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Post subject: Serious GAS for a Jazz bass... Which one?
Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 10:32 am
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Okay, for starters, I am a very long term beginner. I started playing in 2003, stepped away due to family in 2008 and just got back at it last year. I am still a rotten player but I have fun, and I am better than I used to be. Far from public ready but at least the cat no longer tries to hide when I play...

So here is my dilema...

I have 2 nice older Ibanez active Soundgear PJ basses, and they sound absolutely fantastic for what they are, and the slim neck, well... I am loving the neck... The problem...

The sound I get from those basses on a lot of what I want to play is dead on, but there is a lot of prog rock type stuff I want to do that I know really can only be done on a Jazz bass...

Did I mention I am picky about how the necks feel and play?

I have a local dealer with a really basic Squier Affinity Jazz in stock, set up dead perfect... The neck is silky smooth and fast. But, it's an Affinity. I know it is the bottom of the line model, but that neck, oh that nice silky smooth neck...

The same shop has a couple of VM Jazzes, a couple of MIM and MIA Fender Jazzes, and those all have a gloss finished back on the neck. And that gloss always feels sticky to me...

I prefer the pickups / bridge on the James Jameson signature Jazz, not to mention the color matched headstock and the Lake Placid blue color makes that thing almost too pretty to play... But the back of that neck just feels, well... sticky and slow to me...

I have heard of guys taking Scotch Brite pads to the back of VMs, CVs, MIMs and MIAs... How is this done, and is it really effective and getting that silky, buttery smooth finish tot he back of the neck?

I've noticed the same thing with the P basses as well... Affinity neck finish is my fave, but the hardware / electronics of the VM / CV are what I prefer...

Such a conundrum. I don't know if I should get the Affinity and mod it with the better hardware, or get the higher end model and mod it by removing the gack from the back of the neck...

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Post subject: Re: Serious GAS for a Jazz bass... Which one?
Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 11:47 am
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Your best bet would be to get the model that sounds best to you, then swap out an Affinity (or other satin finish neck) for the vintage tint gloss neck. Affinity necks are plentiful in the used market (i.e. Craigslist, etc.), so you should be able to find one without much trouble at all.

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Post subject: Re: Serious GAS for a Jazz bass... Which one?
Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 5:34 pm
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I really like the James Johnson signature jazz also. Squier's signature basses are known to be a cut above.
http://www.squierguitars.com/basses/jazz-bass/james-johnston-jazz-bass-rosewood-fingerboard-lake-placid-blue/
Just wax the back of the neck until it's smooth as glass. I have a satin finished neck on my Am. Std. jazz and just use Music Nomad's "Guitar One" cleaner/polish. Great Stuff.

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Post subject: Re: Serious GAS for a Jazz bass... Which one?
Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 7:54 am
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linnin wrote:
I really like the James Johnson signature jazz also. Squier's signature basses are known to be a cut above.
http://www.squierguitars.com/basses/jazz-bass/james-johnston-jazz-bass-rosewood-fingerboard-lake-placid-blue/
Just wax the back of the neck until it's smooth as glass. I have a satin finished neck on my Am. Std. jazz and just use Music Nomad's "Guitar One" cleaner/polish. Great Stuff.


I would absolutely LOVE to just have that satin finish neck on the James Johnston Jazz Bass. Mind you I am not even vaguely familiar with Mr. Johnston's work, but love the hardware and finish on that bass, except for the back of the neck... Yuck.

I know I have heard Geddy took the scotch brite pad to his Jazz, and others are talking in vague terms about it...

How is this done? I know how to achieve the finish I want if I was starting with raw naked wood, I just am not sure how to get that stupid gloss finish off of where my thumb is prone to dragging... I've got access to plenty of 1K grit and above sandpaper (my BIL is a body man...), my inventory has plenty of 600 grit, so getting the wood polished enough is no big deal. And then a nice non coloring oiled finish (so no Watco Danish oil here please!). Just something to close up the pores on the wood, and protect it. I am thinking probably Tung Oil as it has the least amount of darkening / yellowing of any oil finish that has any durability I can think of... And it REALLY makes any curl / grain in the maple neck pop...

Yep, I am thinking the JJ signature Jazz is going on my list for Santa this upcoming year!

Image

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Don't take my word for it. Audition one!


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Post subject: Re: Serious GAS for a Jazz bass... Which one?
Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 1:41 pm
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Unfinished maple turns a real nasty looking black real fast. Oiling the wood will turn gummy with time, and since it is engrained with the wood it will be impossible to remove. Also the oil will get on your hands and fingers and kill your strings.

Leave your neck sealed and wax until it's glass. Simple & Easy. Use 100% carnauba if you'd like.

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2012 Lefty American Standard Jazz
2017 Lefty American Professional Precision
2018 Rumble Studio 40 Combo
2016 Rumble 200 Combo
One day they shall name a GREAT city after me, and they shall call it LINNINGRAD


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Post subject: Re: Serious GAS for a Jazz bass... Which one?
Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 1:55 pm
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Location: Linningrad

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2012 Lefty American Standard Jazz
2017 Lefty American Professional Precision
2018 Rumble Studio 40 Combo
2016 Rumble 200 Combo
One day they shall name a GREAT city after me, and they shall call it LINNINGRAD


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Post subject: Re: Serious GAS for a Jazz bass... Which one?
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2015 9:02 am
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Folks on TB mention that the Affinity series Jazz bodies are thinner than the VM and CV series instruments. Is that true? And if so, does it really effect anything other than the amount of wood they use to make the instrument?

Has anyone actually measured an Affinity and a Vintage Modified and posted up the measurements?

The pickups on them sound fine by me, but like I mentioned on TB, it's the bridge that gives me concern. Could a HiMass bridge be fairly easily swapped in?

My concern is this. Even though it is a bolt on neck, I see the neck as integral to the instrument as a whole, where as the bridge, pickups and tuners are more easily bolt on stuff.... And I worry about spending the extra for say a JJ Signature Jazz and ending up despising the neck. I don't really want to swap out the neck for an affinity if all I am ending up with in the end is an affinity with upgraded bridge and pickups. I can do that by just getting an affinity and upgrading the bridge and pickups right?

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Don't take my word for it. Audition one!


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