marcus bell Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 hi people long time since i posted on here, but just took my jaydee to have some work done on it in birmingham by the guys at jaydee, really has fuelled my enthusiasm in the basses again, missing mine terribly , dont they just sound great and i think they are cheap for a brand new bass of that calibre too, not to mention the people at jaydee are a nice bunch and very helpful. anyone else sharing my love? marcus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 I think they're pretty decent. I've always wanted one, but then been put off buying them in the past as I am told some can have very thin necks that bend like mad and need constant adjustment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doctor_of_the_bass Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Love 'em! Hope you are good Marcus! Bendy necks = worst one I ever had was on a teal green StingRay from around 20 years ago! You could see it move!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScreencastTutor Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Whats the cheapest you could get a 2nd hand Jaydee for, purely out of interest? Love the sound of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorick Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Still have mine after 18 years... Nuff said Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftybassman392 Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 [quote name='yorick' timestamp='1328772470' post='1532325'] Still have mine after 18 years... Nuff said [/quote] They're lovely instruments. Had one for about 9 or 10 years before moving it on (now in Deezbar's trusty hands). Mine was an early one ('87), and had some problems with the truss rod. Took it to JD to get it replaced, and he did it for a remarkably reasonable sum. Now there's a man who enjoys his job! A thoroughly nice bloke to boot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crez5150 Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Used to play them until I went on to Status...... but they are fantastic instruments. Always wanted a 5 string Calibas Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 I've got a Roadie which is in near mint condition and plays like a dream. It's good to torment Nick (Doctor of the Bass) with when he comes round.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russ Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 [quote name='ScreencastTutor' timestamp='1328754471' post='1532303'] Whats the cheapest you could get a 2nd hand Jaydee for, purely out of interest? Love the sound of them. [/quote] I've seen them for £500-ish before, but buyer beware - many of the older ones have that bendy neck problem. I guess they're not a "fashionable" bass so they can be had fairly cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Never liked them myself. Tried a few in the late 80s/early 90s and found them a bit 'clanky'. But what do I know? I can't tell the difference between a Jazz and a Precision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 [quote name='crez5150' timestamp='1328775040' post='1532356'] Used to play them until I went on to Status...... but they are fantastic instruments. Always wanted a 5 string Calibas Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....... [/quote] Yes, I should add that overall I've always preferred Status basses, even for doing Mark King impressions on. But then Status make some of the best instruments around! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcus bell Posted February 10, 2012 Author Share Posted February 10, 2012 each to their own i suppose, mines a 1981 bass and never have to adjust the neck its nice and solid and straight so i can set a low action im good nick by the way yourself? cant wait to get it back, hate being 'bassless' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4 Strings Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 [quote name='yorick' timestamp='1328772470' post='1532325'] Still have mine after 18 years... Nuff said [/quote] Bought my Roadie 1A new in 1985, still have it, will be in my will. No bendy necks, had to adjust it once since I had it when it spent a week in a cold basement. Well, twice, adjusted it back again after I got home. Neck is sooooper fast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcus bell Posted February 11, 2012 Author Share Posted February 11, 2012 Can't wait to get mine back... Could be ordering a series 3 roadie with series 1 pickup spacing, all white, chrome hardware, 32 inch scale, 16.5mm string spacing and blue front LEDs, sound good? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leroydiamond Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 Have a roadie 11 since 1985. No bendy neck here. Great value for the money, I mean its hand made, a beautiful design and great woods!. still sounds magic. I will never part with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 I had Series II for 12 years but sold it after someone in the Netherlands offered me 1300 quid for it and it simply wasn't giving me the warmth I wanted for a main bass. I loved the body and neck on mine, the necks shift because of the mahogany and walnut in them. Neither are rigid woods but they are also responsible for the distinct sound of the instruments although the ebony fingerboard helps to some degree. I didn't like the standard Jaydee preamp, it was a bit noisy and primitive so that got swapped out for a Bartolini 3 band unit which was vastly better. As you will see from my sig, I hanker for a GA24 5 string. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4 Strings Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 [quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1328943325' post='1535075'] I had Series II for 12 years but sold it after someone in the Netherlands offered me 1300 quid for it and it simply wasn't giving me the warmth I wanted for a main bass. I loved the body and neck on mine, the necks shift because of the mahogany and walnut in them. Neither are rigid woods but they are also responsible for the distinct sound of the instruments although the ebony fingerboard helps to some degree. [/quote] I haven't heard they had a reputation for necks moving. Sound is from the preamp and pickups. Ebony just lasts a long time and the mahogany sandwich neck doesn't have the dead spots you find in solid maple necks (around the 5th fret on the G string). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witterth Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 I allways wanted one and bought one a couple of years ago. while its not what I would call very "versatile" Bass I still love it. it gets the odd gig, so long as I bring some thing else too, to compensate for the things its not so good at. but my JD (mark king one) remains and object of desire. (Emily Loved him) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombatboter Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 [quote name='Chris2112' timestamp='1328751446' post='1532291'] I think they're pretty decent. I've always wanted one, but then been put off buying them in the past as I am told some can have very thin necks that bend like mad and need constant adjustment. [/quote] In the eighties I saved all my money to get a Jaydee.. It took me years to get that money since I didn't have a lot of money and hardly had anything left. Finally I made the trip to the bass center in Wapping and bought a white Jaydee.. It was a nightmare, the neck was absolutely no good.. I had it set up in a shop and by the time I got home it was curled again. Send it back to John Diggins, the bass got lost during the transport back home, I finally got it back heavily damaged and the neck was the same as before..I wasted on my money on that bass, still angry about that and the way they made these badly build basses.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 [quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1328958901' post='1535251'] I haven't heard they had a reputation for necks moving. Sound is from the preamp and pickups. Ebony just lasts a long time and the mahogany sandwich neck doesn't have the dead spots you find in solid maple necks (around the 5th fret on the G string). [/quote] The necks shift with changes in seasonal humidity. Changing the preamp didn't change anything about the sound apart from making it sound more sparkly. Sound definitely comes from the wood and more specifically the neck wood. The fairly flat response P-type coils (they look like soapbars but they're not) don't affect the sound much. Rich had a Jaydee Roadie with an EMG loaded in it so might be able to comment more. Can't remember having dead spots in mine either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4000 Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 [quote name='wombatboter' timestamp='1328979288' post='1535616'] In the eighties I saved all my money to get a Jaydee.. It took me years to get that money since I didn't have a lot of money and hardly had anything left. Finally I made the trip to the bass center in Wapping and bought a white Jaydee.. It was a nightmare, the neck was absolutely no good.. I had it set up in a shop and by the time I got home it was curled again. Send it back to John Diggins, the bass got lost during the transport back home, I finally got it back heavily damaged and the neck was the same as before..I wasted on my money on that bass, still angry about that and the way they made these badly build basses.. [/quote] IIRC John was sold a bad batch of wood in the '80s. Not all his basses have dodgy necks, and it's a bit strange to infer that they do, especially give that other posters have already stated theirs are fine. How many have you played? The first JD I had someone had shaved the neck mercilessly and yes, it was iffy. The second was fantastic; it was just too heavy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crez5150 Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 When I had my Jaydee it must have played at least 200 gigs in the 12 months I owned it...... neck never moved once. Can't say I've ever experienced a bad Jaydee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombatboter Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 I've owned three.. a white, pink and red one. The white one was the nightmare.. the others were ok. It's such a huge disappointment when you put all your money in your dreambass which in the end wasn't any good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4 Strings Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 [quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1328987899' post='1535805'] Changing the preamp didn't change anything about the sound apart from making it sound more sparkly. Sound definitely comes from the wood and more specifically the neck wood. [/quote] So changing the preamp changed nothing but the sound. Have to disagree about the contribution to the sound made by wood and pickups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4 Strings Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Horrible story about the bad Jaydee. Real shame it wasn't sorted and I can understand why wombatboter would have a poor regard for the basses. Would like to think John would have made more of an effort. I suppose there's always likely to be a rogue one every now and then, especially with the basses being hand made. No excuse though and I'm sorry to read about your experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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