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Jaguar Bass


thom

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I can't afford a vintage series J-Bass, let alone a MM Stingray or an Alembic Stanley Clarke....Which are the only basses I'm lusting for at the moment.

 

But I need a bass fast, so I looked for more options. The Jaguar bass looks kinda cool with the shiny hardware and the classy lookin' inlays and everything...and it's affordable too. But is it any good?

 

There's no store nearby where I could try one out, so I'm searching the net for some soundclips or something. All I find on youtube are either

a)12 year old beginners that can't play worth a damn.

b)Older dudes that can't play worth a damn.

c)Guys with TOO much chops, playing over the top bass solos and slap bass and other stuff I'm not into...

d)Dudes playing along with a lame song.

e)Clips with terrible audio because it was recorded with a {censored}ty computer mic or through a crappy amp/di/whtvr.

 

 

So I'm curious what the Jag Bass sounds like through a beefy rig. I know I'm being picky though, but if anyone here can help me to some decent clips of this bass in action...I'd appreciate it.

 

Cheers.

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Well, I certainly can't play worth a damn but these recordings give a pretty good idea of some of the sounds you can coax out of it. I need to do something a bit more traditional/motownie but haven't yet.

Series, Active with about 1/3 bass boost no treble boost:

http://www.box.net/shared/static/ou4b86bmjv.mp3

 

Parallel, Passive:

http://www.box.net/shared/static/ufdk30doo0.mp3

 

Flanged out:

http://www.box.net/shared/static/okvivqx1zd.mp3

 

All though a Pandora's box direct to a laptop, sorry. :(

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If you're interested in Jazzes, I'd check this out - Fender 70's Jazz bass. Played one at GC a couple weeks ago and I really liked it. Plus, it looks cool. :D

 

For the Jag, I like the sound, but I just can't get into Fenders with active electronics. The one I tried had some scratchy pots (new on showroom floor, BTW), which I just can't tolerate. Nice bass, good sounds, but for me, it would need a touch more refinement.

 

$.02

 

Dustin

 

Edit: Here's the thread I started after playing one. Maybe I should give one another chance.

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But is it any good?

 

 

Yes.

 

As to how it sounds, it sounds like a good jazz bass with both parallel and series settings as well as a bypassable active circuit. There isn't many ways to go wrong with a Jag unless you simply don't like Jazz basses.

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Yes.


As to how it sounds, it sounds like a good jazz bass with both parallel and series settings as well as a bypassable active circuit. There isn't many ways to go wrong with a Jag unless you simply don't like Jazz basses.

 

 

The other diff is that the neck is very small, similar to the Geddy Lee neck excepted with a gloss finish. Some people find it too small.

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If you like the feelof the neck they are great basses. Very , very good construction. They have a great look and sound. If you like how they play it's a no brainer.

BTW I owna Jag and the Geddy neck feels thinner on the ones I've tried. Might be the finnish.

 

 

Here's mine:

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I"ll might get some flack for this, but...

 

You might want to check out some Trabens. In my experience, they make some good basses and it sounds like it might be in your price point. Plus (IMO) the necks play nice.

 

The Array and Chaos are in the same price range as the Jag.

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I"ll might get some flack for this, but...


You might want to check out some Trabens. In my experience, they make some good basses and it sounds like it might be in your price point. Plus (IMO) the necks play nice.


The Array and Chaos are in the same price range as the Jag.

 

 

Trabens can be a good choice. The bolt-ons (at least the Arrays) are hit and miss. Haven't played any of their newer stuff but my son has a year old Array neck-thru which is a GREAT bass.

 

Try one.

 

Their Sun bass is kinda cool. If I run across an 35" 4 string version is will be mine.

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I have played the Jag and it is great! Not quite as refined as the USA stuff, but nice. I do think you will be happy and it is a good value

 

:thu: Upside: It sounds huge and funky. The active pups rock! It has great neck and construction. It looks very cool and different. It plays great. Looks better than in pics. Light weight.

 

:confused: Downside IMHO: The neck is a little too thin for me, I like the P-Bass neck better. Neck is just a tad too heavy and you will get some neck dive. The Jazz bass has an even thinner neck. Of course this is personal preference. No hard shell case. Sometimes the pick-ups have a little bit of a buzz in certain passive configurations.

 

If you got the bucks, you could buy a used USA P-Bass for about the same $$$... but I am going to buy one of these one day too, just cause I think it is very good looking, solid sounding, playable, and unique bass. ;)

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The other diff is that the neck is very small, similar to the Geddy Lee neck excepted with a gloss finish. Some people find it
too
small.

 

I agree, jazz necks are too small for me, but the new 5-string Jazz is pretty nice. I just always go back to the P-Bass. :wave:

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