Brother, Can You Spare A Grand?

[Ravindave_3600]

Today I played a new USA-made Jazz bass with the switchable electronics (S1?).

:-) mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm :-)

So if any of you have a spare thousand dollars laying around, and would like to invest in my career as a bass player, feel free to send it along. I promise to use it well, in a manner consistent with the values of the Lord and all you GASers. O:)

[stephen]

Well I dont have any spare benjamins layin around, but I'm anticipating hearing some more about this S1 Jazz Bass.

[Ravindave_3600]

Well, obviously unless something changes in a big way, I'm NOT going to be buying it. Sometimes GAS goes unfullfilled.

But here's a rundown:
* nice weight
* well balanced
* beautiful sunburst
* sweet neck (as Jazz tend to have - Ive always like the J neck better than the P neck)

In passive mode, the sound was full and round - just like you'd expect from top-quality equipment. But push the S1 button (almost invisible on the neck volume knob) and it got the modern, slapable, funk that active electonics are good for. It was like playing twin instruments with two great voices, equally good but completely different.

I really love a Stringray bass, with its big fat sound, but it's pretty much a rock n roll instrument. This Jazz wasn't as huge, but very nice and much more versatile.

[jazzrat]

I'm playing an awesome Carvin 4-string right now, but a Jazz, has always been on my wish list. Love the neck on those.

[SAguitar]

I've spent years on a Jazz, and years on a Precision, and tried numerous others over my long career. But these days the two frontrunners in my bass stable are 5-string Carvins, one with frets, one without. They get all the tones I need to thump out a foundation. Actually, I only own one other bass right now, an MTB Kingston 5-string fretless. I'm not puttin' Jazz basses down, but for the same money, you can get a lot more bass in a Carvin IMHO. :cool:

[tom grossheider]

I could be wrong, but I don't think that S1 switch is part of an active circuit on those basses (I could be thinking of a different model). As far as I remember it just changes the pickup wiring from series to parallel for a different tone. I've not tried one personally (I really like my '96 USA J bass) but I've read a little about them.

[SAguitar]

You are correct, Tom. The S12 switch circuit is not active, only passive.