Bass questions for all you bassers.

[Soylent]

I'm thinking about saving up for a Bass build.

I currently play an F Jazz Bass Deluxe, and I really like it. It's got a great feel and sounds really good.

For my next one, I'm thinking of going passive though, and not all deluxe-y.

Give me your thoughts on electronics, woods, etc. I really like the Jazz style, and I'm gonna stay 4 string.. I think.. maybe 5.. not sure, but I'm not ruling out other styles, except P style.. I just don't care for it.

Gimme some Advice!

 

[line6man]

Just make sure the tone is bright!

 

[JimBeed]

Well for woods i believe sticking with swamp ash is a safe bet as i believe from memory that Fender jazz bass deluxes are, well most fenders like my fender p bass is.
Electronics, well depending on pick ups may want to buy a few concentrics or push pulls, switches etc.
Im at the sort of middle of my Five string Z bass, which is swamp ash with wenge neck and bloodwood fingerboard, and contains a neck seymour duncan quarter pound with a rio grande muy grande powerbucker bridge, which is i believe almost like two jazz pickups put together. with a switch for neck/both/bridge, and two volumes single tone. with a through body, as it sounds like the sound from mine and what its like to play might be helpful to you ill get on with sound clips when its all set up and tell you how it feels and sounds.

 

[BassmanAK]

I'm thinking about saving up for a Bass build.

I currently play an F Jazz Bass Deluxe, and I really like it. It's got a great feel and sounds really good.

For my next one, I'm thinking of going passive though, and not all deluxe-y.

Give me your thoughts on electronics, woods, etc. I really like the Jazz style, and I'm gonna stay 4 string.. I think.. maybe 5.. not sure, but I'm not ruling out other styles, except P style.. I just don't care for it.

Gimme some Advice!

I currently play a Modulus 5 (another "boutique" bass, lol), and am also looking to do a build.
There's just something about J-basses huh?
As far as woods, I'll stay out of that one. :tard:
There's a helluva lot of GREAT passive pickups out there nowadays,
so I'd say you'd be pretty safe With Barts, or Nordstrands.....
The best part about those is that they both start as passive pickups,
the fact that they're usually hooked up to on-board preamps is probably
more to cater to those of us who demand active electronics.
But aside from EMG, or other "active" pickups, the preamps are really
just add-ons.
But.... If you do do a preamp..... I suggest Audere.... It seems to be the
bee's knees to the high-end builders nowadays....

 

[Soylent]

Cheers guys, keep the info coming.. I'm aware of bartolini's, played them on a buddies Ibanez, many moons ago. Never touched Nord's..

 

[line6man]

Im at the sort of middle of my Five string Z bass, which is swamp ash with wenge neck and bloodwood fingerboard

I've really been wanting a Wenge/Bloodwood neck lately.
Do you have any pics of yours?

 

[GoDrex]

I don't have a lot of experience with bass guitar - but the Duncan Antiquities on my Jazz sure sound sweet to me.

 

[JimBeed]

Line6 heres the link  to my build post, so i dont clutter someone elses post haha
http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=12698.msg175577#msg175577

 

[Nando Vallart]

Eric always says Wenge makes a bass sound really punchy! I like this idea!

 

[JimBeed]

OOOH looks like my wenge will help the tone of mine then!

 

[lidesnowi]

If you like myself like the classic warm resonant very dynamic early 60´s Jazz Bass sound (Think Jaco)  try and get a really light weight Alder body on about 1,6 to 1,8 kilos,as a guide my old 63 body weights 1,6 kilos and sounds fantastic!
   
 

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

I've done the passive thing, and every time I think about going back, I play someone else's and miss mine.  Go active/passive.  Find a nice passive set you like and put an Aguilar in it.  Go down to a GC a play a Music Man Stingray.  The nut width is wider like a P, although they offer a slimmer one now.  Try it not for the feel but to see what you think of that p'up and an active/passive system.  If you've ruled out the P and already have a J, the MM style pickup might find its way to your home.  They tend to be articulate and I've heard them criticized for being too bright and too boomy, which I don't understand.  

Also, there is a boutique pickup maker in Lewisville, TX.  He has standard sets, but can custom make anything you want for any sound.

 http://www.kleinpickups.com/