Jazz Bass Basics, Strings, Amp and Setup

[TheBear]

Hello

I received a nice surprise for my birthday. A 1998 standard Jazz Bass. My electric stringed endeavors actually began way back when I was in Junior High with a frankenstein P-Bass. The neck is old, valuable, and in need of some TLC so it has been retired. The J-Bass is now my player and I've been really enjoying playing it through my J-Station.

I have a few questions for you Bass veterans.

My old Crate BX-25 is out of commission and i would like to eventually have an actual amp to play through. What are the best options in the sub- $400 range? I really liked what I read about the Yorkville XM100C as far as reliability/customer support goes but I do not know what to look for component/feature-wise. I'm much more of a 6 string guy. I've heard that tube is not as important for Bass amps. is this true?

I would like some versatility but will probably be playing jazz, folk, country and rock sounding stuff.


I will soon be adding a Gotoh direct replacement bridge and Fralin split Jazz pups.

What size, brand and type of strings do you recommend?

Last but not least. I've had quite a bit of experience setting up strats and teles. Is there anything I need to look out for when working on the Bass?


Thanks for reading, I look forward to your replies.

[TheBear]

Anyone use strings here?

[Old Cane]

For working on the bass the most difference I've seen is obvious. You need a longer straight-edge. I use Ken Smith strings unlike most here I only use roundwound. I also use a light gauge, 30-90. Sometimes 35-95.

For amps I think the Hartke combo line, the GK (have to be used if it's $400), and who knows what else. If it sounds good to you, then it is good. I htink the 60 watt Rolnad Cube is a good one too.

[ccrnnr9]

I'll see what I can do to answer some of your questions. I should start off by advising you to take my advice with a grain of salt as I am a relative newcomer, although I have been searching for many of the same things lately and have come up with my own set of results.

As far as amps go, the most important thing to do is try as many out as possible. This is a cliche answer but is so for a reason...it is THE tried and true method for finding the right gear for YOU. That being said, if you are looking for a rig that will allow you to comfortably play with others, then you must first figure out how much you headroom you need. This will all depend on who you are playing with and where. I am being told that 200w from a solid state amp is the minimum you will want. For a tube amp the consensus seems to be more varied on not only the watts but the watts generated from different amps. I also think finding a good cab to match your head is just as important. If I had to give you some advice I would say find a free day, pack up your bass, get your check book ready and head out to as many places locally (guitar/amp shops, pawn shops, local craigslist finds, etc) and try out as many amps as you can find that are in your price range fit your specs. Also try out some more expensive amps for comparison. Doing this I found a couple models that were exactly what I wanted. Used is probably the best bet in your price range.
~Nick

[Vince a]

I'd leave that bass alone . . . they're good just like they are . . . if you change pickups and bridge, and add some expensive strings, you have more $$$ in parts than the bass is worth?

If you have to spend a few $$$ . . . try some medium priced strings (D'Addario Chromes ($23-$29) if you like flats, and maybe some GHS Boomers ($20) (lots of others too) for roundwounds . . . change the electronics to some good Fender stuff (maybe the same ones from a MIA Jazz bass) -volume/tone pots and caps . . . and don't forget the jack. Then get or do a really good setup with a nice action to it. The stock bridge is OK, as are the stock pups.

Amps . . . drive around to the stores and look for 'em . . . try them all out . . . don't forget to haggle the price with the salesman, as most stores will deal. A month or so ago, I saw a used Eden NC-210 combo amp (2x10 and 250watts, DI built in) marked at $500 . . . a guy offered $300, and he got it for $350 out-the-door! They're out there . . .

[TheBear]

Thanks guys, this is really great info.

I will try some bass amps out when the time comes. The J-Station will have to do for now. Eden and Hartke were two names that I did not expect to come up so I will try 'em out.

Strings are so much more of a commitment on the bass so I will do some more research in that department.

[4mal]

$400 is a tight amp budget. I'd take the money for the bass upgrades and raise your amp budget. You already probsbly know the adage that less is more while you're playing bass.... IMO the reverse is true when is comes to amps. You don't want to be underamplified so buy a little bigger than you think you need ... IMO, YMMV and the other 40 applicable disclaimers.

For specifics - a used GK RB series and a single 15 will take you a long way ...

[aunchaki]

I like GK solid state amps and cabs for bass. Their Backline series of cabs come in every flavor (2x10, 4x10, 1x15, probably others). My last band had a few of each that we mixed and matched and combined.

I'd give the stock bridge and pickups a chance before swapping them. Even as I give this advice, I know that I've ignored it myself. Often.

I like heavier strings on a 4-string because I like to play in drop-D. It depends on your own style. I put flatwounds on my old P-bass, before I re-gifted it. My current bass is a J-configured 5-string and I'm still using roundwounds (that's MY preference: flats for Ps, rounds for Js). I don't have much string brand wisdom; I've used Fender strings without complaint. My next set may be Ernie Balls (if they have what i need). I don't change bass strings that often.

Basic set-up issues are not that much different from a Strat or Tele.

Good luck! Welcome to the basement!

[casterway]

I like GHS Boomers a lot. Cheap, and last forever. 45-105 on my Geddy Lee sig Jazz.

[Old Cane]

If anybody says you have to have 200 watts to play in a band they must be using really crappy watts. I used a Yamaha 100 wat head for 15 years making a living doing it and playing in 800-5000 seat clubs. The drummer used an EV keyboard cab (1-18, 1-10 and horn) for a monitor and pointed it right at me. I use a 210 cab and have a 1-18 if the band got loud(er). The smaller places i was on my own. The bigger places I went through the PA. This was one of the loudest bands I have ever played in.

I'm going by the fact you had a Crate 25 and didn't mention something a LOT bigger. I'd check the Roland. Also Fender and Ampeg lower lines. The ones I'm suggesting are bigger than a little practice amp. You could play a job with them. But they aren't to the level of durability I would take on the road.

[refin]

On my MIM Jazz basses,I run flatwounds on one and roundwounds on the other.The stock pups sound great to me,although for giggles I put some Carvin pups on the flatwound bass because I got them really cheap,and they are stacked (humbucking) and good for recording.No active EQ though.
If you don't need a ton of volume,I would check out the Hartke Kickback Series amps---120 watts through a 12" or a 15",small,surprising full and deep.I just scored a 1-12 for $150 on CL.

[Sl8e]

Originally Posted by TheBear

Hello

I received a nice surprise for my birthday. A 1998 standard Jazz Bass. My electric stringed endeavors actually began way back when I was in Junior High with a frankenstein P-Bass. The neck is old, valuable, and in need of some TLC so it has been retired. The J-Bass is now my player and I've been really enjoying playing it through my J-Station.

I have a few questions for you Bass veterans.

My old Crate BX-25 is out of commission and i would like to eventually have an actual amp to play through. What are the best options in the sub- $400 range? I really liked what I read about the Yorkville XM100C as far as reliability/customer support goes but I do not know what to look for component/feature-wise. I'm much more of a 6 string guy. I've heard that tube is not as important for Bass amps. is this true?

I would like some versatility but will probably be playing jazz, folk, country and rock sounding stuff.


I will soon be adding a Gotoh direct replacement bridge and Fralin split Jazz pups.

What size, brand and type of strings do you recommend?

Last but not least. I've had quite a bit of experience setting up strats and teles. Is there anything I need to look out for when working on the Bass?


Thanks for reading, I look forward to your replies.

I use DR black or DR blue strings on my jazz basses. I spend more on these strings because I don't have to replace them but every 6 weeks. A non-coated set would last me about a week per bass before they are dead.

On my fretless basses I use DR black 40's. Fretted basses I use DR black 45's. [blue 45's on my 5-string etc...]

The Gotoh 203 bridge, Seymour Duncan passive p/u's.

For a rig under $400? A Combo wedge amp w/115 of various types can be bought for that kind of money used.

I use GK.

Try the backline series.

[Bluesbob]

I'm not sure about this, but I believe that the late '90's MIM Standard Jazz bass came with two pickups of the same length, unlike the original and later '60's and Geddy Lee (as well as Highway One and Road-worn series) Jazz basses. These came with pickups of different lengths, to allow for wider string spacing nearer the bridge. In other word, the Fralins may not fit. It might be a good idea to measure the pickups that are in there to make sure.
Anyway, you'd probably be better off with some new strings and a good set-up, and an amp that you can play through, before trying out new pickups.
For flats I would recommend Thomastic-Infeld, for rounds there are a bunch of choices, the Daddario's are fine to start out with. You have to compare tones to figure out what you like, as well as tension, string feel and other details.
You can't really hear it without an amp. I don't know if there is a GK combo that you can afford new, but an old 2X10 400 should be in your price range. When I saw jazz (music) I started to think SWR Basic Black, which was discontinued in 1999, I think, but then when you say rock (and country) I started thinking about an older GK, which can be very versatile.
You could also just spring for a Hartke kick-back, or maybe even an amp-cab rig (used) in your price range. Or an older Ampeg 1X15, maybe. But you really do have to compare and contrast not only tone, but size, weight, power, features, etc. - and then make a decision. If you find something you think you might like in your price range - go for it. Then you'll at least have a basis for comparison. You'll want to find out the "truth" about power ratings and efficiency and sensitivity, but for now just get the best amp you can.
As far as tubes in bass amps, there are many with a tube used in the pre-amp, but it's not a vital part of the equation like with a guitar amp. An all-tube bass amp is really heavy and really expensive. But some people love 'em ().
Good luck with your endeavors.

[Tim Armstrong]

I'm getting great results with GHS Precision Flatwound strings on my bass.

If I was gonna buy a new (or lightly used) bass amp today, I'd do what 4mal suggests, and get a GK RB700 head and a cab, either a 1x15" or a 2x10"...

Another way you might go would be to get a nice power amp and run the J-Station into it, feeding a bass cab. I mean, why pay for a preamp when you have a good one already?

Tim

[Vince a]

You keep saying that about those strings Tim . . . almost have me convinced to give 'em a try, as the Rotosound flatwounds I just put on - I don't care for! Way too bright for me . . . and they just don't feel right. I hate to waste the $$$, so I may wait a few weeks . . . good thing I get great family discounts at the guitar store.

I have a 15 inch cab setting in the garage collecting dust. I tried it a few times, and it just got lost in the mix. Now I run a 2x10 cab and a 2x12 cab, both 4 ohm. Yes, my amp plays down to 2 ohm!

[TheBear]

It is good to know that tubes aren't a necessity with electric bass amps and that there are so many dedicated bass players on the forum!

Tim, I really like your idea. I am mostly going to be using the bass for recording unless I suddenly begin playing bass for a band. Also, I would have to replace furniture in my apartment to accommodate a 200+ watt amplifier. The J-Station has never really pleased me for guitar but it is surprisingly good for a bass. Will any power amp do or do I need one specifically for music equipment?

[Tim Armstrong]

Originally Posted by TheBear

Will any power amp do or do I need one specifically for music equipment?

It really depends on how much power and volume you want. I actually use a Crate Powerblock with my Yamaha Magic Stomp (which is a lot like your J-Station), and run it into an 8 ohm bass cab (the Crate wants to see 8 ohms, it overheats at 4 ohms), and have gigged with that rig. Any decent PA power amp ought to do the trick as well or better...

Tim

[Tim Armstrong]

Originally Posted by Vince a

You keep saying that about those strings Tim . . . almost have me convinced to give 'em a try, as the Rotosound flatwounds I just put on - I don't care for! Way too bright for me . . . and they just don't feel right. I hate to waste the $$$, so I may wait a few weeks . . . good thing I get great family discounts at the guitar store.

Vince, one of the things I like about the GHS strings is the price!



Tim

[4mal]

Heresy I know but I'm getting pretty good results out of the Fender tapwound flat's I installed a few weeks back. In my case they were to tame an aggressively brite set of piezo pickups but I expect thay would sound pretty good on a J as well. I doubt I'll be unstringing my TI's any time soon though ...

[Old Cane]

Originally Posted by TheBear

It is good to know that tubes aren't a necessity with electric bass amps and that there are so many dedicated bass players on the forum!

Tim, I really like your idea. I am mostly going to be using the bass for recording unless I suddenly begin playing bass for a band. Also, I would have to replace furniture in my apartment to accommodate a 200+ watt amplifier. The J-Station has never really pleased me for guitar but it is surprisingly good for a bass. Will any power amp do or do I need one specifically for music equipment?

You might want to rethink your statement there. As it turns out, watts are pretty small.

http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend....mbo?sku=481797

[aunchaki]

Originally Posted by Tim Armstrong

I actually use a Crate Powerblock with my Yamaha Magic Stomp (which is a lot like your J-Station), and run it into an 8 ohm bass cab (the Crate wants to see 8 ohms, it overheats at 4 ohms), and have gigged with that rig.

A PowerBlock and a GK 2x10 8-Ohm cab is my gigging rig also. If space is an issue, check out the Roland Micro Cube for Bass! I'd really like to try one of these out for an afternoon. It looks like fun. (Those are four four-inch speakers!)

[marshman]

Well, my two cents:

I always preferred Dean Markley Blue Steels, but they're on the pricey side. I've tried tons of others and never had any that were so bad I thought "GadZOOKS, I need to get rid of these things!" and I tend to prefer something in the 45-105 range, which I think of as a medium bass guage. Try something there out and see if you like 'em, and then move up or down a bit to see if you feel like you're missing something. Flatwounds give a classic old-school sort of 'thud' that can't quite be mimiced with rounds and the tone down all the way (but it's close enough for most gigging environments), but I prefer the peppier attack of the roundwounds most of the time. And my strings are good for a lot longer than 6 weeks at a shot, though I don't practice hard every day and try to wipe 'em down occasionally. Flats are generally a lot kinder to your frets, if that's at all important, but if you're not Billy Sheehan, I don't know it'll make a huge difference in those terms. As far as set up goes, I spent years as a Stevie Ray Vannabe and like my guitar action reasonably high, but I keep my bass action down pretty low...take it down as far as it'll go before buzzing and then bring it back up a notch.

Tubes Rule! Unfortunately, tube amps get reallllllly heavy (and pretty expensive) at the power levels most bassists need, so SS is the rule of the day. I picked up a second hand Nemesis 210/200 watter a few years ago for $450, so you should be able to find something gig-worthy in that range. If you're just practicing at home, and you're sure that's all you'll be doing, get a little practice amp and be done with it. Like all technology, the smaller they make it, the more expensive it gets.

And I'd also recommend you take some time and get to know the tones your bass is capable of generating before diving in and replacing bits.

To review my position:
Medium guage=good starting point
Lowish action=good starting point
Flatwounds=vintage-y
Roundwounds=modern-er
Tube amps=heavy+expensive+great tone+expensive
Solid State amps=lightweight-er+more affordable(in general)+good tone

Enjoy!

[Old Cane]

What do you pay for Blue Steels? The are $26 where I shop. You must not be old enough to remember when ANY bass set was over $40 discounted heavily.

[marshman]

Well, OC, I got my local shop to order me a handful of sets of Blue Steels a few years ago when he had a 'special deal' going, and I haven't gotten any new ones in ages. I occasionally pick up new sets of different brands 'on special' now, but only if they're $20 or less.

[4mal]

Strings are a huge part of getting my sound. A really good set of strings can make an uninspiring instrument sound great and a not so good set can spoil an otherwise wonderful instrument. The best of bass string sets last seemingly forever. Scrimping there is being penny wise me thinks... YMMV as always.

Last set of TIJF's I bought were near $60 at the store. Normally $10 cheaper on line these days but there was a rush so ... the offshore price. I play then out 3 nights a week currently, plus 2 rehearsals a week and individual practice. That set will take it for at least 2 years ... and the tone is something I really like. SO when you look at the life span. $60 for a set isn't really onerous at all ...

[Old Cane]

No but those of us that don't use flatwounds probably change once a month or so. I used to when I was playing 5 and 6 nights a week with one or two rehearsals a week. Two, three four weeks was all I wanted. Now flatwounds, I have no idea. I never got any tone at all from them so I wouldn't have known when they were worn out. In all fairness, I never have played them. When someone handed me a bass with flatwounds to sit in I just handed it back and pulled my own out of the case.

[Sl8e]

Originally Posted by Tim Armstrong

Vince, one of the things I like about the GHS strings is the price!



Tim

I used to skimp on strings because of cost until I began playing on coated strings.

They cost more but I don't have to replace them nearly as often.

I used to use D'Addarios back in the day.

Now I use DR blacks.

D'Addarios are roughly $25

DR $35

$25 goes one week

spending $35 lasts about a month.

so for $10 more dollars I get 3 weeks of life out of a set of strings.

If your store has them or the Elixers try them out. You may wind up very happy with the long life you get from a coated round wound.