't slap and I want fat warm bottom rather than a twangy clinky top.[/quote]

I wouldn't worry; if you want that sound you can get it from just about any old bass out there - even the dirt cheap ones.

[Prime_BASS]

Neck pickup solo'd
Playing closer to the neck
Adding a pre-amp
Wiring it in series will all add a bit of boom.
Marketing says that series switching makes jazz pups sound like P pups. Not in my experience, but you get 6db extra output less highs and more lows and low mids.

[skej21]

[quote name='Prime_BASS' post='946212' date='Sep 5 2010, 02:54 PM']Neck pickup solo'd
Marketing says that series switching makes jazz pups sound like P pups. Not in my experience, but you get 6db extra output less highs and more lows and low mids.[/quote]

+1. A friend of mine swore blind that his S1 switching made his Jazz sound like a P. Until I let him play my P, flats and all. He now owns 3 P's of his own lol.

Edited September 5, 2010 by skej21

[stingrayPete1977]

I have only used the S1 switch on someones strat and it made it sound worse in every pickup configuration is the bass version of any use?

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='946191' date='Sep 5 2010, 02:31 PM']. I've always imagined that a soloed split J in the neck position would give a decent P sound but I've never got passed the theory stage.[/quote]

In practice it does, kind of. And then you go back to a P up an you realise it's nowt like it.

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='Jigster' post='946084' date='Sep 5 2010, 12:33 PM']i've recently realised [b]THE SOUND IN MY HEAD[/b] is a jazz, not a P - I'm happy -[/quote]

This is a KEY point. In my case it's gone the other way (the sound in MY head is a Precision), but for at least some of us we'll never be happy until we match the bass in our hands with the sound in our heads.

I've tried almost everything over the last few years - far too many to list, just check the photolink in my sig - and I've now ended up owning four Precisions. I had five until yesterday.

[DDBass]

Hi

I totally understand your post-purchase nerves. However, you have nothing to fear. I have used a jazz bass for the last 15 years and have never played slap on it. In fact, most of my gigs involve playing Country, a genre in which the P Bass is supposed to reign supreme (older country anyway). You will have no trouble getting a big bottom end from the jazz. In fact I feel it has more true low end than the P, but with less low mid. The only jazz bass tone I don't get on with is the trebly back pickup soloed sound, which seems to be the default tone for many jazz bass players out there. It does so much more than that. Try using both pickups together and then back off the back pickup by various degrees to see which sound you like.

The other thing to remember is that you liked the sound of the bass when you tried it. Trust your own ears!

David.

[Shambo]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='946270' date='Sep 5 2010, 03:45 PM']I have only used the S1 switch on someones strat and it made it sound worse in every pickup configuration is the bass version of any use?[/quote]
On a Jazz it does. Makes for a thicker sound. A purist suggested to me a jazz shouldn't have humbucking pups and should only be sounding like a jazz, but it still does when you're not using it. It's just another sonic option.
Don't know why a P bass would need one though.