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Post subject: Should I trade in my Fender American Jazz bass for a P bass?
Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2012 11:02 pm
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When I first bought my Fender American Jazz bass, I liked it alot. I noticed most of the rock bands use the P bass over the jazz bass. Seeing these great artists playing the P bass made me regret buying the Fender Jazz bass. At first I thought the P bass looked weird with the split pickup, now I think it looks nice. In your opinion should I keep the Fender American Jazz bass? I play in a rock band. I like to do riffs and not much of a slapper. I don't use picks. I like the sharp tones...I mean the Jazz bass sounds better, but I just want the P bass because everyone uses it. Can anyone help me with my regrets? or tips or anything that will help? Finally let me finish with few questions that you can answer.

1. I had the Fender American Jazz for a year now. Should I trade now or wait for maybe 5 years?

2. Is the Fender American Jazz bass better than the P bass?


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Post subject: Re: Should I trade in my Fender American Jazz bass for a P b
Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 4:07 am
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Do not get rid of your Jazz. You will regret it.

Neither is better, just different. You really need one of each.

Maybe EQ your amp differently. Do you have any effects pedals?

Maybe try some new pickups, such as DiMarzio Model J's. Highly recommend.

Try some new strings?


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Post subject: Re: Should I trade in my Fender American Jazz bass for a P b
Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 8:00 am
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They're both good basses & they're both good rock basses (even though you're seeing more rock bassists play a P-Bass......) I have both basses, I play my Jazz basses more then my P bass, I find my jazz basses are more veratile & I prefer the jazz bass for riffing up & down the neck,........ have you ever thought of getting a Jazz or P bass with a P J set up like the Duff bass, the American Deluxe P Bass or the Reggie Hamilton Jazz bass or maybe the aerodyne jazz bass??

It also come down to what what amp you use &how it's set up & are you using any effects.

A short list of rock bassist's who use a Jazz bass:
Geddy Lee of Rush, Adam Clayton of U2, Frank Bello of Anthrax, John Paul Jones (in the early Led Zeppelin days) & even though he doesn't use one live I recently also saw a few photos of Chris Squire of Yes using a 62' Jazz in rehersals for their current tour.....
pretty good list of jazz users huh! I should also mention that even though he was a jazz bassist Jaco Pastorius would rock out on this Jass bass. IMO

Use the bass that you enjoy playing, try not to follow the crowd, be different, do your own thing & you'll stand out......you can also have one of each bass like most of us do....I think you'll regret selling your Jazz bass. :)


Last edited by James Coderre on Wed Jun 27, 2012 2:26 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Post subject: Re: Should I trade in my Fender American Jazz bass for a P b
Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 8:42 am
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I agree with Zod, keep your Jazz and get a Precision. The difference in the two basses justifies having both.


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Post subject: Re: Should I trade in my Fender American Jazz bass for a P b
Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 3:55 pm
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Definately more tonal options with a Jazz....... :)


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Post subject: Re: Should I trade in my Fender American Jazz bass for a P b
Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2012 1:27 pm
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Switching to a P-Bass because "Every Body Else" in your genre does is not a good reason. If you played a P-Bass and liked it better than a J that is a better reason.

Adding to the list of great "Rock" players who play Jazz or Jazz style music is Bryan Beller (Steve Vai, Mike Keneally, Dethklok). Here's a vid:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfdkLwQl3r0

Although Beller isn't playing a Fender here it is essentially a modified Jazz Bass.

By the way nothing personal but how old are you anyway?

Stay Brown,
Rev J


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Post subject: Re: Should I trade in my Fender American Jazz bass for a P b
Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2012 3:04 pm
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Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2007 5:51 pm
Posts: 139
Location: Boston
I own both but use the Jazz much more than the Precision.

Too many players base their buying decisions on what "famous" players use. Don't worry about what other bassists are using. Use what you like. There is no right or wrong bass. During my 34 years of playing, I have used Washburn, Fender, Alembic, Musicman, Carvin, Ibanez, Schecter and Spector. I always seem to come back to Fender.


Last edited by Rockbassist on Mon Jul 02, 2012 12:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Should I trade in my Fender American Jazz bass for a P b
Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 8:40 pm
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Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 8:47 pm
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Rent a P bass, see how you like it...bet you won't sell your Jazz then. I have both, but I refer the Jazz.


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Post subject: Re: Should I trade in my Fender American Jazz bass for a P b
Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 12:42 am
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Thanks guys.. I really like the fender american jazz bass, why? because of the tone and the comfort of the neck.. but I can't get over the trend of the Fender P bass that most of the rock bands use.. The only reason I like the P bass is because it looks very iconic, original and just relaxed. Maybe.. I can purchase a Fender American P bass in the future? or maybe i'm just thinking too much about my appearance and not trusting myself, but really.. thanks guys for the advice and help. I will try to be myself.


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Post subject: Re: Should I trade in my Fender American Jazz bass for a P b
Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 9:53 pm
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I wish you could come over and hear a Jazz AND a P bass thru my junk. You would have to bring a putty knife to scrape your face off the wall. You may just walk away with a whole new idea about Fenders ( and some of my duct tape holding your face back on.)


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Post subject: Re: Should I trade in my Fender American Jazz bass for a P b
Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 7:54 am
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Hah!!........same here with regard to my amp set up I use an SWR Headlite & Amplite through 2 x SWR cabinets (a 4x10 workingpro & a 2x10 Goliath jr) giving me 800watts of power....I also use a MXR M80 Bass DI + & I tell ya the sound I get from both my Jazz & P bass is killer !!


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Post subject: Re: Should I trade in my Fender American Jazz bass for a P b
Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 9:13 pm
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SWEET-- I can run my GK RB 800 and 410 Ampeg HLF cab WITH my SWR Red Head and an Epifani 115 AND a Bag End 115 band pass cab --- OH JAH MON !!!!!! It will melt ICE!!!! HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D :D :D


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Post subject: Re: Should I trade in my Fender American Jazz bass for a P b
Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 9:42 pm
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WOW equally as killer stroker Vance!! :) I'm going to be adding an MXR M87 Bass Compressor to my ring in the next 2 weeks to tighten things up.....& as for effects I'm not much of an effects guy, I do however currently have an MXR Custom Shop '74 vintage Phase 90 ( for those times when you want to groove to Ted Nugents "Stranglehold"... riff...hah!! just kidding) I'd also like to get an MXR Bass Octaver & an MXR Bass Envolope filter......& then that would be it as far as effects go.....Funny thing is I used to own a Boss ME -20B Multi effects unit & I just couldn't wrap my head around it, ....I sold it just under a year ago with the plan of buying the above effects pedals to replace the ME-20B...........I gotta say I'm a fan of MXR bass effects pedals, they're solid, reliable & priced right............I also like EBS products but I think they're a little highly in priced & as I said I'm not much of an effects guy but having a couple of toys to experiment with can open a new door of creativity. :)


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Post subject: Re: Should I trade in my Fender American Jazz bass for a P b
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 7:31 am
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The actual pedals is where it's at I think. I have never liked or thought the multi floor pedal effects units were worth 10 cents. I'm going back to when they first came out. Some may be good for recording and I think there may be one new one that's decent at best. IMO pile them up and squirt the lighter fluid on them. The band I was in- the "rythem" player used one of those junks at a gig and it sounded terrible. Real tinny and compressed. The other "lead" player had the good 300 dollar pedals and his sound just blew the "rythem" guys' away. That sucked about the band- one guys stuff sounded completely different than the other guys. That was part of the downfall of a good band. It was a slippery $@!&# after that. Don't get me started. HA!!!! :D


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Post subject: Re: Should I trade in my Fender American Jazz bass for a P b
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 8:43 am
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When I first got the Boss ME-20B(5 yrs ago ) I thought to myself WOW over $1300. worth of effects pedal compressed in a $280.00 unit .......it took me a couple of weeks to figure out all the functions & options........I found some of the sounds a little cheap sounding & in the end I decided to go back to the old school way of using effect pedals. :)


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