Maruszczyk Jake PJ / 1971 Precison comparison - can you tell which is which?

[wateroftyne]

Hey gang

I was bored this afternoon, so for fun I thought I'd AB my 1971 Precision and Maruszczyk Jake PJ.

Here's 40 seconds of each - both with GHS flats, through a Mesa Walkabout. Tone backed off slightly - EQ the same on each.

[url="https://soundcloud.com/wateroftyne/maruszczyk-jake-ab-test"]Which is which? Can you tell?[/url]

[Marvin]

No I can't.

[Muzz]

Nope, not at all, I'm afraid...

[Silent Fly]

I'm not an expert on P-basses but I can't really tell. They both sound pretty much like a classic P-bass to my uneducated ears. It may be due to the GHS flats that help in making the two basses sound similar.

Regardless, I doubt that in a band situation the majority could hear the difference. Without taking anything away from the Maruszczyk (that is a cool bass) the Fender has classic look that perhaps in a gig people would recognise.

Edited September 28, 2015 by Silent Fly

[JTUK]

I presume you back off the J pickup anyway...so you're going to expect a P-bass is a P-bass

I do like the paint job on the Jake tho.... takes it up a notch, visually, IMO Blocks are no bad thing either

[warwickhunt]

Now isn't that interesting! I've done an A/B with these in the flesh and I could defo tell them apart at the time BUT I'd be hard pushed to be 100% sure based on the recordings... though I 'think' I can tell which is which!

[Thunderbird]

I think the second one is the Jake it sounds just a touch more defined and modern but I am more guessing than knowing for sure they both sound nice IMO

[wateroftyne]

I knew they were similar, but I was surprised they're as close as they are, given that the Jake is chambered and has the J in the circuit (albeit dialled out), and the P has 40-year-old magnets in the pickups.

Love 'em both, but the Jake goes with me to gigs these days.

[ColinB]

I'd be happy with either!

[skej21]

Not sure which is which but I know that I definitely prefer the first one. It just seems a little smoother in its response when you played the embellishments and a bit warmer.

Based on that, I'd guess at Fender first and Maruszczyk second?

[Sibob]

Both sound great! Very glad I ordered mine now :-D, it should fit in well with my '71 P

Si

[allighatt0r]

My guess would be Jake first, Fender second.

[danbowskill]

The first one sounds wonderfuly woody .....i don't know which is which but that 1 is lush

Edited September 28, 2015 by danbowskill

[stevie]

I don't know which is which but I can hear the difference. The first one is thinner with slightly more top end. The second one is fuller, richer and smoother. I prefer the second one but I agree, in a live setting they'd be very difficult to tell apart.

[jezzaboy]

I cannot tell the difference between the two. Which is a bit scary considering the value of each bass. Or does this hammer home the point that it`s mostly in the fingers ?

That moose can lay it down though

[lowhand_mike]

there is a difference, first has a little more bite, but as to which is which i have no idea
but both sound nice

[spyder]

I think the first one is the P and second is the Maruszczyk.
or is it....

[Lw.]

I'm not a P user (nothing against them - just don't have one) but if I had to guess I'd say 1st is Fender, 2nd is Maru though both sound like P's to me. I preferred the 2nd one for some reason.

As ever with these comparisons, they just make me wish my playing was better - must practice more.

[Mickeyboro]

Other way for me, Michael... Though as a 71 owner -see avatar - I should know better than venture an opinion!

[ColinB]

[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1443466145' post='2875008']
..... the first one. It just seems a little smoother in its response ....[/quote]
[quote name='danbowskill' timestamp='1443467952' post='2875036']
The first one sounds wonderfuly woody ....
[/quote]
[quote name='stevie' timestamp='1443467961' post='2875037']
The first one is thinner with slightly more top end.
[/quote]
[quote name='lowhand_mike' timestamp='1443520339' post='2875400']
there is a difference, first has a little more bite,.....
[/quote]

Not only can't we agree on which is which, we seem to think the same one sound different to itself!

[Bigwan]

Fender first then Jake I think. Second sounds more "modern" to me by a hair. Not much in it!

[HazBeen]

Wow, indeed very evenly matched. Must admit the Maruszczyk name is growing on me.

I think the 1st is the Jake and 2nd is the P, the 1st feels/sounds as if it may have the chambered body (resonance different), but on a recording it is very difficult to tell them apart.

[Lozz196]

I`d go for Fender first, Jake second.

[wateroftyne]

Well, I can reveal that... some of you have got it right.

(FWIW, if I had to guess, I would have got it wrong too)

[skej21]

The anticipation is killing me!