Author Topic: What Jazz to buy ?  (Read 5780 times)

godofthunder

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What Jazz to buy ?
« on: January 27, 2008, 08:21:23 AM »
My band Johnny Smoke ( scroll down to the right for classic rock clips http://johnnysmoke.homestead.com/calendar.html  )does a ton of Zepplin in our cover set and we do it very well. The guitarist even brings out his Gibson 6/12 double neck for the shows. We are in the process of reorganizing the live show and putting more emphisis on the Zep. I'm thinking of getting a Jazz like JPJ. Fender makes the classic MIM 60's J and for the $ they are very nice, I like 'em alot. Next up is the '62 USA`RI close to JPJ but it has concentric knobs I can get one of these for like $1300. Last is the '64 RI NOS these are pricey, I'm looking  at $2,135. Also the New American Standard J comes in a sunburst /tort /rosewood combination that has a nice vintage vibe. Around $950. Thoughts on which bass to buy ?
« Last Edit: January 27, 2008, 08:33:21 AM by godofthunder »
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Lightyear

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Re: What Jazz to buy ?
« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2008, 08:57:09 AM »
I used a MIM P neck on my Fbird - the neck is vey nice - Fender just doesn't spend a lot of time on detailed setup.

A good friend of mine picked up a 57 P MIM reissure last year and the bass just kills!

Personally, I would would go the MIM route, I see them on Ebay all of the time, and change out the pickups for Fralins or Duncan Antiquites and change out the pots and the cap.  Clean up the frets a bit and you have geat bass for about $600 that's bar/club safe.
« Last Edit: January 27, 2008, 01:57:31 PM by lightyear »

eb2

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Re: What Jazz to buy ?
« Reply #2 on: January 27, 2008, 01:46:05 PM »
For true JPJ vibe - in the pre-Presence era - you have really 3 choices: A 60s MIM Jazz, the pricey 64 Ri, or a Bass V.  He really did not use a stack knob, but you could in theory buy a 62 ri and swap the control plate for the later version.  At any rate, the MIM is a great bass, but does need a competent set up job.  All the mim come with bad action and sometimes bad intonation and fret finish.  Not so big a deal really considering the savings.  The 64 RI is steep for essentially a 62ri with the later plate and a bit more attention.  He did use the Bass V regularly in the early 70s monster touring phase.  For completists only.  I don't recall him using a P except for odd photos - not part of the early vibe.
Model One and Schallers?  Ish.

Lightyear

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Re: What Jazz to buy ?
« Reply #3 on: January 27, 2008, 02:01:42 PM »
WARNING: Gibson Content! 

In the latest Bass Player they interview JPJ and he states that he used an EB1 for the early recordings :)

 

Dave W

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Re: What Jazz to buy ?
« Reply #4 on: January 27, 2008, 05:21:50 PM »
WARNING: Gibson Content! 

In the latest Bass Player they interview JPJ and he states that he used an EB1 for the early recordings :)

 

You mean early Zep, or for his earlier studio work?

I never understood how a J could have produced the tones on Led Zeppelin.

eb2

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Re: What Jazz to buy ?
« Reply #5 on: January 27, 2008, 10:12:05 PM »
He has always owned up to the EB1 which is on the LZIII wheelie thing - and he has stated in interviews that he did use it, and loved its old school tone.  He recorded with it on tracks on the first 3 or 4 lps for certain.  That being said, the majority of the early tracks were the Jazz with flats and often played with a pick (Herco - for completists).

He adopted Alembics around Presence, to the detriment of the band's sound in my humble opinion. 
Model One and Schallers?  Ish.

OldManC

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Re: What Jazz to buy ?
« Reply #6 on: January 27, 2008, 11:54:34 PM »
Scott, I'd just look for whatever Jazz feels and sounds best in your hands. Almost nobody (and that includes a lot of other bassists) would ever detect a difference between any of the basses you mentioned. I, being completely anal about such things, would notice the truss rod nut being on the wrong end of a MIM, but even that wouldn't stop me if the MIM was the one that sounded best to my ears. If it were me, I'd look for a used American made, which are almost always a great deal. Of course I say that, but my only Jazz at the moment is an '84 Squier that flat out rocks.  ;D

godofthunder

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Re: What Jazz to buy ?
« Reply #7 on: January 28, 2008, 04:54:27 AM »
 I ended up buying a brand new American standard Jazz for $890.00. Nice sunburst finish, tort guard, rosewood board, vintage tint neck, and the three black controls. It has a nice vintage vibe and has all the visual stuff I wanted. It's a nice solid axe and I'm happy with the price.  :)
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Dave W

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Re: What Jazz to buy ?
« Reply #8 on: January 28, 2008, 09:10:26 AM »
I haven't seen the new American Standards, but if you're happy with the tone and playability, you can't go wrong with a new US J at that price.

eb2

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Re: What Jazz to buy ?
« Reply #9 on: January 28, 2008, 09:51:42 PM »
Duuuuuude!  JPJ's Jazz didn't have strings going through the body!

I saw the new ones this past weekend - they got the P and J in at the local GC.  The tort guards really do give them a classic look.  They seem to have a noticeably flatter radius on the board compared to a RI.  I hope to mess around with one of them in the near future.  But they do capture the vintage vibe nicely.  I didn't bother to check the price but that seems like a pretty good deal.
Model One and Schallers?  Ish.

godofthunder

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Re: What Jazz to buy ?
« Reply #10 on: January 29, 2008, 05:10:11 AM »
But duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude   you can run the strings through the bridge or through the back of the body, I of course upon getting the bass strung it with Roto Sound RS66LDs the though the bridge.  ;D
« Last Edit: January 29, 2008, 05:14:18 PM by godofthunder »
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Dave W

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Re: What Jazz to buy ?
« Reply #11 on: January 29, 2008, 09:48:27 AM »
That looks like a more vintage-style burst than the 2000-2007 American Series had. I've never been a big sunburst fan, but that's a nice improvement.

OldManC

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Re: What Jazz to buy ?
« Reply #12 on: January 29, 2008, 04:02:33 PM »
Nice looking bass, Scott! I'm sure it will fit the bill nicely.

godofthunder

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Re: What Jazz to buy ?
« Reply #13 on: February 26, 2008, 05:56:54 AM »
 At the risk of repeating myself I am keeping this bass for now, see here http://bassoutpost.com/index.php?topic=119.0 I am thinking of replacing bridge and tuners with vintage parts. The bridge is a easy find any ideas where to get vintage RI reverse tuners ? I know it sounds like I am swinging blindly........................ I am I have said it before Fenders are still a mystery to me.
« Last Edit: February 26, 2008, 06:47:16 AM by godofthunder »
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Dave W

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Re: What Jazz to buy ?
« Reply #14 on: February 26, 2008, 12:06:28 PM »
Has the bridge changed from the earlier (1995-2007) American Standard & American Series? If it's the same one, there is no "vintage" drop-in bridge replacement, it's a four screwhole design because of the string-thru-body option, as opposed to the vintage Fender 5-hole design. The pre-1957 2-saddle design would fit, but that was never on a J. Of course you could always drill new holes but that'snot advisable on a new bass you might want to resell if it doesn't work out.