My J bass - A tale of woe

[Hepnurecords]

A Cautionaty Tale -

 

The set-up -

 

About ten years ago it became clear I needed a Fender. The Ric 4001

I'd been relentlessly modifying for years just wasn't cutting the calls

I was getting anymore. Let me note that this Ric was not, as conventional wisdom

might dictate, a "One trick pony". I spent years really learning THIS bass and

had any numer of colors I could pull out of it. Beautiful bass but ultimately

limited.

 

I hit the streets of Boston with $700 and a very good idea of what I wanted. A J Bass that

didn't suck. Easy enough? No. The re-issues were hot at the time. Suck. Mexican Fenders and Squires.

Totall suck. Decent Americans and nice used Js started at $1200. I was sucking wind.

 

The solution -

 

A band member worked at one of the better music stores. He had the gang looking for a decent

Jazz at a decent price for me. Dind't happen. But a mid 70's J neck with a maple board and a

new fret job did come into the repair shop for trade. My "friends" convinced me to build a

bass around it. Warmoth body, Bartolini stack Js, Schaller bridge and electronics to my taste.

Master tone and volume and a pan-pot. And, with my bud's employee discount, under $700.

 

The Problem -

 

OK. Some time later it comes out. Sounds like heaven, plays like a dog. Again OK. I was in

school at the timeand spending many hours with the URB. A little action on the electric was NOT going

to scare me. Especially with the tone of this bass. Engineers and band-mates alike went nutty.

Cool. I'd just deal.

 

The fix -

 

As the years past I played less URB and kinda wanted the J to play "right". First I'm told the

board was "wavy". OK. Rip ot the frets and sand out the bad spots. All was cool. Then I arrived

for a show in NYC, many miles from home and with just the one bass, and the whole neck

had twisted. Below the 6th fret the d & g strings were unuable. Fine. Years of position

studies got me through the gig.

 

Back into the shop it goes. Gotta steam the neck now. OK, what ever it takes. Something

went horribly wrong. The tech gave me a new neck free of charge. Cool? no. The punch,

growl and especially sustain were gone. Turns out it was an "Allparts". Bad, bad neck.

 

The "now" -

 

Just got a AA maple neck from Warmoth. Clear Satin finish. It's being installed as we

"speak". I hope this brings my baby back to life.

 

The lesson - if it sounds really good and REALLY aint broke don't mess with it.

 

D.

[davebrownbass]

Originally posted by Hepnurecords:

OK. Some time later it comes out. Sounds like heaven, plays like a dog. Again OK. I was in

school at the timeand spending many hours with the URB. A little action on the electric was NOT going

to scare me. Especially with the tone of this bass. Engineers and band-mates alike went nutty.

Cool. I'd just deal.

 

Then I arrived

for a show in NYC, many miles from home and with just the one bass, and the whole neck

had twisted. Below the 6th fret the d & g strings were unuable. Fine. Years of position

studies got me through the gig.

 

Commentary:

 

If a basses action isn't sweet, to me it doesn't matter what it sounds like.

 

The Fender sound, or something similiar, must be in everyone gigging bass player's arsenal. Mine is a vintage Schecter P, but I wish I still had my vintage Schecter J.

 

For important gigs, have a backup bass. Also, I often have a backup amp (mine are small enough)

 

But most importantly, "years of position studies got me through the gig." This is the most important lesson you are teaching here...

 

Basses should know their instrument well enough to make an adaptation to get through a gig. I am afraid all the time that I'll open the case and my neck has warped, a tuning key has broken off, a battery has fried. In each case, what would I do?

 

Cautionary tale indeed.

[Hepnurecords]

Dave,

 

Yeah, I kinda dropped the ball with just the one bass, Bad me.

 

Point I was hoping to make was buying a bass you haven't played and can't return.

 

As for playability..... Tone over action any day. Look at what Jameson played. Could have something to do with the tone. Maybe?

 

D.

[davebrownbass]

Well, the good thing I took was that you were able to perform that gig...

 

As far as the tone thing...this came up for me a few years ago on the URB....

 

I got a school bass...really old one, with a very high action...but it sounded great. Some variable, increased tension on the high bridge, the increased pressure on the top, the extreme bend in the strings...made this bass jump with sound.

 

However, after playing it a few days, I began to feel the onset of injuries.

 

Of course, with electric the action is not that extreme...

 

And it's true, that a high action will definetely sound different...and quite possibly better on the same bass...much the same as a "heavy" gauge string.

 

As long as speed, articulation and balance aren't adversly effected, I'm good with that.

 

My comment was directed toward an instrument with problems more complex than truss rod/bridge adjustment. Uneven frets, neck twists, unseated fret wire, fret wear, mis-aligned neck...all of these can occur on both cheap basses, kit basses and even more expensive basses.

 

But the other part of the equation is the "tone is in your hands" argument. I have to play a bass a few days before I sound "like me" on it. In the same vein, many basses I begin to feel uncomfortable with initially can eventually produce my tone...

 

For this reason, if I fall in love with a bass's sweet action, AND it doesn't have major problems as listed above, I will almost always be happy with something about the tone.

 

Well, okay...I correct myself....I bought one of those Schecter Stiletto Elite 5's last year...'cause I liked those vintage Schecters. I like everything about the bass...but the tone has no balls...and no matter how I play it, it never improves.

 

And it's sat in it's bass bag for a year. So, I guess you are right.

[Tom Capasso]

Sorry to hear that your bass has been so unreliable. Let us know how this works out....

 

Tom

[JBFLA]

Originally posted by davebrownbass:

Well, okay...I correct myself....I bought one of those Schecter Stiletto Elite 5's last year...

Damn, I should have posted to you 2 months ago...maybe.

 

I bought the same bass (Stiletto Elite 5 - exactly as the one pictured on-line). So far, so good - but I haven't used it yet in band practice or live. I've put my '76 MM StingRay in semi-retirement. All these outdoor festivals/party gigs in S FLA (salt air) are creating havoc. So, a new bass was in order, and I wanted a 5-string.

 

I'm not expecting the Schecter to sound like my MM, but can you give me a better description of your problems (tonality-wise) with your Schecter? Any "heads-up" will be appreciated.

JBFLA

[davebrownbass]

Note, those EMG=hz pups are NOT active...even though the bass needs a battery, that just powers the tiny preamp circuit.

 

The bass has no balls. I bought mine as a replacement for the '91 Warwick Streamer, which was stolen at the time (I have since recovered it off of E-bay)

 

But I could never dial in a punchy tone. Plus, I hate 2 seperate volumes...I prefer a pup blender knob.

 

The only other problem is the Z-tec bridge ripoff. The screws that hold the individual bridge elements on are round headed, portruding into the cavity. If they were flat, it'd be no problem.

 

This limits the amount of intonation travel available. Of course, SChecter promotes the fact that every instrument is shop adjusted before it gets to the consumer. IN my case, when I changed strings, I found that the underside of the saddle had been ground half away so it could ride up over the screw.

 

Also, those saddles are just set in place...there is no set screw to fine tune intonation. You have to loosen the string, move it by hand, retighten and recheck.

 

I'm thinking the tone problem is dead wood....maybe your's will be better.

[JBFLA]

Originally posted by davebrownbass:

I hate 2 seperate volumes...I prefer a pup blender knob.

 

The only other problem is the Z-tec bridge ripoff. The screws that hold the individual bridge elements on are round headed, portruding into the cavity. If they were flat, it'd be no problem.

 

Also, those saddles are just set in place...there is no set screw to fine tune intonation. You have to loosen the string, move it by hand, retighten and recheck.

 

I'm thinking the tone problem is dead wood....maybe your's will be better.

Is it possible they've made a major design change since mid '02?

 

Based on your post (and Thanks for the info!), I looked at the items you've mentioned: The mounting screws are now flatheads. The saddles have 2 set screws for adjustment/lock-in, and the black saddle inserts have 2 set screw adjustments (for string height). Also, re: the dead wood issue - Maybe I've been 3X lucky? My bass sustains/rings out like a piano - no deadness. There's the issue of dual volume knobs (I agree w/ you 100%, give me a blend anytime), and a mid-presence I'm not fond of, but I think I can EQ it out without losing what I like.

Maybe I lucked out, and they made changes based on customer comments!

 

Thanks for the heads-up, I wouldn't have thought to check out what you brought up 'till much later!

JBFLA

[davebrownbass]

Well, here's hopin' you got lucky.

 

The saddles DO have locking screws to lock them into place. However, the forward/backward motion is not adjustable by a screw, like on virtually ever other bridge. You have to loosen the set screw, then move the bridge element forward or back.

 

Nice to hear that they have found a way so the bridge screws don't limit the travel of the saddle.

 

Yeah...that EMG system is used for these basses, Dean basses, and Spector's Korean line. I have not found any that have a really good tone...about the best you can say is that it is a bland, yet unoffensive tone, but it is remarkably quiet.

 

I actually went to the EMG website and asked the tekkies how to improve the system; they never responded.

[JDL]

Originally posted by Hepnurecords:

 

I hit the streets of Boston with $700 and a very good idea of what I wanted. A J Bass that

didn't suck. Easy enough? No. The re-issues were hot at the time. Suck. Mexican Fenders and Squires.

Totall suck. Decent Americans and nice used Js started at $1200. I was sucking wind.

 

D.

I dont think the Mexican Fenders suck, but.............

Yeah, sorry to hear about that. BTW, I tried out my bass at GC and its awesome.

I think what dbb said was right. Have a backup bass, might be crappy, but get one that'll do the job.

 

(JDL)

[Cowbell]

I don't think that Mexican Fenders suck at all. You have to try them out, but some can be very enjoyable. I have a Mexi P and J that I absolutley love. I plan on switching the pickups in the Jazz with Fender Custom Shop 60's. They sound amazing and also recieved the Bass Players amgs Top Tone award. Pickups make an amazing difference in sound.

[JDL]

Originally posted by CowbellAllen:

I plan on switching the pickups in the Jazz with Fender Custom Shop 60's. They sound amazing and also recieved the Bass Players amgs Top Tone award. Pickups make an amazing difference in sound.

What issue was that Top Tone award in? How much would custom Shop 60's pickups cost?

 

Yessiree they do.

[Cowbell]

I found it in the Bassplayer Archives.

 

Shootout at the Coil Corral

 

Many useful things in the archives, like Combo Mambo and other gear roundups.

 

The Custom Shop 60's cost $160 I believe

[Cowbell]

I'd like to correct the above post. It costs $100 for a set. Sounds like a very great deal.

[JDL]

Thanks Cowbell.

[Jim T.]

jdl,

I think it likely that you'll like the Warmouth neck a lot. Their steel bar and additional fretboard wood really helps sustain and punch on the necks I've seen in use.

 

Let us know...