JPF Home Page Forums Musician Gear and Techniques Bass and Drum Forum Down from the Mountain

In my last posting, I foolishly bragged about my new Fender Jazz bass that I had just purchased with it's active pickups, on-board EQ, multiple knobs and abalone inlay.

I was wrong to make such a purchase.

I returned it yeterday and bought a Fender American Precision bass in traditional Sunburst finish, rosewood fretboard, big maple neck and a simple but time tested split coil passive pickup. A volume and tone control way down yonder so I have room for my big hands to pick, slap and pop those strings.

I went up the mountain and then realized that somethings should remain simple.

No offense to you active pickup lovers, but it was not for me.

Active is good for someone who is going to use the bass in a lot of applications, like playing through a lot of different amps and then recording straight to the board.

My active G&L bass, with two EMG soapbar pickups, sounds great when I record straight to the board. I've even recorded on master sessions plugging it straight into the input of the ADAT! There's nothing like a stock passive P Bass or Jazz Bass, though, those are the sounds that define the electric bass.

Congrats on getting a fine "benchmark" instrument.

Mike

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Mike Dunbar Music