Epiphone EB-0 electric bass

[BopEuph]

Just my 2 cents, after skimming through this thread:

I own an Epiphone EBM. It's a P/J design. I don't like it. Or, at least, I didn't. I tried to use it as a trade in at Guitar Center, and they offered me $25 for it. As counter-intuitive as it seems, I had a set of EMG actives installed in it, to see if I liked it better. I figured if I didn't, I could just pull the pickups out and keep them for a new bass. Well, the bass sounded great, but still played like hell. No matter how much I tweaked the truss rod, I could never get the neck straight. But about six months ago, I decided, since it's largely collected dust for the last five years, that I would try to experiment with it. I got a six string set, and put the C-G-D-A strings on it. The neck is now straight, the bass feels better, and it's more fun to play. It's like the bass was meant to be tuned as a tenor bass. Now all I need to do is replace that crappy bridge.

As for some other things I've seen:

The Squier Affinity may be a "cheap" bass, but the body and neck aren't any different than the basses that come from any other shop. It's the hardware and the electronics that are the biggest difference. The body on my Affinity Precision is solid alder, and the neck is maple. Picked it up in like-new condition at a pawn shop, and put in Quarter Pounder pickups, a Hipshot-A bridge, put on a bridge cover with a rubber mute, put on flatwounds, and added some other aesthetic things. For around $300, including the cost of the instrument itself, I have one that I would put up against an American Precision. It's common practice for working bassists to find the cheaper lines of Fender and do this. Now, this bass isn't going to play in many gigs unless I get a call for a Motown gig, but it's not my main bass, and I wanted an instrument with the James Jamerson charm to it.

The Jazz Bass doesn't go for the Jaco sound. Jaco played an American Standard Jazz Bass, and everything on the instrument was stock. The growl that comes from the sound is those pickups, combined with Jaco playing near the bridge. That's the jazz bass sound.

I got lucky on a deal with my Geddy Lee Jazz Bass. The thing is amazing. I use it on every electric gig, and I get nothing short of compliments about the bass...well, except for the really stupid bandleader on a ship I worked with on the Mediterranean a few years back, but clueless musicians don't count.

And if you're wanting to get an upright sound, then like iipopes said, go upright. There is NO substitute. A Jazz Bass sounds like a Jazz Bass. A Precision sounds like a Precision. The Snosberry sounds like a Snosberry. And each of them have their own validity and charm. Especially the Snosberry.

But, if you want to see a really awesome beast, scroll down and check out this bad boy:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f18/cello ... st14539369" target="_blank" target="_blank

This is something I will do on my own, eventually. The sound of this bass from the files he uploaded (a few posts down) are incredible.

By the way, if you're on a budget, go used. That way, you can avoid having to pay anything close to retail. Just make sure the instrument is in good shape.

[chipster55]

Here's why I decided on the Squier J-bass: 1) it's within budget, 2) I don't care about this type of sound or that, I'll get to that later, 3) the neck is suitable for my stubby fingers, 4) it will suffice as I learn to play it. When I do learn to play with some proficiency, then I might consider a nice Fender Jazz Bass or something. But I do appreciate everyone's input.

[iiipopes]

Just my 2 cents, after skimming through this thread: The Jazz Bass doesn't go for the Jaco sound. Jaco played an American Standard Jazz Bass, and everything on the instrument was stock. The growl that comes from the sound is those pickups, combined with Jaco playing near the bridge.

There is way more to it than that: concerning the "main" bass that everyone is familiar with (aka "The Bass of Doom)(Jaco owned many basses), Jaco epoxied his fingerboard to make it harder and get different sustain and tonal characteristics. He was lucky to have a body on his main bass that was very light and resonant, even by alder standards. At some point, it was damaged, and the top and back were milled and new maple caps put on the body, further changing the tone. The '60's Jazz basses have a pickup location for the bridge pickup that is farther away from the bridge than a '70's Jazz bass, so there is a different tone altogether from the bridge pickup.

Finally, just like with tuba embouchure, 99% of a player's tone is in the fingers and hands and personal technique and style.

Here's a before picture of the bass:
http://www.petersreviews.com/?/archives ... und!.html=" target="_blank" target="_blank

And here's an after repairs picture of the bass:
http://www.taringa.net/posts/noticias/1 ... orius.html" target="_blank

[iiipopes]

Here's why I decided on the Squier J-bass: 1) it's within budget, 2) I don't care about this type of sound or that, I'll get to that later, 3) the neck is suitable for my stubby fingers, 4) it will suffice as I learn to play it. When I do learn to play with some proficiency, then I might consider a nice Fender Jazz Bass or something. But I do appreciate everyone's input.

Congrats on finding a bass that suits you.

[BopEuph]

There is way more to it than that:

Of course there is, and I'm well aware of it. But saying the J-Bass is trying to achieve the Jaco sound is like saying York is working to get the Arnie sound. Jaco sounded like Jaco when he played Jerry Jemmot's bass on the video. But it was also still obvious that it wasn't a Fender J by listening. On that video, he put a P-Bass neck on the BoD so viewers could see the frets (I've actually played the current bass that has that neck on it). Still sounded like Jaco when he played it. My J-Bass is a Geddy Lee signature, all stock, and gets that growl when I need it. Now, if only it was fretless!

[BopEuph]

Here's why I decided on the Squier J-bass: 1) it's within budget, 2) I don't care about this type of sound or that, I'll get to that later, 3) the neck is suitable for my stubby fingers, 4) it will suffice as I learn to play it. When I do learn to play with some proficiency, then I might consider a nice Fender Jazz Bass or something. But I do appreciate everyone's input.

That bass will serve you well; and I know plenty of pros that stay with Squier. And upgrading that bass is a very worthwhile endeavor, too, if you want some better parts!

I'm happy with my Squier P-bass.

[iiipopes]

There is way more to it than that:

Of course there is, and I'm well aware of it. But saying the J-Bass is trying to achieve the Jaco sound is like saying York is working to get the Arnie sound. Jaco sounded like Jaco when he played Jerry Jemmot's bass on the video. But it was also still obvious that it wasn't a Fender J by listening. On that video, he put a P-Bass neck on the BoD so viewers could see the frets (I've actually played the current bass that has that neck on it). Still sounded like Jaco when he played it. My J-Bass is a Geddy Lee signature, all stock, and gets that growl when I need it. Now, if only it was fretless!

Then why didn't you say so, since you know better. If you had bothered to quote the rest of my post, you would have seen that I said that 99% of it is in the player's hands. And by not posting the rest of it, you misled the OP and anybody else reading your post.

Congrats for the opportunity to play the BofD. That would be like me getting to play Macca's Hofner, which I am sure will never happen.

But in spite of all that, my main point which you decided to askew is the synergy of the player and instrument together. Just like the BofD brought out the genius of Jaco's playing, likewise, Macca's Hofner also has a different resonance and characteristics from most other Hofner basses.

When a player finds "the" instrument that brings out his/her particular style, then it is a truly synergistic match. I will not sound like Jaco playing Jaco's bass. I will not sound like Macca playing Macca's bass. But on the other hand, as good as Jaco and Macca are, they were/are even better when playing their respective personal instruments, even though an astute listener can tell it is still it is the player when playing a different instrument.