Suspect I might get run off the forum for this, but:
So I've been after one of these for ages and finally got one with Christmas money this year. Wife persuaded me to buy a brand new one from a guitar shop which isn't something I've done in a long time. Ordered it two weeks ago and got it yesterday.
It's lovely. I love Jazz Basses and I love fretlesseseses. It's so easy to play (in fact I'd say that this guitar plays like how butter plays).
Got to try it out with an amp in the shop and it sounded suitably Jazz Bassy. For an amp at home, I'm resting the headstock on the coffee table.
Get some flatwounds on that thing pronto. I've had a fretless jazz before, with those black nylon wrapped flats on it, it sounded and played awesome....also rounds will eventually dig into your fretboard without frets there.
Of course if rounds are your thing do it up, on fretless for me tho there's just no other way.
Last edited by Nick on Thu Jan 01, 2015 2:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
This has an ebonol fretboard which is apparently hard enough that round wounds aren't a problem, other than the scratching that you can see in that photo.
Yeah, edited my post while you were replying. I just liked how smooth it was, and how I had more control over the tone without all the string/fret noise in the way.
Either way nice score, that is probably the best value Squier bass out there (in the sense that it looks feels and sounds like it costs twice as much).
Yeah, I've been fairly impressed with these guys when I've played them. The ebonyl feels a little weird, but, sounds and plays just fine... and by all accounts is durable. I like tape wounds on fretless (TruBass 88s for me), but flats are ok too.
At home, don't be scared to plug that thing into a guitar amp; it'll be fine. For gigging, well, you'll want to be more careful selective about what guitar amp you might use... or, ya know, get a SansAmp or a decent small bass amp (maybe a Portaflex 350 and 210 ?).
ekwatts wrote:That's American cinema, that is. Fucking sparkles.
Ankhanu wrote:Yeah, I've been fairly impressed with these guys when I've played them. The ebonyl feels a little weird, but, sounds and plays just fine... and by all accounts is durable. I like tape wounds on fretless (TruBass 88s for me), but flats are ok too.
At home, don't be scared to plug that thing into a guitar amp; it'll be fine. For gigging, well, you'll want to be more careful selective about what guitar amp you might use... or, ya know, get a SansAmp or a decent small bass amp (maybe a Portaflex 350 and 210 ?).
Dyoh I meant tapewounds...that's the black nylon wrapped type right? Thats what I had on my fretless jazz and it was awesome. Played the metal flats too but on a fretted squier jag bass.
Oddly enough I'm looking at that ampeg....well that or the 500. The price difference is negligible especially on the used market for those extra features and 150 watts. Right now I'm using a gk backline 112 100 watt combo which is surprisingly loud enough but it's all grit at band volumes.
Looks awesome. I love my fretless Jazz Bass. It's ebonol too, with a mighty mite neck. Ebonol seems the perfect material to use though I've not had a chance to compare it to ebony.
I've got the La Bella Deep Talkin' flats. They used to be marketed as James Jamerson signature strings but I think his estate chose not to carry on the endorsment, though considering it started after his death it's all a bit weird anyway.
Nick wrote:Dyoh I meant tapewounds...that's the black nylon wrapped type right?
Yep, those're the ones.
Nick wrote:Oddly enough I'm looking at that ampeg....well that or the 500. The price difference is negligible especially on the used market for those extra features and 150 watts. Right now I'm using a gk backline 112 100 watt combo which is surprisingly loud enough but it's all grit at band volumes.
Oh yeah, the 500 is a far better amp, I was considering one of them a while back, until I finally got a cab for a Peavey T-Max (I'd been considering the Portaflex cabs for it too, but got a cheap Carvin 115). I suggested 350 based on small size and price, and not expecting much for gigging requirements... but the 500 is a much better amp and, likely, value.
ekwatts wrote:That's American cinema, that is. Fucking sparkles.
Nick wrote: I've had a fretless jazz before, with those black nylon wrapped flats on it, it sounded and played awesome....
I actually have some of these. Pat had them on my bass before selling it to me. I already knew I wanted to try the La Bellas so when I got it I immediately changed them but kept the black tapewound ones thinking I might try them out some day.
Seen here in Pat's original sale pics.
Here you can see how they compare to flatwound.
I know you're into the Jaco sound but if you want to give tapewound a go PM me your address and I'll send them your way.
I play around with my fretless from time to time, but, really, the only time I really play it is when my band (or a couple of us anyway) plays acoustic gigs. The fretless through the PA without an amp works pretty well in that setting.
ekwatts wrote:That's American cinema, that is. Fucking sparkles.
James wrote:
I know you're into the Jaco sound but if you want to give tapewound a go PM me your address and I'll send them your way.
Not sure if this is directed at me but if so I will definitely take you up on this, but after I've managed to get an amp and know what I'm doing with the round wounds that are on it.
One of the things I'm finding challenging/fun is that in the past I've played mostly P-basses with heavy strings on them, so that's what my picking technique was developed on. This wee skinny neck with the low action and slinky strings feels weird, and that's before getting into the intonation and feel issues in the left hand.
James wrote:
I know you're into the Jaco sound but if you want to give tapewound a go PM me your address and I'll send them your way.
Not sure if this is directed at me but if so I will definitely take you up on this, but after I've managed to get an amp and know what I'm doing with the round wounds that are on it.
One of the things I'm finding challenging/fun is that in the past I've played mostly P-basses with heavy strings on them, so that's what my picking technique was developed on. This wee skinny neck with the low action and slinky strings feels weird, and that's before getting into the intonation and feel issues in the left hand.
Yeah directed at you. Just let me know when you're ready for them.
The La Bella strings Nick and I were talking about (silver flatwound alongside the black tapewound in the pic above) are very heavy. I would take a guess that you'd like them for it.
See, in the past I've always liked my bass strings to not move at all, to be like rods with very little play in them. Otherwise my picking goes to pieces if I take may picking hand off the bridge pickup.
I'm half enjoying the challenge of the rubbery floppy strings that are on here, though. The fact that I've knackered my right hand means that I can now only pick with one finger until it rests up a bit, so I'm only picking with the one finger at the minute, a la Jamerson and trying to remember how to play What's Going On, so I don't need any speed at all.
